Yellow Warbler Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesYellow Warbler
Adult male (Northern)
Small, round-headed warbler with a beady black eye and stout bill. Adult males are bright yellow overall with a yellow-green back and chestnut streaks on the breast.
© Brad Imhoff / Macaulay LibraryOhio, May 13, 2020Adult female (Northern)
Small, round-headed warbler with a beady black eye and stout bill. Females are yellow overall with a yellow-green back and mostly unstreaked yellow underparts.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 20, 2018Adult male (Northern)
Hops between branches to forage for insects on leaf surfaces: typical warbler behavior.
© Matthew D. Medler / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 03, 2015Not all videos have sound
Adult male (Mangrove)
Adult male "Mangrove" Yellow Warblers have chestnut heads and chestnut streaking on the breast.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryPuntarenas, March 19, 2017Female/immature (Mangrove)
"Mangrove" Yellow Warblers occur in mangroves from Mexico to northern South America. Females/immatures are drab overall and have a grayish nape.
© Steven Mlodinow / Macaulay LibraryBaja California Sur, December 16, 2011Female/immature (Northern)
Commonly occupies riparian thickets or young forests during migration and in the breeding season.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 27, 1997Not all videos have sound
Adult male (Golden)
Most Yellow (Golden) Warblers have a chestnut-capped and are residents in mangroves in the West Indies.
© Steven Mlodinow / Macaulay LibraryAruba, April 09, 2013Immature (Northern)
Immatures are paler yellow overall, although some can be almost entirely grayish.
© Michael O'Brien / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, September 04, 2016Adult female (Northern) at nest
Builds a deep cup nest constructed with grasses, strips of bark, and spider webs.
© Brad Walker / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 15, 2015Not all videos have sound
Immature (Northern)
Immatures vary from pale yellow to brownish to grayish. Note large beady black eye and stout bill.
© Zak Pohlen / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, August 21, 2016Adult male (Northern)
Small, round-headed warbler with a beady black eye and stout bill. Adult males are bright yellow overall with a yellow-green back and chestnut streaks on the breast.
© Keenan Yakola / Macaulay LibraryMaine, May 10, 2015Adult female (Northern) at nest
Only female Yellow Warblers incubate the eggs, while males continuously forage to feed their mates.
© Luke Eberhart-Hertel / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 14, 2012Not all videos have sound
Adult male (Northern)
Breeds in shrubby thickets and woods, particularly along watercourses and in wetlands.
© Simon Boivin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 27, 2017Adult male (Northern)
Distinctive entirely yellow warbler. Often found foraging in shrubby understories.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 21, 2017Similar SpeciesWilson's Warbler
Female/immature
Female and immature Wilson's Warblers are smaller than Yellow Warblers with a yellow eyebrow and darker cap.
© Shawn Billerman / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, September 10, 2013Similar SpeciesWilson's Warbler
Adult male
Smaller than Yellow Warbler. Males have a dark cap that Yellow Warblers do not have.
© Sue Orwig / Macaulay LibraryTexas, January 04, 2017Similar SpeciesHooded Warbler
Female/immature
Female and immature Hooded Warblers have a yellow cheek patch offset by a faintly darker hood; Yellow Warblers have a uniform yellow head and face.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, September 17, 2011Similar SpeciesOrange-crowned Warbler
Adult
Orange-crowned Warblers have a thinner bill and are duller yellow-olive overall than Yellow Warblers.
© Caroline Lambert / Macaulay LibraryAlberta, April 30, 2017Similar SpeciesPalm Warbler
Breeding adult (Yellow)
Larger than Yellow Warbler with a rusty cap and streaks on the sides.
© Margaret Viens / Macaulay LibraryMaine, April 16, 2013Similar SpeciesPalm Warbler
Nonbreeding/immature (Western)
Larger than Yellow Warblers. Nonbreeding/immature Palm Warblers are browner overall with a pale eyebrow.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryMaine, December 28, 2016Similar SpeciesCommon Yellowthroat
Female
Female Common Yellowthroats are browner than female/immature Yellow Warblers and do not have yellow bellies.
© Davey Walters / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 18, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Goldfinch
Breeding male
American Goldfinches have a shorter, thicker bill and darker wings than Yellow Warblers.
© Yves Dugré / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, March 21, 2017Similar SpeciesAmerican Goldfinch
Nonbreeding male
American Goldfinches have a shorter, thicker bill and darker wings than Yellow Warblers.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 08, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
New World Warblers(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Parulidae)
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