Species › Birds › Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

Setophaga palmarum

CommonBird
Illustration of Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)

The Palm Warbler is one of the most terrestrial of wood-warblers, often seen walking along the ground and bobbing its tail up and down. It breeds in open, boggy areas in the boreal zone, often far from palms, and winters in the southeastern US and Caribbean, where it does frequent palm groves. Its rusty cap and yellow under-tail coverts are the best field marks.

Habitat
Boggy spruce forests in summer; open fields and beaches in winter
Diet
Ground insects, berries, and seeds
How common
Common

Best time to see a Palm Warbler

The best time to see a Palm Warbler is September–February, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 43,538 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Not certain it is a Palm Warbler? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Recent Palm Warbler sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spotted a Palm Warbler?

Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal and know for sure - plus a live map of where it is being spotted near you.

Get Huck - free
5,300+species
63national parks
50states

More birds

Palmchat
Palmchat
Dulus dominicus
Parasitic Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticus
Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Margarops fuscatus
Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
Pelagic Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Urile pelagicus
Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Phainopepla
Phainopepla
Phainopepla nitens
Philadelphia Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Vireo philadelphicus