A yellow palm warbler with a rusty cap on a budding twig. — Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Palm Warbler

Setophaga palmarum

A brown-and-yellow warbler that bobs its tail as it hunts on the ground and nests in northern bogs.

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About the Palm Warbler

Palm warblers are 4.7 to 5.5 inches long. They breed in northern forests, bogs and pine barrens and spend winter in open areas with trees and shrubs farther south. Unlike most warblers, they often hunt on the ground, bobbing their tails. They eat insects and berries. Males sing a buzzy trill to claim territory.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Setophaga palmarum^[1]
Size: 4.7 to 5.5 inches long; about 8-inch wingspan.^[1]
Lifespan: The oldest known lived over 6 years.^[1]
Diet: Insects and berries.^[1]
Habitat: Northern forests, bogs and pine barrens; open areas with shrubs in winter.^[1]
Group life: Pairs when breeding; mixed flocks in migration. Active by day.^[1]
Babies: 4 or 5 eggs that hatch after about 12 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

Palm warblers don't nest in palm trees.^[1]
They bob their tails up and down while feeding.^[1]
The eastern subspecies is called the yellow palm warbler.^[1]

Vocabulary

warbler: A small, often colorful songbird that eats insects.
subspecies: A group within a species that lives in one area and looks a bit different.
bog: Wet, spongy ground made of dead plants.
migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Palm warbler.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/palm-warbler (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Setophaga palmarum (Palm Warbler).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22721731/138795720 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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