
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva) is in the New World Warblers family (Parulidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 47,706 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Northern Yellow Warbler: observations by month (U.S.)
About Northern Yellow Warbler
The yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia) is a New World warbler species. Yellow warblers are the most widespread species in the diverse genus Setophaga, breeding in almost the whole of North America, the Caribbean, as well as northern South America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Northern Yellow Warbler by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 7,884 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Texas | 5,933 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Ohio | 3,438 | May | May–May |
| New York | 2,997 | May | May–Jun |
| Massachusetts | 2,008 | May | May–May |
| Pennsylvania | 1,803 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Arizona | 1,598 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Minnesota | 1,453 | May | May–May |
| Illinois | 1,451 | May | May–May |
| Michigan | 1,362 | May | May–Jun |
| Colorado | 1,318 | May | May–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 1,263 | May | May–Jun |
| Utah | 1,049 | May | May–Jun |
| Vermont | 1,023 | May | May–Jun |
| Oregon | 921 | May | May–Jun |
| Washington | 840 | May | May–Jun |
| New Jersey | 825 | May | May–May |
| Florida | 769 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Maine | 654 | May | May–Jun |
| Connecticut | 596 | May | May–Jun |
| Indiana | 596 | May | May–May |
| Maryland | 581 | May | Apr–May |
| Idaho | 493 | May | May–Jul |
| Nebraska | 479 | May | May–May |
| Montana | 461 | May | May–Aug |
| New Mexico | 451 | May | Apr–May |
| Alaska | 442 | June | May–Sep |
| Virginia | 425 | May | Apr–May |
| South Dakota | 411 | May | May–Jun |
| Wyoming | 388 | June | May–Aug |
| Rhode Island | 379 | May | May–Jun |
| Louisiana | 313 | August | Aug–Oct |
| Nevada | 283 | May | May–May |
| Oklahoma | 276 | May | May–May |
| Kansas | 252 | May | May–May |
| Tennessee | 231 | May | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 225 | May | May–May |
| New Hampshire | 218 | May | May–Jun |
| Iowa | 205 | May | May–May |
| Delaware | 202 | May | May–May |
| North Carolina | 199 | May | Apr–May |
| North Dakota | 192 | May | May–Jul |
| South Carolina | 151 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Georgia | 150 | September | Aug–Oct |
| West Virginia | 150 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Alabama | 97 | April | Apr–May |
| Mississippi | 95 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Kentucky | 84 | April | Apr–May |
| Arkansas | 55 | May | May–May |
| District of Columbia | 37 | May | May–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (New World Warblers)

Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Yellowthroat

Palm Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Black-and-white Warbler

American Redstart

Pine Warbler

Northern Parula
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Northern Yellow Warbler?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from May to May.
Where is Northern Yellow Warbler most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Ohio.