With their high tinny chirp, Yellow-rumped Warblers are often heard rather than seen. They are swift fliers, making them hard to discern in the top canopy of the old-growth forest. Walking through the forest, I can hear them over there, and then here, and up there, but I often have a hard time actually seeing one up close. It’s as if bands of Yellow-rumped Warblers are moving around the forest behind some science fiction cloaking device.
Capturing good pictures of warblers of all sorts can easily turn into frustration. They are often too high up in the tree, leading to the all-too-human phenomenon known as “warbler’s neck.” Once a warbler is in sight, they will cunningly move behind a tree branch. They do not owe birders anything.
In migration, Yellow-rumped Warblers will eat everything – insects, fruits of bayberry and wax myrtle trees, poison ivy, many types of seeds, and dogwoods. In this respect, they may literally be found everywhere in nature along their spring migration path.
As Inwood Hill Park is characterized by hilly terrain, venturing to a high elevation in the park provides the best vantage point to actually see warblers. Early this morning, I climbed up the set of stairs leading to the ridge trail high above the Clove, and I was able to observe these elusive migrants.
Once seen, Yellow-rumped Warblers are quite remarkable. Like similar species such as Magnolia, Yellow-throated, and Townsend’s, their plumage consists of blacks, whites, charcoals, and bright yellows. During fall migration, Yellow-rumped Warblers are brown in color (below). Their rumps are always yellow.
Recent posts
- An Evening Walk with a Great Egret, and Spring Migration Report
On an early evening walk on May 11, I came across a Great Egret foraging near high tide at the Salt Marsh in Inwood Hill Park. I usually take my walks in the early morning, and the egret usually forages near times of low tide, so this was new for both of us. The Great… Read more: An Evening Walk with a Great Egret, and Spring Migration Report - Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery
During spring migration season in an old-growth forest like Inwood Hill Park, be sure to look for birds wandering along the park paths or in the dense foliage near the ground. While we are often straining our necks looking for warblers and other small songbirds in the high canopy, some warblers like the Ovenbird or… Read more: Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery - A Flurry of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers Flickering, and a Great Egret Returns
Today, April 22, 2026, is Earth Day, a time to learn more about and advocate for the health of our home planet. The birds depend on us. A great thing about being out in nature in the morning is that a memorable morning with birds can last all day. Whatever I’m doing, whatever happens during… Read more: A Flurry of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers Flickering, and a Great Egret Returns - The Kinglets of the Forest, with More Stories and Tech-Related Mishaps in the Age of Digital Birding
So tiny and fast. They were kinglets, and I saw both kinds this week in the forested areas of Inwood Hill Park. Kinglets are either golden-crowned or ruby-crowned, fast-moving, and constantly in search of insects. They may be distinguished by the color of their crowns and the coloring around the eyes. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet features… Read more: The Kinglets of the Forest, with More Stories and Tech-Related Mishaps in the Age of Digital Birding - Northern Mockingbird – The Bossiest Singer in the Park
Northern Mockingbirds are famous for their expressive and varied songs, often mimicking other birds. All this month, whenever I have had occasion to walk in Inwood Hill Park or Sherman Creek Park, I’ve come across a loud mockingbird singing its heart out.
Birds of Inwood 
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