Songs
Males sing a sweet series of 6–10 whistled notes that accelerate over the course of the roughly 1-second song and often end on a rising note. The tone is so sweet that people often remember it with the mnemonic sweet sweet sweet I’m so sweet. The songs are a common sound of spring and early summer mornings and may be repeated as often as 10 times per minute.
Calls
Yellow Warblers use a variety of short chip notes, some with a metallic sound and some with a lisping or buzzing quality. Males sometimes alternate chip notes with their songs, and females may answer a song with a high-pitched chip. Both sexes use a high, hissing note in territorial defense, and may confront cowbirds with a seet call.
Backyard Tips
Yellow Warblers eat mostly insects, so they don’t come to backyard feeders. Larger yards that have small trees or are near streams may provide nesting habitat for these birds.
Find This Bird
Listen for Yellow Warblers singing when you’re in wet woods, thickets, or streamsides—they’re one of the most commonly heard warblers in spring and summer. Their song isn’t hard to learn—a tumbling series of whistles that sounds like sweet sweet sweet I’m so sweet. Look for them in the tops of willows and other small trees.