Once though to be two distinct species, the Yellow Rumped Warbler's huge range and prolific number almost guarantee that you may one day see one in your backyard if you live in North America.

The two types of Yellow Rumped Warbler were once categorized as two different species, depending on their location, the eastern being called the Myrtle Warbler and the western the Audubon's Warbler. Today they are classified as one species with different georgraphic ranges. The Myrtle Warbler can be found during the breeding season in Maine and other Northeastern states in America typically isolated to the extreme of that direction. In the wintertime, the Myrtle Warbler migrates to the Southeastern United States, preferring the warm climate of Florida and Georgia in the wintertime to the frigid north. It can also be found in Central America during the winter months. The Yellow Rumped Warbler enjoys thick, dense forests and fields that have become overgrown over time. These areas provide cover and a good place to nest for these little birds. Yellow Rumped Warblers are highly adaptable, and can grow to live in nearly any environment, but they do have preferences and will move to these locations if such a location exists. In the summer months they live primarily on insects, resorting to fruits and various wild berries during the winter, since insects aren't readily available at this time. They sometimes perform amazing acrobatic stunts in the air while trying to catch food, making them very enjoyable to watch!

The Yellow Rumped Warbler's appearance varies slightly depending on what part of the United States they live in. The Myrtle variety of Yellow Rumped Warbler changes its colors during the breeding season to attract more females. During breeding season, it is a dark bird, with darker shades all around its body, except for the bright yellow spots that occur all over its bottom, head and side areas. The non-breeding season causes it to lose most of this coloring, opting instead for a lighter brown color, the yellow spots having all but disappeared save for one spot on the rear end and a soft yellow coloring on the wings. The Audubon variety of Yellow Rumped Warbler is another story, coming in overall darker tones than the Myrtle race and sporting only a yellow spot on the throat instead of all over its body. All Yellow Rumped Warblers share a few common features, like a single white eyebrow line, a white underpart coloring scheme, and a few splashes of color streaking along either side of its body.

The existence of the Yellow Rumped Warbler's two varieties is an interesting phenomenon. Scientists and bird lovers alike postulate that some 7500 years ago the two sub-species of bird met and started to breed together, fusing with one another across genetic lines.

The Yellow Rumped Warbler is often attracted to fruits left out in a feeder. Therefore, if you live near a migratory path or in the eastern part of the United States, you may be able to attract a few to your backyard by leaving some tempting fruit out for it. As with all wild birds, the Yellow Rumped Warbler appreciates a clean birdbath to bathe and drink.

Yellow Rumped Warblers will only breed once per mating season and it's usually with the same mate. They do not seek out other mates, as with other species of wild birds; they prefer a monogamous relationship. The Warbler breeding season starts in April, continuing into May and ending in mid-June. Once a mating couple has joined, the female of the pair will build a small cup nest and lay around four eggs. These four eggs will take a solid two weeks to incubate, fledging a scant 10 days after that. After they've hatched, the babies will be fed by both parents while still living in the nest.