North America is home to two migratory Yellow-rumped Warbler groups that are sometimes considered separate species: the "Myrtle" Warbler of eastern and far-northwestern North America and the "Audubon's" Warbler of the West.

The Audubon's subspecies group is not very dissimilar to the myrtle: in summers, males of both forms have streaked backs of black on slate blue, white wing patches, a streaked breast, and conspicuous yellow patches on the crown, flank, and rump. Yet the color of the coronata and auduboni groups' throat patches differs and distinguishes them, as the Audubon's warbler sports a yellow throat patch while the myrtle warbler has a white throat and eye stripe, and a contrasting black cheek patch.