Its breeding range spans all but the westernmost parts of southern Canada, the Great Lakes region, and New England.

The English name refers to Cape May, New Jersey, where George Ord collected the specimen later described by Alexander Wilson.

[2] The genus name Setophaga is from Ancient Greek ses, "moth," and phagos, "eating", and the specific tigrina is Latin for "tiger-striped" from tigris, "tiger".

This species is insectivorous and lays larger clutches in years when spruce budworm is abundant.

This species can lay the largest clutch of any New World warbler, probably in response to increases in the numbers of spruce budworm during outbreaks.