Description

This species is entirely black and white in all of its plumages, except fo a creamy wash on the face and flanks inmany females. Only Warbler to have a median crown stripe bordered by black in all plumages. It has a bold white border to the tertials in all plumages and black uppertail coverts with white fringes.

Breeds in mature second growth woodlands consisting of pure deciduous or mixed woods with large trees being critical.

Lengthy three-second series of thin, squeaky, very high-pitched notes. A rhythmic tempo of "wee-see" phrases, the second note being lower.

Black-throated Gray Warbler back is greyer and less streaked and the Blackpoll Warbler's facial pattern is dissimilar.

This is the only warbler that moves similarly to the nuthatch, by creeping along tree trunks and branches. The genus name mniotilta meaning "moss plucking" and is derived from its bark foraging behaviour.
Interestingly, early descriptions of this species considered it to be a tree creeper until 1859 when naturalist Spencer Baird recognized it as part of the wood-warbler family. Although it is a challenge to approach this species due to its preferred habitat, which is typically wet, the male is more readily spotted in the field due to its frequent singing.

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