Description

The grey head and neck, the absence of an eyering, the black throat and yellow underparts distinguish the male. Females and other age groups of the Mourning Warbler are often difficult to separate from the very similar MacGillivray's Warbler females and juveniles, even when the bird is in hand. Learning to distinguish the call notes of the two species is likely the best method for "positive identification." Hatching year males will show some yellow in the throat.

The Mourning Warbler is a boreal species that is most successful in moist, dense, young, second growth areas with little or no overstorey such as post-fire-burnt lands and forest clearings. Forestry and the clearing of land may benefit this species.

Despite nesting and foraging close to the ground, the Mourning Warbler will make its way up the trees to sing. The song of this species tends to be slurred although quite loud and is represented by a two-parted, rolling vocalization of "churry-churry churry-cherio" or "churry-churry-churry chory-chory." The call of the Mourning Warbler is a sharp "chit."

MacGillivray's Warbler and Connecticut Warbler similar to some female and immature Mourning Warblers and female Common Yellowthroat.

This is a fairly secretive species and tends to spend the majority of its time on or close to the ground in the brush, hopping along low vegetation or on the ground.
Despite spending a lot of time skulking in the underbrush, the Mourning Warbler will call quite often and responds well to pishing.

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