5.0” long. The Black and White Warbler is a well named bird as it is sharply defined with black and white. It is boldly striped with black on the crown, back, breast, flanks, and undertail coverts. There is a white eyebrow, mustache, and central crown stripe. The wings are black with white wing bars. The male’s throat and cheeks are black in breeding plumage. In the winter the chin becomes white. Female is similar to male but has a white throat, grayish cheeks, and buffy flanks. The breeding male Blackpoll Warbler has a solid black crown and a white cheek and throat. The Blackpoll also does NOT creep along branches.
The Black and White Warbler is a common migrant that may be seen from mid April through late May and again from late August all the way through early December.
The Black and White Warbler is the only warbler that regularly creeps on branches and tree trunks similar to a nuthatch. It is the only member of the genus Mniotilta which means moss plucking and refers to its habit of bark foraging. The species name of varia refers to its variegated striping. Song is a series of high thin squeaky “wee-see” notes.
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