BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS
Black-and-white warblers are medium to small for songbird classification, approximately 5 inches long. They have a distinct, fairly long, slightly downcurved bill. The head appears somewhat flat with a streamlined short neck. The wings are long, with the tail considered short. Boldly striped in black and white, bodies are bordered with black wings, highlighted by two wide, white wing bars. Adult males have more dominant black streaking with black ear patches, whereas the females have less, with a wash of tan or buff on their flanks. The black-and-white is one of the first warblers to arrive on its breeding grounds. Their arrival is announced with high-pitched warbling reminiscent of a rusty wheel turning. These black-and- white warblers act more like nuthatches than warblers, primarily feeding on hidden insects in the bark of trees. Despite their arboreal foraging habits, they nest on the ground, usually at the base of trees. The little black-and- white migrates long distances along the Eastern seaboard ranging from Canada to upper South America, finding habitat within woodlot or forest landscapes.
