This warbler is easily recognized by its bold pattern and active feeding behavior. Adult Male: Black upperparts, including the entire head and upper breast. Belly is white. Bright salmon-orange patches occur on the tail, the bases of the secondaries and inner primaries, and on the sides of the breast. Adult Female: Light gray on the head, olive-gray on the back, with yellow patches on the wings, tail, and sides of the breast. Underparts are whitish. First summer males resemble females, with scattered black feathers appearing on the head and breast. Juveniles resemble adult female, but may lack yellow on wings.

Length: 11 (cm) Wingspan: 20 (cm)

Voice:

Songs are highly variable. Often contain a series of high thin notes ending with a buzzy descending note: zee zee zee zee zeerrrr. The flight call is a high clear tseep.

Habitat:

Woodland openings with thick understory, riparian corridors, hedgerows.

Behavior:

Often fans tail and wings to reveal color patches. Pivots a lot with tail flaired as it moves through vegetation.

Feeding:

Gleans insects from foliage and flycatches .