Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia

Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia. Photograph taken with the Las Animas Estuary in the greater Bahía de los Ángeles area, Baja California, February 2017. Photograph courtesy of George Flicker, Bahía de los Ángeles. Identification courtesy of Mary & George Flicker, Bahía de los Ángeles.

Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia. Photograph taken within a residential community in Hereford, Arizona, May 2016. Photograph and identification courtesy of Karen La May, Sierra Vista, Arizona

Background and Identification

The Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia, is a small, distinctive songbird known for its striking black-and-white striped plumage and unique foraging behavior. This warbler is often seen creeping along tree trunks and branches as it searches for insects and spiders. Its stripes almost resemble that of a zebra, giving it its nickname “zebra bird”. Other names for the Black-and-white warbler include pied creeper, creeping warbler, and whitepoll warbler. In Mexico, the Black-and-white Warbler is called Chipe Trepador.

Adult males have bold black-and-white stripes running vertically down their body, with a black crown, white eyebrow stripe, and black streaks on the sides. Females and juveniles are similar but tend to have less distinct markings and a more grayish tone. Its stripes almost resemble that of a zebra, giving it its nickname “zebra bird”.

Habitat and Geographical Range

The Black-and-white Warbler inhabits deciduous and mixed forests, preferring mature woodlands with a dense understory. Their adaptability to various forest types and their unique foraging style allows them to inhabit a wide geographical range throughout their annual migration cycle.

The Black-and-white Warbler is a migratory bird, traveling to eastern and central United States in the summer, as well as parts of southern Canada. It has an extensive wintering range that includes most of Mexico and Central America, the Caribbean islands, and northern South America.

Common Misidentifications

Confusion with other small striped or streaked songbirds is common. One potential look-alike is the Blackpoll Warbler, Setophaga striata, which also has black and white streaking but lacks the same drastic color contrast. Typically, this species also has different foraging behavior and prefers slightly more open forests or plains.

Conservation Status

From a conservation perspective, the Black-and-white Warbler is currently considered to be of Least Concern  with stable widely distributed populations.