Black-throated Blue Warbler Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBlack-throated Blue Warbler
Male
Fairly large, distinctive black-and-blue warbler. Males have a blue head and back with a black face and throat. Note white square on wings.
© Aaron Marshall / Macaulay LibraryOntario, May 11, 2016Female
Females are plain grayish olive overall, although some have blue tints on the wings and tail. White square on the wing is distinctive.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryNew York, September 27, 2015Male
Males sing "I am so lazzzy" in the understory of eastern deciduous forests.
© Eric Liner / Macaulay LibraryNew York, June 01, 2009Not all videos have sound
Male
Fairly large, distinctive black-and-blue warbler. Birds in the Appalachian region have black streaking on the back. Note white square on wings.
© Michael O'Brien / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, October 01, 2012Female
Females are plain grayish olive with unstreaked underparts. Note pale eyebrow and white crescent under the eye.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, September 16, 2011Female
Note the diagnostic white wing check.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibrarySantiago de Cuba, February 01, 2004Not all videos have sound
Male
Fairly large, distinctive black-and-blue warbler. Males have a blue head and back with a black face and throat. Note white belly and undertail coverts.
© Steve Dowlan / Macaulay LibraryNorth Carolina, April 11, 2017Female
Females are rather plain looking, but the white square on the wing is diagnostic.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, September 21, 2014Male
On the wintering grounds they inhabit dense tropical forests, woodlands, shade-coffee plantations, and second growth areas with woody trees.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibrarySantiago de Cuba, February 01, 2004Not all videos have sound
Habitat
Breeds in mature deciduous and mixed evergreen-deciduous woodlands with a thick understory.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 12, 2017Female
Eats insects, which they typically pick from the undersides of leaves.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibrarySantiago de Cuba, February 01, 2004Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesOrange-crowned Warbler
Adult
Orange-crowned Warblers are greener and less brown than female Black-throated Blue Warblers. Orange-crowned's undertail coverts are yellow (not white). Note thin bill and lack of white square on the wing.
© Caroline Lambert / Macaulay LibraryAlberta, April 30, 2017Similar SpeciesTennessee Warbler
Nonbreeding/immature
Nonbreeding/immature Tennessee Warblers have yellow-washed throat and flanks, while female Black-throated Blues are more dusky and brownish. Tennessee also lacks the female Black-throated Blue's white square on the wing.
© Jean Crépeau / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, October 01, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Redstart
Female
Female American Redstarts have yellow flashes in the wings and tail that Black-throated Blue Warblers do not have.
© Jeremiah Trimble / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, October 22, 2016Similar SpeciesPine Warbler
Adult female
Female Pine Warblers have 2 white wingbars while female Black-throated Blue Warblers have a white square on the wing.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 09, 2016Similar SpeciesCommon Yellowthroat
Female
Female Common Yellowthroats have a yellow throat and undertail coverts while female Black-throated Blue Warblers have a dusky throat and white undertail coverts. Note lack of white square on the wing.
© Davey Walters / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 18, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
New World Warblers(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Parulidae)
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.