Family: Parulidae, Wood Warblers view all from this family

Description 5 1/2" (14 cm). Olive above, yellow below. Male has yellow face, black hood and black throat. Female lacks hood or has only a trace of it. Both sexes have white tail spots. See Bachman's Warbler.

Habitat Mature, moist forests with luxuriant undergrowth, especially in ravines; also in wooded swamps.

Nesting 3 or 4 creamy-white, brown-spotted eggs in a grass-lined nest of dead leaves and plant fibers, placed low in a small tree or shrub.

Range Breeds from Iowa, Michigan, and southern New England south to Gulf Coast and northern Florida. Winters in tropics.

Voice   Clear, ringing tawee-tawee-tawee-tee-o.

Discussion The male is one of the most handsome in the family and, unlike many others, has a loud, penetrating, and very melodious song. Even the female, which is much less strikingly patterned and colored, has conspicuous white tail spots and flirts her tail-like the male-by flashing the white tail patches as she moves about. This species usually ranges at a low level, rarely 10 feet (3 meters) above the ground. Like most members of the family, it is adept at fly-catching.