Identification: 4.5 inches from tip of bill to tip of tail.

Breeding Male:  The breeding male is largely black and white, although the back has a slight olive tint to it. The head has a black crown descending to the middle of the eye. The cheeks are white. The back is strongly streaked with black. The throat, breast, and belly are white and the sides are strongly striped with black.

Female: The breeding female does not resemble the male. The back and head are tinged with olive-brown and both the crown and the back are strongly steaked with black. The eye has a white eye ring. The throat, breast and belly are white with a slight yellow tinge and the sides are streaked with black, although not as strongly as in the male.

Fall Male and Female: The fall male and female are similar to the breeding female, but duller and the streaking on the head and sides is not as distinct.

Immature: Similar to the fall male and female, but slightly duller.

Similar Species: The breeding male might be confused with Black-and-white Warbler. However the Blackpoll Warbler has a solid black head crown, but that of the Black-and-white Warbler has black and white stripes. The Black-and-white Warbler has a black trapezoid behind the eye that is missing in the Blackpool Warbler. Fall Blackpoll Warblers and immatures are similar to many fall and immature individuals of other warbler species. The following combination of characters will usually identify fall, female, and immature Blackpoll individuals; The back is strongly streaked with dark brown or black, wing bars are present, a black streak runs through the eye, and the feet and legs are usually flesh colored. In contrast the feet of the Pine Warbler and Bay-breasted Warbler are black. The Pine Warbler lacks streaks on the back.

Breeding Range (see map below): The Blackpoll Warbler is a species of the north ranging from Labrador in the east to most of Alaska in the west. The species extends southward, barely entering the United States in Maine and New Hampshire.

Overwintering Range: American tropics.

Habitat: The Blackpoll Warbler is found in the northern coniferous forests right up to the transition to the tundra. During migration the species is found in tall trees.

Food: Insects.

Behavior: The song is a rapid series of notes of the same pitch, but variable volume, increasing and then decreasing in volume.

Reproduction: The nest is constructed of twigs and grass, lined with feathers. The nest is placed in a small conifer. The clutch consists of 4 or 5 white eggs with brown spots. Incubation takes about 12 days, and the youngster leaves the nest about 12 days after hatching.

Notes: The Blackpoll Warbler is one of the most abundant warblers during spring migration.