Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia (Linnaeus, 1766)    Synonyms: BAWW, Black-and-white Creeper.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Aves   >   Order Passeriformes   >   Family Parulidae   >   Genus Mniotilta   

Status:

In the Spring, most returning migrant warbler species depend on insects and larvae that appear with the opening of leaves, but the Black-and-white Warbler feeds on wood-boring insects, bark beetles, moths, and many dormant insect larvae, which it can find in crevices on trunks and limbs of bare trees. In this way, it is like woodpeckers, creepers, and nuthatches. By foraging from bark, it need not wait for trees to leaf out, and thus it generally migrates north much earlier than other warblers, which have to wait until food becomes available on unfolding leaves.

There are 345 records in the project database.

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A Black-and-white Warbler in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/21/2013). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (5/8/2018). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/3/2016). Photo by Dan Haas. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/27/2018). Photo by Anthony VanSchoor. (MBP list)

A singing Black-and-white Warbler sings his favorite song in Somerset Co., Maryland (5/11/2011). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Howard Co., Maryland (5/3/2017). Photo by Anthony VanSchoor. (MBP list)

Black-and-white Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/1/2020). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (4/14/2018). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (8/25/2019). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/27/2019). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (9/15/2014). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/5/2019). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Howard Co., Maryland (8/23/2016). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A late Black-and-white Warbler in Kent Co., Maryland (11/5/2016). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Cecil Co., Maryland (9/23/2014). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (8/19/2017). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/1/2018). Photo by Daniel Irons. (MBP list)

Black-and-white Warbler in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/5/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/23/2014). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Black-and-white Warbler in a snowy landscape in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/7/2007). A late snowstorm led to several unusual species being seen in Maryland with snow on the ground. Photo by Mark Hoffman. (MBP list)

A Black-and-White Warbler in flight at Higbee Beach WMA, Cape May Co., New Jersey (9/16/2012). Photo by Sam Galick. (MBP list)

A shot showing distinctively patterned undertail coverts (St. Mary's Co., Maryland, 5/3/2008). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list) (More of this species)

A Black-and-white Warbler fledgling in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/11/2016). Photo by Tim Carney. (MBP list)

A Black-and-white Warbler harassing a Black-throated Green Warbler in Harford Co., Maryland (5/6/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)


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