Where the range of the blue-winged and golden-winged warblers overlap a hybrid known as Brewster's warbler is produced.  Brewster's warbler can be separated from the blue-winged warbler by its yellow wing bars and white underparts.

This species is not likely to be found by the casual observer as it spends most of its life hidden away amongst dense vegetation along wooded edges bordered by overgrown fields. The clue to its presence is the male's drowsy, insect-like song, most likely to escape all but the keenest of ears.

Blue-winged warblers are one of the earliest of spring arrivals, the males often singing in established territories by late April, sometimes earlier.  There range is east of the Mississippi river along the Great Lakes to New York and south through Tennessee.   But their visit with us is brief, by mid-July, after the young are fledged, the species virtually disappear from our area and winters in Mexico to Honduras and Panama.

For a small bird, the blue-winged builds a substantial nest on or near the ground. The nests are so well hidden that even when a nest is suspected to be nearby about the only way to verify its presence is by watching carefully for an adult carrying food.   Numerous sightings are required because the birds rarely fly directly to the nest. The last five feet of their flight are taken close to the ground, with much caution, deliberation and vocal scolding when they feel the presence of an observer. The twitchings of the tops of the weed stems and tall grasses betray their path.  The brown-headed cowbird apparently has little trouble finding these nests as this warbler is a common host for the nest parasite.

A clutch consists of 4-7 eggs which are white with fine brown and gray spots.  The eggs are incubated by the female for 10-12 days and leave the nest about 10 days later.  The diet consist of insects and spiders.

Length 4 1/2-5 inches