Most winter from Mexico south through Central America as far as northern South America, but a few winter in Florida and along the Gulf Coast. The head and back are boldly striped black and white. A white central crown stripe is separated from the white superciliary stripe by two thick black stripes. Wings are black with two white wing bars. Underparts are white with black streaks.
Tails are black with white spots on the outer feathers.
The sexes differ in appearance more than in most warbler species. Adult males have black throats and black ear coverts, separated by a white moustachial stripe, whereas females have white throats, grayish ear coverts with a thin blackish eye stripe, and less distinct streaking on the underparts. The bill is blackish, and legs are dark gray. First-year nonbreeding males resemble females. The Blackpoll's crown in entirely black and encloses the eye, whereas that of the Black-throated Gray is solid black above the white superciliary stripe.