The breeding male is olive-green above. A black line runs through the eye. The underside is gray-white without streaks. The breeding female has a dark olive-brown crown and a yellow supercilium. The black line through the eye is present and the throat and the rest of the underside is olive-green without streaking.
Wing bars are absent.
The Tennessee Warbler is found in Aspen and Spruce forest, particularly when the tree species are mixed. The species occurs in a wide variety of wooded areas during migration. Food is insects. The nest is constructed of grasses and placed on the ground, usually under a bush or in a moss clump under a tussock. The clutch consists of 4 to 7 white eggs with brown spots.