Dark brown above, whitish below and on supercilium. Dark streaking on breast. Best distinguished from very similar Northern Waterthrush by bolder, longer supercilium that broadens behind the eye and by pink legs. Habitat should be considered when identifying waterthrushes.
Song is best indicator of species.
Three or four loud, slurred notes followed by a jumble of fading, twittering notes. Breeding range is from central Texas north to eastern Wisconsin east to extreme southern Maine south to northern Florida panhandle inland to Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. Winters primarily from Mexico south to Panama. Also in the Bahamas and Greater Antilles. No strong population trends yet determined.