The breeding male is gray above with a prominent yellow crown to the head. The underside is dull white or gray with a black throat.
Wing bars are present, yellow, and fused into a single yelllow patch.
Similar to the male, but the black markings are not as distinctive. Similar to the breeding male and female. Similar to the female. The combination of gray, black, and yellow is uniquely distinctive for the species. The Golden-winged Warbler is primarily breeds in secondary growth and abandoned pastures and fields.