Painted Whitestart

A warbler of montane pine-oak forest in the southwestern United States and Mexico, easily identified by its habit of fanning a black-and-white tail while foraging, which flushes insects into flight. Look for it actively flitting through mid-story branches, often in mixed foraging flocks, with birds most vocal and visible in spring and early summer during the breeding season. Canyon woodlands with a mix of pine and oak are the most reliable habitat.