In Nova Scotia, Canada Warblers are found in various wet forest habitats. These forests can be deciduous or mixed. These birds prefer a thick understory of tall shrubs with and other vegetation. They are often found in areas with Cinnamon Fern and sphagnum moss. The canopy is usually low and semi-open, with several tall trees or snags (standing dead trees) that stand above other vegetation and provide song perches.

Cinnamon Fern

These birds generally remain in the low understory, within a few meters of the ground, hidden among the dense foliage. Males may venture up to mid-canopy (3-7 m high) to sing and perform territorial displays; females generally remain at the lower level of the forest.

Canada Warblers have high breeding site fidelity – they generally return to the same site each year to breed. Their territories are quite small at only 0.4 – 1.0 ha, therefore very high quality breeding habitat can support a high density of pairs.

Nests are very well-concealed on or near the ground in dense shrubs, fallen tree trunks, branches or upturned roots (coarse woody debris), or even hummocks of sphagnum moss. Canada Warblers can successfully breed post-harvest regenerated forest stands.