The Bird Book Part 94

This black and white Warbler has a solid black cap, and the underparts are white, streaked with black on the sides. In the woods they bear some resemblance to the Black and White Warbler, but do not have the creeping habits of that species. During migrations they are found in equal abundance in swamps or orchards. In their breeding range, they nest at low elevations in stunted pines or spruces, making their nests of rootlets and lichens, lined with feathers. The eggs are dull whitish, spotted or blotched with brown and neutral tints. Size .72 .50.

Data.--Grand Manan, N. B., June 12, 1883. Nest and four eggs on branch of a stunted spruce 2 feet from the ground.

662. BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. _Dendroica fusca._

Range.--North America, east of the Plains, breeding from Ma.s.sachusetts and Minnesota north to Hudson Bay; south in the Alleghanies to the Carolinas. Winters in Central and South America.

This species is, without exception, the most exquisite of the family; the male can always be known by the bright orange throat, breast and superciliary stripe, the upper parts being largely black. They arrive with us when the apple trees are in bloom and after a week's delay pa.s.s on to more northerly districts. Their nests are constructed of rootlets, fine weed stalks and gra.s.ses, lined with hair, and are placed on horizontal limbs of coniferous trees. The three or four eggs are greenish white, speckled, spotted and blotched with reddish brown and neutral tints. Size .70 .48. Data.--Lancaster, Ma.s.s., June 21, 1901.

Nest in a white pine, 38 feet from the ground on a limb 4 feet from the trunk; composed of fine rootlets and hair, resembling the nest of a Chipping Sparrow.

[Ill.u.s.tration 401: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Black-poll Warblers. Blackburnian Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Greenish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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[Ill.u.s.tration 402: BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS.]

Page 401

663. YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. _Dendroica dominica dominica._

Range.--South Atlantic and Gulf States, north to Virginia and casually farther; winters in Florida and the West Indies.

This species has gray upper parts with two white wing bars, the throat, breast and superciliary line are yellow, and the lores, cheeks and streaks on the sides are black. These birds nest abundantly in the South Atlantic States, usually in pines, and either on horizontal limbs or in bunches of Spanish moss. The nests are made of slender pieces of twigs, rootlets and strips of bark, and lined with either hair or feathers, the eggs are three to five in number, pale greenish white, specked about the large end with reddish brown and gray. Size .70 .50. Data.--Raleigh, N. C., May 3, 1890. Nest 43 feet up on limb of pine; made of gra.s.ses and hair.

663a. SYCAMORE WARBLER. _Dendroica dominica albilora._

Range.--Mississippi Valley, breeding north to Ohio and Illinois, and west to Kansas and Texas; winters south of the United States.

This bird is precisely like the last except that the superciliary stripe is usually white. Their nesting habits are precisely like those of the last, and the nests are usually on horizontal branches of sycamores; the eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the Yellow-throated Warbler.

664. GRACE'S WARBLER. _Dendroica graciae._

Range.--Southwestern United States, abundant in Arizona and New Mexico.

This Warbler is similar in markings and colors to the Yellow-throated variety except that the cheeks are gray instead of black. The nesting habits of the two species are the same, these birds building high in coniferous trees; the nests are made of rootlets and bark shreds, lined with hair or feathers; the eggs are white, dotted with reddish brown and lilac. Size .68 .48.

[Ill.u.s.tration 403: Greenish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Yellow-throated Warblers. Grace's Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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665. BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER. _Dendroica nigrescens._

Range.--United States from the Rockies to the Pacific coast and north to British Columbia; winters south of our borders.

The general color of this species is grayish above and white below as is a superciliary line and stripe down the side of the throat; the crown, cheeks and throat are black and there is a yellow spot in front of the eye. They inhabit woodland and thickets and are common in such localities from Arizona to Oregon, nesting usually at low elevations in bushes or shrubs; the nests are made of gra.s.ses and fibres, woven together, and lined with hair or fine gra.s.ses, resembling, slightly, nests of the Yellow Warbler. The eggs are white or greenish white, specked with reddish brown and umber. Size .65 .52. Data.--Waldo, Oregon, June 1, 1901. Nest 3 feet from the ground in a small oak in valley. Collector, C. W. Bowles. (Crandall collection.)

666. GOLDEN-CHEEKED WARBLER. _Dendroica chrysoparia._

Range.--Central and southern Texas south to Central America.

This beautiful and rare species is entirely black above and on the throat, enclosing a large bright yellow patch about the eye and a small one on the crown. In their very restricted United States range, the birds are met with in cedar timber where they nest at low elevations in the upright forks of young trees of this variety. Their nests are made of strips of cedar bark, interwoven with plant fibres and spider webs making compact nests, which they line with hair and feathers. Their three or four eggs are white, dotted and specked with reddish brown and umber. Size .75 .55.

[Ill.u.s.tration 404: Greenish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Black-throated Warblers. Golden-cheeked Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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667. BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. _Dendroica virens._

Range.--Eastern United States, breeding from southern New England, South Carolina in the Alleghanies, and Illinois north to Hudson Bay; winters south of the United States.

These common eastern birds are similar to the last but the entire upper parts are olive greenish. They are nearly always found, and always nest, in pines, either groves or hillsides covered with young pines. The nests are usually placed out among the pine needles where they are very difficult to locate, and resemble nests of the Chipping Sparrow. I have found them at heights ranging from six to forty or fifty feet from the ground. The three or four eggs, which they lay in June, are white, wreathed and speckled with brownish and lilac. Size .60 .50.

668. TOWNSEND'S WARBLER. _Dendroica townsendi._

Range.--Western United States, from the Rockies to the Pacific and from Alaska southward; winters in Mexico.

This is the common western representative of the last species, and is similar but has black ear patches and the crown is black. They nest in coniferous woods throughout their United States and Canadian range, the nests being placed at any height from the ground and being constructed like those of the Black-throated Green. Their eggs are not distinguishable from those of the latter. Size .60 .50.

[Ill.u.s.tration 405: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Black-throated Green Warbler. Townsend's Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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669. HERMIT WARBLER. _Dendroica occidentalis._

Range.--Western United States and British Columbia chiefly on the higher ranges. Winters south to Central America.

This peculiar species has the entire head bright yellow and the throat black; upperparts grayish, underparts white. They are found nesting in wild rugged country, high up in pine trees, the nests being located among bunches of needles so that they are very difficult to find. The nests are made of rootlets, shreds of bark, pine needles, etc., lined with fine gra.s.ses or hair. The three or four eggs are laid during June or the latter part of May; they are white or creamy white, and sometimes with a faint greenish tinge, specked and wreathed with brown and lilac gray. Size .68 .52.