What Bird is That? Part 26

_Vireosylva calidris barbatula_

Resembles the Red-eyed Vireo but has a dusky streak on each side of the throat.

_Range._ Cuba and Bahamas, north in spring to southern Florida.

This is a tropical species which reaches southern Florida early in May and returns to its winter home after nesting. In general habits and notes it resembles the Red-eye.

RED-EYED VIREO

_Vireosylva olivasceus. Case 6, Fig. 66_

An olive-green bird, silky white below, a white line, bordered by black over the red eye, a grayish cap and no white band on the wings. L. 6.

_Range._ Nests from the Gulf to Canada; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, very common S.R., Apl. 21-Oct. 17.

Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 29-Oct. 19. Cambridge, abundant S.R., May 10-Sept. 10. N. Ohio, abundant S.R., Apl. 27-Oct. 1. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., May 5-Oct. 5. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 5-Sept. 15.

A tireless soliloquist, the Red-eyed Vireo repeats from our shade and fruit trees in endless succession the broken phrases of his monotonous, rambling recitation. He sings all day and he sings throughout the summer, pausing only to sleep or to swallow the caterpillar he hunts while singing. Patient, persistent mediocrity is expressed by the Red-eye's song, and only his nasal, petulant call-note, _whang_, suggests that he is not altogether satisfied with life as he finds it.

The nest, like that of our other Vireos, is a deep cup hung from between a crotch from 5 to about 40 feet above the ground. The 3-4 eggs, which are laid in late May, are white spotted with reddish brown.

WARBLING VIREO

_Vireosylva gilva gilva. Case 7, Fig. 29_

Smaller than the Red-eye, without black and white lines over the brown eye, the underparts faintly tinged with yellowish. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from Louisiana and North Carolina to Canada; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, rather common S.R., Apl. 21-Sept. 12.

Ossining, tolerably common S.R., May 3-Sept. 18.

Cambridge, locally common S.R., May 5-Sept. 15. N.

Ohio, abundant S.R., Apl. 17-Oct. 10. Glen Ellyn, not common S.R., May 1-Sept. 15. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 3-Sept. 15.

While the Red-eye's song lasts the greater part of the day, the Warbling Vireo's continues for only about four seconds, then, after an interval, it is repeated. It is an unbroken strain running up and down the middle of the scale and has it in a reminder of the Purple Finch's lay. This species is less generally distributed than the Red-eye. It may be common in one locality and absent from another. Its nesting habits and eggs are much like those of the Red-eye, but the male has the singular custom of singing while it sits upon the nest.

PHILADELPHIA VIREO

_Vireosylva philadelphicus. Case 7, Fig. 30_

A small, olive-green Vireo, with pale yellow underparts and a whitish line over the eye. L.

_Range._ Nests from northern New England and northern Michigan into Canada; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, very rare T.V., May; Sept. Ossining, rare T.V., Sept. 20-Oct. 20. Cambridge, rare T.V.

Glen Ellyn, rather rare T.V., May 14, 15; Aug.

21-Sept. 30. SE. Minn., uncommon T.V., May 9.

Rarest of our Vireos; but few students know it as a migrant and fewer still as a nesting bird. Its song and nesting habits resemble those of the Red-eye.

YELLOW-THROATED VIREO

_Lanivireo flavifrons. Case 6, Fig. 69_

Breast bright yellow; a yellow ring around the eye, two white wing-bands, bill rather stout. L.

6.

_Range._ Nests from Florida and Texas to Canada; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common S.R., Apl. 19-Sept. 29.

Ossining, tolerably common S.R., Apl. 30-Sept. 7.

Cambridge, commons S.R., May 6-Sept. 10. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 25-Sept. 25. Glen Ellyn, not common S.R., May 2-Sept. 26. SE Minn., common S.R., Apl. 27-Sept. 15.

A less common bird than the Red-eye, but like it generally distributed through woodland, garden and orchard. It's song resembles the Red-eye's in form but is richer in tone, more deliberately uttered, and not continuous. "See me--I'm here--where are you?" he seems to say, and after a pause repeats the query.

The nest has the deep cup-shape of our other Vireo's but is externally covered with lichens. The eggs, laid the latter part of May, are white with a few specks of black or brown.

BLUE-HEADED VIREO

_Lanivireo solitarius solitarius. Case 6, Fig. 68_

Eye-ring and lores white, head grayish blue, underparts white, the sides yellowish; two wing-bars. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from the mountains of northern New Jersey and of Pennsylvania to Canada; winters from the Gulf States southward.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common T.V., Apl. 6-May 18; Sept.

6-Nov. 3. Ossining, tolerably common T.V., Apl.

23-May 14; Sept. 8-Oct. 20. Cambridge, common T.V., rare S.R., Apl. 20-May 8; Sept. 15-Oct. 5.

N. Ohio, common T.V., Apl. 17-May 20; Sept. 1-30.

Glen Ellyn, not common T.V., May 9-19; Aug.

11-Oct. 9. SE. Minn., common T.V., May 3-Sept. 28.

We know this Vireo chiefly as a migrant, one of the earliest of the group of small arboreal wood-haunting birds (Vireos and Warblers) to reach us in the spring. Its song, as well as its movements, are deliberate. Vireo-like it peers beneath the leaves or inspects the blossoms, removing a caterpillar here or an insect's egg there, the while singing leisurely a rich-toned rendering of the Red-eye's theme.

It nests late in May, hanging its cup-shaped basket to a crotch usually five to ten feet above the ground. The eggs are white with a few black or brown spots.

The Mountain Solitary Vireo (_L. s. alticola_) has a slightly larger bill and bluer back. It nests in the mountains from Maryland to Georgia and winters southward to Florida.

WHITE-EYED VIREO

_Vireo griseus griseus. Case 6, Fig. 67_