What Bird is That? Part 32

LOUISIANA WATER-THRUSH

_Seiurus motacilla. Case 5, Fig. 5_

Line over eye and underparts white, the latter tinted with _buff_ (not with yellow, as in the preceding species); the throat white _unmarked_; no white in wings or tail. L. 6.

_Range._ Nests from Georgia and Texas to southern New England and southeastern Minnesota; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, rare S.R., Apl. 2-Sept. 14. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 9-Aug. 24. N. Ohio, tolerably common S.R., Mch. 28-Sept. 15. SE. Minn., uncommon S.R., Apl. 17-Aug. 26.

A shy spirit of woodland brooks, the Louisiana Water-Thrush resembles the Northern Water-Thrush in habits but is more difficult to see; its call-note is louder, its song, wilder, more ringing. Like the Oven-bird it also has a flight, or 'ecstasy'-song. It nests in a bank or among the roots of a fallen tree, laying 4-6 eggs, white with numerous brown markings, in late April or early May.

KENTUCKY WARBLER

_Oporornis formosus. Case 8, Fig. 52_

A yellow line from the bill around the eye; crown blackish; no white on wings or tail. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from Georgia and Texas to southern Wisconsin and the lower Hudson Valley; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, not very uncommon S.R., Apl. 29-Sept.

2. Ossining, common S.R., May 2-Aug. 27. N. Ohio, rare, Apl. 27 and May 12.

Wet woodland with luxuriant undergrowth of bushes, ferns and skunk cabbage are the favorite haunts of this sweet-voiced Warbler, and its nest is usually built among vegetation of this character. Its freely uttered song is a loud, clear two-syllabled whistle, in tone like the voice of the Carolina Wren or Cardinal. Its 4-5 eggs, laid in late May or early June, are white, speckled chiefly about the larger end with shades of brown.

CONNECTICUT WARBLER

_Oporornis agilis. Case 8, Figs. 77, 78_

A complete white eye-ring; male without black on the gray breast. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests in the interior from north Michigan to Manitoba; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, T.V., very rare in spring, May 24-30; common from Aug. 28-Oct. 24. Ossining, rare T.V., Aug. 26-Oct. 9. Cambridge, fall T.V., sometimes locally abundant, Sept. 10-30. N. Ohio, tolerably common T.V., May 7-24. Glen Ellyn, fairly common T.V., May 12-June 28; Aug. 14-Sept. 22. SE. Minn., uncommon T.V., June 1.

In the Atlantic Coast States this Warbler is found only as a fall migrant, at times in considerable numbers. It lives on the ground in or at the border of woods usually where there is dense undergrowth, and would easily escape observation were it not for its sharp call-note, _peek_, by which it may be identified. Its song, heard only on its migrations up the Mississippi Valley and on its nesting ground, has been described as resembling that of both the Oven-bird and Maryland Yellow-throat. The only nest recorded was found by Ernest Seton near Carberry, Manitoba, June 21, 1883. It was on the ground and contained 4 eggs, white with a few spots about the larger end.

MOURNING WARBLER

_Oporornis philadelphia. Case 8, Figs. 75, 76_

Male without white eye-ring; and with a black breast veiled with gray. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from northern New York and Michigan to Canada, south in the mountains to West Virginia; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, very rare T.V., May 6-30; Aug. 17-Oct.

1. Ossining, rare T.V., May 28-29; Aug. 18-Oct. 1.

Cambridge, rare T.V., May 22-June 5; Sept. 12-25.

N. Ohio, tolerably common T.V., May 5-28. Glen Ellyn, rather rare T.V., May 18-June 8; Aug. 17-.

SE. Minn., uncommon T.V., May 13-; Aug. 1-Sept.

10.

The Mourning Warbler is one of the rarer Warblers which, by good fortune, we may occasionally see toward the end of the spring migration.

It is usually found in the lower growth, being a brush and tangle haunter of woods and clearings. Its song, which is described as clear and ringing, is uttered frequently, often from a dead limb. The nest is built in briars or bushes within a foot or two of the ground. The eggs, laid in the first half of June, are white with a few brownish spots at the larger end.

MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT

_Geothlypis trichas trichas. Case 8, Figs. 50, 51_

The gray-bordered, black mask of the male makes him unmistakable. The female is without distinctive markings, but may easily be identified by her notes and actions. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from Virginia and the lower Mississippi Valley northward; winters from North Carolina to Florida.

Was.h.i.+ngton, abundant S.R., Apl. 13-Oct. 21.

Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 28-Oct. 23. Cambridge, abundant S.R., May 5-Oct. 20; occasional in winter. N. Ohio, abundant S.R., Apl. 25-Sept. 25.

Glen Ellyn, common S.R., May 2-Oct. 2. SE. Minn., common S.R.

A fidgety, inquisitive inhabitant of bushy undergrowth along roadsides and wood borders, whose impatient off-repeated call-note, _chack, chack_, and energetic song of _wichity, wichity, wichity_, soon become familiar to the bird-student. It nests on or near the ground and the white, lightly spotted eggs are laid in the latter half of May.

The Florida Yellow-throat (_G. t. ignota_), a more deeply colored race, is found from North Carolina to southern Florida. In the last-named State it usually inhabits scrub palmetto growths.

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT

_Icteria virens virens. Case 8, Fig. 49_

A large bird, superficially, quite unlike the true Warblers but nevertheless agreeing with them in essential structure. L. 7.

_Range._ Nests from Texas and northern Florida to southern Minnesota and (locally) Ma.s.sachusetts; winters in the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common S.R., Apl. 16-Sept. 28.

Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 28-Aug. 29. Cambridge, rather rare and irregular S.R., May 15-Sept. N.

Ohio, common S.R., May 1-Sept. 15. Glen Ellyn, local, not common. May 10-Aug. 16. SE. Minn., rare S.R. (?).

If the Chat lived in England what a wealth of lore, legend, and literature would owe its origin to his strange ways and stranger notes!

Here he is known to few but the initiated, who find an endless interest in his odd song-medley and peculiar antics. Go yourself to the brush-grown, thickety wood borders and clearings he loves and let him be his own interpreter. You may even find his nest low down in some crotch with its white, evenly speckled eggs, and hear his angry _chut_ as he resents your presence.

HOODED WARBLER

_Wilsonia citrina. Case 8, Figs. 54, 55_

The yellow face and black 'hood' distinguishes the male, but both s.e.xes may be known by the large amount of white in the outer tail-feathers. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from Georgia and Louisiana north to Michigan and Connecticut; winters in the tropics.