What Bird is That? Part 36

t.i.tMICE. FAMILY PARIDae

TUFTED t.i.tMOUSE

_Baeolophus bicolor. Case 4, Fig. 67_

A large, gray t.i.tmouse, with a conspicuous crest, black forehead, and reddish brown flanks. L. 6.

_Range._ Nests from the Gulf States north to New Jersey and Nebraska. Resident, except at the northern limit of its range.

Was.h.i.+ngton, very common P.R., more so in winter.

N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, only two records, Apl. 4 and Nov. 19.

The loud _peto, peto, peto_ of the Tufted t.i.t can be confused only with certain notes of the Carolina Wren, but while skilfull stalking is required to see the Wren, one may walk up and inspect the t.i.t with little or no caution. When he sees us he may change his call to a hoa.r.s.e _dee-dee-dee_ which at once betrays his relations.h.i.+p to the Chickadee.

The nest is made in a hole, and the 5-8 white, brown-marked eggs are laid in April.

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE

_Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus. Case 2, Fig. 37_

Crown black, wing-coverts margined with whitish.

L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from central Missouri and northern New Jersey north into Canada, south, along the Alleghanies to North Carolina; winters south to Maryland.

Was.h.i.+ngton, rare and irregular W.V., Oct. 19-Apl.

19. Ossining, tolerably common P.R. Cambridge, common P.R., more numerous in fall and winter. N.

Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, fairly common P.R.

SE. Minn., common P.R.

While the Chickadee is with us throughout the year, it is during the winter that he takes first place in our affections. Active, cheerful, friendly, he is an ever welcome visitor to our lunch-counters, and often shows complete and winning confidence in us by perching on our hands.

His clearly enunciated _chick-a-dee_, with its variations, we accept as his characteristic language, but the sentiment expressed in his two- or three-noted whistle seems to belong to the Pewee rather than the sprightly Black-cap. It is, in fact, often falsely attributed to that bird, even when our books tell us that the Pewee is wintering in the tropics!

The Chickadee nests in holes, usually within ten feet of the ground, laying 5-9 white, brown-speckled eggs in the first half of May.

CAROLINA CHICKADEE

_Penthestes carolinensis carolinensis. Case 4, Fig. 68_

Smaller than the Black-cap; without white margins on the wing-coverts. L. 4.

_Range._ Southeastern United States, north to northern New Jersey and central Missouri. The south Florida form (_P. c. impiger_) is slightly smaller and darker.

Was.h.i.+ngton, very common P.R., particularly in winter.

Whether because of a different temperament or because milder winters make him less dependent on man's bounty, the Carolina Chickadee does not show that unquestioning confidence in our good faith which makes the Black-cap so dear to us.

The _chick-a-dee_ note is less clearly and more hurriedly given by the Carolina, and the _pe-wee_ whistle is not so loud and usually consists of four notes instead of two. The nesting habits and eggs of the two species are alike, but the southern bird begins to lay in March.

BROWN-CAPPED CHICKADEE

_Penthestes hudsonicus_

Similar to the Black-cap but crown dark brown; back brownish ashy.

_Range._ Northern New England and Canada; rarely further south in winter. Represented by three races: the Acadian Brown-capped Chickadee (_P. h.

littoralis_) of northern New England, New Brunswick. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; the Labrador Brown-capped Chickadee (_P. h.

nigricans_) of Labrador, and the Hudsonian Brown-capped Chickadee (_P. h. hudsonicus_) of the region west of Hudson Bay.

Until recent years the Brown-capped Chickadee was rarely seen far south of its breeding range, but during several winters it has invaded New England in considerable numbers and has been found in the lower Hudson Valley, Long Island, Staten Island and northern New Jersey. At close range an experienced observer may know it by its dark brown head, while Brewster states that its "nasal, drawling, _tchick, chee-day-day_" at once distinguishes it from the Black-cap. All three races have been reported in these winter migrations and only expert examination of specimens can determine whether the little wanderer is from Labrador, New Brunswick, or the country west of Hudson Bay.

OLD-WORLD WARBLERS, KINGLETS AND GNATCATCHERS. FAMILY SYLVIIDae

GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET

_Regulus satrapa satrapa. Case 2, Figs. 62, 63; Case 4, Figs. 72, 73_

Very small, olive-green birds with a flame and yellow crown-patch in the male and a yellow crown-patch in the female. L. 4.

_Range._ Nests from northern New England northward and, in the Alleghanies, south to North Carolina.

Was.h.i.+ngton, abundant W.V., Sept. 30-Apl. 27.

Ossining, common W.V., Sept. 20-Apl. 28.

Cambridge, very common T.V., not uncommon W.V., Sept. 25-Apl. 20. N. Ohio, common W.V., Sept.

26-May 4. Glen Ellyn, common T.V., irregular W.V., Sept. 19-May 8. SE. Minn., common T.V., Mch. 30-; Sept. 21-Dec. 1.

It is surprising, in the depth of winter, when in great coat and m.u.f.fler we keep warm only by vigorous exercise, to see these dainty, feathered mites, unconcerned by the temperature, flitting here and there in their search for insects' eggs and larvae. They have small fear of man and we may readily approach near enough to hear their thin _ti-ti_ or see their golden-crown. In proportion to its size, this diminutive species lays a larger number of eggs than any other of our birds, as many as 9 or 10 white, brown-marked eggs being laid in their pensile, mossy nest in the latter part of May.

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET

_Regulus calendula calendula. Case 4. Figs. 70, 71; Case 5. Figs. 36, 37_

A white eye-ring; two whitish wing-bars, no white in the tail; adult male with a ruby crown-patch; absent in females and young. L. 4.

_Range._ Nests chiefly north of the United States; winters from Virginia and Iowa southward.

Was.h.i.+ngton, abundant T.V., Apl. 12-May 15; Sept.

25-Nov. 1; occasionally winters. Ossining, common T.V., Apl. 8-May 13; Sept. 16-Nov. 3. Cambridge, rather common T.V., Apl. 12-May 5; Oct. 10-30. N.

Ohio, common T.V., Apl, 1-May 23; Sept. 9-Nov. 3.