Part 15

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown clear gray; prominent white superciliary; line through eye black; underparts white, washed along sides with faint yellow; upperparts olive-green; wings unmarked; outer tail-feathers marked with white along the inner margin. _Female_: Similar, but crown tinged with greenish. _Immature_: Olive-green above, brightest on rump; dull yellowish below, brightest on the under tail-coverts. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant in May and September, apparently fairly regular and common in spring among the mountains, rare east of the mountains, but equally abundant everywhere in the fall.

The song of this bird is a series of chips, the tempo of which changes twice, the most rapid part of the song coming at the last. This bird is like a vireo in color but not in actions. Young birds are sometimes exceedingly common in the fall.

PARULA WARBLER; BLUE YELLOW-BACKED WARBLER _Compsothlypis americana pusilla_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Head, all but chin and throat, blue-gray, extending down to upper back, scapulars, wings, and tail; _back dull yellow_; wings with two prominent white wing-bars; outer tail-feathers with white along inner vanes; chin, throat, and lower breast clear yellow, a dusky band across upper breast which is bordered below with reddish brown; belly, sides, and under tail-coverts white. There is an almost complete, but not particularly noticeable, white eye-ring. _Female_: Similar, but less brightly colored; breast usually without much trace of the dusky and reddish brown band. _Young birds_: Similar to the female. _Length_: 4¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Common as a migrant during May and September; rather local as a summer resident, having been known to nest at several points in the State.

Nest.—Generally built of and among tree moss, in a conifer or other tree, usually from 20 to 40 feet from the ground. _Eggs_: 4 or 5, white, speckled with brown at the larger end.

The thin, squeaky song of this species is not noticeable. It might be written _pit see, pit see, pit see see_. A thin, insect-like, ascending trill is also occasionally given; this trill resembles one of the songs of the Redstart.

CAPE MAY WARBLER _Dendroica tigrina_ (Gmelin)

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown black, the feathers tipped with gray toward the back of the head; patch about eye, including ear-coverts, rich orange-brown; fore part of superciliary, chin and throat, sides of neck, breast, sides and rump, clear yellow; lower throat, breast, and sides strikingly streaked with black; wing with two wing-bars which are so broad that they merge, forming a white patch; outer tail-feathers with white spots on inner vanes at tip. _Female_: Much duller, the brown of the side of the head being replaced with olive-green, the yellow of rump and underparts dull, sometimes hardly noticeable, the wing-bars narrow and obscure. _Young birds_: Like their parents, but duller, the white wing-patch in the young male usually being evident. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant, rare, as a rule, in the spring, when it is seen during May. It is often abundant in the fall, from early September through October, and sometimes later.

This very handsome warbler can hardly be called a songster. The song is thin and squeaky, sometimes like the shrill squeaking of a large insect—_see, see, see, see, see_, it might be written, the syllables becoming louder toward the end. Usually the song is given from a rather high perch. The heavily streaked breast is a pretty good field-mark for any age or plumage of this bird.

YELLOW WARBLER _Dendroica æstiva æstiva_ (Gmelin)

Other Names.—Summer Yellow Bird; Wild Canary (erroneous).

Description.—_Adult male_: Head and underparts bright yellow, the breast, sides, and belly streaked with reddish brown; back, wings, and tail dull yellowish green, brightest on rump, and obscurely streaked; wing with two yellow wing-bars, and the inner webs of all the tail-feathers but the central pair, yellow, showing plainly in flight. _Female_: Similar, but much duller, the underparts almost altogether without streaks. _Length_: A little over 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant migrant and summer resident from late April and early May to early September.

Nest.—A neat, usually deep cup, made of vegetable fiber lined with wool, feathers, and soft materials, held in place with a few horsehairs. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, white or bluish white, spotted with gray, chiefly about the larger end.

The Yellow Warbler’s fondness for lilac bushes and other shrubbery about our yards leads him to be a favorite and familiar bird. His bright though unmusical song is almost incessant during the days of early spring, when much time is spent, prior to building the nest, in chasing about, sparring with rival males, or in courting. During these pursuits the yellow inner vanes of the tail-feathers are likely to be plainly seen.

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER _Dendroica cærulescens cærulescens_ (Gmelin)

Description.—_Male_: Upperparts dark gray-blue, lightest on forehead and crown; face, throat, upper breast, and sides solid black; belly and under tail-coverts white; base of primaries with a white spot, rather obscure in some individuals; tips of inner vanes of outer tail-feathers white. _Female_: Dull greenish gray above, pale buffy gray below, with _white spot at the base of the primaries_ which is always characteristic of this species in any plumage. The female has an obscure whitish line above the eye. _Length_: 5¼ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant in May and September. Found as a summer resident in the northern and more mountainous counties where it occurs almost wherever there is a rhododendron growth.

Nest.—A neat but rather shallow cup, usually placed in rhododendron 2 to 3 feet from the ground, often in the deepest part of the woodland. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white or creamy white, spotted about larger end with reddish brown.

The song of this species is deliberate and rich, though droning and insect-like rather than musical. It might be written zuree, _zuree, zuree, zeee_, or _zwee, zwee, zwee, zwee_. The colors of the male are unmistakable, but the dull-colored female and young will puzzle many a beginner. Remember the white patch at the base of the primaries. Look for the bird in midsummer, in rhododendron thickets.

MYRTLE WARBLER; YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER _Dendroica coronata coronata_ (Linnæus)

Description.—_Adult male in spring_: Crown-patch, patches at sides of chest, and rump, clear yellow; white line above eye; rest of upperparts blue-gray; back streaked with black; wings with two white wing-bars; outer tail-feathers tipped with white on the inner webs; chin and throat white; sides of breast black, merging into streaks along the sides; belly and under tail-coverts white. _Adult female_: Similar, but browner, and the black breast-patches replaced with streaks. _Immature and adults in winter_: Brownish, the yellow patches on crown, sides of chest, and rump, obscure. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant in late April and May and September and October; occasional as a winter resident; it has been noted thus principally at Erie.

The Myrtle Warbler is usually not shy and may be identified easily. In its winter range it spends much of its time on or near the ground, where it eats many seeds. While with us it is usually seen in the lower trees and bushes, where a good view may be obtained of the upperparts with the bright yellow rump-patch. The song is not noticeable; it does not have any particularly accented notes, and will not be of much use in identifying the bird. Myrtle Warblers are to be found in any sort of woodland; they have no preference for coniferous trees during migration, though they nest in them in Canada.

MAGNOLIA WARBLER _Dendroica magnolia_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown blue-gray; line above eye and spot under eye, white; area in front of and behind eye, black; back, wings, and tail blackish; wing with large white patch; tail with the _bases_ of the inner webs of all but the inner pair of feathers _white_; rump and underparts yellow, breast and sides heavily streaked with black; under tail-coverts white. _Adult female_: Similar, but duller, the underparts less heavily streaked. _Immature_: Dull olive-greenish above, without noticeable superciliary or spot under eye, but with two wing-bars and markings on the tail same as in adult; underparts yellow, obscurely streaked along the sides with black; under tail-coverts white. _Length_: 5¹/₁₀ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—As a migrant abundant in May and September, particularly the latter, when hordes of young birds are migrating. As a summer resident rather rare and local, found principally among or near hemlock growth, chiefly in the northern and more mountainous counties.

Nest.—A shallow, neat cup, made of fine twigs, lined with finer materials and hair, placed a few feet from the ground, often in a hemlock sapling. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white or creamy, with red-brown spots at larger end.

This very active warbler may be “squeaked up” easily. As it dashes about, the white band at the base of the tail usually shows plainly, for it spreads its tail widely at times. The song is a brief unmusical effort which ends with a chopped-off falling inflection. (See illustration, page 136.)

CERULEAN WARBLER _Dendroica cerulea_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Light gray-blue above, with a distinct white line over the eye, two prominent white wing bars, and obscure black streaking on the back; inner webs of outer tail-feathers tipped with white; underparts white, a band of gray or gray-blue usually completely encircling the breast; sides streaked with black. _Female_: Glossy green-blue on the head, dull grayish green on the rest of the upperparts, the wings and tail marked much as in the male; underparts dull yellowish white. _Length_: 4½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant summer resident from early May to mid-September, locally, in the southwestern counties; elsewhere it is rare and irregular.

Nest.—A shallow, neat cup of lichens, vegetable fiber, and tree-flowers, saddled on a horizontal limb from 20 to 50 feet from the ground, often in a beech tree. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white, spotted with grayish, especially at larger end.

The song of this handsome bird may be written _cheery, cheery, cheery, chee_. It is rather rapidly given, with a rising inflection at the end. The Cerulean Warbler usually stays high in the trees.

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER _Dendroica pensylvanica_ (Linnæus)

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown pale yellow; line through eye black; back greenish or yellowish white, strikingly streaked with black; wings with two white wing-bars; inner webs of outer tail-feathers tipped with white; underparts white or grayish white, the sides marked with a _broad streak of chestnut very noticeable in the field_. _Female_: Similar, but duller, the chestnut of the sides being almost obsolete at times, the top of the head streaked. Immature birds are not easy to identify; they are plain yellowish green above and whitish below; the eye is encircled with a whitish ring, which is quite noticeable, and the wings are marked with two prominent wing-bars. _Length_: A little over 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common migrant during May and September; as a summer resident, local and sometimes abundant in the northerly and more mountainous counties. It is to be looked for anywhere in the State as a nesting bird—wherever there are thicket-covered hillsides.

Nest.—A rather well-made cup which is sometimes semi-pensile, placed 2 to 3 feet from the ground in a low bush or in a blackberry vine. It is composed of weed-stalks, vegetable fibers, and other soft materials. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white, wreathed about the larger end with fine chestnut-brown spots.

It has been said that the bright, varied song of this bird ends with the syllables _Miss Beecher_. It is not amiss to bear in mind such a characterization, for though the bird never gives such syllables distinctly, when the song is once learned the name will always jump to mind the minute it is heard. Look for these active birds in thickets on hillsides.

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER _Dendroica castanea_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Mask across forehead and face, including the ear-coverts and entirely surrounding the eyes, blackish brown; prominent round patch on side of neck, buffy white; back of head, chin, throat, upper breast, and sides, rich reddish brown; back grayish, streaked with black, the wings with two prominent white wing-bars, the inner webs of the outer tail-feathers white at tips; lower breast, belly, and under tail-coverts white or creamy white. _Adult female_: Has but little suggestion of the reddish brown on head, breast, or sides, and the black of the face appears in a few streaks; two prominent wing-bars and the suggestion of reddish color on the sides are characteristic. _Young birds_: Obscure, being olive-green above, dull yellowish below, and, as a rule, having a trace of reddish brown; two prominent wing-bars; face and breast of a decidedly yellowish tone. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant, common in the spring during May, sometimes staying quite late, and abundant in the fall, the young fairly swarming through the trees in September and early October.

The buffy white patches on the sides of the neck of the adult male are excellent field-marks, and gleam like beacons when the red-brown cannot be distinguished. Young birds may easily be confused with immature Black-poll Warblers, however, and also look a little like vireos. The young Bay-breast is a yellower bird than the young Black-poll, however, and is somewhat more deliberate.

The song is a thin, wiry warble which does not lend itself readily to syllabization. Look for these birds in woodlands not far from streams, in spring. In autumn the young are to be found almost anywhere, even in the towns, and they are frequently to be seen searching for insects among rank weeds or low bushes.

BLACK-POLL WARBLER _Dendroica striata_ (J. R. Forster)

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown black; sides of head below eye, white, showing plainly in the field; black line from lower mandible to side of breast; neck, back, and wings greenish gray, streaked with black, the wings with two white bars, the tail with the inner webs of the outer feathers white; underparts white; sides of neck and breast and the sides heavily streaked with black. _Adult female_: Lacks the black crown and white facial patch, is dull olive-green all over, yellower on the breast, is noticeably streaked with black, even over top of head, and has two noticeable wing-bars. _Immature_: Plain olive-green above, obscurely streaked; dull yellowish below, with an indefinite line above eye and two prominent wing-bars. If specimens have been taken, the young Black-poll may be distinguished from the young Bay-breast by its _yellowish_ rather than dusky feet. This mark may sometimes be seen in the field, since the birds are unsuspicious and may easily be observed. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant, fairly common _in late spring_, from about the middle of May on for three weeks; in the fall abundant, particularly the young birds, which during latter September may outnumber all other species combined.

The droll, unmusical song of the spring Black-poll will escape all but the sharpest ears. _Ee, ee, ee, eee, eee, eeee_, it seems to be, the latter syllables becoming louder. The first song I ever heard I listened to for a quarter of an hour before I could locate the singer among the leafy tops of some high elms. Once caught within the range of the binoculars, his colors were unmistakable, but it seemed scarcely possible that the slight, ventriloquistic song could be coming from him.

Remember that this bird comes late in spring. Its head pattern, at a distance, is somewhat like that of the Chickadee.

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER _Dendroica fusca_ (Müller)

Description.—_Adult male_: Above black; center of forehead, line above eye, patch on side of neck, and spot under eye, bright orange-yellow; back with two lateral streaks of yellow; wings with two wide white wing-bars which so merge as to form a patch which extends into the white edging of the tertials; tail-feathers edged with whitish, particularly at the base, and inner webs of outer tail-feathers tipped with white; chin, throat, and breast, bright, rich orange, fading into yellowish on belly, and to whitish on under tail-coverts; breast heavily streaked with black. _Female_: Similar, but duller, the black of the upperparts being replaced with grayish. Young birds resemble the female but are less conspicuously marked, the breast usually being dull buffy yellow without any trace of orange, the wings marked with two white bars, not with a white patch. _Length_: 5¼ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant throughout, noticeable in mid-spring. As a nesting bird, found only in the higher and more northern counties, and usually among conifers, where in midsummer the birds are so infrequently seen that their presence is often unknown.

Nest.—A neat cup made of fine twigs, lined with finer materials. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, creamy white, wreathed about larger end or speckled all over finely with brown. The nest is usually placed high in a hemlock.

The color scheme of this gem among warblers is much the same as that of the Baltimore Oriole, and a full-plumaged male among the spring blossoms of an apple tree is a sight which can hardly be rivaled for sheer color and delicacy. The song is a disappointing, wiry lisp, usually delivered from the top of the tree, and so slight and unmusical as to pass unnoticed as a rule.

If you expect to see this bird in its summer home, you will have to look up a great deal into the tops of the hemlocks.

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER _Dendroica virens virens_ (Gmelin)

Description.—_Adult male_: Top of head and line through eye, olive-green; sides of head clear yellow; chin, throat, and upper breast, black; back, wings, and tail, olive-green, back streaked obscurely with black; wings with two white wing-bars; outer tail-feathers with white on inner webs; belly and sides white, washed with yellowish, the sides streaked with black. _Female and young_: Similar, but duller, having very little black on the throat, and being somewhat more yellowish on belly. _Length_: A little over 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—As a migrant abundant during May and September; as a summer resident found in the more northern and mountainous counties _where there is hemlock growth_.

Nest.—A deep, neat cup, made of fine hemlock twigs and lined with finer materials, including fur, saddled on a hemlock bough from 5 to 30 feet from the ground. _Eggs_: 4 or 5, white, speckled with brown about the larger end.

In the hemlock shade, during summer, sounds the plaintive and musical song of this bird, which may be diagrammed thus, _dēē dēē dēē dēē, dèē dēē_. This bird is to be looked for anywhere in sturdy hemlock growth; during migration it may be seen near the ground in lower growth; during the summer, however, males often sing from favorite perches high in the trees.

PINE WARBLER _Dendroica pinus pinus_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Olive-green above, with yellow superciliary not clearly defined; _two prominent white wing-bars_ and the tips of the inner webs of the outer tail-feathers white; underparts dull yellow; an obscure line of olive-green from lower mandible leading back to side of chest where streaking of sides begins. _Female_: Similar but a little duller. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A summer resident rather locally distributed; found chiefly in the southern and central mountainous counties and more or less restricted as a nesting bird to areas in which pine trees grow. Sometimes arrives very early in spring.

Nest.—A cup made of twigs and fine weed-stalks, lined with finer material, placed near the tip of a pine bough, often at great height. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white, spotted with brown.

The Pine Warbler’s rather dull coloration and resemblance to other species of the family would make it a difficult bird to identify were it not that it _is virtually always found among pine trees_. Its bright chipping song, which resembles that of the Chipping Sparrow a good deal, is delivered from the tip of a pine bough, and at such times the yellow breast and white wing-bars are evident. At Mont Alto, Franklin County, and in certain sections of Huntingdon County, I have found this bird abundant.

PALM WARBLER AND YELLOW PALM WARBLER _Dendroica palmarum palmarum_ (Gmelin) and _Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea_ Ridgway

Two forms of the Palm Warbler occur in Pennsylvania, both as migrants. They are usually seen near the ground and are especially noticeable in the spring when they appear among the first of the smaller birds.

Description.—_Adult male Palm Warbler_: Crown rufous; rest of upper-parts dull olive-green, brightest on rump; wings with two white wing-bars; outer tail-feathers marked with white; dusky line through eye; distinct yellow line above eye; chin, throat, and breast dull yellow, streaked with olive-green; belly and under tail-coverts whitish. _Female and young_: Similar, but duller. The Yellow Palm Warbler is much brighter, though similar in general appearance. The entire underparts are yellow, _including the under tail-coverts_, and the breast and sides are streaked with reddish brown.

Range in Pennsylvania.—The Palm Warbler occurs as an early spring and mid-fall migrant in western Pennsylvania, west of the mountains. The Yellow Palm Warbler occurs in the eastern portion of the Commonwealth. At Harrisburg, the Yellow Palm Warbler occurs among the earliest spring migrants.

The Palm Warblers both have the habit of wagging their tails. They are often seen near the ground, or in low bushes, and are usually not difficult to observe. Their songs are a broken series of _chips_, given in a rather subdued voice.

PRAIRIE WARBLER _Dendroica discolor_ (Vieillot)

Description.—_Adult male_: Upperparts olive green, back with patch of rufous brown; wing-bars yellowish; outer tail-feathers with white patches at tips; line over eye, face, and underparts yellow; lores and line under eye black; sides heavily streaked with black. _Adult female_: Similar, but duller, the back sometimes without reddish brown. _Immature_: Much duller than adults. _Length_: 4¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant east of the Alleghany Mountains in late April and May and in September; it has been known to nest in Lancaster County.