Chapter 11

Washington, 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. 5-1/4.

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

Washington, 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. 7-1/2.

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

Washington, 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 _ch[)u]t_ 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 sexes may be known by the large amount of white in the outer tail-feathers. L. 5-3/4.

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

Washington, locally common, S.R., Apl. 19-Oct. 1. Ossining, rare S.R., to Sept. 1. N. Ohio, rare. May 8, 9, 12 and 22.

Color, song, habit and temperament combine to make the Hooded Warbler one of the most attractive members of its family. As one sees it flitting from bush to bush in woodland undergrowth, displaying its white outer tail-feathers as it flies, pausing now and again to utter its simple, sweet whistled song, one is impressed not only by its beauty but by its gentleness. It nests in a bush within a foot or two of the ground, laying 3-5 white eggs, wreathed with shades of brown spots, early in May, in the South, in June, in the North.

WILSON'S WARBLER

_Wilsonia pusilla pusilla. Case 8, Figs. 73, 74_

The female usually lacks the black cap, when she resembles the female Hooded, but is smaller and has no white in the tail. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from northern New England and northern Minnesota northward; winters in the tropics.

Washington, rather common T.V., May 1-26; Aug. 27-Oct. 6. Ossining, tolerably common T.V., May 9-30; Aug. 10-Sept. 9. Cambridge, common T.V., May 12-25; uncommon, Sept. 5-20. N. Ohio, tolerably common T.V., May 5-June 2; Sept. 5-15. Glen Ellyn, not common T.V., May 7-June 26; Aug. 16-Sept. 21. SE. Minn., common T.V., May 2-; Aug. 23-Sept. 27.

Wilson's Warbler, a flycatching Warbler of the lower growth, favors bushes near water, but is also found in dryer places. Thayer in "Warblers of North America" says that its "song has much of the ringing clarity of the Canada's and Hooded's songs." It nests on the ground, laying 4 eggs, usually with a wreath of spots at the larger end, early in June.

CANADIAN WARBLER

_Wilsonia canadensis. Case 8, Fig. 53_

Above gray, no white in wings or tail; breast with a necklace of black spots, paler and less numerous in the female. L. 5-1/2.

_Range._ Nests from Massachusetts and central Minnesota northward, south in the mountains to Tennessee; winters in the tropics.

Washington, very common T.V., May 5-June 2; July 31-Sept. 25. Ossining, common T.V., May 6-June 2; Aug. 10-Oct. 11. Cambridge, common, May 12-30, rare, Sept. 1-15; rare S.R. N. Ohio, common T.V., Apl. 28-May 27; Sept. 1-18. Glen Ellyn, common T.V., May 5-June 6; Aug. 15-Sept. 22. SE. Minn., common T.V., May 8-; Aug. 18-Sept. 5.

The Canadian Warbler haunts the lower growth of deciduous forests. It is "a sprightly, wide-awake, fly-snapping Warbler, vivid in movement and in song" (Thayer). "The song is liquid, uncertain, varied, bright and sweet" (Farwell). It nests on the ground early in June, laying 4-5 eggs much like those of Wilson's Warbler.

REDSTART

_Setophaga ruticilla. Case 8, Figs. 57, 58_

The female is yellow where the male is flame-color; young males resemble the female, but usually have more or less black on the breast. L. 5-1/2.

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

Washington, very abundant T.V., Apl, 15-May; Aug. 19-Sept. 30; a few breed. Ossining, common S.R., May 1-Oct. 3. Cambridge, abundant S.R., May 5-Sept. 20. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 27-Sept. 20. Glen Ellyn. not common S.R., common T.V., May 3-Oct. 5. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 2-Sept. 22.

His bright colors, graceful, aerial pirouetting, abundance, and frequently uttered song make the Redstart the most conspicuous as well as one of the most attractive of our woodland Warblers. So exquisite a creature should be as widely known as are violets or daisies. The Redstart builds its well-made nest in a crotch, usually about fifteen feet above the ground. The 4-5 grayish white eggs, spotted and blotched chiefly at the larger end, are laid in mid-May.

WAGTAILS AND PIPITS. FAMILY MOTACILLIDÆ

AMERICAN PIPIT

_Anthus rubescens. Case 4, Fig. 62; Case 5, Fig. 17_

Outer tail-feathers white, bill slender, back grayish. L. 6-1/2.

_Range._ Nests from Newfoundland to Greenland; winters from Maryland to Florida and Mexico.

Washington, W.V., sometimes abundant, Oct. 2-May 12. Ossining, common T.V., Mch. 26-(?); Sept. 24-Nov. 16. Cambridge, T.V., abundant Sept. 20-Nov. 10; rare Apl. 10-May 20. N. Ohio, common T.V., Apl. 6-May 20; Oct. 19. Glen Ellyn, not common T.V., Apl. 15-; Sept. 30-Oct. 18. SE. Minn., common T.V., May 4-; Oct.

At first glance a Pipit might be mistaken for a Sparrow--let us say, a Vesper Sparrow; but note that it walks, instead of hops, that it constantly wags or 'tips' its tail, that it has a slender, not stout bill. Meadows, pastures, plowed fields, golf-courses, are frequented by Pipits, usually in flocks of a dozen or more. When flushed, with a faint _dee-dee_, they bound lightly into the air but usually soon return to earth.

Sprague's Pipit (_Anthus spraguei_), a slightly smaller species, nests in Montana, Dakota, and northward, and is sometimes found in small numbers on the coast of South Carolina and Georgia in winter.

THRASHERS, MOCKINGBIRDS, ETC. FAMILY MIMIDÆ

MOCKINGBIRD

_Mimus polyglottos polyglottos. Case 4; Fig. 76_

To be confused in color only with the Loggerhead Shrike, but larger, with a longer tail, no black on the face and totally different habits. L. 10-1/2.

_Range._ Nests from the Gulf to Iowa and Maryland; rarely to Massachusetts; winters from Maryland southward.

Washington, uncommon P.R., less numerous in winter. Cambridge, rare S.R., Mch. to Nov.

No southern garden is complete without a Mockingbird to guard its treasures with his harsh alarm-note and extol its beauties in his brilliant, varied song. He is to the South what the Robin is to the North--and more, for he is present throughout the year while the Robin is with us only during the nesting season.

The Mocker builds in bushes, orange-trees or other dense vegetation, from late March, in southern Florida, to early May in Virginia. The 4-6 eggs are blue heavily marked with brown.

CATBIRD

_Dumatella carolinensis. Case 4, Fig. 81; Case 6, Fig. 71_

Both sexes of the Catbird wear the same costume at all seasons and all ages. L. 9.

_Range._ Nests from Florida and Texas to Canada winters from South Carolina to the tropics.

Washington, abundant S.R., Apl. 34-Oct. 11; occasionally winters. Ossining, common S.R. Apl. 28-Oct. 25. Cambridge, abundant S.R., May 6-Oct. 1; occasional in winter. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 21-Oct. 5. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Apl. 29-Oct. 6. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 30-Oct. 6.

If the Catbird's name were based on his song instead of on his call-note, he might have won the popularity he deserves, but which seems forever denied him. Taking kindly to civilization he makes his home near ours, asking only the shelter of our shrubbery and a share of our small fruits in return for three months of music such as but few birds can produce.

The Catbird nests in bushes and thickets laying 3-5 greenish blue eggs in May.

BROWN THRASHER

_Toxostoma rufum. Case 4, Fig. 82; Case 6, Fig. 72_

Tail and bill much longer than in the Thrushes; white wing-bars; eye pale yellow. L. 11-1/2.

_Range._ Nests from Florida and Louisiana to Canada; winters from North Carolina and SE. Missouri to Florida and Texas.

Washington, very common S.R., Apl. 8-Oct.; occasionally winters. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 22-Oct. 28. Cambridge common S.R., Apl. 36-Oct. 20. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 6-Oct. 15. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Apl. 9-Oct. 11. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 15-Oct. 7.

In the wealth of new experiences and awakened associations which crowd the bird-lover's days in April and May, none stands out more clearly in my memory than the first Thrasher's song.

The rich, distinctly enunciated notes ring loud and clear above all other songs as the bird from some tree-top gives his musical message to the world. The performance concluded he returns to the undergrowth whence one may hear his explosive, whistled _wheèu_ or sharp kissing note. The nest is built in bushy growths or on the ground in May. The 3-6 eggs are grayish white finely speckled with reddish brown.

WRENS. FAMILY TROGLODYTIDÆ

CAROLINA WREN

_Thryothorus ludovicianus ludovicianus. Case 4. Fig. 64_

Largest and most brightly colored of our Wrens. Note the buff or whitish line over the eye. L. 5-1/2.

_Range._ Gulf States north to Connecticut and Iowa; non-migratory. The Florida Wren (_T. l. miamensis_) a slightly larger, more richly colored form, inhabits Florida from Palatka southward.

Washington, common P.R. Cambridge, rare or casual. N. Ohio, tolerably common P.R.

The Carolina Wren is a bird of the woods, whose loud, musical whistles are among the most conspicuous of southern bird notes. They suggest those of both the Cardinal and Tufted Titmouse, but are more varied in character. A common scolding call is recognizably wren-like, while another suggests a tree-toad's _krrring_. The nest is built in holes, in April. The 4-6 eggs are white with numerous reddish brown and lavender markings.

BEWICK'S WREN

_Thryomanes bewicki bewicki_

Size of the House Wren, but with the tail nearly half an inch longer; its outer feathers tipped with gray.

_Range._ Mississippi Valley from the Gulf States to southern Michigan; rare east of the Alleghanies.

Washington, rare and local T.V., Mch. 26-July-; may winter, Nov. 24-Dec. 22.

A house Wren of the States west of the Alleghanies with a tail that seems to be at the mercy of passing breezes, and a song resembling the Song Sparrow's, but louder. Its nesting habits resemble those of the House Wren. The 4-6 eggs, laid in April, are white speckled with reddish brown and lavender.

HOUSE WREN

_Troglodytes aëdon aëdon. Case 4, Fig. 63; Case 6, Fig. 70_

No introduction is needed to this feathered tenant of many bird-lovers. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from Virginia and Kentucky to Canada; winters from South Carolina and lower Mississippi Valley to Mexico.

Washington, common S.R., Apl. 13-Oct. 11. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 23-Oct. 14. Cambridge, formerly abundant S.R., Apl. 28-Sept. 25; now rare and local. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 17-Oct. 5. Glen Ellyn, S.R. in isolated pairs; Apl. 26-Oct. 13. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 27-Sept. 18.

The familiar inhabitant of our bird-houses whose numbers seem limited only by the nesting-sites we offer him. His little fountain of melody bubbles forth irrepressibly to cheer his mate or challenge a rival. With the exhaustless energy of their kind they fill their nest-box with twigs, grasses and feathers, wherein are laid 6-8 minutely and evenly speckled pinkish eggs.

WINTER WREN

_Nannus hiemalis hiemalis. Case 2, Fig. 58_

Smaller than the House Wren; underparts brownish, flanks and belly finely barred. L. 4.

_Range._ Nests from northern New England and Central Michigan north to Canada and, in the Alleghanies, south to North Carolina; winters from the Northern States to the Gulf.

Washington, rather common W.V., Aug. 10-May 1. Ossining, tolerably common W.V., Sept. 18-Apl. 27. Cambridge, T.V. uncommon, Sept. 20-Nov. 25; rare, Apl. 10-25; a very few winter. N. Ohio, tolerably common. W.V., Sept. 14-May 17. Glen Ellyn, fairly common T.V., Apl. 1-May 10; Sept. 9-Nov. 7. SE. Minn., common T.V., rare W.V., Sept. 22-Apl. 3.

The Winter Wren comes to us from the North when the House Wren leaves for the South and remains with us until the House Wren returns in the spring. But one by no means takes the place of the other. The Winter Wren is a wood Wren that lives in fallen tree-tops, old brush-piles or similar retreats, and his nervous _chimp, chimp_, as with cocked-up tail he hops into view for a second, is like the call of the Song Sparrow rather than the scolding note of most Wrens; nor does his rippling, trickling song resemble the House Wren's sudden outburst.

The nest is built in the roots of a tree or similar location. The 5-7 eggs, laid in early June, are white, finely, but rather sparingly speckled with brownish.

SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN

_Cistothorus stellaris. Case 8, Fig. 80_

Smallest of our Wrens; the head and back streaked with white. L. 4.

_Range._ Nests from central Missouri and northern Delaware to Saskatchewan and southern Maine; winters from southern Illinois and southern New Jersey to the Gulf.

Washington, very rare T.V., two instances, May. Ossining, rare S.R., to Oct. 16. Cambridge, formerly locally common S.R., May 12-Sept. 25; now chiefly T.V. N. Ohio, rare, May 12, 14, 16 and 19. Glen Ellyn, fairly common S.R., May 8-Oct. 17. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 13-Sept. 19.

Although we have only six species of Wrens in the eastern United States, they are so unlike in their choice of haunts that few localities which will afford them the hiding places they all love are without one or more of them. The House and Bewick's Wrens make their homes near ours; the Carolina and Winter Wrens prefer the woods; the Long-billed Marsh Wren's haunts have given him his name, and if we should call the present species Meadow Wren, its home would be similarly indicated, for it lives in wet, grassy places rather than among the cat-tails.

Ernest Seton describes its note as resembling the sound produced by striking two pebbles together, while its song is a series of _chaps_, running into _chap-r-r-rrr_. The globular nest is built on the ground, and the 6-8 eggs, laid in May, are usually pure white.

LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN

_Telmatodytes palustris palustris. Case 8, Fig. 79_

Darker and larger than the Short-billed Marsh Wren, with a blackish brown crown and white stripe over the eye. L. 5-1/4.

_Range._ Nests from Virginia to Canada; winters from southern New Jersey to South Carolina. Worthington's Marsh Wren (_T. p. griseus_) is the form of the Atlantic coast from South Carolina to Florida. Marian's Marsh Wren (_T. p. marianæ_) is found on the more southern Atlantic coast and on the Gulf coast of Florida; while the Prairie Marsh Wren (_T. p. iliacus_) nests in the Mississippi Valley east to Indiana north to Canada, and winters along the Gulf coast. Where two races may be expected to occur together (for example, in the South, during the winter) field identification of the various races may be left to experts and the average observer must be content with plain "Marsh Wren."

Washington, very numerous S.R., Apl. 15-Nov. 1. Ossining, common S.R., May 10-Oct. 28. Cambridge, locally abundant S.R., May 15-Oct. 1; sometimes a few winter. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 21-Sept. 20. Glen Ellyn, fairly common S.R., May 16-Oct. 10. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 5-Sept. 9.

As well look for pond lilies on a rocky hillside as a Marsh Wren outside a marsh. Give him cat-tails for cover and to support his bulky nest and he is at home. His scolding notes betray his ancestry and his reeling, rippling song, delivered both from a perch and on fluttering wings above the reeds, suggests in form, at least, that of the House Wren. The 5-9 eggs, laid in early June are uniform chocolate or thickly marked with brown.

CREEPERS. FAMILY CERTHIIDÆ

BROWN CREEPER

_Certhia familiaris americana. Case 2, Fig. 59_

Tail-feathers with stiffened points, bill slender and slightly carved. L. 5-3/4.

_Range._ Nests from northern New England and south along the Alleghanies to North Carolina; winters south to Florida.

Washington, common W.V., Sept. 22-May 1. Ossining, tolerably common W.V., Sept. 20-May 7. Cambridge, common T.V., rather common W.V.. Sept. 25-May 1; one summer record N. Ohio, common W.V., Oct. 1-May 9. Glen Ellyn, tolerably common W.V., Sept. 15-May 19. SE. Minn., common T.V., uncommon W.V., Sept. 25-Mch. 30.

To see the Brown Creeper is to knew him but so inconspicuous is he that unless you chance to observe him drop from one to tree near the foot of another, you may overlook the little figure creeping spirally upward. Nor are his thin, weak, squeaky call-notes more likely to attract attention than he is himself. A true bird of the bark, he not only hunts upon it but builds his nest behind it, laying 5-8 white, brown-spotted eggs in May.

NUTHATCHES. FAMILY SITTIDÆ

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH

_Sitta carolinensis carolinensis. Case 2, Figs. 38, 39; Case 4, Fig. 65_

Crown black, cheeks white; breast white; the female with a gray crown. L. 6.

_Range._ Nests from Gulf States to Canada; a Permanent Resident. The Florida White-breasted Nuthatch (_S. c. atkinsi_) a slightly smaller form in which the female as well as the male has the crown black, is the race inhabiting Florida, the Atlantic coast to South Carolina and the Gulf coast to Mississippi.

Washington, common T.V. and W.V., less common S.R. Ossining, common P.R. Cambridge, P.R., rare in summer, uncommon in winter, common in migrations; most numerous in Oct. and Nov. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, fairly common P.R. SE. Minn., common P.R.

During the summer we will see comparatively little of this bird who, with equal ease, climbs either down or up a tree trunk, but in the winter he will be a constant patron of the nuts and suet on our lunch counters. Habit, markings, his unmistakable _yank-yank_, all distinguish him from our other birds, except his Canadian cousin to which, after all, he bears only a family resemblance.

In April, 5-7 white, brown speckled eggs are laid in a hole in a tree, lined with feathers, etc.

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH

_Sitta canadensis. Case 2, Figs. 60, 61_

Underparts brownish, a line through the eye, black in the male, slate in the female. Smaller than the White-breasted Nuthatch. L. 4-3/4.

_Range._ Nests from northern New England and northern Minnesota into Canada; south along the Alleghanies to North Carolina; winters from southern Canada to the Gulf States.

Washington, irregularly abundant W.V., sometimes rare, Sept. 15-May 10. Ossining, irregular W.V., Aug. 8-May 8. Cambridge, irregular T.V., and W.V., Aug. 15-Nov. 25; Nov. 25-Apl. 15. N. Ohio, tolerably common W.V., Sept. 4-May 22. Glen Ellyn, irregular T.V., Apl. 24-May 21; Aug. 19-Dec. 12. SE. Minn., common T.V., uncommon W.V., Sept. 24-Apl. 21.

Late in August when I hear a note such as one might imagine a baby Nuthatch would utter, I know that the Red-breasted Nuthatch has arrived from the north perhaps to spend the winter, or, may be, to go farther south. He never seems quite as familiar as his larger, louder-voiced, white-breasted cousin, and if one wants to make his acquaintance it is well to follow the sound of his penny-trumpet-like notes until their author is discovered.

BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH

_Sitta pusilla. Case 4, Fig. 66_

The head is browner than in the figure; the nape has a downy white patch. Smallest of our Nuthatches. L. 4-1/2.

_Range._ Nests from Florida to southern Delaware and southern Missouri; a Permanent Resident.