Part 41

Description.—Black and white all over, the colors about evenly balanced, giving the bird in the field a streaked appearance, noticeable particularly in the male. Since no other warbler is thus streaked with black and white all over, it is thought that this description is sufficient. Females and young: Duller, the young with buffy washings on sides. Length: 5⅓ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant and summer resident from late April and early May to September. It is rather local as a summer resident though it may occur in any suitable woodland.

Nest.—A cup of rootlets and fine grasses placed on the ground at the base of a sapling or a fallen bough or log, usually in rather open woodland. Eggs: 4 or 5, white, with a neat wreath of fine red-brown spots about the larger end.

This bird is nearly always seen creeping about the trunks and larger branches of trees, and its boldly streaked plumage is unmistakable. Its song, which has been written wee-see, wee-see, wee-see, wee-see, is wiry and unmusical, and the untrained ear will probably not catch it. Look for this bird in any woodland, particularly where there are deciduous trees.

The southern Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is rarely recorded in the southern counties. This species has blue-gray wings and tail, no wing-bars, and the head and breast are rich orange-yellow. Records are desirable.

The Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica dominica) is a long-billed species which looks a good deal like a Black and White Warbler with a yellow throat; it occurs in the southernmost counties. It may be found as a nesting bird.

WORM-EATING WARBLER Helmitheros vermivorus (Gmelin)

Description.—Crown and superciliary buffy brown; prominent black streak at either side of crown; black streak through the eye; underparts buffy, the centers of the under tail-coverts darker; upperparts olive-green, much as in a vireo. Female and young: Similar but duller. Length: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—In southern and particularly southwestern Pennsylvania this species is a fairly common summer resident from early May to mid-September. It is found chiefly in deciduous woodlands along streams. It is rare in central and northern counties.

Nest.—A neatly built cup of rootlets, hair, and vegetable fiber, placed on the ground, usually at the base of a sapling. Eggs: 4 or 5, white, finely speckled with reddish brown.

The song of this comparatively little-known species is very much like that of a Chipping Sparrow. If you hear a Chipping Sparrow in the woods, you had better look for the bird; you may make a startling discovery, since Chipping Sparrows are rarely found away from human dwellings in Pennsylvania.

The Worm-eating Warbler is nearly always found near the ground, and it is usually necessary to keep quiet so as to let the bird approach if you wish to have a good look at it.

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER Vermivora pinus (Linnæus)

Other Name.—Blue-winged Yellow Warbler.

Description.—Adult male: Front of head, breast, and belly bright, clear yellow; sharp black line through eye; back of head and back olive-green; wings and tail blue-gray, the wings with two noticeable white bands; the tail with white spots at tips of inner webs of outer feathers. Female: Much duller, the whole top of the head being greenish, as a rule. Length: 4¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A decidedly local summer resident from early May until mid-September, to be found in all but the mountainous counties.

Nest.—A cup made of leaves, lined with fine grasses, placed at the base of a weed or a little bush, usually in a low meadow or at the edge of an alder swamp. Eggs: 3 to 5, white, spotted with reddish brown, chiefly at the larger end.

The characteristic song of this bird may be written zwee-chee, the former syllable with an inhalant, the latter an exhalant quality. Later in the summer other songs are given which combine this song with many chips. Look for the Blue-wing near the ground in a swampy situation, among alders, or willows. In the fall it sometimes occurs in the higher woodlands along with other migrating species.

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER Vermivora chrysoptera (Linnæus)

Description.—Male: Top of head yellow; line through eye, and chin and throat, black; an area from lower mandible back to neck, white; back of head, neck, wings, and tail, gray; wing, with lesser and most of greater coverts, pale yellow; outer feathers of tail with white spots on inner webs; breast and belly white, the sides washed with grayish. Female: Similar, but duller, the black of the head being replaced with gray. Length: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather uncommon and local summer resident from early May to September, found in low meadows or in bushy edges of woodlands.

Nest.—Of leaves, lined with finer materials and often somewhat arched over with leaves, placed at the base of a bush. Eggs: 4 or 5, white, speckled with brown.

The song may be written see, zee, zee, zee.

The Brewster’s and Lawrence’s Warblers, hybrid forms which result from the interbreeding of the Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers, sometimes occur in Pennsylvania. The typical Brewster’s Warbler has the white underparts and yellow-marked wings of the Golden-wing. The breast and belly of Lawrence’s Warblers are yellow, and there are two prominent white wing-bars as in the Blue-wing.

NASHVILLE WARBLER Vermivora ruficapilla ruficapilla (Wilson)

Description.—Adult male: Upper part of head blue-gray, with a partly concealed rufous crown-patch and noticeable white eye-ring; chin, throat, breast, and belly clear, strong yellow; upperparts olive-green, without markings in wings or tail. Female: Duller. Immature: Almost unmarked, the eye-ring being buffy and not noticeable, the sides being washed with buffy. Length: 4¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and often abundant migrant in May and September; rare and very local as a summer resident in northern counties and at high altitudes.

Nest.—On the ground, near a log or at the base of a sapling. Eggs: 4 or 5, white, speckled with red-brown.