Part 46

Look for this beautiful warbler in dense weed-growth or in brush along lowland streams. It is not particularly shy, but is very difficult to see because it slips away so easily among the shadows. The song, which is not heard in the fall, as a rule, has been written trú ee, trú ee, trú ee, trú, too. The voice rises on the first three parts of the song, and falls on the last two.

MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT Geothlypis trichas trichas (Linnæus)

Description.—Adult male: A mask of black across forehead; cheeks and ear-coverts bordered behind by gray; rest of upperparts olive-green, unmarked; throat and breast bright yellow, fading to white on belly and brownish on sides; under tail-coverts yellow. Female: Similar, but without the black mask, the forehead sometimes tinged with reddish brown. Adult males in the fall: Browner above and on sides. Immature males: Black facial mask obscured by grayish edgings. Length: 5⅓ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant and summer resident from late April to about the end of September.

Nest.—On or near the ground, of grasses, leaves, and bark strips, lined with finer materials, in a swamp or low meadow. Eggs: 3 to 5, white, sparsely speckled with brown, often chiefly at the larger end.

This warbler is so common that it should be known by all. Look for it along up-grown streams where weeds are thick and deep, or along the margins of marshes. The song has been written witchity, witchity, witchity, but this is sometimes varied considerably. The call-note is a harsh, rather loud tschack. The facial mask of the male is to be confused with no bird other than the rather rare Kentucky Warbler which is to be found on wooded hillsides, not in deep weeds along streams and pools. The Yellow-throat gives a flight-song, and also has a Red Squirrel-like, long-drawn-out series of chips, not often heard. If you make it a point to visit a marshy spot in late summer or early fall, you will almost certainly see these birds in the deep weeds, sedges, or cat-tails.

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT Icteria virens virens (Linnæus)

Description.—Larger than an English Sparrow; the largest of our warbler tribe. Adults: Upperparts olive-green, grayer on crown; wings and tail unmarked; line from bill over and around eye, and line on side of throat, white; throat and breast rich yellow; sides grayish; belly and under tail-coverts white. Young birds in first flight plumage are much streaked. Length: 7½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A decidedly local summer resident from May 1 to mid-September—common in some sections, absent in others, usually found in central and southern counties.

Nest.—A bulky, well-built structure made of weed-stalks, grasses, and leaves, neatly and deeply cupped, placed in a small bush or bramble thicket a short distance from the ground. Eggs: 3 to 6, white, evenly speckled with brown.

The Chat has his own ideas about singing. He fluffs out his feathers, mounts a tree above the brush-covered hillside where his nest is hidden, and begins an odd performance. He clucks, he squeals, then repeats several times a loud, deep whistle. Perhaps, in his enthusiasm, he flies upward, to somersault back to the leaves in reckless fashion. He spreads the feathers of his dandelion-yellow throat and twirls his head as he sings. It seems that surely he will lose some of his feathers while he flops about.

You cannot intrude upon his concert. He hears the snap of a twig, the song ceases, and perhaps you will catch only a glimpse of the olive-green back.

The nests, which are large enough to be noticeable, are sometimes very poorly hidden, and may be found by looking through the interlaced branches of low bushes or thickets.

HOODED WARBLER Wilsonia citrina (Boddaert)

Description.—Adult male: Forehead and sides of head rich yellow; crown, hind neck, and throat black; rest of upperparts olive-green; outer tail-feathers white on their inner webs; rest of underparts bright yellow. Young male: Similar, but the black feathers of head tipped with yellow. Adult female: Like adult male, but duller, the black of the head largely replaced by gray. Length: A little over 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common summer resident in central and southern counties from about May 1 to mid-September.

Nest.—A neat, deeply cupped structure of grasses, fibers, rootlets, and cobwebs, placed from 3 to 15 feet from the ground in a slender sapling or on a small branch of a larger tree. Eggs: 4 or 5, white, thinly wreathed with brown about the larger end.

The flashing white inner webs of the outer tail-feathers of this species are an excellent field-mark. Wherever the bird is found, it is easily observed, though it is very active. Its song I have written as too-wit, too-wit, too-wee-oh, given in a sprightly manner. Look for it in luxuriant, young tree-growth on partially shaded hillsides. In the fall Hooded Warblers may be silent, but they usually flash their tails as they become excited over our presence. The somewhat similarly colored Wilson’s Warbler has no black on the throat.

WILSON’S WARBLER Wilsonia pusilla pusilla (Wilson)

Other Names.—Black-capped Warbler; Wilson’s Black-cap.

Description.—Male: Forehead and underparts bright yellow; crown glossy black; upperparts olive-green; wings and tail unmarked. Female and young: Similar, but duller, the female with only a suggestion of the black cap, the young altogether without it. Length: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common migrant from May 10 to June 10 and from early to latter September. It appears to me to be less common in spring than in fall.

The jaunty Wilson’s Warbler, with his odd, unmusical, chipping song, has the habit of tilting or jerking his tail and flirting his wings in a very characteristic manner. Look for him in vines or low trees. He is in color a warbler, but in insect-pursuing tactics a flycatcher. As he tumbles after a gnat, his wide bill snaps audibly.

CANADIAN WARBLER Wilsonia canadensis (Linnæus)

Description.—Adult male: Upperparts gray, darkest on crown; line from bill to eye, and underparts, yellow; marks on sides of neck black, and a necklace of black spots across breast; under tail-coverts white. Female: Similar, but duller, with no black on head, and only a suggestion of the black necklace. Length: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common migrant in May and September, found chiefly in low, bushy growth. As a summer resident, found only in more northerly and mountainous counties, usually in damp woodlands.

Nest.—Of leaves, lined with rootlets and other fine materials, placed at the base of a tree or in a bank. Eggs: 4 or 5, white spotted with brown.

The nervous, sprightly song of this little-seen bird ends with a decisive, upward tsip. If you can catch a glimpse of the singer you will see that his song is a fair representation of the bird, for he is energetic, nervous, and erratic in his movements. He is adept as a flycatcher. (For illustration, see page 146.)