Part 28

WORM-EATING WARBLER 639. Helmitheros vermivorus. 5½ inches

Crown buffy with two black stripes; back, wings and tail olive green with no white markings; below buffy white.

These birds are very unsuspicious and easy to approach; they spend the greater portion of their time on or near the ground; they are very fond of spiders and find quantities by overturning bits of bark and leaves. They also glean part of their living from the underside of the foliage much as do the Vireos. They are met with in open woods and brush-grown pastures.

Song.—A weak, rapid chipping.

Nest.—On the ground in depressions under logs, stones or bushes; of leaves and grass, lined with fine grass or hair; eggs four or five in number, white, spotted principally around the large end with brownish (.70 × .55).

Range.—Eastern U. S., breeding from the Gulf north to Connecticut, Ohio and Iowa; winters in Central America.

BACHMAN WARBLER 640. Vermivora bachmani. 4¼ inches

Male, with a yellow forehead, shoulders and underparts; black cap and breast patch; female, duller and with less black.

This species was first discovered by Dr. John Bachman near Charleston, S. C.

Song.—An insignificant warble or twitter, similar to the song of the Parula.

Nest.—In low bushes or briers, one to three feet above ground. Made of fine grasses and leaf skeletons, lined with black fibres. Found breeding by Widmann in Missouri, by Embody in Kentucky and by Wayne in South Carolina. Eggs four in number; pure white (.63 × .48).

Range.—Southeastern U. S., north to North Carolina and west to Missouri. Rare and local in distribution.

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER 641. Vermivora pinus. 4¾ inches

Crown and underparts yellow; a narrow black line through the eyes; two broad whitish wing bars.

A common bird of the southeastern states and north to Connecticut, frequenting open woods, thickets and gardens. They are ground birds, spending most of their time on the ground or in low bushes which they clean of the insects which are destructive.

Song.—A loud, rapid chirrup, similar to that of the Grasshopper Sparrow but loud and distinct.

Nest.—Of leaves and strips of bark, lined with fine grasses; on the ground in clumps of weeds or blackberry vines; eggs white, sparingly spotted around the large end with rufous (65. × .50).

Range.—Eastern U. S., breeding north to southern Connecticut and Wisconsin; winters in the tropics.

Hybrids.—Lawrence Warbler, which is a hybrid between this species and the next; it has the general plumage of this species with the black ear patches and throat of the Golden-winged Warbler. It is found chiefly in southwestern Connecticut and New York.

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER 642. Vermivora chrysoptera. 5 inches

Crown and two large wing bars yellow; throat and ear patches black; rest of plumage gray and white; female with less black.

The distribution of this beautiful Warbler is about the same as that of the last, with which it seems to have many habits in common. It seems to prefer low ridges and side hills covered with small bushes.

Song.—A buzzing “zwee-ze-ze.”

Nest.—Of leaves, rootlets, strips of bark and grass; located on the ground among clumps of weeds, usually in moist places; eggs white with brown specks (.62 × .48).

Range.—Eastern U. S., breeding north to Connecticut and Michigan; winters in Central America.

Hybrid.—Brewster Warbler is a hybrid between this species and the last. It resembles the Golden-winged Warbler without the black, but with a yellow patch on the breast and the black line of the Blue-wing through the eye.

NASHVILLE WARBLER 645. Vermivora rubricapilla. 4¾ inches

Male with a brown crown patch; female duller colored and with no crown patch. Dry side hills covered with young trees are favorite resorts for the Warblers. They conceal their nests on the ground under tufts of dead grass or overhanging stones. They are often rather shy and hard to sight, but you can usually hear their song, a lazy sounding “ker-chip-chip-chip-cherr-wee-e-e,” ending in a short trill. These birds breed in the northern half of the U. S. and southern Canada, wintering in Central America. A sub-species is found on the Pacific Coast.