Part 31

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER 660. Dendroica castanea. 5½ inches

Male, with crown, throat and sides rich chestnut; female, paler; young and adults in winter, greenish above, streaked with black and with a trace of chestnut on the flanks.

These Warblers are only locally abundant during migrations, while in eastern New England they are rare. They are active insect hunters, darting rapidly about the tree tops or, less often, in brush; their habits most nearly resemble those of the Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Song.—A low, liquid warble.

Nest.—At low elevations in trees in swampy woods; compact, cup-shaped structures made of fine shreds of bark, rootlets and grass; eggs bluish white, finely specked around the large end with reddish brown (.70 × .50).

Range.—Eastern N. A., breeding from the northern edge of the U. S. northward; winters south of the U. S.

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER 662. Dendroica fusca. 5¼ inches

Male, black above with large white patch on wing, and bases of outer tail feathers white; throat and breast intense orange; female duller and with the orange replaced by dull yellow.

Without exception, this is the most exquisite of the whole family; it is the most eagerly sought bird by bird lovers, in the spring. Some years they are very abundant, while others few are seen, their routes of migration evidently varying. They arrive about the time that apple trees are in bloom, and are frequently seen among the blossoms, dashing after insects.

Song.—A high-pitched lisping “zwe-zwe-zwe-see-ee-ee,” ending in a thin, wiry tone, almost a hiss; it is very distinct from the song of any other bird.

Nest.—In coniferous trees at any height from the ground; of shreds of bark, fine cedar twigs, rootlets, etc.; eggs greenish white blotched with brown.

Range.—Eastern N. A., breeding from Massachusetts (rarely) and Minnesota northward; winters in Central America.

BLACK-POLL WARBLER 661. Dendroica striata. 5½ inches

Whole crown black; female, without black cap, greenish gray above streaked with black; young paler than the female.

These birds are one of the latest of the migrants to arrive, reaching northern United States about the last of May, but coming in such numbers that they are found everywhere. While their plumage somewhat resembles that of the Black and White Warbler, their habits are entirely different.

Song.—A high-pitched, hissing whistle similar to that of the Black and White Warbler but uttered more deliberately and with an instant’s pause between each note.

Nest.—At low elevations in thick coniferous trees; made of slender twigs, rootlets and lichens, lined with hair or feathers; eggs whitish, thickly spotted with brown (.75 × .52).

Range.—Eastern N. A., breeding from northern New England, Minnesota and Wyoming north to the Arctic regions; winters south of the United States.

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER 663. Dendroica dominica. 5¼ inches

Throat, breast and line from eye to bill yellow.

This species has habits very similar to those of the Black and White Creeper, being often seen creeping around the trunks or over the branches of trees with almost as much facility as the Nuthatches. They are southern birds and are only rarely or accidentally found in the northern half of the U. S., and they are one of the few members of the family that winter in the southern parts of our country.

Song.—Loud and similar to that of the Indigo Bunting, but shorter.

Nest.—Usually high up in pines and often concealed in tufts of moss; made of fine twigs and strips of bark, held together with cobwebs and Spanish moss; eggs greenish white, spotted with various shades of brown.

Range.—Southeastern U. S., breeding north to Virginia; winters in the West Indies. 663a. Sycamore Warbler (albilora) is like the Yellow-throated, but is white before the eye; found in the Mississippi Valley north to Illinois and Iowa; winters in Mexico.

GOLDEN-CHEEKED WARBLER 666. Dendroica chrysoparia. 4¾ inches

In some plumages these birds may be confused with the Black-throated Green. Notice that the adult male has a short median line of yellow on the crown, otherwise the top of head and entire back are intense black. Young birds, which bear the closest resemblance to the next species, can be distinguished because their underparts are white, those of the Black-throated green being tinged with yellow.

These rare Warblers have a very restricted distribution, but are said to be not uncommon within their range.

Notes.—Song with the usual Warbler quality, but entirely distinctive: “sweah-sweah-swee-e-e.”