The Bird Book Part 97

683. YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. _Icteria virens virens._

Range.--Eastern United States, breeding from the Gulf coast north to southern New England and Minnesota.

This strange but handsome species is very common in underbrush and thickets in the south; they are usually shy and endeavor, with success, to keep out of sight, but their strange song and calls, consisting of various whistles and squawks mingled together, are often heard. Their nests are built in bushes or briars at low elevations, being made of gra.s.s, strips of bark and leaves, lined with finer gra.s.s; their eggs are white, sharply speckled and spotted with various shades of brown and lavender; size .90 .70.

683a. LONG-TAILED CHAT. _Icteria virens longicauda._

Range.--United States west of the Plains, breeding from Mexico to British Columbia.

This bird is said to be grayer and to have a slightly longer tail than the last. Its nesting habits and eggs are precisely the same.

[Ill.u.s.tration 415: Rio Grande Yellow-throat. Yellow-breasted Chat.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

Page 414

684. HOODED WARBLER. _Wilsonia citrina._

Range.--Eastern United States, breeding north to southern New England and Michigan; winters south of our borders.

This yellow and greenish species can be identified by its black head, neck and throat, with the large yellow patch about the eye and the forehead. The members of this genus are active fly-catchers, darting into the air after pa.s.sing insects in the manner of the Flycatchers.

They frequent tangled thickets where they build their nests within a few inches of the ground, making them of leaves, bark and gra.s.s, lined with hair; the four or five eggs are white, specked with reddish brown and neutral tints; size .70 .50. Data.--Doddridge Co., Mo., May 29, 1897.

Nest one foot from the ground in a small bush; made of leaves, strips of bark and fine gra.s.ses.

685. WILSON'S WARBLER. _Wilsonia pusilla pusilla_.

Range.--Eastern North America, breeding from northern United States northward; south to Central America in winter.

These handsome little black-capped flycatching Warblers are abundant during migrations, especially in the spring, being found on the edges of woods and in orchards. They nest on the ground, usually on the edges of swamps, embedding their nests in the ground under the shelter of low branches or on the edges of banks; the nest is of bark strips, fibres and leaves, and the eggs are white, specked with reddish brown; size .60 .50.

685a. PILEOLATED WARBLER. _Wilsonia pusilla pileolata._

Range.--Western United States, breeding in the Rocky Mountain region from Mexico to Alaska; winters south of the United States.

Similar to the eastern form but the yellow underparts and greenish back are brighter. Like the last species, this form nests on the ground or very close to it, in weeds or rank undergrowth, in swamps. Their eggs which are laid in May or June are not distinguishable from those of the last.

[Ill.u.s.tration 416: Hooded Warblers. Wilson's Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

Page 415

685b. GOLDEN PILEOLATED WARBLER. _Wilsonia pusilla chryseola._

Range.--Pacific coast of North America, breeding from southern California in mountain ranges north to British Columbia.

686. CANADIAN WARBLER. _Wilsonia canadensis._

Range.--Eastern North America, breeding from Ma.s.s., New York, and Michigan north to Labrador and Hudson Bay; winters in Central America.

This handsome Warbler is plain gray above and yellow below, with a black stripe down the sides of the neck and across the breast in a broken band. They frequent swamps or open woods with a heavy growth of underbrush, where

they build their nests on or very close to the ground. I have always found them in Ma.s.sachusetts nesting about the roots of laurels, the nests being made of strips of bark, leaves and gra.s.s; in June or the latter part of May they lay from three to five white eggs, specked and wreathed with reddish brown and neutral tints; size .68 .50.

Data.--Worcester, Ma.s.s., June 10, 1891. Nest on the ground under laurel roots in swampy woods; made entirely of strips of laurel bark lined with fine gra.s.s.

687. American Redstart. _Setophaga ruticilla._

Range.--North America, chiefly east of the Rockies, breeding in the northern half of the United States and north to Labrador and Alaska; winters south of our borders.

The male of this handsome, active and well known species is black with a white belly, and orange patches on the sides, wings and bases of outer tail feathers. They breed abundantly in swamps, open woods or thickets by the roadside, placing their nests in trees or bushes at elevations of from three to thirty feet above ground and usually in an upright fork.

The nests are very compactly made of fibres and gra.s.ses, felted together, and lined with hair. Their eggs are white, variously blotched and spotted with brown and gray; size .65 .50. Data.--Chili, N. Y., June 1, 1894. Nest, a cup-shaped structure of plant fibres lined with fine gra.s.ses and hair; 4 feet from the ground in the crotch of a small chestnut.

[Ill.u.s.tration 417: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Canadian Warblers. American Redstart.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

Page 416

[Ill.u.s.tration 418: C. A. REED.

MALE REDSTART FEEDING YOUNG.]

Pgee 417

688. PAINTED REDSTART. _Setophaga picta._

Range.--Southern New Mexico and Arizona, southward.

This beautiful Redstart is black with a large white patch on the wing coverts, white outer tail feathers, and with the belly and middle of the breast bright red. These active birds, which have all the habits and mannerisms of the common species, nest on the ground in thickets or shrubbery usually near water, and generally conceal their homes under overhanging stones or stumps; the nests are made of fine shreds of bark and gra.s.ses, lined with hair; the eggs are white, dotted with reddish brown; size .65 x .48. Data.--Chiricahua Mts., Arizona, May 31, 1900.

Nest of fine bark and gra.s.s under a small bush on the ground.

689. RED-BELLIED REDSTART. _Setophaga miniata._

Range.--Mexico; admitted to our avifauna on the authority of Giraud as having occurred in Texas.

This species is similar to the last, but has a chestnut crown patch, more red on the underparts, and less white on the tail; it is not probable that their nesting habits or eggs differ from the last.