The Bird Book Part 91

[Ill.u.s.tration 388: Creamy white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Prothonotary Warbler.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bluish white.]

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

[Ill.u.s.tration: Swainson's Warbler. Worm-eating Warbler.]

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

Page 387

feeding largely upon the ground amid dead leaves. They are quite abundant in most localities in their range, nesting in hollows on the ground in open woods or shrubbery on hill sides; the nest is made of leaves, gra.s.ses and rootlets, lined with hair or finer gra.s.ses, and is usually placed under the shelter of some small bush. They lay (in May, June or July) three to six eggs, white, marked or blotched either sparingly or heavily with chestnut or lavender. Size .70 .52.

640. BACHMAN'S WARBLER. _Vermivora bachmani._

Range.--Southeastern United States, along the Gulf coast to Louisiana and north to Virginia and Missouri.

This species is one of the rarest of the Warblers, but is now much more abundant than twenty years ago, when it had apparently disappeared. They are greenish above, and yellow below, and on the forehead and shoulder, and with black patches on the crown and breast. They have been found breeding in Missouri, nesting on the ground like others of this genus; the eggs are white wreathed about the large end and sparingly specked over the whole surface with reddish brown and chestnut. Size .65 .50.

641. BLUE-WINGED WARBLER. _Vermivora pinus._

Range.--Eastern United States, breeding north to southern New England and in the Mississippi Valley to Minnesota; winters south of our borders.

This common species has the crown and underparts yellow, line through the eye black, and white wing bars and spots on outer tail feathers.

They breed most abundantly in the northern half of their United States range, placing their nests on the ground in thickets or on the edge of woods; the nests are made of strips of bark, usually grapevine, and leaves, and are usually high and deeply cupped, they are almost always placed among the upright shoots of young bushes. The eggs are white, finely specked with reddish brown with great variations as to markings.

Size .65 .50. Data.--Old Saybrook, Conn., June 1, 1900. 5 eggs. Nest composed chiefly of dry beech leaves and strips of cedar bark, lined with shreds of bark and fine gra.s.s; situated on the ground among a bunch of weeds in the woods.

[Ill.u.s.tration 389: Bachman's Warbler. Lawrence's Warbler. Brewster's Warbler.]

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

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

Page 388

642. GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER. _Vermivora chrysoptera._

Range.--Eastern United States, breeding north to the southern parts of the British Provinces, winters south of the United States.

This is a very handsome species with black throat and ear patches, and yellow crown and wing bars, the upper parts being gray and the lower white. They frequent low fields or hillsides where they nest among weeds or vines, making the nest of strips of bark, gra.s.ses and fibres, and locating it close to the ground in clumps of weeds, low bushes or briers. The three to five eggs are white with a very great diversity of markings, either heavily or minutely spotted or wreathed with chestnut and gray. Size .62 .50.

643. LUCY'S WARBLER. _Vermivora luciae._

Range.--Western Mexico, north commonly to Arizona and casually to southern Utah.

This small gray and white Warbler is especially distinguished by a chestnut rump and patch in center of the crown. Besides nesting in forks of low bushes, this species is said to place the domiciles in almost any crevice or nook that suits their fancy, such as loose bark on tree trunks, holes in trees, or other birds' nests. The eggs which are usually laid during May are white, sparingly specked and wreathed with reddish brown. Size .60 .50.

644. VIRGINIA'S WARBLER. _Vermivora virginiae._

Range.--Western Mexico, north to Arizona and New Mexico, and also less commonly to Colorado.

This species is similar to the last but has the rump and a patch on the breast, yellow. They are found quite abundantly in some localities, usually on mountain ranges, nesting in hollows on the ground beside rocks, stumps or in crevices among the rocks; the nests are made of fine strips of bark and gra.s.ses, skillfully woven together, and the three to five eggs are pure white, specked and wreathed with reddish brown. Size .62 .50.

[Ill.u.s.tration 390: Golden-winged Warbler.]

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

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

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

[Ill.u.s.tration: Lucy's Warbler. Virginia Warbler.]

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

Page 389

645. NASHVILLE WARBLER. _Vermivora rubricapilla rubricapilla._

Range.--North America east of the Plains, breeding from New York and Illinois north to Hudson Bay and Labrador; winters south of our borders.

This small species is yellow below and greenish above, with an ashy gray head and neck, enclosing a chestnut crown patch. They breed abundantly in New England, usually on side hills covered with clumps of young pines, the nests being placed flush with the surface of the ground and usually covered with overhanging gra.s.s; they are made of gra.s.ses and pine needles, the eggs are white, finely specked with bright reddish brown. Size .60 .45. Data.--Worcester, Ma.s.s., June 23, 1895. Nest of pine needles and gra.s.ses in hollow in the moss on a scrubby pine hillside.

645a. CALAVERAS WARBLER. _Vermivora rubricapilla gutturalis._

Range.--Western United States, breeding on ranges from California and Idaho north to British Columbia; winters in Mexico.

A slightly brighter colored form of the last species. Their habits are the same and the eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the eastern bird.

646. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. _Vermivora celata celata._

Range.--North America, chiefly in the interior, breeding north of the United States except in the Rockies south to Arizona and New Mexico; winters in the Gulf States and southward.

This plainly clad, greenish colored species has a concealed patch of orange brown on the crown. They have been found breeding about Hudson Bay and in the Mackenzie River district, placing their nests in hollows on the ground, usually on the side of banks or hills and concealed by small tufts of gra.s.s or bushes. The three or four eggs are white, speckled with reddish brown. Size .64 .45.

646a. LUTESCENT WARBLER. _Vermivora celata lutescens._

Range.--Pacific coast, breeding from California to Alaska; winters in Mexico.

Similar to the last but more yellowish below. They make their nests of leaves, rootlets, moss, etc., lined with hair, and placed on the ground, concealed by tufts of gra.s.s or by bushes. The eggs are like those of the last. Data.--Danville, Cal., April 21, 1898. Nest on the ground on a side hill; among weeds in the shade of a large oak.

[Ill.u.s.tration 391: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Nashville Warbler. Orange-crowned Warbler.]

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

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

Page 390

646b. DUSKY WARBLER. _Vermivora celata sordida._

Range.--Santa Barbara Islands, off California.