The Bird Book Part 92

Said to be duller colored and darker than the others. The eggs cannot be distinguished.

647. TENNESSEE WARBLER. _Vermivora peregrina._

Range.--Eastern North America, breeding from the northern tier of states, northward; winters to northern South America.

This species has greenish upper parts, white lower parts and superciliary line, and gray crown and nape. They nest either on the ground or at low elevations in bushes, making the structure of gra.s.ses and fibres, lined with hair; they are found on wild, tangled hillsides and mountain ranges. The eggs are pure white, sparingly specked with reddish brown. Size .62 .45.

648. PARULA WARBLER. _Compsothlypis americana americana._

Range.--Eastern United States, breeding in the southern half.

The upper parts of this handsome species are bluish gray with a greenish patch in the middle of the back; the throat and breast are yellow with a patch of black and chestnut. They are abundant birds in suitable localities, breeding in swamps, especially those with old or dead trees covered with hanging moss (usnea). The nests may be found at any height from the ground, and are usually made by turning and gathering up the ends of the hanging moss to form a pocket, which is lined with fine gra.s.s or hair. The four to six eggs are white or creamy white, wreathed with specks of reddish brown and chestnut. Size .64 .44.

648a. NORTHERN PARULA WARBLER. _Compsothlypis americana usneae._

Range.--Northern half of eastern United States and southern Canada; winters from the Gulf States southward.

The nesting habits of the northern form of the Blue-yellow-backed Warbler are in all respects like those of the last, and like them, where moss grown swamps are not to be found, they have been known to construct nests of moss suspended from branches of trees, or to nest in bunches of dead leaves. Data.--Oxford, Ma.s.s., June 7, 1895. Nest in a dead pine swamp; made in end of hanging moss about 6 feet from the ground. Large colony breeding.

[Ill.u.s.tration 392: White.]

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

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tennessee Warblers. Olive Warblers.]

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

Page 391

649. SENNETT'S WARBLER. _Compsothlypis piti ayumi nigrilora._

Range.--Eastern Mexico, north to the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

This species is similar to the Parula but is more extensively yellow below, and has black lores and ear coverts. Their habits are the same as those of the last and their nests are generally placed in hanging moss, and are also said to have been found hollowed out in the mistletoe which grows on many trees in southern Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the last.

650. CAPE MAY WARBLER. _Dendroica tigrina._

Range.--Eastern North America, breeding from northern New England and Manitoba northward; winters south of the United States.

This beautiful Warbler is yellow below and on the rump, streaked on the breast and sides with black; the ear coverts and sometimes the throat are chestnut. They are very local in their distribution both during migrations and in their breeding grounds. They nest in the outer branches of trees, preferably conifers, making the nest of slender twigs, rootlets, gra.s.ses, etc., lined with hair; the four or five eggs are white, variously specked with reddish brown and lilac; size .65 .48.

651. OLIVE WARBLER. _Peucedramus olivaceus._

Range.--Mountains of New Mexico and Arizona southward.

This peculiar species may readily be recognized by its saffron or orange-brown colored head and neck, with broad black bar through the eye. They nest at high elevations in coniferous trees on the mountain sides, placing their nests either on the horizontal boughs or forks at the end of them. The nests are very beautiful structures made of moss, lichens, fine rootlets and gra.s.ses and setting high on the limb like those of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. The eggs are grayish white with a bluish tinge, thickly speckled with blackish; size .64 .48.

Data.--Huachuca Mts., Arizona, June 21, 1901. Nest in a sugar pine near extremity of branch, 25 feet from the ground and 20 feet out from the trunk of the tree; composed of lichens and fine rootlets, lined with plant down.

[Ill.u.s.tration 393: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Parula Warbler. Sennett's Warbler.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Grayish blue.]

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

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

Page 392

652. YELLOW WARBLER. _Dendroica aestiva aestiva._

Range.--Breeds in the whole or North America; winters south of our borders.

This well known and very common species is wholly yellow, being more or less greenish on the back, wings and tail, and the male is streaked on the sides with chestnut. They nest anywhere in trees or bushes, either in woods, pastures, parks or dooryards, and their sprightly song is much in evidence throughout the summer. The nests are usually placed in upright crotches or forks, and are made of vegetable fibres and fine gra.s.ses compactly woven together and lined with plant down and hair; the eggs, which are laid in May or June, are greenish white, boldly specked in endless patterns with shades of brown and lilac; size .65 .50.

652a. SONORA YELLOW WARBLER. _Dendroica aestiva sonorana._

Range.--Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas, southward.

This form is brighter yellow, especially above, than the last. The nesting habits are the same and the eggs indistinguishable from those of the preceding.

652b. ALASKA YELLOW WARBLER. _Dendroica aestiva rubiginosa._

Range.--Breeds in Alaska and on the coast south to Vancouver; winters south of the United States.

Similar to the common Yellow Warbler but slightly darker above; its eggs and nesting habits are the same.

[Ill.u.s.tration 394: Greenish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cape May Warblers. Yellow Warblers.]

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

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

Page 393

[Ill.u.s.tration 395: J. B. Pardoe.

NEST OF YELLOW WARBLER.]

Page 394

653. MANGROVE WARBLER. Dendroica bryanti castaneiceps.

Range.--Southern Lower California and western Mexico and Central America.

This species is very similar to the Yellow Warbler but the entire head and neck of the male are yellowish chestnut. Their nesting habits or eggs do not vary in any essential particular from those of the common Yellow-birds of the United States.

654. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. _Dendroica caerulescens caerulescens._