The Bird Book Part 98

690. RED-FACED WARBLER. _Cardellina rubrifrons._

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

This attractive little Warbler is quite common in mountain ranges of the southern Arizona. They nest on the ground on the side hills, concealing the slight structure of gra.s.ses and rootlets under overhanging shrubs or stones. Their eggs are specked and blotched with light reddish brown and lavender. Size .64 x .48. Data.--Chiricahua Mts., Arizona, May 31, 1902.

Nest in a depression under a tuft of gra.s.s growing about 8 feet up on the side of a bank.

[Ill.u.s.tration 419: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Painted Redstart. Red-faced Warblers.]

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

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

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

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WAGTAILS. Family MOTACILLIDae

694. WHITE WAGTAIL. _Motacilla alba._

Range.--An Old World species; accidental in Greenland.

These birds are abundant throughout Europe, nesting on the ground, in stone walls, or in the crevices of old buildings, etc., the nests being made of gra.s.s, rootlets, leaves, etc.; the eggs are grayish white, finely specked with blackish gray. Size .75 .55.

695. SWINHOE'S WAGTAIL. _Motacilla ocularis._

Range.--Eastern Asia; accidental in Lower California and probably Alaska.

696. ALASKA YELLOW WAGTAIL. _Budytes flavus alascensis._

Range.--Eastern Asia; abundant on the Bering Sea coast of Alaska in the summer.

These handsome Wagtails are common in summer on the coasts and islands of Bering Sea, nesting on the ground under tufts of gra.s.s or beside stones, usually in marshy ground. Their eggs number from four to six and are white, profusely spotted with various shades of brown and gray. Size .75 .55. Data.--Kamchatka, June 20, 1896. Nest on the ground; made of fine rootlets, gra.s.s and moss, lined neatly with animal fur.

697. PIPIT. _Anthus rubescens._

Range.--North America, breeding in the Arctic regions, and in the Rocky Mountains south to Colorado, winters in southern United States and southward.

The t.i.tlarks are abundant birds in the United States during migrations, being found in flocks in fields and cultivated ground. Their nests, which are placed on the ground in meadows or marshes under tufts of gra.s.s, are made of moss and gra.s.ses; the four to six eggs are dark grayish, heavily spotted and blotched with brown and blackish. Size .75 .55.

698. MEADOW PIPIT. _Anthus pratensis._

Range.--Whole of Europe; accidental in Greenland.

This species is similar to the American Pipit and like that species nests on the ground; they are very abundant and are found in meadows, woods or thickets in the vicinity of houses. Their nests are made chiefly of gra.s.ses, lined with hair; the eggs are from four to six in number and are grayish, very heavily spotted and blotched with grayish brown. Size .78 .58.

[Ill.u.s.tration 420: White.]

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

[Ill.u.s.tration: American Pipit. Sprague's Pipit.]

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

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

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699. RED-THROATED PIPIT. _Anthus cervinus._

Range.--An Old World species; accidental in the Aleutians and Lower California.

The nesting habits of this bird are like those of the others of the genus.

700. SPRAGUE'S PIPIT. _Anthus spraguei._

Range.--Interior of North America, breeding from Wyoming north to Saskatchewan. Winters in the plains of Mexico.

These birds are common on the prairies and breed abundantly on the plains of the interior of northern United States and Manitoba. They have a flight song which is said to be fully equal to that of the famous European Skylark. They nest on the ground under tufts of gra.s.s or up-turned sods, lining the hollow with fine gra.s.ses; their three or four eggs are grayish white, finely specked with grayish black or purplish.

Size .85 .60. Data.--Crescent Lake, Canada. Nest of fine dried gra.s.ses, built in the ground at the side of a sod.

DIPPERS. Family CINCLIDae

701. DIPPER. _Cinclus mexica.n.u.s unicolor._

Range.--Mountains of western North America from Alaska to Central America.

These short-tailed, grayish colored birds are among the strangest of feathered creatures; they frequent the sides of mountain streams where they feed upon aquatic insects and small fish. Although they do not have webbed feet, they swim on or under water with the greatest of ease and rapidity, using their wings as paddles. They have a thrush-like bill and the teetering habits of the Sandpiper, and they are said to be one of the sweetest of songsters. They nest among the rocks along the banks of swiftly flowing streams, and sometimes beneath falls; the nests are large round structures of green moss, lined with fine gra.s.s and with the entrance on the side. The eggs are pure white, four or five in number, and laid during May or June. Size 1.00 .70.

WRENS, THRASHERS, ETC. Family TROGLODYTIDae

702. SAGE THRASHER. _Oreoscoptes monta.n.u.s._

Range.--Plains and valleys of western United States, east of the Sierra Nevadas, from Montana to Mexico.

This species is abundant in the sage regions of the west, nesting on the ground or at low elevations in sage or other bushes. Their nests are made of twigs, rootlets and bark strips, lined with fine rootlets; the three or four eggs are a handsome greenish blue, brightly spotted with reddish brown and gray. Size .95 .70. Data.--Salt Lake Co., Utah, May 11, 1900. Nest placed in a sage bush; made of twigs of the same and lined with bark strips. Collector, W. H. Parker, (Crandall collection.)

[Ill.u.s.tration 421: Grayish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Sage Thrasher.]

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

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

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703. MOCKINGBIRD. _Mimus polyglottos polyglottos_.

Range.--South Atlantic and Gulf States, north to New Jersey and Illinois.