A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Science
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Birds -- North America
HAB. Western and Middle Provinces of the United States; Cape St.
Lucas; Western Mexico and Orizaba? Oaxaca (cold regions, October,
SCLATER); Guatemala (SALVIN).
This bird is very closely allied to _D. coronata_, but is
distinguished by the yellow (not white) throat; the absence of a
superciliary white stripe (the eyelids white, however); the
restriction of the black of the face to the lores, and to a suffusion
round the eye; and the presence of one broad band on the wings,
instead of two narrow ones.
HABITS. This beautiful Warbler, so strikingly simulating the _D.
coronata_ in the character of its markings, and now so well known as a
common species on the Pacific coast, was first met with by Mr.
Townsend near the Columbia River, where he found it very abundant. His
account of its habits is inconsistent, and probably not reliable. Mr.
Nuttall, who was with Mr. Townsend, differs, also, essentially in his
account. He states that he first saw them about the middle of April,
and that their song bore a very close resemblance to that of the _D.
æstiva_, but was delivered in a much superior style. They remained his
summer companions, breeding among the shady firs on the borders of
prairie openings, where there was an abundant supply of insect food.
By the 8th of June he found their young already out, in small and busy
flocks, solicitously attended by their parents. They greatly resembled
the young of the _coronata_. These birds frequented large trees,
particularly the water-oaks, and the lower branches of gigantic firs.
Dr. Cooper found this Warbler one of the most abundant species of
Washington Territory, and believed them to be, to some extent, a
resident species, as he met them about the Straits of Fuca in March.
He speaks of its song as lively, and heard everywhere on the borders
of the woods, even near the coast, where few of the smaller species
ever visit. In the fall he noticed straggling flocks of the young
wandering about the low shrubbery in large numbers. The same writer
also states that this species is in winter a very abundant bird in the
southern part of California, flitting about among the bushes and low
trees. The males are then in the dull plumage of the females, and do
not put on their richer hues until March or April. He saw none south
of San Francisco after May 1, but they began to reappear in September.
As he found newly fledged young near Lake Tahoe, he thinks they breed
throughout the higher Sierra Nevada. At the sea level in latitude 37°
they appear late in September, and remain until March 20.
Dr. Suckley regarded this bird as the most abundant species visiting
the western portion of Washington Territory. Near Fort Steilacoom it
was found principally among the oak-trees on the plains.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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