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
There is considerable variation in adult males, especially in the
width of the pectoral collar; one (No. 60,877, Mt. Carmel, Wabash Co.,
Ill., Aug. 9) has this entirely interrupted. In this individual there
is no trace of a whitish supra-auricular streak; while others from the
same locality, and obtained at the same date, have the band across the
jugulum continuous, and a quite distinct white streak over the
ear-coverts.
HABITS. Of this somewhat rare Warbler very little is as yet well
known. Its habits and distribution during the breeding-season need
more light than we now possess to enable us to give its story with any
degree of exactness. Its appearance in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois,
and Missouri early in May, when Warblers that go north to breed are on
their way, at first suggested its belonging to that class. It is not
known to proceed any farther north, except in accidental instances;
though the writer has been assured, and has no reason to doubt the
fact, that it abounds and breeds in the neighborhood of Niagara Falls.
I can find no good evidence that it ever occurs in Massachusetts.
Individuals have been obtained in northern South America, Panama, and
Cuba. Dr. Woodhouse describes it as quite common in Texas and in the
Indian Territory, where it breeds, as he obtained both the old and the
young birds. It was also abundant among the timbered lands of the
Arkansas and its tributaries. It was not obtained in any other of the
government expeditions, nor was it found in Arizona by Dr. Coues. Mr.
T. M. Trippe noticed a single individual near Orange, N. Y. Wilson
supposed them to breed in Pennsylvania, though he was never able to
find their nests. He usually met with these birds in marshes or on the
borders of streams among the branches of poplars. Their habits were
those of the Flycatchers. He saw none later than the 20th of August.
Describing this species as the Blue-green Warbler, as met with by him
on the banks of the Cumberland early in April, he mentions its
gleaning for food among the upper branches of the tallest trees,
rendering it difficult to be procured. Its resemblance, in habits, to
Flycatchers, he again remarks. Its only note was a feeble _cheep_.
According to Audubon, this Warbler appears in Louisiana, where it also
breeds early in spring, and leaves the first of October. Like all its
family, it is quite lively, has a similar flight, moves sideways up
and down the branches, and hangs from the ends of the twigs in its
search for insects.
Mr. Audubon also states that the liveliness of the notes of this
Warbler renders it conspicuous in the forests, the skirts of which it
frequents. Its song, though neither loud nor of long continuance, he
speaks of as extremely sweet and mellow. He found it as numerous in
the State of Louisiana as any other Warbler, so that he could
sometimes obtain five or six in a single walk.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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