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
HABITS. The Black-throated Blue Warbler, at different seasons of the
year, is distributed over nearly the whole eastern portion of North
America. Abundant in the West Indies in winter, as also in the South
Atlantic States in early spring and late in fall, it is found during
the breeding-season from Northern New York and New England nearly to
the Arctic regions. A few probably stop to breed in the high portions
of Massachusetts, and in late seasons they linger about the orchards
until June. They undoubtedly breed in Vermont, New Hampshire, and
Maine.
Dr. Woodhouse states that he found it abundant in Texas; but this is
the only instance, so far as is known, of its occurring west of the
Mississippi Valley.
Towards the close of the remarkably mild winter of 1866, a pair of
these birds were observed for several days in a sheltered portion of
Boston. They were in excellent condition, and were very busily
employed hunting for the larvæ and eggs of insects and spiders in the
corners and crevices of the walls of houses and out-buildings,
evidently obtaining a full supply. In Southern Illinois, Mr. Ridgway
cites this Warbler as one of the least common of the spring and fall
visitants.
Audubon found this species in nearly every Southern and Southwestern
State during their migrations. They arrive in South Carolina late in
March, are most abundant in April, and leave early in May. They keep
in the deep woods, passing among the branches about twenty feet from
the ground. He traced them as far north as the Magdaleine Islands, but
found none in Newfoundland, and but a single specimen in Labrador.
They breed in Nova Scotia, and a nest was given him found near Halifax
by Dr. MacCulloch. These were said to be usually placed on the
horizontal branch of a fir-tree, seven or eight feet from the ground,
and to be composed of fine strips of bark, mosses, and fibrous roots,
and lined with fine grasses and a warm bed of feathers. The eggs, five
in number, were white, with a rosy tint, and sprinkled with
reddish-brown dots, chiefly at the larger end.
This Warbler is an expert catcher of the smaller winged insects,
pursuing them quite a distance, and, when seizing them, making the
clicking sound of the true Flycatcher. So far as they have been
observed, they have no song, only a monotonous and sad-sounding
_cheep_.
Nuttall, in the second edition of his Manual, mentions having observed
several pairs near Farranville, Penn., on the Susquehanna, and among
the Alleghanies. It was in May, and in a thick and shady wood of
hemlock. They were busy foraging for food, and were uttering what he
describes as slender, wiry notes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3 — John Shaqi
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