Life histories of North American wood warblers, Part 1 (of 2)Bent, Arthur Cleveland
Science
Life histories of North American wood warblers, Part 1 (of 2)
Bent, Arthur Cleveland
Birds -- North America; Passeriformes; Wood warblers
A complete postnuptial molt in July and August produces the fully adult
plumage. In fresh fall plumage the head is browner than in spring, the
back is grayer, the crown patch is more veiled with gray tips, and the
breast is tinged with brownish. The females are paler than the males,
with less chestnut in the crown. Adults probably have a partial
prenuptial molt similar to that of young birds.
_Food._--Very little has been published on the food of the Nashville
warbler. Knight (1908) says that "the food of the adults consists of
beetles, larvae of various insects and the eggs of various insects. In
fact they eat almost anything which they can glean in the insect line
from the shrubbery and ground."
Forbush (1929) says: "As the bird ranges from the ground to the
tree-tops it takes most of the insects that any warbler will eat, among
them flies, young grasshoppers and locusts, leaf-hoppers and many
plant-lice, caterpillars both hairless and hairy, among them the gipsy,
brown-tail and tent caterpillar, most of which are taken when young and
small; also small wood-boring beetles are eaten, and other small insects
of many species. The bird appears to be almost wholly insectivorous."
_Behavior._--The eastern Nashville warbler is an active, sprightly,
restless member of an active family, ranging in its foraging mainly in
the lower story of the open woodlands and more often in the low trees
and shrubbery around the borders of the forest. When thus engaged it is
not particularly shy and often seems quite unconscious of the presence
of an observer. On migrations it seems to be sociably inclined and may
be seen associated with the mixed flocks of warblers that are drifting
through the tree tops. At these seasons it often visits our orchards and
the shrubbery in our gardens, giving us a glimpse of green and gold
among the blossoms and opening leaves.
J. W. Preston (1891) describes an interesting manner of foraging:
"One will fly to the foot of a fir tree or other conifer and begin an
upward search, hopping energetically from branch to branch until the
very highest point is reached, when the bird drops lightly down to the
foot of another tree, much as does the Brown Creeper. When an insect is
discovered the bird secures it by a sudden bound, and, should the object
be not easily dislodged, _Helminthophila_ sustains himself on flapping
wings until his purpose is accomplished, which often requires several
moments."
_Voice._--Gerald Thayer gave Dr. Chapman (1907) a very good description
of the songs and calls as follows:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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