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
"In general coloring _D. ae. amnicola_ shows a certain similarity to _D.
ae. rubiginosa_, but it is readily distinguishable from that race by the
yellow forehead which, as in _D. ae. aestiva_, contrasts strongly with
the green of the back."
Its breeding range extends from Newfoundland to central Alaska, and from
Nova Scotia to British Columbia, which includes nearly all of Canada. It
migrates through most of the United States, principally through the
Mississippi River Basin, and winters in Mexico and possibly South
America.
Only a few nesting data are referable to the Newfoundland yellow
warbler. Henry Mousley (1926), at Hatley, Quebec, saw a female yellow
warbler leaving a large cedar hedge, and says: "Proceeding to the spot
from which she came out, I found the nest, which, unlike the usual run
of nests of this species, was heavily lined with feathers, instead of
plant down. * * * It was nine feet above the ground, in the forks of a
small cedar tree."
Roderick MacFarlane (1908) found this warbler abundant in northern
Mackenzie, where the nests were "placed on dwarf willows and small scrub
pine at a height of a few feet above the ground." Dr. E. W. Nelson
(1887) writes:
This is, perhaps, the most abundant warbler throughout Alaska. It is
found everywhere in the wooded interior, on the bushy borders of the
water-courses, or frequenting the scattered clumps of stunted alders on
the shores of Bering Sea, and the coast of the Arctic about Kotzebue
Sound. * * * It breeds to the shores of the Arctic Ocean wherever it can
find a willow or alder patch wherein to build its nest and shelter its
young. * * * In fall, from the last of July to towards the last of
August, they come about the houses and native villages to feast on the
fare they find provided abundantly in those localities, until, a little
later in the season, a few chilling storms send them trooping away with
others of their kind to far distant winter quarters.
Dr. Herbert Brandt (1943) writes:
The Newfoundland Yellow Warbler was not observed about Hooper Bay, but
as soon as I reached the willows near the mouth of the Yukon River I
found it common, and also of like distribution at the other stops that I
made on the river as far up as Mountain Village. * * *
The nest of the Newfoundland Yellow Warbler in the Yukon delta is placed
usually in a small willow from two to six feet above the ground. The
foliage in early July is but partly unfolded, for the alders are yet in
their golden curls and the willows in their silver catkins, so the nest
is rather conspicuous.
The bird chooses a pronged fork usually with not more than three or four
shoots, and in this form constructs its beautiful, trim nest, which is
made of plant down and inner bark shreds, all circularly woven and
firmly rimmed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account