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
Francis H. Allen describes in his notes a song "remarkably like that of
the chipping sparrow, but more rapid than is usual with that species, I
think, and perhaps shorter, though not so short as the chippy's
early-morning song. The bill quivers with the song, but does not close
between the _chips_. The bird sang constantly as it flitted about,
usually 10 or 20 feet from the ground, seeming to prefer dead branches
and twigs."
Almost everyone emphasizes the resemblance of the song to that of the
chipping sparrow. Burns (1905) says: "I can distinguish no difference
between the notes of this species and the Chipping Sparrow; the first
may be a trifle weaker perhaps." But, in some notes recently sent to me,
he writes: "The song has often been described as easily mistaken for
that of either the chipping sparrow or slate-colored junco, but by no
means by an expert. The notes of the worm-eater have a buzzing or
bubbling quality not easily described, but are quite distinct from the
flat notes of the species named above." And Eugene P. Bicknell (1884)
writes: "The songs of no other three birds known to me are more alike
than those of the Worm-eating Warbler, the Chipping Sparrow, and the
Slate-colored Snowbird." He is in agreement with Saunders and Burns that
this bird sings from the time of its arrival until the last of June or
early July, but he also says: "On July 10, 1881, several of these birds
were silently inhabiting a small tract of woodland, their first season
of song having passed; here, on August 14, and again on the 21st, they
were found in fine plumage and in full song." Evidently there is a
cessation of singing during the molting period.
Burns (1905) says of the song: "The series of notes may be uttered while
perched, or creeping about the lower branches of the trees, sapling
tops, bushes or fallen brush, or while on the ground. With slightly
drooping tail and wings, puffing out of body plumage, throwing its head
back until the beak is perpendicular, it trills with swelling throat an
unvarying _Che-e-e-e-e-e-e_, which does not sound half so monotonous in
the woods as does the Chippy's lay in the open."
Dr. Chapman (1907) adds: "Mr. W. DeW. Miller of Plainfield, New Jersey,
tells me that he has on two occasions heard a flight song from this
species. It is described by him as much more varied and musical than the
ordinary song, though lacking in strength. It was given as the bird flew
through the woods at an even level, not rising above the tree-tops, as
does the Oven-bird and other flight singers."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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