bird neighbors-第15章

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　often　remaining　at　the　northern　United　　　States　all　the　winter。　Migrations　　April。　October。　November。　Also；　but　more　rarely；　a　　　winter　resident。

The　first　of　the　warblers　to　arrive　in　the　spring　and　the　last　to　leave　us　in　the　autumn；　some　even　remaining　throughout　the　northern　winter；　the　myrtle　warbler；　next　to　the　summer　yellowbird；　is　the　most　familiar　of　its　multitudinous　kin。　Though　we　become　acquainted　with　it　chiefly　in　the　migrations；　it　impresses　us　by　its　numbers　rather　than　by　any　gorgeousness　of　attire。　The　four　yellow　spots　on　crown；　lower　back；　and　sides　are　its　distinguishing　marks；　and　in　the　autumn　these　marks　have　dwindled　to　only　one；　that　on　the　lower　back　or　rump。　The　great　difficulty　experienced　in　identifying　any　warbler　is　in　its　restless　habit　of　flitting　about。

For　a　few　days　in　early　May　we　are　forcibly　reminded　of　the　Florida　peninsula；　which　fairly　teems　with　these　birds；　they　become　almost　superabundant；　a　distraction　during　the　precious　days　when　the　rarer　species　are　quietly　slipping　by；　not　to　return　again　for　a　year；　perhaps　longer；　for　some　warblers　are　notoriously　irregular　in　their　routes　north　and　south；　and　never　return　by　the　way　they　travelled　in　the　spring。

But　if　we　look　sharply　into　every　group　of　myrtle　warblers；　we　are　quite　likely　to　discover　some　of　their　dainty；　fragile　cousins　that　gladly　seek　the　escort　of　birds　so　fearless　as　they。　By　the　last　of　May　all　the　warblers　are　gone　from　the　neighborhood　except　the　constant　little　summer　yellowbird　and　redstart。

In　autumn；　when　the　myrtle　warblers　return　after　a　busy　enough　summer　passed　in　Canadian　nurseries；　they　chiefly　haunt　those　regions　where　juniper　and　bay…berries　abound。　These　latter　（Myrica　cerifera）；　or　the　myrtle　wax…berries；　as　they　are　sometimes　called；　and　which　are　the　bird's　favorite　food；　have　given　it　their　name。　Wherever　the　supply　of　these　berries　is　sufficient　to　last　through　the　winter；　there　it　may　be　found　foraging　in　the　scrubby　bushes。　Sometimes　driven　by　cold　and　hunger　from　the　fields；　this　hardiest　member　of　a　family　that　properly　belongs　to　the　tropics；　seeks　shelter　and　food　close　to　the　outbuildings　on　the　farm。


PARULA　WARBLER　（Compsothlypis　americana）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　BLUE　YELLOW…BACKED　WARBLER；　＇NORTHERN　PARULA；　AOU　　　1998＇　Length　　4。5　to　4。75　inches。　About　an　inch　and　a　half　shorter　　　than　the　English　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Slate…colored　above；　with　a　greenish…yellow　or　　　bronze　patch　in　the　middle　of　the　back。　Chin；　throat；　and　　　breast　yellow。　A　black；　bluish；　or　rufous　band　across　the　　　breast；　usually　lacking　in　female。　Underneath　white；　sometimes　　　marked　with　rufous　on　sides；　but　these　markings　are　variable。　　　Wings　have　two　white　patches；　outer　tail　feathers　have　white　　　patch　near　the　end。　Range　　Eastern　North　America。　Winters　from　Florida　southward。　Migrations　　April。　October。　Summer　resident。

Through　an　open　window　of　an　apartment　in　the　very　heart　of　New　York　City；　a　parula　warbler　flew　this　spring　of　1897；　surely　the　daintiest；　most　exquisitely　beautiful　bird　visitor　that　ever　voluntarily　lodged　between　two　brick　walls。

A　number　of　such　airy；　tiny　beauties　flitting　about　among　the　blossoms　of　the　shrubbery　on　a　bright　May　morning　and　swaying　on　the　slenderest　branches　with　their　inimitable　grace；　is　a　sight　that　the　memory　should　retain　into　old　age。　They　seem　the　very　embodiment　of　life；　joy；　beauty；　grace；　of　everything　lovely　that　birds　by　any　possibility　could　be。　Apparently　they　are　wafted　about　the　garden；　they　fly　with　no　more　effort　than　a　dainty　lifting　of　the　wings；　as　if　to　catch　the　breeze；　that　seems　to　lift　them　as　it　might　a　bunch　of　thistledown。　They　go　through　a　great　variety　of　charming　posturings　as　they　hunt　for　their　food　upon　the　blossoms　and　tender　fresh　twigs；　now　creeping　like　a　nuthatch　along　the　bark　and　peering　into　the　crevices；　now　gracefully　swaying　and　balancing　like　a　goldfinch　upon　a　slender；　pendent　stem。　One　little　sprite　pauses　in　its　hunt　for　the　insects　to　raise　its　pretty　head　and　trill　a　short　and　wiry　song。

But　the　parula　warbler　does　not　remain　long　about　the　gardens　and　orchards；　though　it　will　not　forsake　us　altogether　for　the　Canadian　forests；　where　most　of　its　relatives　pass　the　summer。　It　retreats　only　to　the　woods　near　the　water；　if　may　be；　or　to　just　as　close　a　counterpart　of　a　swampy　southern　woods；　where　the　Spanish　or　Usnea　〃moss〃　drapes　itself　over　the　cypresses；　as　it　can　find　here　at　the　north。　Its　rarely　＇found；＇　beautiful　nest；　that　hangs　suspended　from　a　slender　branch　very　much　like　the　Baltimore　oriole's；　is　so　woven　and　festooned　with　this　moss　that　its　concealment　is　perfect。


BLACK…THROATED　BLUE　WARBLER　（Dendroica　caerulescens）　Wood　Warbler　family

Length　　5。30　inches。　About　an　inch　shorter　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Slate…color；　not　blue　above；　lightest　on　forehead　and　　　darkest　on　lower　back。　Wings　and　tail　edged　with　bluish。　　　Cheeks；　chin；　throat；　upper　breast；　and　sides　black。　Breast　and　　　underneath　white。　White　spots　on　wings；　and　a　little　white　on　　　tail。　Female　　Olive…green　above；　underneath　soiled　yellow。　Wing…spots　　　inconspicuous。　Tail　generally　has　a　faint　bluish　tinge。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　Labrador　to　tropics；　where　　　It　winters。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Usually　a　migrant　only　in　the　　　United　States。

Whoever　looks　for　this　beautifully　marked　warbler　among　the　bluebirds；　will　wish　that　the　man　who　named　him　had　possessed　a　truer　eye　for　color。　But　if　the　name　so　illy　fits　the　bright　slate…colored　male；　how　grieved　must　be　his　little　olive…and…yellow　mate　to　answer　to　the　name　of　black…throated　blue　warbler　when　she　has　neither　a　black　throat　nor　a　blue　feather！　It　is　not　easy　to　distinguish　her　as　she　flits　about　the　twigs　and　leaves　of　the　garden　in　May　or　early　autumn；　except　as　she　is　seen　in　company　with　her　husband；　whose　name　she　has　taken　with　him　for　better　or　for　worse。　The　white　spot　on　the　wings　should　always　be　looked　for　to　positively　identify　this　bird。

Before　flying　up　to　a　twig　to　peck　off　the　insects；　the　birds　have　a　pretty　vireo　trick　of　cocking　their　heads　on　one　side　to　investigate　the　quantity　hidden　underneath　the　leaves。　They　seem　less　nervous　and　more　deliberate　than　many　of　their　restless　family。

Most　warblers　go　over　the　Canada　border　to　nest；　but　there　are　many　records　of　the　nests　of　this　species　in　the　Alleghanies　as　far　south　as　Georgia；　in　the　Catskills；　in　Connecticut；　northern　Minnesota　and　Michigan。　Laurel　thickets　and　moist　undergrowth　of　woods　in　the　United　States；　and　more　commonly　pine　woods　in　Canada；　are　the　favorite　nesting　haunts。　A　sharp　zip；　zip；　like　some　midsummer　insect's　noise；　is　the　bird's　call…note；　but　its　love…song；　zee；　zee；　zee；　or　twee；　twea；　twea…e…e；　as　one　authority　writes　it；　is　only　rarely　heard　in　the　migrations。　It　is　a　languid；　drawling　little　strain；　with　an　upward　slide　that　is　easily　drowned　in　the　full　bird　chorus　of　May。


BLUE　AND　BLUISH　BIRDS

　　Bluebird　　　Indigo　Bunting　　　Belted　Kingfisher　　　Blue　Jay　　　Blue　Grosbeak　　　Barn　Swallow　　　Cliff　Swallow　　　Mourning　Dove　　　Blue…gray　Gnatcatcher

Look　also　among　Slate…colored　Birds　in　preceding　group；　particularly　among　the　Warblers　there；　or　in　the　group　of　Birds　conspicuously　Yellow　and　Orange。

BLUE　AND　BLUISH　BIRDS


THE　BLUEBIRD　（Sialia　sialis）　Thrush　family

Called　also：　BLUE　ROBIN；　＇EASTERN　BLUEBIRD；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　7　inches。　About　an　inch　longer　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Upper　parts；　wings；　and　tail　bright　blue；　with　rusty　wash　　　in　autumn。　Throat；　breast；　and　sides　cinnamon…red。　Underneath　　　white。　Female　　Has　duller　blue　feathers；　washed　with　gray；　and　a　paler　　　breast　than　male。　Range　　North　America；　from　Nova　Scotia。　and　Manitoba　to　Gulf　of　　　Mexico。　Southward　in　winter　from　Middle　States　to　Bermuda　and　　　West　Indies。　Migrations　　March。　November。　Summer　resident。　A　few　sometimes　　　remain　throughout　the　winter。

With　the　first　soft；　plaintive　warble　of　the　bluebirds　early　in　March；　the　sugar　camps；　waiting　for　their　signal；　take　on　a　bustling　activity；　the　farmer　looks　to　his　plough；　orders　are　hurried　off　to　the　seedsmen；　a　fever　to　be　out　of　doors　seizes　one：　spring　is　here。　Snowstorms　may　yet　whiten　fields　and　gardens；　high　winds　may　howl　about　the　trees　and　chimneys；　but　the　little　blue　heralds　persistently　proclaim　from　the　orchard　and　garden　that　the　spring　procession　has　begun　to　move。Tru…al…ly；　tru…al…ly；　they　sweetly　assert　to　our　incredulous　ears。

The　bluebird　is　not　always　a　migrant；　except　in　the　more　northern　portions　of　the　country。　Some　representatives　there　are　always　with　us；　but　the　great　majority　winter　south　and　drop　out　of　the　spring　procession　on　its　way　northward；　the　males　a　little　ahead　of　their　mates；　which　show　housewifely　instincts　immediately　after　their　arrival。　A　pair　of　these　rather　undemonstrative　　matter…of…fact　lovers　go　about　looking　for　some　deserted　woodpecker's　hole　in　the　orchard；　peering　into　cavities　in　the　fence…rails；　or　into　the　bird…houses　that；　once　set　up　in　the　　old…fashioned　gardens　for　their　special　benefit；　are　now　appropriated　too　often　by　the　ubiquitous　sparrow。　Wrens　they　can　readily　dispossess　of　an　attractive　tenement；　and　do。　With　a　temper　as　heavenly　as　the　color　of　their　feathers；　the　bluebird's　sense　of　justice　is　not　always　so　adorable。　But　sparrows　unnerve　them　into　cowardice。　The　comparatively　infrequent　nesting　of　the　bluebirds　about　our　homes　at　the　present　time　is　one　of　the　most　deplorable　results　of　unrestricted　sparrow　immigration。　Formerly　they　were　the　commonest　of　bird　neighbors。

Nest…building　is　not　a　favorite　occupation　with　the　bluebirds；　that　are　conspicuously　domestic　none　the　less。　Two；　and　even　three；　broods　in　a　season　fully　occupy　their　time。　As　in　most　cases；　the　mother…bird　does　more　than　her　share　of　the　work。　The　male　looks　with　wondering　admiration　at　the　housewifely　activity；　applauds　her　with　song；　feeds　her　as　she　sits　brooding　over　the　nestful　of　pale　greenish…blue　eggs；　but　his　adoration　of　her　virtues　does　not　lead　him　into　emulation。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Shifting　his　light　load　of　song；　　　　　　　　　　From　post　to　post　along　the　cheerless　fence；〃

Lowell　observed　that　he　carried　his　duties　quite　as　lightly。

When　the　young　birds　first　emerge　from　the　shell　they　are　almost　black；　they　come　into　their　splendid　heritage　of　color　by　degrees；　lest　their　young　heads　might　be　turned。　It　is　only　as　they　spread　their　tiny　wings　for　their　first　flight　from　the　nest　that　we　can　see　a　few　blue　feathers。

With　the　first　cool　days　of　autumn　the　bluebirds　collect　in　flocks；　often　associating　with　orioles　and　kingbirds　in　sheltered；　sunny　places　where　insects　are　still　plentiful。　Their　steady；　undulating　flight　now　becomes　erratic　as　they　take　food　on　the　wing　　a　habit　that　they　may　have　learned　by　association　with　the　kingbirds；　for　they　have　also　adopted　the　habit　of　perching　upon　some　conspicuous　lookout　and　then　suddenly　launching　out　into　the　air　for　a　passing　fly　and　returning　to　their　perch。　Long　after　their　associates　have　gone　southward；　they　linger　like　the　last　leaves　on　the　tree。　It　is　indeed　〃good…bye　to　summer〃　when　the　bluebirds　withdraw　their　touch　of　brightness　from　the　dreary　November　landscape