bird neighbors-第32章

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ped　to　the　solitudes　of　Manitoba　could　not　be　expected　to　tempt　other　travellers　eastward　by　an　account　of　their　visit。　The　bird　is　quite　likely　to　remain　rare　in　the　East。

But　in　the　Mississippi　Valley　and　throughout　the　northwest；　companies　of　from　six　to　sixty　may　be　regularly　counted　upon　as　winter　neighbors　on　almost　every　farm。　Here　the　females　keep　up　a　busy　chatting；　like　a　company　of　cedar　birds；　and　the　males　punctuate　their　pauses　with　a　single　shrill　note　that　gives　little　indication　of　their　vocal　powers。　But　in　the　solitude　of　the　northern　forests　the　love…song　is　said　to　resemble　the　robin's　at　the　start。　Unhappily；　after　a　most　promising　beginning；　the　bird　suddenly　stops；　as　if　he　were　out　of　breath。　


BLUE…WINGED　WARBLER　（Helminthophila　pinus）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　BLUE…WINGED　YELLOW　WARBLER

Length　　4。75　inches。　An　inch　and　a　half　shorter　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　Crown　of　head　and　all　under　parts　bright　yellow。　Back　　　olive…green。　Wings　and　tail　bluish　slate；　the　former　with　white　　　bars；　and　three　outer　tail　quills　with　large　white　patches　on　　　their　inner　webs。　Female　　Paler　and　more　olive。　Range　　Eastern　United　States；　from　southern　New　England　and　　　Minnesota；　the　northern　limit　of　its　nesting　range；　to　Mexico　　　And　Central　America；　where　it　winters。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident。

In　the　naming　of　warblers；　bluish　slate　is　the　shade　intended　when　blue　is　mentioned；　so　that　if　you　see　a　dainty　little　olive　and　yellow　bird　with　slate…colored　wings　and　tail　hunting　for　spiders　in　the　blossoming　orchard　or　during　the　early　autumn　you　will　have　seen　the　beautiful　blue…winged　warbler。　It　has　a　rather　leisurely　way　of　hunting；　unlike　the　nervous；　restless　flitting　about　from　twig　to　twig　that　is　characteristic　of　many　of　its　many　cousins。　The　search　is　thorough　　bark；　stems；　blossoms；　leaves　are　inspected　for　larvae　and　spiders；　with　many　pretty　motions　of　head　and　body。　Sometimes；　hanging　with　head　downward；　the　bird　suggests　a　yellow　titmouse。　After　blossom　time　a　pair　of　these　warblers；　that　have　done　serviceable　work　in　the　orchard　in　their　all　too　brief　stay；　hurry　off　to　dense　woods　to　nest。　They　are　usually　to　be　seen　in　pairs　at　all　seasons。　Not　to　〃high　coniferous　trees　in　northern　forests；〃　　the　Mecca　of　innumerable　warblers　　but　to　scrubby；　second　growth　of　woodland　borders；　or　lower　trees　in　the　heart　of　the　woods；　do　these　dainty　birds　retreat。　There　they　build　the　usual　warbler　nest　of　twigs；　bits　of　bark；　leaves；　and　grasses；　but　with　this　peculiarity：　the　numerous　leaves　with　which　the　nest　is　wrapped　all　have　their　stems　pointing　upward。　Mr。　Frank　Chapman　has　admirably　defined　their　song　as　consisting　of　〃two　drawled；　wheezy　notes　　swee…chee；　the　first　inhaled；　the　second　exhaled。〃


CANADIAN　WARBLER　（Sylvania　canadensis）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　CANADIAN　FLYCATCHER；　SPOTTED　CANADIAN　WARBLER；　　　＇CANADA　WARBLER；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　5　to　5。6　inches。　About　an　inch　shorter　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Immaculate　bluish　ash　above；　without　marks　on　wings　or　　　tail；　crown　spotted　with　arrow…shaped　black　marks。　Cheeks；　line　　　from　bill　to　eye；　and　underneath　clear　yellow。　Black　streaks　　　forming　a　necklace　across　the　breast。　Female　　Paler；　with　necklace　indistinct。　Range　　North　America；　from　Manitoba　and　Labrador　to　tropics。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident；　most　abundant　in　　　migrations。

Since　about　one…third　of　all　the　song…birds　met　with　in　a　year's　rambles　are　apt　to　be　warblers；　the　novice　cannot　devote　his　first　attention　to　a　better　group；　confusing　though　it　is　by　reason　of　its　size　and　the　repetition　of　the　same　colors　in　so　many　bewildering　combinations。　Monotony；　however；　is　unknown　in　the　warbler　family。　Whoever　can　rightly　name　every　warbler；　male　and　female；　on　sight　is　uniquely　accomplished。

The　jet　necklace　worn　on　this　bird's　breast　is　its　best　mark　of　identification。　Its　form　is　particularly　slender　and　graceful；　as　might　be　expected　in　a　bird　so　active；　one　to　whom　a　hundred　tiny　insects　barely　afford　a　dinner　that　must　often　be　caught　piecemeal　as　it　flies　past。　To　satisfy　its　appetite；　which　cannot　but　be　dainty　in　so　thoroughly　charming　a　bird；　it　lives　in　low；　boggy　woods；　in　such　retreats　as　Wilson's　black…capped　warbler　selects　for　a　like　reason。　Neither　of　these　two　〃flycatcher〃　warblers　depends　altogether　on　catching　insects　on　the　wing；　countless　thousands　are　picked　off　the　under　sides　of　leaves　and　about　the　stems　of　twigs　in　true　warbler　fashion。

The　Canadian's　song　is　particularly　loud；　sweet；　and　vivacious。　It　is　hazardous　for　any　one　without　long　field　practice　to　try　to　name　any　warbler　by　its　song　alone；　but　possibly　this　one's　animated　music　is　as　characteristic　as　any。

The　nest　is　built　on　the　ground　on　a　mossy　bank　or　elevated　into　the　root　crannies　of　some　large　tree；　where　there　is　much　water　in　the　woods。　Bits　of　bark；　dead　wood；　moss；　and　fine　rootlets；　all　carefully　wrapped　with　leaves；　go　to　make　the　pretty　cradle。　Unhappily；　the　little　Canada　warblers　are　often　cheated　out　of　their　natural　rights；　like　so　many　other　delightful　songbirds；　by　the　greedy　interloper　that　the　cowbird　deposits　in　their　nest。


HOODED　WARBLER　（Sylvania　mitrata）　Wood　Warbler　family

Length　　5　to　5。75　inches。　About　an　inch　shorter　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　Head；　neck；　chin；　and　throat　black　like　a　hood　in　mature　　　male　specimens　only。　Hood　restricted；　or　altogether　wanting　in　　　female　and　young。　Upper　parts　rich　olive。　Forehead；　cheeks；　and　　　underneath　yellow。　Some　conspicuous　white　on　tail　feathers。　Female　　Duller；　and　with　restricted　cowl。　Range　　United　States　east　of　Rockies；　and　from　southern　　　Michigan　and　southern　New　England　to　West　Indies　and　tropical　　　America；　where　it　winters。　Very　local。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident。

This　beautifully　marked；　sprightly　little　warbler　might　be　mistaken　in　his　immaturity　for　the　yellowthroat；　and　as　it　is　said　to　take　him　nearly　three　years　to　grow　his　hood；　with　the　completed　cowl　and　cape；　there　is　surely　sufficient　reason　here　for　the　despair　that　often　seizes　the　novice　in　attempting　to　distinguish　the　perplexing　warblers。　Like　its　Southern　counterpart；　the　hooded　warbler　prefers　wet　woods　and　low　trees　rather　than　high　ones；　for　much　of　its　food　consists　of　insects　attracted　by　the　dampness；　and　many　of　them　must　be　taken　on　the　wing。　Because　of　its　tireless　activity　the　bird's　figure　is　particularly　slender　and　graceful　　a　trait；　too；　to　which　we　owe　all　the　glimpses　of　it　we　are　likely　to　get　throughout　the　summer。　It　has　a　curious　habit　of　spreading　its　tail；　as　if　it　wished　you　to　take　special　notice　of　the　white　spots　that　adorn　it；　not　flirting　it；　as　the　redstart　does　his　more　gorgeous　one；　but　simply　opening　it　like　a　fan　as　it　flies　and　darts　about。

Its　song；　which　is　particularly　sweet　and　graceful；　and　with　more　variation　than　most　warblers'　music；　has　been　translated　〃Che…we…eo…tsip；　tsip；　che…we…eo；〃　again　interpreted　by　Mr。　Chapman　as　〃You　must　come　to　the　woods；　or　you　won't　see　me。〃


KENTUCKY　WARBLER　（Geothlypis　formosa）　Wood　Warbler　family

Length　　5。5　inches。　Nearly　an　inch　shorter　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Upper　parts　olive…green；　under　parts　yellow；　a　yellow　　　line　from　the　bill　passes　over　and　around　the　eye。　Crown　of　　　head；　patch　below　the　eye；　and　line　defining　throat；　black。　Female　　Similar；　but　paler；　and　with　grayish　instead　of　black　　　markings。　Range　　United　States　eastward　from　the　Rockies；　and　from　Iowa　　　and　Connecticut　to　Central；　America；　where　it　winters。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident。

No　bird　is　common　at　the　extreme　limits　of　its　range；　and　so　this　warbler　has　a　reputation　for　rarity　among　the　New　England　ornithologists　that　would　surprise　people　in　the　middle　South　and　Southwest。　After　all　that　may　be　said　in　the　books；　a　bird　is　either　common　or　rare　to　the　individual　who　may　or　may　not　have　happened　to　become　acquainted　with　it　in　any　part　of　its　chosen　territory。　Plenty　of　people　in　Kentucky；　where　we　might　judge　from　its　name　this　bird　is　supposed　to　be　most　numerous；　have　never　seen　or　heard　of　it；　while　a　student　on　the　Hudson　River；　within　sight　of　New　York；　knows　it　intimately。　It　also　nests　regularly　in　certain　parts　of　the　Connecticut　Valley。　〃Who　is　my　neighbor？〃　is　often　a　question　difficult　indeed　to　answer　where　birds　are　concerned。　In　the　chapter；　〃Spring　at　the　Capital；〃　which；　with　every　reading　of　〃Wake　Robin；〃　inspires　the　bird…lover　with　fresh　zeal；　Mr。　Burroughs　writes　of　the　Kentucky　warbler：　〃I　meet　with　him　in　low；　damp　places；　in　the　woods；　usually　on　the　steep　sides　of　some　little　run。　I　hear　at　intervals　a　clear；　strong；　bell…like　whistle　or　warble；　and　presently　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　bird　as　he　jumps　up　from　the　ground　to　take　an　insect　or　worm　from　the　under　side　of　a　leaf。　This　is　his　characteristic　movement。　He　belongs　to　the　class　of　ground　warblers；　and　his　range　is　very　low；　indeed　lower　than　that　of　any　other　species　with　which　I　am　acquainted。〃

Like　the　ovenbird　and　comparatively　few　others；　for　most　birds　hop　over　the　ground；　the　Kentucky　warbler　walks　rapidly　about；　looking　for　insects　under　the　fallen　leaves；　and　poking　his　inquisitive　beak　into　every　cranny　where　a　spider　may　be　lurking。　The　bird　has　a　pretty；　conscious　way　of　flying　up　to　a　perch；　a　few　feet　above　the　ground；　as　a　tenor　might　advance　towards　the　footlights　of　a　stage；　to　pour　forth　his　clear；　penetrating　whistle；　that　in　the　nesting　season　especially　is　repeated　over；　and　over　again　with　tireless　persistency。


MAGNOLIA　WARBLER　（Dendroica　maculosa）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　BLACK…AND…YELLOW　WARBLER；　SPOTTED　WARBLER；　　　BLUE…HEADED　YELLOW…RUMPED　WARBLER

Length　　4。75　to　5　inches。　About　an　inch　and　a　half　smaller　than　　　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　Crown　of　head　slate…color；　bordered　on　either　side　by　a　　　white　line；　a　black　line；　apparently　running　through　the　eye；　　　and　a　yellow　line　below　it；　merging　into　the　yellow　throat。　　　Lower　back　and　under　parts　yellow。　Back；　wings；　and　tail　　　blackish　olive。　Large　white　patch　on　the　wings；　and　the　　　middle　of　the　tail…quills　white。　Throat　and　sides　heavily　　　streaked　with　black。　Female　　Has　greener　back；　is　paler；　and　has　less　distinct　　　markings。　Range　　North　America；　from　Hudson　Bay　to　Panama。　Summers　from　　　northern　Michigan　and　northern　New　England　northward；　winters　　　in　Central　America　and　Cuba。　Migrations　　May。　October。　Spring　and　summer　migrant。

In　spite　of　the　bird's　name；　one　need　not　look　for　it　in　the　glossy　magnolia　trees　of　the　southern　gardens　more　than　in　the　shrubbery　on　New　England　lawns；　and　during　the　migrations　it　is　quite　as　likely　to　be　found　in　one　place　as　in　the　other。　Its　true　preference；　however；　is　for　the　spruces　and　hemlocks　of　its　nesting　ground　in　the　northern　forests。　For　these　it　deserts　us　after　a　brief　hunt　about　the　tender；　young　spring　foliage　and　blossoms；　where　the　early　worm　lies　concealed；　and　before　we　have　become　so　well　acquainted　with　its　handsome　clothes　that　we　will　instantly　recognize　it　in　the　duller　ones　it　wears　on　its　return　trip　in　the　autumn。　The　position　of　the　white　marks　on　the　tail　feathers　of　this　warbler；　however；　is　the　clue　by　which