bird neighbors-第33章

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The　position　of　the　white　marks　on　the　tail　feathers　of　this　warbler；　however；　is　the　clue　by　which　it　may　be　identified　at　any　season　or　any　stage　of　its　growth。　If　the　white　bar　runs　across　the　middle　of　the　warbler's　tail；　you　can　be　sure　of　the　identity　of　the　bird。　A　nervous　and　restless　hunter；　it　nevertheless　seems　less　shy　than　many　of　its　kin。　Another　pleasing　characteristic　is　that　it　brings　back　with　it　in　October　the　loud；　clear；　rapid　whistle　with　which　it　has　entertained　its　nesting　mate　in　the　Canada　woods　through　the　summer。


MOURNING　WARBLER　（Geothlypis　philadelphia）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　MOURNING　GROUND　WARBLER

Length　　5　to　5。6　inches。　About　an　inch　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Gray　head　and　throat；　the　breast　gray；　the　feathers　with　　　black　edges　that　make　them　look　crinkled；　like　crape。　The　black　　　markings　converge　into　a　spot　on　upper　breast。　Upper　parts；　　　except　head；　olive。　Underneath　rich　yellow。　Female　　Similar；　but　duller；　throat　and　breast　buff　and　dusky　　　where　the　male　is　black。　Back　olive…green。　Range　　〃Eastern　North　America；　breeds　from　eastern　Nebraska；　　　northern　New　York；　and　Nova　Scotia　northward；　and　south　ward　　　along　the　Alleghanies　to　Pennsylvania。　Winters　in　the　tropics。〃　　　　Chapman。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Spring　and　autumn　migrant。

Since　Audubon　met　with　but　one　of　these　birds　in　his　incessant　trampings；　and　Wilson　secured　only　an　immature；　imperfectly　marked　specimen　for　his　collection；　the　novice　may　feel　no　disappointment　if　he　fails　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　this　〃gay　and　agreeable　widow。〃　And　yet　the　shy　and　wary　bird　is　not　unknown　in　Central　Park；　New　York　City。　Even　where　its　clear；　whistled　song　strikes　the　ear　with　a　startling　novelty　that　invites　to　instant　pursuit　of　the　singer；　you　may　look　long　and　diligently　through　the　undergrowth　without　finding　it。　Dr。　Merriam　says　the　whistle　resembles　the　syllables　〃true；　true；　true；　tru；　too；　the　voice　rising　on　the　first　three　syllables　and　falling　on　the　last　two。〃　In　the　nesting　season　this　song　is　repeated　over　and　over　again　with　a　persistency　worthy　of　a　Kentucky　warbler。　It　is　delivered　from　a　perch　within　a　few　feet　of　the　ground；　as　high　as　the　bird　seems　ever　inclined　to　ascend。


NASHVILLE　WARBLER　（Helminthophila　ruficapilla）　Wood　Warbler　　　family

Length　　4。75　to　5　inches。　About　an　inch　and　a　half　smaller　than　　　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　Olive…green　above；　yellow　underneath。　Slate…gray　head　and　　　neck。　Partially　concealed　chestnut　patch　on　crown。　Wings　and　　　tail　olive…brown　and　without　markings。　Female　　Dull　olive　and　paler；　with　brownish　wash　underneath。　Range　　North　America；　westward　to　the　plains；　north　to　the　Fur　　　Countries；　and　south　to　Central　America　and　Mexico。　Nests　north　　　of　Illinois　and　northern　New　England；　winters　in　tropics。　Migrations　　April。　September　or　October。

It　must　not　be　thought　that　this　beautiful　warbler　confines　itself　to　backyards　in　the　city　of　Nashville　simply　because　Wilson　discovered　it　near　there　and　gave　it　a　local　name；　for　the　bird's　actual　range　reaches　from　the　fur　trader's　camp　near　Hudson　Bay　to　the　adobe　villages　of　Mexico　and　Central　America；　and　over　two　thousand　miles　east　and　west　in　the　United　States。　It　chooses　open　rather　than　dense　woods　and　tree…bordered　fields。　It　seems　to　have　a　liking　for　hemlocks　and　pine　trees；　especially　if　near　a　stream　that　attracts　insects　to　its　shores；　and　Dr。　Warren　notes　that　in　Pennsylvania　he　finds　small　flocks　of　these　warblers　in　the　autumn　migration；　feeding　in　the　willowy　trees　near　little　rivers　and　ponds。　Only　in　the　northern　parts　of　the　United　States　is　their　nest　ever　found；　for　the　northern　British　provinces　are　their　preferred　nesting　ground。　One　seen　in　the　White　Mountains　was　built　on　a　mossy；　rocky　edge；　directly　on　the　ground　at　the　foot　of　a　pine　tree；　and　made　of　rootlets；　moss；　needles　from　the　trees　overhead；　and　several　layers　of　leaves　outside；　with　a　lining　of　fine　grasses　that　cradled　four　white；　speckled　eggs。

Audubon　likened　the　bird's　feeble　note　to　the　breaking　of　twigs。


PINE　WARBLER　（Dendroica　vigorsii）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　PINE…CREEPING　WARBLER

Length　　5。5　to　6　inches。　A　trifle　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Yellowish　olive　above；　clear　yellow　below；　shading　to　　　grayish　white；　with　obscure　dark　streaks　on　side　of　breast。　Two　　　whitish　wing…bars；　two　outer　tail　feathers　partly　white。　Female　　Duller；　grayish　white　only　faintly　tinged　with　yellow　　　underneath。　Range　　North　America；　east　of　the　Rockies；　north　to　Manitoba；　　　And　south　to　Florida　and　the　Bahamas。　Winters　from　southern　　　Illinois　southward。　Migrations　　March　or　April。　October　or　later。　Common　summer　　　resident。

The　pine　warbler　closely　presses　the　myrtle　warbler　for　the　first　place　in　the　ranks　of　the　family　migrants；　but　as　the　latter　bird　often　stays　north　all　winter；　it　is　usually　given　the　palm。　Here　is　a　warbler；　let　it　be　recorded；　that　is　fittingly　named；　for　it　is　a　denizen　of　pine　woods　only；　most　common　in　the　long　stretches　of　pine　forests　at　the　south　and　in　New　York　and　New　England；　and　correspondingly　uncommon　wherever　the　woodsman's　axe　has　laid　the　pine　trees　low　throughout　its　range。　Its　〃simple；　sweet；　and　drowsy　song；〃　writes　Mr。　Parkhurst；　is　always　associated　〃with　the　smell　of　pines　on　a　sultry　day。〃　It　recalls　that　of　the　junco　and　the　social　sparrow　or　chippy。

Creeping　over　the　bark　of　trees　and　peering　into　every　crevice　like　a　nuthatch；　running　along　the　limbs；　not　often　hopping　nervously　or　flitting　like　the　warblers；　darting　into　the　air　for　a　passing　insect；　or　descending　to　the　ground　to　feed　on　seeds　and　berries；　the　pine　warbler　has；　by　a　curious　combination；　the　movements　that　seem　to　characterize　several　different　birds。

It　is　one　of　the　largest　and　hardiest　members　of　its　family；　but　not　remarkable　for　its　beauty。　It　is　a　sociable　traveller；　cheerfully　escorting　other　warblers　northward；　and　welcoming　to　its　band　both　the　yellow　redpolls　and　the　myrtle　warblers。　These　birds　are　very　often　seen　together　in　the　pine　and　other　evergreen　trees　in　our　lawns　and　in　the　large　city　parks。


PRAIRIE　WARBLER　（Dendroica　discolor）　Wood　Warbler　family

Length　　4。75　to　5　inches。　About　an　inch　and　a　half　shorter　than　　　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　Olive…green　above；　shading　to　yellowish　on　the　head；　and　　　with　brick…red　spots　on　back　between　the　shoulders。　A　yellow　　　line　over　the　eye；　wing…bars　and　all　under　parts　bright　yellow；　　　heavily　streaked　with　black　on　the　sides。　Line　through　the　eye　　　and　crescent　below　it；　black。　Much　white　in　outer　tail　　　feathers。　Female　　Paler；　upper　parts　more　grayish　olive；　and　markings　　　Less　distinct　than　male's。　Range　　Eastern　half　of　the　United　States。　Nests　as　far　north　as　　　New　England　and　Michigan。　Winters　from　Florida　southward。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident。

Doubtless　this　diminutive　bird　was　given　its　name　because　it　prefers　open　country　rather　than　the　woods　　the　scrubby　undergrowth　of　oaks；　young　evergreens；　and　bushes　that　border　clearings　being　as　good　a　place　as　any　to　look　for　it；　and　not　the　wind…swept；　treeless　tracts　of　the　wild　West。　Its　range　is　southerly。　The　Southern　and　Middle　States　are　where　it　is　most　abundant。　Here　is　a　wood　warbler　that　is　not　a　bird　of　the　woods　　less　so；　in　fact；　than　either　the　summer　yellowbird　（yellow　warbler）　or　the　palm　warbler；　that　are　eminently　neighborly　and　fond　of　pasture　lands　and　roadside　thickets。　But　the　prairie　warblers　are　rather　more　retiring　little　sprites　than　their　cousins；　and　it　is　not　often　we　get　a　close　enough　view　of　them　to　note　the　brick…red　spots　on　their　backs；　which　are　their　distinguishing　marks。　They　have　a　most　unkind　preference　for　briery　bushes；　that　discourage　human　intimacy。　In　such　forbidding　retreats　they　build　their　nest　of　plant…fibre；　rootlets；　and　twigs；　lined　with　plant…down　and　hair。

The　song　of　an　individual　prairie　warbler　makes　only　a　slight　impression。　It　consists　〃of　a　series　of　six　or　seven　quickly　repeated　tees；　the　next　to　the　last　one　being　the　highest〃　（Chapman）。　But　the　united　voices　of　a　dozen　or　more　of　these　pretty　little　birds；　that　often　sing　together；　afford　something　approaching　a　musical　treat。


WILSON'S　WARBLER　（Sylvania　pusila）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　BLACKCAP；　GREEN　BLACK…CAPPED　WARBLER；　WILSON'S　　　FLYCATCHER

Length　　4。75　to　5　inches。　About　an　inch　and　a　half　shorter　than　　　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　Black　cap；　yellow　forehead；　all　other　upper　parts　　　　olive…green；　rich　yellow　underneath。　Female　　Lacks　the　black　cap。　Range　　North　America；　from　Alaska　and　Nova　Scotia　to　Panama。　　　Winters　south　of　Gulf　States。　Nests　chiefly　north　of　the　United　　　States。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Spring　and　autumn　migrant。

To　see　this　strikingly　marked　little　bird　one　must　be　on　the　sharp　lookout　for　it　during　the　latter　half　of　May；　or　at　the　season　of　apple　bloom；　and　the　early　part　of　September。　It　passes　northward　with　an　almost　scornful　rapidity。　Audubon　mentions　having　seen　it　in　Maine　at　the　end　of　October；　but　this　specimen　surely　must　have　been　an　exceptional　laggard。

In　common　with　several　others　of　its　family；　it　is　exceedingly　expert　in　catching　insects　on　the　wing；　but　it　may　be　known　as　no　true　flycatcher　from　the　conspicuous　rich　yellow　of　its　under　parts；　and　also　from　its　habit　of　returning　from　a　midair　sally　to　a　different　perch　from　the　one　it　left　to　pursue　its　dinner。　A　true　flycatcher　usually　returns　to　its　old　perch　after　each　hunt。

To　indulge　in　this　aerial　chase　with　success；　these　warblers　select　for　their　home　and　hunting　ground　some　low　woodland　growth　where　a　sluggish　stream　attracts　myriads　of　insects　to　the　boggy　neighborhood。　Here　they　build　their　nest　in　low　bushes　or　upon　the　ground。　Four　or　five　grayish　eggs；　sprinkled　with　cinnamon…colored　spots　in　a　circle　around　the　larger　end；　are　laid　in　the　grassy　cradle　in　June。　Mr。　H。　D。　Minot　found　one　of　these　nests　on　Pike's　Peak　at　an　altitude　of　11；000　feet；　almost　at　the　limit　of　vegetation。　The　same　authority　compares　the　bird's　song　to　that　of　the　redstart　and　the　yellow　warbler。


YELLOW　REDPOLL　WARBLER　（Dendroica　palmarum　hypochrysea）　Wood　　　Warbler　family

Called　also：　YELLOW　PALM　WARBLER；　＇the　two　former　palm　warbler　　　species　combined　as　PALM　WARBLER；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　5。5　to　5。75　inches。　A　little　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Chestnut　crown。　Upper　parts　brownish　olive；　　　greenest　on　lower　back。　Underneath　uniform　bright　yellow；　　　streaked　with　chestnut　on　throat；　breast；　and　sides。　Yellow　　　line　over　and　around　the　eye。　Wings　unmarked。　Tail　edged　with　　　olive…green；　a　few　white　spots　near　tips　of　outer　quills。　More　　　brownish　above　in　autumn；　and　with　a　grayish　wash　over　the　　　yellow　under　parts。　Range　　Eastern　parts　of　North　America。　Nests　from　Nova　Scotia　　　northward。　Winters　in　the　Gulf　States。　Migrations　　April。　October。　Spring　and　autumn　migrant。

While　the　uniform　yellow　of　this　warbler's　under　parts　in　any　plumage　is　its　distinguishing　mark；　it　also　has　a　flycatcher's　trait　of　constantly　flirting　its　tail；　that　is　at　once　an　outlet　for　its　superabundant　vivacity　and　a　fairly　reliable　aid　to　identification。　The　tail　is　jerked；　wagged；　and　fl