Chapter VI: Front Matter (6)

The Junco is easy to recognize anywhere, because the dark plumage of its back contrasts so startlingly with the white outer tail-feathers. Its song is not so easy to recognize, however, being a rather musical chipping song, resembling that of the Chipping Sparrow, but more deliberately given. Juncos do not often sing during the winter, but with return of spring they trill in the sunlit corners of the woods where they feed upon weed-seeds. Nesting records of the Junco in Pennsylvania are desirable.

SONG SPARROW
_Melospiza melodia melodia_ (Wilson)

Other Name.—Ground Sparrow.

Description.—About the size of an English Sparrow, but with relatively
longer tail; sexes similar. Above, rich brown streaked with grayish
and black; a rather distinct gray superciliary, and a buffy streak
back from lower mandible; underparts white, heavily streaked with
black, especially on breast and sides; a blotch in the center of the
breast. _Length_: A little over 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—In much of Pennsylvania the Song Sparrow is
abundant the year round; it is migratory, however, to an extent, and
summer-resident individuals may be replaced during winter by birds
from farther north.

Nest.—A neat cup built of grasses, lined with finer materials, and
usually with rather bulky foundation, built on the ground in a
sheltered situation or in a low bush. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, greenish or
grayish white, rather heavily spotted with brown.

The Song Sparrow’s heavily streaked underparts will distinguish it from all other sparrows, save the rare Lincoln’s Sparrow, the Savannah Sparrow, which is found only in wide, open fields, the Fox Sparrow, whose tail is bright reddish brown, and the female Purple Finch. Look for Song Sparrows along brooks among the bushes. As the brown birds fly away, their rounded tails pump rather regularly.

The song is bright and varied, with usually two or three accented, repeated notes which give it a syncopated rhythm, and is generally delivered from the topmost twig of a bush or low tree.

Lincoln’s Sparrow (_Melospiza lincolnii lincolnii_) is a little-known migrant in May and September, which may be far commoner than is supposed. It looks much like the Song Sparrow but has a _buffy area across the chest_ and the streaking of the underparts is finer. Look for this species along the brushy margins of streams. The song, which is a remarkably sprightly, gurgling performance, is quite unlike that of any other sparrow which I have heard.

Bachman’s Sparrow (_Peucæa æstivalis bachmani_) is a very rare summer resident, known from southern counties only. This species looks like a Song Sparrow but it has no streaks on the underparts. It is found on brushy hillsides.

SWAMP SPARROW
_Melospiza georgiana_ (Latham)

Description.—A little smaller than an English Sparrow, with the
proportions of a Song Sparrow. _Male in summer_: Crown rich reddish
brown; rest of head gray, a black line through the eye, and a buffy
streak extending backward from the lower mandible; back reddish brown
streaked with black, the feathers margined with grayish; _no
wing-bars_; underparts grayish, the sides washed with olive-brown.
Female: Similar, but duller. _Male in winter_: Somewhat streaked
crown-patch and duller in general appearance. _Length_: A little under
6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant in latter April and May and in
September and October; in the northern counties and at higher
altitudes, locally, it occurs as a summer resident, nesting where
there are suitable marshes.

Nest.—Of grasses, with bulky foundation and neat cup, usually placed a
few inches from the ground or above water, in a clump of weeds or in
cat-tails. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, pale blue, blotched and spotted irregularly
with brown.

Look for the Swamp Sparrow, as a rule, only in marshy country. The gray, unstreaked underparts, the red-brown crown-patch, and a shy, furtive manner characterize this species. Its song, which is usually delivered from a cat-tail or high weed-stalk, but often from a hidden spot among the weeds, is somewhat like a Chipping Sparrow’s, with the chips given much more slowly and loudly. (See illustration, page 115.)

FOX SPARROW
_Passerella iliaca iliaca_ (Merrem)

Description.—Larger than an English Sparrow. _Male_: Rich, warm brown
on crown and back, these regions somewhat streaked; superciliary line
and neck gray; ear-coverts brown; _slight wing-bars_; _rump, upper
tail-coverts, and tail bright reddish brown_, very noticeable in the
field, particularly when the bird is in flight; underparts white;
breast and sides heavily streaked with black. _Female_: Similar, but
duller. _Length_: A little over 7 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common and regular migrant from mid-March
(sometimes earlier) to April 20, and from early October to November
15. It is one of the earliest of the spring migrants.

Its rich red-brown rump and tail are sufficient to distinguish this bird from the other sparrows, but not always from the Hermit Thrush, a bird with a surprisingly similar color-pattern when seen from the rear or in flight. The thrush has a slenderer bill, of course, and has the habit of elevating the tail when it alights. Usually, the Fox Sparrow occurs in flocks; in spring it indulges itself in song—a rich, ringing melody, among the most impressive of our sparrow songs. The call-note is a heavy _tschŭp_, somewhat like the alarm-cry of the Brown Thrasher. Look for the Fox Sparrow in thick woodlands, among grapevines and similar tangles. This species responds readily to squeaking.

TOWHEE
_Pipilo erythrophthalmus erythrophthalmus_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Chewink; Ground Robin; Swamp Robin; Joree; Guffee
(local).

Description.—A little smaller than a Robin, with long tail and
comparatively short wings. _Male_: Head, neck, upper breast, and
upperparts black, the base and part of the outer web of the primaries,
and spots on the tertials, white; three outer tail-feathers with white
tips, the outer web of the outer feather entirely white; sides and
under tail-coverts rich reddish brown, bordered irregularly with black
spots along sides of belly; belly white; eyes bright red; bill black.
_Female_: Similar in pattern, but black of male replaced throughout by
rich, grayish brown, quite bright in some individuals; eyes bright
reddish brown. _Length_: 8½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant migrant and summer resident in all
woodlands, usually from early or mid-April to late October or later.
Occasionally it is found in the dead of winter, even when the snow is
deep.

Nest.—A cup of grasses and slender weed-stalks, generally placed on
the ground, rarely in a low bush, lined with finer materials, and
usually located in the woodlands at the base of a small tree, under a
May-apple plant, or in a bank. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, white, thickly, evenly,
and finely spotted, and sometimes blotched with reddish brown,
grayish, and black.

The Towhee’s interesting habit of scratching among the leaves is characteristic and rather amusing. Like a little hen, the bird bustles about on the ground, jumping back and forth as the leaf-mold flies and as the small terrestrial insects and fallen weed-seeds are exposed. A Towhee thus hunting for food may make a laughably big noise.

Its flight is jerky, not usually rapid, and the tail pumps and flashes considerably, showing the white tips of the outer feathers plainly. None of our woodland birds more clearly displays white in the tail than does this ground-inhabiting species, unless it is the smaller Junco.

Listen for the often-repeated, rather loud call-note of this bird, _too-whee_, as he elevates his crest and flicks his tail. The song is rather musical and resembles somewhat the following syllabization _prit-tel-lee, lee, lee, lee, lee_, the last part being run together so rapidly as to be scarcely pronounceable. The Towhee sings from the top of a bush or low tree and, while performing, lets his tail hang limp and lifts and throws back his head.

Young Towhees, carefully guarded by their voluble and agitated parents, are hard to find in their leafy home. They have heavily streaked underparts, and therefore look a good deal more like the race of sparrows, to which they belong, than do their parents.

CARDINAL
_Richmondena cardinalis cardinalis_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Redbird; Virginia Cardinal or Redbird; Cardinal Grosbeak.

Description.—Smaller than Robin; both sexes with high crests and huge,
pink bills. _Adult male_: Bright, deep rose-red, richest on breast;
back, wing and tail-feathers edged with grayish; region in front of
eye and on throat black; bill orange-pink; eyes brown. _Female_:
Grayish brown above, buffy white and grayish below, the crest, wings,
and tail tinged with red, noticeable especially in flight. _Young
male_: Like the adult female, but the under-wing linings are pink and
the breast is blotched with red. _Length_: 8 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant permanent resident in southern and
western Pennsylvania, and locally in the mountains. It is extending
its range northward along the river valleys.

Nest.—A neat but rather thin cup of weed-stalks and grasses, scantily
lined with rootlets and other fine materials. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white,
spotted and speckled with lilac and grayish.

Both the male and female Cardinal sing a loud, whistling song which may be variously written as _poo-ree, poo-ree_, _reap-er, reap-er_, _whit you, whit you_, or _what cheer, what cheer_, many times repeated. The call-note is a metallic chirp. Cardinals are sometimes familiar door-yard birds. Since they stay the year around, a special effort should be made to feed them corn, suet, nuts, sunflower seeds, and grit during the snowy spells.

Cardinals like to nest in shadowy places, and will sometimes rear their young in shrubbery or vines which grow about our porches.

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK
_Hedymeles ludoviciana_ (Linnæus)

Description.—Smaller than Robin, with very large beak. _Adult male_:
Head, neck, and upperparts black, the wings, tail, and upper
tail-coverts marked with white; triangular breast-patch and under-wing
linings light rose-red; rest of underparts white, streaked on sides
with black; bill white or pinkish white; eyes dark brown. _Adult
female_: Sparrow-like in appearance, being dull brown, streaked with
black above, the wings marked with two whitish wing-bars, the
underparts buffy, streaked with brown on breast and sides. _Young
males_: Like the females but with rosy under-wing linings. _Adult male
in winter_: Like adult female, but the wings and tail more or less as
in the spring plumage and rosy breast-patch showing to an extent.
_Length_: 8 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A somewhat local and irregular migrant
throughout, and a summer resident chiefly in the central and northern
counties from late April to mid-September.

Nest.—A cup made of vegetable fibers and rootlets, often so thin that
the eggs show through, placed in a thick tree, in a low, damp
situation, 8 to 25 feet from ground. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale blue-green,
spotted with brown.

The song of this bird is a bright, musical warble, resembling the carol of a Robin. Both sexes incubate the eggs, and the male may sometimes be heard singing softly or in a full-throated manner while at his domestic duties. These birds eat many destructive insect pests, including the much-dreaded Colorado potato beetle. The call-note may be written _eek_.

INDIGO BUNTING
_Passerina cyanea_ (Linnæus)

Description.—_Adult male in spring_: Bright, glossy green-blue all
over, purplish on head, somewhat dusky on wings and tail, and the
belly sometimes marked with a few whitish feathers; bill and eyes
black. _Adult female_: Grayish brown, lighter below, the lesser
coverts and edge of wing and tail-feathers bluish; two obscure grayish
wing-bars. _Young birds_: Like the females. _Adult males in winter_:
Similar to those in spring but all feathers tipped widely with brown,
giving an effect much as in the female. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant and summer resident from late
April or early May to mid-September; sometimes very abundant in
favorable localities.

Nest.—A rather firm, deep cup made of weed-stalks and plant fibers,
placed a few feet from the ground in a raspberry or other low bush,
usually at the edge of a woodland or in an open space among the trees.
_Eggs_: 3 to 5, very pale blue or bluish white.

In the very top of a tree, along the hot midsummer roadside, sings the brilliant male during the lazy noon hours, his bright, rich music an accompaniment to the damp warmth which rises from the fields or to the dust that settles on the leaves near the road. Approach the singer carefully or he will fly before you get a good glimpse of him. The female is not easy to recognize unless she happens to be with or near her mate. She is very dull in color and is not often seen. Raspberry and blackberry thickets are the favorite haunt of this bird.

The larger Blue Grosbeak (_Guiraca cærulea cærulea_) should be looked for in southern counties. Records for this rare species are very desirable.

The Dickcissel or Black-throated Bunting (_Spiza americana_) is a very local summer resident which should be looked for in open fields. It is English Sparrow-like in appearance, but has a yellow breast. Its song may be written _Dick, dick, chic, chic, chic_.

SCARLET TANAGER
_Piranga olivacea_ (Gmelin)

Description.—Larger than the English Sparrow, with bill which is heavy
like a sparrow’s but longer and not so conical. _Adult male in
summer_: Bright scarlet, our brightest red bird, with black wings and
tail, pale olive-green bill, and dark brown eyes. _Adult female_:
Olive-green above, dull yellow below. _Male in winter_: olive-green,
like the female, but with black wings and tail. Male birds in changing
plumage, such as is found in late summer, are much blotched in
appearance. _Length_: A little over 7 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant and summer resident of the
woodlands from late April and early May to mid-September.

Nest.—A rather shallow, thinly constructed cup made of rootlets and
weed-stalks, placed from 20 to 40 feet from the ground, usually in a
deciduous tree. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale blue-green, speckled with reddish
brown.

The slow, crawling movements and lazy, rather harsh, warbling song of this bird strongly suggest the tropics, its ancestral home. Its song is much like a Robin’s, but it is more alto and is harsher and lazier, and its call-note is a plainly given _chi-perr_, which is often more frequently heard in the damp woodlands than any other bird-note of midsummer. The intensity of the male Scarlet Tanager’s full plumage fairly takes the breath. At a distance, the dull female may suggest a vireo or a large warbler, but her movements are always characteristic of this family.

PURPLE MARTIN
_Progne subis subis_ (Linnæus)

Description.—Larger than English Sparrow; wings long and pointed; tail
moderately long and noticeably forked. _Adult male_: Rich purplish and
bluish black, the lores velvety black; feet and bill black; eyes dark
brown. _Adult female_: Blackish glossed with blue above; forehead,
underparts, and imperfect collar around neck, gray; belly whitish.
_Immature birds_: Like the adult female. _Length_: 8 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common but extremely local migrant and
summer resident from early or mid-April to mid-August and occasionally
later.

Nest.—Made of leaves and grasses in a cavity in a tree, crevice in a
building, or in a bird-house, from 12 to 40 feet from the ground.
_Eggs_: 3 to 7, white.

Spluttering notes, some of which resemble an old-fashioned music-box, announce the return of the Martins to their accustomed nesting quarters. Gracefully, the glossy birds sail about, calling to each other, capturing insects, and perching near or upon their nest. They have almost altogether given up nesting in hollow trees and prefer to use bird-boxes, it appears, though in such towns as Waynesburg, Ligonier, and Coudersport they nest in any cranny among the buildings which they can find. Martins are very fond of dragonflies; they have the interesting habit of bringing green leaves into the nest during summer, either as new lining for the nests, to make the young birds cooler, or for some other reason. In late summer they band together, sometimes in tremendous flocks, depart for some congregating point along the New Jersey or Delaware coast, or elsewhere, and prepare for the journey to their South American winter home. Purple Martins are temperamental in choosing their nesting quarters. Certain towns do not please them, and they will not, apparently, nest; in other towns they nest anywhere.

CLIFF SWALLOW; EAVES SWALLOW
_Petrochelidon albifrons albifrons_ (Rafinesque)

Description.—About the size of an English Sparrow, but with long
wings; tail of moderate length, not noticeably forked; sexes similar.
_Adults_: Forehead buffy white; crown and back glossy steel-blue, the
latter obscurely streaked with white; cheeks, ear-patches, chin, and
throat rich reddish brown; back of neck, narrow collar, and underparts
grayish; belly white; wings and tail blackish, glossed with blue;
_rump pale reddish or orange-brown_, very noticeable in flight.
_Young_: Dull grayish brown, the rump noticeably rusty though not as
plainly so as in adult. _Length_: 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common migrant throughout and
extremely local summer resident, chiefly in the northern counties,
from early or mid-April to early or mid-September.

Nest.—A bottle-shaped structure of mud, lined with grasses and
feathers, the funnel-shaped entrance to the nest pointed outward and
downward. It is built under the eaves of a barn or other building,
_always on the outside_, or on a cliff or bridge abutment. Usually
many nests are found together. _Eggs_: 4 to 7, white, or creamy white,
speckled with reddish brown.

Look for the buffy rump-patch of this slow-flying, graceful swallow, which gathers mud for its nest without alighting on the ground and whose conversational twitterings sound like the squeaks produced by rubbing a piece of wet rubber with the finger. In early spring and during later summer, several kinds of swallows will be found together in the migratory flocks. Cliff Swallows are easily driven from their nests by English Sparrows or Starlings; they will not use bird-boxes put out for them.

BARN SWALLOW
_Hirundo rustica erythrogastris_ Boddaert

Description.—Smaller and slenderer, but longer than an English
Sparrow, with long, pointed wings and very long, deeply forked tail
which is noticeable in flight or while the bird is perched on a wire.
_Adult male_: Forehead, chin, and throat rich reddish brown; line
through eye and band across breast blackish; upperparts blackish,
highly glossed with steel-blue, the inner margins of the tail-feathers
marked with white spots; rest of underparts and wing-linings pale
reddish brown. _Adult female_: Similar, but duller. _Young birds_:
Almost white below and with only moderately long, though noticeably
forked tails. _Length_: 7 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant migrant and summer resident from
mid-April to late August or early September.

Nest.—A cup of mud, lined with feathers and a few grasses, built upon
a rafter _on the inside of a barn_ or other building, usually in a
more or less inaccessible spot. _Eggs_: 3 to 7, white, spotted with
brown.

Every farmer boy loves the cheerful swallows which twitter so amiably and circle so tirelessly about the barn, capturing insects above nearby pools and darting through the doors, or sometimes through mere cracks in the boards, so unerringly. These birds have good reason to be popular, for they are not only beautiful and companionable neighbors, but they are distinctly beneficial because of their capturing of myriads of flying insects which they eat or feed to their ravenous young. I once saw a blacksnake at the nest of a Barn Swallow, high on an upper rafter in a barn-loft, and it had eaten two of the young before I interrupted its meal.

TREE SWALLOW; WHITE-BELLIED SWALLOW
_Iridoprocne bicolor_ (Vieillot)

Description.—Smaller than an English Sparrow; tail of moderate length
and not deeply forked. _Adult male_: Upperparts glossy blue-green,
brightest on crown and back, less colorful on wings and tail; _entire
underparts pure white_. _Female_: Similar, but duller. _Young birds_:
Like the female. _Length_: 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common migrant throughout, but a
rather rare and local summer resident in northern counties and at high
altitudes, from early April to late August. As a nesting bird, it is
almost always found near a body of water.

Nest.—Of grasses and other vegetable matter, lined with feathers,
placed in a cavity, an old woodpecker nest, or in a bird-box, usually
from 15 to 60 feet from the ground, in a tree at the edge of a lake or
in the water. _Eggs_: 3 to 7, white.

The swallows are easily distinguished once their outstanding characters are firmly fixed in the mind. This bird has white, _absolutely unmarked_ underparts—the Bank Swallow’s white breast is crossed with a brownish band; the Rough-wing’s throat and breast are gray. I have seen Tree Swallows nesting at Conneaut Lake, Crawford County, and at several of the lakes in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania.

BANK SWALLOW
_Riparia riparia riparia_ (Linnæus)

Other Name.—Sand Martin.

Description.—Smallest of the swallow family, considerably lighter and
slenderer than an English Sparrow; sexes similar. _Adults_: Grayish
brown above; wings and tail noticeably darker than back in flight;
underparts white; breast crossed by a narrow, dull brown band,
distinctly noticeable when the bird is at rest; tail not deeply
forked. _Length_: About 5¼ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Formerly found at several points during summer
where it does not nest now, due to pollution of the streams. It is a
fairly common migrant and local summer resident from mid-April to
early or mid-September.

Nest.—Of grasses and rootlets, lined with feathers, placed at the end
of a long burrow which is usually several feet above high-water-mark
and sometimes 5 to 6 feet long. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, white or creamy white.

This little swallow usually nests in large colonies. It has a graceful, fluttering flight, much less direct and rapid than that of the somewhat larger, though amazingly similar, Rough-winged Swallow, which occurs in many parts of Pennsylvania where the Bank Swallow does not nest. In identifying this species, take care to observe closely the brown band across the breast and the light brown back which contrasts with the blacker wings and tail.

ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW
_Stelgidopteryx serripennis serripennis_ (Audubon)

Description.—About the size of a Barn Swallow; outer web of outer
primary with tiny recurved hooks along the entire edge, noticeable
when the thumb or finger-nail is drawn along it; these hooklets are
sometimes absent in the female; the purpose they serve is not known.
_Adults_: Above brownish gray, quite dark on wings and tail; throat
and breast pale brownish gray; belly white. _Immature_: Similar, but
the outer web of the outer primary has no hooklets and the gray of the
throat and breast is sometimes washed with reddish brown. _Length_:
5¾inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather rare, somewhat local, and never
abundant summer resident from April 15 to September 1, found almost
altogether in the more southern and less mountainous counties.

Nest.—Of grasses and weed-stalks, lined with finer materials, _but not
with feathers_, placed at the end of a burrow in a bank, as is the
Bank Swallow’s, or in crevices in rocks along a stream, in abutments
of bridges, or sometimes in pipes about dwellings which stand near
streams. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, white.

The Rough-wing’s graceful, sweeping flight is less fluttering than that of the Bank Swallow. All of the swallows usually allow fairly close approach and therefore should not be difficult to identify.

CEDAR WAXWING
_Bombycilla cedrorum_ Vieillot

Other Names.—Cherry Bird; Cedar Bird.

Description.—Plumage soft and silken; feet rather short and small;
head with high crest; bill small. _Adult male_: Head, neck, breast,
and back, glossy olive-brown; forehead and line through eye, chin, and
throat, black; a white line extending backward from lower mandible to
beneath eye; black forehead bordered behind with white; wings, rump,
and tail, blue-gray; secondaries tipped with small waxen appendages;
_tail prominently tipped with pale yellow_; sides and belly
sulphur-yellow; under tail-coverts whitish; bill, feet, and eyes,
black. _Female_: Similar, but usually lacks the waxen appendages on
the secondaries. _Young birds_: Similar, but with only a small crest
and noticeably streaked. Waxen appendages sometimes occur on the
secondaries of the female as well as on the tips of the tail-feathers
in both sexes. _Length_: A little over 7 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An erratic and irregular permanent resident,
being sometimes abundant, sometimes absent for several seasons;
usually seen in flocks.

Nest.—Neatly built of weed-stems, twigs, and fibers, lined with softer
materials, placed in a tree, usually from 12 to 20 feet from the
ground, and toward the end of the branch. Nesting often takes place
rather late in summer. I have seen a female sitting upon her eggs as
late as September 11. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, blue-gray, spotted with black.

The Cedar Waxwing’s trim form and sleek plumage make him an outstandingly handsome bird. He has no song, however, giving forth only a fine, shrill _eeeeeeee_, which is scarcely audible to some observers. A flock of these plump-bodied birds sometimes sit in a tree-top, their feathers fluffed out. They catch insects like flycatchers. Sometimes they indulge in a queer little dance. In a cherry tree which is full of fruit, they sometimes pass tid-bits between them in a strangely deliberate, polite fashion. They are very fond of cedar berries, poke berries, and the fruits of the Virginia creeper, but the name “Cherry Bird” is well earned. Remember the crest, the upright carriage, the flocking tendency, and the _yellow-tipped tail_ of this species. The waxwings are the only birds which have their tails tipped with yellow.

The Northern or Bohemian Waxwing (_Bombycilla garrula_) is to be found rarely in winter. Records of this species in Pennsylvania are very desirable. It is like the Cedar Waxwing in color, but is larger; the under tail-coverts are rich reddish brown, and the wings are marked with a white patch on the primary coverts, white tips on the secondaries, and white and yellow edgings on the primaries. When Bohemian Waxwings appear they are likely to be docile and unsuspicious, and will therefore give the observer an excellent opportunity to identify them satisfactorily.

NORTHERN SHRIKE
_Lanius borealis_ Vieillot

Other Name.—Butcher Bird.

Description.—Size of Robin, but with larger head and large, strongly
hooked bill; sexes similar. _Adults_: Top of head, hind neck, and
back, light gray, lightest along outer edges of scapulars and fading
into white on rump and upper tail-coverts; line above eye, white;
broad line through eye to ear-coverts, wings and tail, black; tips of
the secondaries, base of the primaries, and tips of outer
tail-feathers, white; underparts _finely barred with light gray_;
bill, feet, and eyes, black. _Young birds_: Brownish gray, with dark
brown wings and tail which are marked with white much as in the
adults. The underparts are finely barred with brownish. _Length_: 10½
inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Rather rare winter visitant from late October
or November to March. It is found chiefly in the northern counties in
more or less open regions.

The shrike’s striking black and white plumage will suggest a Mockingbird. Its harsh cries have a sinister quality, however, suggesting a bird of prey. The heavy, hooked bill and strong feet assist it in capturing the mice, small birds, and insects which are its food, and which it impales on thorns or on barbed wire. Records of this species are desirable.

MIGRANT SHRIKE
_Lanius ludovicianus migrans_ W. Palmer

Other Name.—Butcher Bird.

Description.—Smaller than Robin, with proportionally large head and
strongly hooked bill; sexes similar. Top of head, hind neck, and back,
clear gray, shading into whitish at outer edges of scapulars and on
rump and upper tail-coverts; wings and tail black; tips of
secondaries, base of primaries, and tips of outer tail-feathers,
white; broad band through eye back to ear-coverts, black; underparts
white, grayer on breast and belly, _which are not barred_.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather rare and local migrant and summer
resident from early March to November, nesting chiefly in the Lake
Erie coastal region and elsewhere in flat, open country.

Nest.—A bulky affair made of twigs, lined with feathers, placed in a
thorn tree not far from the ground. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, white, spotted
with gray or olive-gray.

When a Shrike moves from one perch to another, it drops to within a few inches of the ground and moves along with characteristic buzzing flight, at which times its gray, black, and white plumage is conspicuous. In the field its head appears large, and it is given to perching in prominent barren places, on the top of a tree or on a wire.

THE VIREOS

The Vireos are a difficult group for the beginner. They are dull in color, they come at a time when other birds are abundant, and they do not, for the most part, have particularly noticeable songs. In identifying the Vireos it is well to remember that _all of them move deliberately_, turning the head from side to side pensively, and crawling about the branches in a very characteristic fashion. No Vireo has any white in the tail, as have many of the otherwise similarly colored warblers. Note that the first three species have no wing-bars; the other three have two wing-bars.

RED-EYED VIREO
_Vireosylva olivacea_ (Linnæus)

Other Name.—Preacher Bird.

Description.—Size of English Sparrow. _Adults_: Top of head blue-gray;
line above eye white, bordered above with a blackish line; line
through eye blackish; rest of upperparts olive-green; underparts
whitish, washed with olive-green and pale yellowish on sides; eyes
reddish or red-brown. _Young_: Similar, but duller. _Length_: 6¼
inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Abundant migrant and summer resident from late
April or early May to late September and October.

Nest.—A pensile cup made of vegetable fibers, cobwebs, and so forth,
_lined with grape-vine bark_, placed on a branch of a low sapling,
usually from 5 to 10 feet from the ground. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white, with
a few dark brown spots.

The oft-repeated song of this bird, which is delivered all during the warm hours of the summer days, has been responsible for the name “Preacher Bird.” This song, given while the bird searches for food among the leaves, is repeated at intervals of a few seconds, sometimes apparently for hours at a stretch. Look for the Red-eye in shady woodlands where there are deciduous trees. The harsh note of alarm is not unlike the well-known cry of the Catbird.

PHILADELPHIA VIREO
_Vireosylva philadelphica_ Cassin

Description.—Like the Red-eyed Vireo, but smaller, with slightly
shorter bill, greener upperparts, and rather decidedly yellower
underparts.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather rare and little-known migrant in late
April and early May and in September, found usually in alder thickets
in the company of various species of the warbler family.

This species is not easy to identify in the field. Its song, which is like the Red-eye’s, but more rapidly delivered, may be heard in the spring; but in the fall, the chances are the bird will pass unnoticed since neither its song nor its color in any way attracts attention. All records are desirable.

WARBLING VIREO
_Vireosylva gilva gilva_ (Vieillot)

Description.—Like the Red-eye, but smaller, less strikingly marked,
the top of head being almost the same color as the back, the sides
less tinged with yellow. _Length_: 5¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common summer resident from late April to
late September; usually found in or near towns.

Nest.—A pensile cup, made much like the Red-eye’s, but found high in
shade trees, in towns, or along country roadsides. _Eggs_: 3 or 4,
white, with a few small spots.

Dull, plain in appearance, this is one of our most perfectly named birds, for its song is a _warble_—a somewhat unmusical, wheezy, lisping warble, usually delivered from the shade of a big tree.

YELLOW-THROATED VIREO
_Lanivireo flavifrons_ (Vieillot)

Description.—About the size of the Red-eye, but with line in front of
and around the eye, and chin, throat, and breast, clear light yellow;
_two prominent white wing-bars_, and the blackish tertials strongly
edged with white. The sexes are similar. _Length_: 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common but somewhat irregular summer
resident from late April and May to September.

Nest.—A deep, pensile cup, swung from a branch high in a large
deciduous tree standing at the edge of a woodland or in an open field.
_Eggs_: 3 or 4, buffy white, with a few red-brown spots.

The song of this species, which is deliberate, and alto in quality, has been written _Mary, Mary, come ’ere_, the _’ere_ with a downward inflection.

WHITE-EYED VIREO
_Vireo griseus griseus_ (Boddaert)

Description.—Smaller than the Red-eye and with a more sprightly
manner. Line above and around eye _yellow_; wing with two yellowish or
white bars; sides yellowish; breast and belly grayish; chin and throat
white; _eyes white_, rather noticeable in the field. _Length_: 5¼
inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An extremely rare migrant in the western part;
east of the mountains somewhat commoner, particularly along the
Susquehanna and Delaware drainage, where it sometimes nests.

Nest.—A neat, pensile cup, placed in a low bush or tree, usually not
far from the ground. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white, with a few dark brown
spots.

The song which may be written _pit, pit-a-ta-chee-whēēr_, does not suggest a vireo at all. Remember that this bird will be found among low, thick bushes.

BLUE-HEADED VIREO
_Lanivireo solitarius solitarius_ (Wilson)

Description.—Size of the Red-eye, but upper part of head rich
blue-gray, with a _prominent line in front of and around eye, white_;
_wings with two noticeable bars_; sides yellow, irregularly washed
with olive-green; chin, throat, breast, and belly, white. _Length_: A
little over 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common migrant and summer resident. It
is the first of the vireos to arrive in spring, appearing in mid- or
latter April and remaining until October. It nests only at high
altitudes in the mountains or in the northern counties.

Nest.—A neat and beautifully built pensile cup, swung on a horizontal
hemlock, witch hazel, or alder bough, usually deep in the woodlands.
_Eggs_: 3 or 4, white, with a few small black spots.

The song of this handsome vireo is rich and beautiful—easily the most musical of all our vireo songs. It is to be heard chiefly in the depths of the coniferous woodlands. Unusually elaborate and prolonged songs are sometimes given in the spring. Remember the prominent _white eye-ring_ of this species.

BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER
_Mniotilta varia_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Black and White Creeper; Black and White Creeping
Warbler.

Description.—Black and white all over, the colors about evenly
balanced, giving the bird in the field a streaked appearance,
noticeable particularly in the male. Since no other warbler is thus
streaked with black and white _all over_, it is thought that this
description is sufficient. _Females and young_: Duller, the young with
buffy washings on sides. _Length_: 5⅓ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant and summer resident from late April
and early May to September. It is rather local as a summer resident
though it may occur in any suitable woodland.

Nest.—A cup of rootlets and fine grasses placed on the ground at the
base of a sapling or a fallen bough or log, usually in rather open
woodland. _Eggs_: 4 or 5, white, with a neat wreath of fine red-brown
spots about the larger end.

This bird is nearly always seen creeping about the trunks and larger branches of trees, and its boldly streaked plumage is unmistakable. Its song, which has been written _wee-see, wee-see, wee-see, wee-see_, is wiry and unmusical, and the untrained ear will probably not catch it. Look for this bird in any woodland, particularly where there are deciduous trees.

The southern Prothonotary Warbler (_Protonotaria citrea_) is rarely recorded in the southern counties. This species has blue-gray wings and tail, _no wing-bars_, and the head and breast are rich orange-yellow. Records are desirable.

The Yellow-throated Warbler (_Dendroica dominica dominica_) is a long-billed species which looks a good deal like a Black and White Warbler with a yellow throat; it occurs in the southernmost counties. It may be found as a nesting bird.

WORM-EATING WARBLER
_Helmitheros vermivorus_ (Gmelin)

Description.—Crown and superciliary buffy brown; prominent black
streak at either side of crown; black streak through the eye;
underparts buffy, the centers of the under tail-coverts darker;
upperparts olive-green, much as in a vireo. _Female and young_:
Similar but duller. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—In southern and particularly southwestern
Pennsylvania this species is a fairly common summer resident from
early May to mid-September. It is found chiefly in deciduous woodlands
along streams. It is rare in central and northern counties.

Nest.—A neatly built cup of rootlets, hair, and vegetable fiber,
placed on the ground, usually at the base of a sapling. _Eggs_: 4 or
5, white, finely speckled with reddish brown.

The song of this comparatively little-known species is very much like that of a Chipping Sparrow. If you hear a Chipping Sparrow in the woods, you had better look for the bird; you may make a startling discovery, since Chipping Sparrows are rarely found away from human dwellings in Pennsylvania.

The Worm-eating Warbler is nearly always found near the ground, and it is usually necessary to keep quiet so as to let the bird approach if you wish to have a good look at it.

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER
_Vermivora pinus_ (Linnæus)

Other Name.—Blue-winged Yellow Warbler.

Description.—_Adult male_: Front of head, breast, and belly bright,
clear yellow; sharp black line through eye; back of head and back
olive-green; wings and tail blue-gray, the wings _with two noticeable
white bands_; the tail with white spots at tips of inner webs of outer
feathers. _Female_: Much duller, the whole top of the head being
greenish, as a rule. _Length_: 4¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A _decidedly local_ summer resident from early
May until mid-September, to be found in all but the mountainous
counties.

Nest.—A cup made of leaves, lined with fine grasses, placed at the
base of a weed or a little bush, usually in a low meadow or at the
edge of an alder swamp. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, white, spotted with reddish
brown, chiefly at the larger end.

The characteristic song of this bird may be written _zwee-chee_, the former syllable with an inhalant, the latter an exhalant quality. Later in the summer other songs are given which combine this song with many _chips_. Look for the Blue-wing near the ground in a swampy situation, among alders, or willows. In the fall it sometimes occurs in the higher woodlands along with other migrating species.

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
_Vermivora chrysoptera_ (Linnæus)

Description.—_Male_: Top of head yellow; line through eye, and chin
and throat, black; an area from lower mandible back to neck, white;
back of head, neck, wings, and tail, gray; wing, with lesser and most
of greater coverts, pale yellow; outer feathers of tail with white
spots on inner webs; breast and belly white, the sides washed with
grayish. _Female_: Similar, but duller, the black of the head being
replaced with gray. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather uncommon and local summer resident
from early May to September, found in low meadows or in bushy edges of
woodlands.

Nest.—Of leaves, lined with finer materials and often somewhat arched
over with leaves, placed at the base of a bush. _Eggs_: 4 or 5, white,
speckled with brown.

The song may be written _see, zee, zee, zee_.

The Brewster’s and Lawrence’s Warblers, hybrid forms which result from the interbreeding of the Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers, sometimes occur in Pennsylvania. The typical Brewster’s Warbler has the white underparts and yellow-marked wings of the Golden-wing. The breast and belly of Lawrence’s Warblers are yellow, and there are two prominent white wing-bars as in the Blue-wing.

NASHVILLE WARBLER
_Vermivora ruficapilla ruficapilla_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Upper part of head blue-gray, with a partly
concealed rufous crown-patch _and noticeable white eye-ring_; chin,
throat, breast, and belly clear, strong yellow; upperparts
olive-green, without markings in wings or tail. _Female_: Duller.
_Immature_: Almost unmarked, the eye-ring being buffy and not
noticeable, the sides being washed with buffy. _Length_: 4¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and often abundant migrant in May and
September; rare and very local as a summer resident in northern
counties and at high altitudes.

Nest.—On the ground, near a log or at the base of a sapling. _Eggs_: 4
or 5, white, speckled with red-brown.

The song is a series of _chips_, introduced by the syllables _wee-see, wee-see, wee-see_.

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
_Vermivora celata celata_ (Say)

Description.—Olive-green above; crown with more or less concealed dull
orange patch, not easily seen in the field; underparts and obscure
ring about eye dull yellow; sides irregularly streaked with
olive-green; sexes similar. _Young birds_: Duller. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—The Orange-crown is one of our little-known
warblers which may be considerably commoner than we suppose. It occurs
as a migrant in May and September, and is to be found chiefly in
swampy situations, principally among alders.

The song, which is not often heard in Pennsylvania, according to my experience, is considerably like that of a Nashville or Tennessee Warbler, being a series of _chips_, but the tempo is different. All such songs should be thoroughly investigated to make certain some rare bird is not passed by. (See illustration, page 131.)

TENNESSEE WARBLER
_Vermivora peregrina_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown clear gray; prominent white
superciliary; line through eye black; underparts white, washed along
sides with faint yellow; upperparts olive-green; wings unmarked; outer
tail-feathers marked with white along the inner margin. _Female_:
Similar, but crown tinged with greenish. _Immature_: Olive-green
above, brightest on rump; dull yellowish below, brightest on the under
tail-coverts. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant in May and September, apparently
fairly regular and common in spring among the mountains, rare east of
the mountains, but equally abundant everywhere in the fall.

The song of this bird is a series of chips, the tempo of which changes twice, the most rapid part of the song coming at the last. This bird is like a vireo in color but not in actions. Young birds are sometimes exceedingly common in the fall.

PARULA WARBLER; BLUE YELLOW-BACKED WARBLER
_Compsothlypis americana pusilla_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Head, all but chin and throat, blue-gray,
extending down to upper back, scapulars, wings, and tail; _back dull
yellow_; wings with two prominent white wing-bars; outer tail-feathers
with white along inner vanes; chin, throat, and lower breast clear
yellow, a dusky band across upper breast which is bordered below with
reddish brown; belly, sides, and under tail-coverts white. There is an
almost complete, but not particularly noticeable, white eye-ring.
_Female_: Similar, but less brightly colored; breast usually without
much trace of the dusky and reddish brown band. _Young birds_: Similar
to the female. _Length_: 4¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Common as a migrant during May and September;
rather local as a summer resident, having been known to nest at
several points in the State.

Nest.—Generally built of and among tree moss, in a conifer or other
tree, usually from 20 to 40 feet from the ground. _Eggs_: 4 or 5,
white, speckled with brown at the larger end.

The thin, squeaky song of this species is not noticeable. It might be written _pit see, pit see, pit see see_. A thin, insect-like, ascending trill is also occasionally given; this trill resembles one of the songs of the Redstart.

CAPE MAY WARBLER
_Dendroica tigrina_ (Gmelin)

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown black, the feathers tipped with gray
toward the back of the head; patch about eye, including ear-coverts,
rich orange-brown; fore part of superciliary, chin and throat, sides
of neck, breast, sides and rump, clear yellow; lower throat, breast,
and sides strikingly streaked with black; wing with two wing-bars
which are so broad that they merge, forming a white patch; outer
tail-feathers with white spots on inner vanes at tip. _Female_: Much
duller, the brown of the side of the head being replaced with
olive-green, the yellow of rump and underparts dull, sometimes hardly
noticeable, the wing-bars narrow and obscure. _Young birds_: Like
their parents, but duller, the white wing-patch in the young male
usually being evident. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant, rare, as a rule, in the spring, when
it is seen during May. It is often abundant in the fall, from early
September through October, and sometimes later.

This very handsome warbler can hardly be called a songster. The song is thin and squeaky, sometimes like the shrill squeaking of a large insect—_see, see, see, see, see_, it might be written, the syllables becoming louder toward the end. Usually the song is given from a rather high perch. The heavily streaked breast is a pretty good field-mark for any age or plumage of this bird.

YELLOW WARBLER
_Dendroica æstiva æstiva_ (Gmelin)

Other Names.—Summer Yellow Bird; Wild Canary (erroneous).

Description.—_Adult male_: Head and underparts bright yellow, the
breast, sides, and belly streaked with reddish brown; back, wings, and
tail dull yellowish green, brightest on rump, and obscurely streaked;
wing with two yellow wing-bars, and the inner webs of all the
tail-feathers but the central pair, yellow, showing plainly in flight.
_Female_: Similar, but much duller, the underparts almost altogether
without streaks. _Length_: A little over 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant migrant and summer resident from
late April and early May to early September.

Nest.—A neat, usually deep cup, made of vegetable fiber lined with
wool, feathers, and soft materials, held in place with a few
horsehairs. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, white or bluish white, spotted with gray,
chiefly about the larger end.

The Yellow Warbler’s fondness for lilac bushes and other shrubbery about our yards leads him to be a favorite and familiar bird. His bright though unmusical song is almost incessant during the days of early spring, when much time is spent, prior to building the nest, in chasing about, sparring with rival males, or in courting. During these pursuits the yellow inner vanes of the tail-feathers are likely to be plainly seen.

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
_Dendroica cærulescens cærulescens_ (Gmelin)

Description.—_Male_: Upperparts dark gray-blue, lightest on forehead
and crown; face, throat, upper breast, and sides solid black; belly
and under tail-coverts white; base of primaries with a white spot,
rather obscure in some individuals; tips of inner vanes of outer
tail-feathers white. _Female_: Dull greenish gray above, pale buffy
gray below, with _white spot at the base of the primaries_ which is
always characteristic of this species in any plumage. The female has
an obscure whitish line above the eye. _Length_: 5¼ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant in May and September. Found as
a summer resident in the northern and more mountainous counties where
it occurs almost wherever there is a rhododendron growth.

Nest.—A neat but rather shallow cup, usually placed in rhododendron 2
to 3 feet from the ground, often in the deepest part of the woodland.
_Eggs_: 3 or 4, white or creamy white, spotted about larger end with
reddish brown.

The song of this species is deliberate and rich, though droning and insect-like rather than musical. It might be written zuree, _zuree, zuree, zeee_, or _zwee, zwee, zwee, zwee_. The colors of the male are unmistakable, but the dull-colored female and young will puzzle many a beginner. Remember the white patch at the base of the primaries. Look for the bird in midsummer, in rhododendron thickets.

MYRTLE WARBLER; YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
_Dendroica coronata coronata_ (Linnæus)

Description.—_Adult male in spring_: Crown-patch, patches at sides of
chest, and rump, clear yellow; white line above eye; rest of
upperparts blue-gray; back streaked with black; wings with two white
wing-bars; outer tail-feathers tipped with white on the inner webs;
chin and throat white; sides of breast black, merging into streaks
along the sides; belly and under tail-coverts white. _Adult female_:
Similar, but browner, and the black breast-patches replaced with
streaks. _Immature and adults in winter_: Brownish, the yellow patches
on crown, sides of chest, and rump, obscure. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant in late April and May and
September and October; occasional as a winter resident; it has been
noted thus principally at Erie.

The Myrtle Warbler is usually not shy and may be identified easily. In its winter range it spends much of its time on or near the ground, where it eats many seeds. While with us it is usually seen in the lower trees and bushes, where a good view may be obtained of the upperparts with the bright yellow rump-patch. The song is not noticeable; it does not have any particularly accented notes, and will not be of much use in identifying the bird. Myrtle Warblers are to be found in any sort of woodland; they have no preference for coniferous trees during migration, though they nest in them in Canada.

MAGNOLIA WARBLER
_Dendroica magnolia_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown blue-gray; line above eye and spot
under eye, white; area in front of and behind eye, black; back, wings,
and tail blackish; wing with large white patch; tail with the _bases_
of the inner webs of all but the inner pair of feathers _white_; rump
and underparts yellow, breast and sides heavily streaked with black;
under tail-coverts white. _Adult female_: Similar, but duller, the
underparts less heavily streaked. _Immature_: Dull olive-greenish
above, without noticeable superciliary or spot under eye, but with two
wing-bars and markings on the tail same as in adult; underparts
yellow, obscurely streaked along the sides with black; under
tail-coverts white. _Length_: 5¹/₁₀ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—As a migrant abundant in May and September,
particularly the latter, when hordes of young birds are migrating. As
a summer resident rather rare and local, found principally among or
near hemlock growth, chiefly in the northern and more mountainous
counties.

Nest.—A shallow, neat cup, made of fine twigs, lined with finer
materials and hair, placed a few feet from the ground, often in a
hemlock sapling. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white or creamy, with red-brown spots
at larger end.

This very active warbler may be “squeaked up” easily. As it dashes about, the white band at the base of the tail usually shows plainly, for it spreads its tail widely at times. The song is a brief unmusical effort which ends with a chopped-off falling inflection. (See illustration, page 136.)

CERULEAN WARBLER
_Dendroica cerulea_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Light gray-blue above, with a distinct
white line over the eye, two prominent white wing bars, and obscure
black streaking on the back; inner webs of outer tail-feathers tipped
with white; underparts white, a band of gray or gray-blue usually
completely encircling the breast; sides streaked with black. _Female_:
Glossy green-blue on the head, dull grayish green on the rest of the
upperparts, the wings and tail marked much as in the male; underparts
dull yellowish white. _Length_: 4½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant summer resident from early May to
mid-September, locally, in the southwestern counties; elsewhere it is
rare and irregular.

Nest.—A shallow, neat cup of lichens, vegetable fiber, and
tree-flowers, saddled on a horizontal limb from 20 to 50 feet from the
ground, often in a beech tree. _Eggs_: 3 or 4, white, spotted with
grayish, especially at larger end.

The song of this handsome bird may be written _cheery, cheery, cheery, chee_. It is rather rapidly given, with a rising inflection at the end. The Cerulean Warbler usually stays high in the trees.

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
_Dendroica pensylvanica_ (Linnæus)

Description.—_Adult male_: Crown pale yellow; line through eye black;
back greenish or yellowish white, strikingly streaked with black;
wings with two white wing-bars; inner webs of outer tail-feathers
tipped with white; underparts white or grayish white, the sides marked
with a _broad streak of chestnut very noticeable in the field_.
_Female_: Similar, but duller, the chestnut of the sides being almost
obsolete at times, the top of the head streaked. Immature birds are
not easy to identify; they are plain yellowish green above and whitish
below; the eye is encircled with a whitish ring, which is quite
noticeable, and the wings are marked with two prominent wing-bars.
_Length_: A little over 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common migrant during May and
September; as a summer resident, local and sometimes abundant in the
northerly and more mountainous counties. It is to be looked for
anywhere in the State as a nesting bird—wherever there are
thicket-covered hillsides.

Nest.—A rather well-made cup which is sometimes semi-pensile, placed 2
to 3 feet from the ground in a low bush or in a blackberry vine. It is
composed of weed-stalks, vegetable fibers, and other soft materials.
_Eggs_: 3 or 4, white, wreathed about the larger end with fine
chestnut-brown spots.

It has been said that the bright, varied song of this bird ends with the syllables _Miss Beecher_. It is not amiss to bear in mind such a characterization, for though the bird never gives such syllables distinctly, when the song is once learned the name will always jump to mind the minute it is heard. Look for these active birds in thickets on hillsides.

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER
_Dendroica castanea_ (Wilson)

Description.—_Adult male_: Mask across forehead and face, including
the ear-coverts and entirely surrounding the eyes, blackish brown;
prominent round patch on side of neck, buffy white; back of head,
chin, throat, upper breast, and sides, rich reddish brown; back
grayish, streaked with black, the wings with two prominent white
wing-bars, the inner webs of the outer tail-feathers white at tips;
lower breast, belly, and under tail-coverts white or creamy white.
_Adult female_: Has but little suggestion of the reddish brown on
head, breast, or sides, and the black of the face appears in a few
streaks; two prominent wing-bars and the suggestion of reddish color
on the sides are characteristic. _Young birds_: Obscure, being
olive-green above, dull yellowish below, and, as a rule, having a
trace of reddish brown; two prominent wing-bars; face and breast of a
decidedly yellowish tone. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant, common in the spring during May,
sometimes staying quite late, and abundant in the fall, the young
fairly swarming through the trees in September and early October.

The buffy white patches on the sides of the neck of the adult male are excellent field-marks, and gleam like beacons when the red-brown cannot be distinguished. Young birds may easily be confused with immature Black-poll Warblers, however, and also look a little like vireos. The young Bay-breast is a yellower bird than the young Black-poll, however, and is somewhat more deliberate.