446 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



ranging from May 2 to 1 8 ; in the fall Doctor Fisher records it as disappearing 

 on August 27. 



Haunts and habits. The Kentucky warbler is a bird of the deciduous 

 forest, preferring especially densely grown, well- watered woods and over- 

 grown clearings, in nearly every instance occurring where there is a dense 

 growth of underbrush and a fairly moist atmosphere. Gerald Thayer 

 writes: " The song is remarkably loud and clear, strikingly similar to 

 that of the Carolina wren; a series of 3 clear whistled notes, repeated 5 

 to 10 or more times, " tee-wee-o, tee-wee-o, tee-wee-o," etc. The male while 

 singing is usually perched on a branch far up on some tall tree and very 

 often seeks a new perch at some distance after singing a few times, flying 

 directly and rapidly at a moderate height through the woods. At other 

 times it may be found on the ground, walking about like the Ovenbird, 

 but more spritely in action." Chapman describes the song as a loud clearly 

 whistled performance of 5, 6 or 7 notes, " turdle-turdle," clearly heard at 

 a distance of 150 yards. During the breeding season it is a persistent 

 singer. On one occasion he watched a male for three hours. During 

 this time, with the exception of 5 interruptions of less than 45 seconds 

 each, he sang with regularity every 12 seconds. 



The nest is placed on the ground or near it in a dense tangle among 

 the roots of a tree and is rather bulkily constructed of twigs, rootlets and 

 several thicknesses of leaves. The interior is well lined with dark rootlets 

 and long horse hair. The eggs are 4 or 5 in number, white in ground color, 

 speckled and blotched with umber, reddish brown and lilac, evenly dis- 

 tributed or forming wreaths near the larger ends. Their average size is 

 .74 by .58 inches. Nesting dates from the lower Hudson valley range from 

 June 1 to 14. 



