WESTERN BIRDS Warbler 



the wings have a white patch rather than two bars; and 

 one more white spot shows in the tail — four, rather 

 than three. 



Every bird lover in southern California looks forward 

 with delight to the coming of the first Audubon Warbler, 

 which is usually early in October, they being abundant 

 winter residents in the valleys, nesting in the mountains, 

 or going farther north. 



The common call note is a sharp quit or quip, which 

 they are forever giving as they forage among the leaves, 

 dine from my cafeteria, or fly through the air. One 

 familiar with this call is able to trace the bird when he 

 is flying too high to be easily identified. 



The male as seen throughout the winter months is 

 quite a different bird from that of the summer. He is a 

 dull gray with indistinct markings, a yellow rump, and 

 sometimes yellow throat and crown. At other times 

 he shows little yellow. But the white tail markings and 

 the yellow rump will assure you that it is auduboni that 

 you are beholding. It is extremely interesting to watch 

 the summer plumage replacing the winter. Gradually, 

 the black of breast and sides begins to crop out, the 

 bird's face is often smutty as if he had stuck his bill 

 in mud, the back becomes bluer and more striped, and 

 the yellow flares forth until you behold the handsomest 

 and slickest of dandies. No wonder that his song is the 

 most insignificant warble, heard sometimes before he 

 leaves us in April. Why should such a beauty sing 

 anyway? Leave that accomplishment to those of 

 plainer garb. 



When spring comes these birds wend their way to the 

 mountains, where they are fond of nesting in pines and 

 spruces, placing their bulky nests from four to fifty feet 

 from the ground. Dawson, who has studied their nest- 

 ing habits in Washington, says the nest is a well-built, 

 bulky structure of fir twigs, weed stems, rootlets, etc., 



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