110 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



Solitary Vireo. This bird is also known as 

 the Blue-headed Vireo, because of the handsome 

 bluish-gray color of the crown and sides of the 

 head. While it is not a rare bird, it is a forest- 

 dweller and far from abundant, though one 

 could easily wish to have them for intimate 

 friends, so lovable are they. Its songs are varied 

 both in tone and quality. Its chief performance 

 is something like that of the Red-eyed, but has 

 a tenderness all its own. It has been called a 

 "pure, serene uplifting of its loving nature." 

 Its most common utterance is a musical chatter, 

 strangely resembling the notes of the Baltimore 

 Oriole, and it also has a flowing warble, tender 

 and thrilling, rather an unusual repertory you 

 will say for so modest a little creature. They 

 are exceedingly tame and trustful, especially 

 when nesting. It is said one may approach 

 close to the nest, even freely stroking the sitting 

 bird, but probably this is true only in rare 

 cases. 



The Solitary is the first of the Vireos to arrive 

 in the spring, reaching the vicinity of New York 

 in April, and the last to depart in the fall. Their 

 notes are heard even as late as September. 

 They nest in the woods, building, as do all their 

 relatives, a wonderful little cup-shaped nest, 

 which is suspended from a limb several feet 

 above the ground. The eggs are white, sparsely 

 speckled with umber. 



