430 WOOD WARBLERS 



The American redstart is a bird of the open deciduous woods, 

 building usually in saplings. It goes about its work with drooping 

 wings, its long fan-tail opening and shutting to show its bright color 

 patches as it flashes about tumbling through the air after insects. 

 Of its two characteristic songs the longer one is hurried and accented 

 at the end. 



688. Setophaga picta Swains. Painted Redstart, 



Adults. — Black, except for red belly, white band on wing- and white on 

 outer tail feathers. Young, first plumage : upper parts sooty black ; wings 

 and tail like adults, but white wing- patch tipped with buff ; under parts 

 sooty gray, becoming white on middle of belly ; breast spotted or streaked 

 with blackish. Male : length (skins) 4.84-5.04, wing 2.68-2.95, tail 2.40- 

 2.68, bill .31-.35. Female : length, (skins) 4.92-5.32, wing- 2.64-2.76, tail 

 2.36-2.54, bill .33-.35. 



Distribution. — From mountains of New Mexico and Arizona south to 

 Mexico, Vera Cruz, Hidalgo, and Oaxaca. 



Nest. — In cavities in banks or among" rocks, near water ; made of vege- 

 table fibers and leaves, and lined with grass and hair. Eggs : 3 to 4, white, 

 finely speckled with reddish brown and lilac. 



The red, white, and black painted redstarts frequent the evergreen 

 oaks and the pines and alders of the mountain ranges of southern 

 Arizona. They are usually found near springs and waterfalls. In 

 motions they are tj^pical redstarts, Mr. Henshaw says, passing rapidly 

 along the branches of trees with half-shut wings and outspread tail, 

 now and then darting after a passing fly. Mr. H. O. Howard says 

 they may be seen hopping about on mossy banks and stumps of large 

 trees. 



GENUS CARDELLINA. 



690. Cardellina rubrifrons (Giraud). Red-faced Warbler. 



Bill not more than half as long as head, hig-h at base, curved ; rictal 

 bristles stiff ; wings long ; tail shorter than wings, nearly even ; feet small ; 

 tarsus longer than middle toe and claw. 



Adults. — Throat, forehead, and stripe back to nape bright red ; crown 

 black ; nuchal patch and rump white ; rest of upper parts gray ; under 

 parts soiled whitish. Young in first fall and winter : duller, black re- 

 placed by brown ; red paler ; white of under parts and nuchal patch tinged 

 with buffy or salmon. Male : length (skins) 4.65-5.32, wing 2.58-2.78, tail 

 2.24-2.40, bill .31-.35. Female : length (skins) 4.45-4.96, wing- 2.48-2.76, 

 tail 2.18-2.40, bUl .29-.35. 



Distribution. — From southern Arizona and New Mexico south to Guate- 

 mala. 



Nest. — On the ground, under a vine or bunch of grass, or near a fallen 

 log ; made largely of fine straws, rootlets, strips of bark, leaves, and hair. 

 Eggs: 4, white, spotted with reddish brown over the entire shell, most 

 thickly around the larger end. 



The red-faced warbler is found on the mountains in the southern 

 parts of Arizona and New Mexico among the pines and spruces. Its 

 habits, Mr. HeusUaw says, combine those of the chickad-ees, red- 



