GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER 55 



cowbird, Friedmann (1929) reports the bird as "a very uncommon 

 victim." He says: "I have only six definite records, but the species 

 is listed as a molothrine victim by Bendire and by Short. As many 

 as four eggs of the Cowbird have been found in a single nest of this 

 Warbler." 



Fall and winter. — ^We lose sight of the goldenwing early in the 

 season. Silent amid the dense foliage of July and August, the bird 

 is rarely seen. During the years between 1907 and 1920, when I kept 

 a daily record of birds seen, I met it only four times in August and 

 only twice in September, the latest September 12. 



Dr. Alexander F. Skutch sends to A. C. Bent the following account 

 of the bird in its winter quarters: "I am familiar with the golden- 

 winged warbler in its winter home only in Costa Rica. In this coun- 

 try it winters on the Caribbean slope from the lowlands up to about 

 6,000 feet above sea-level, and on the Pacific slope at least in the 

 region between 2,000 and 4,000 feet. While it appears to be nowhere 

 abundant, I found it most numerous at Vara Blanca, on the northern 

 slope of the Cordillera Central at an elevation of about 5,500 feet. 

 Here on one day — November 2, 1937 — I saw three individuals, the 

 greatest number I have ever recorded. This is a region of dense 

 vegetation, subject to much cloudiness and long-continued, often vio- 

 lent rainstorms — one of the wettest districts of all Central America. 

 Most of the published records are from this generally wet side of the 

 country. Yet the bird winters sparingly in the Basin of El General 

 on the Pacific slope, which during the first 3 months of the year may 

 be nearly rainless. While in the Tropics, it appears never to associate 

 with others of its own kind, but at times may roam about with mixed 

 flocks of other small birds. It may forage among low, fairly dense, 

 second-growth thickets, or among the tangled vegetation at the forest's 

 edge, or at times in the forest itself, or in groves of tall trees, high 

 above the ground. It investigates the curled dead leaves caught up 

 among the branches, and devours such small creatures as it finds lurk- 

 ing in their folds. I have not heard it sing while in its winter home. 



"In Costa Rica, it appears to arrive late and to depart early, not 

 having been recorded before September 15, nor later than April 9. 

 Early dates of fall arrival are: Costa Rica — San Jose (Cherrie), 

 September 15 and October 2; La Hondura (Carriker), September 21; 

 Basin of El General, October 18, 1936; Vara Blanca, October 5, 1937. 



"Late dates of spring departure are : Costa Rica — Basin of El Gen- 

 eral, April 8, 1936, April 7, 1937, March 30, 1939, and April 9, 1943 ; 

 Vara Blanca, April 9, 1938; Guapiles (Carriker), March 30." 



