SWAINSON'S WARBLER 35 



Brewster (1885a) describes the young bird in its fall plumage as 

 follows : "Entire upper parts rich olive strongly tinged with reddish- 

 brown, the crown scarcely deeper-colored than the back, the wings a 

 trifle redder; loral stripe blackish; superciliary stripe tinged with 

 yellow; under parts strongly yellowish, otherwise like the adult." 



The nuptial plumage is apparently assumed by wear and fading, 

 the reddish-brown and yellowish colors becoming much duller. There 

 are no specimens available of either young or adult birds that indicate 

 a prenuptial molt. 



The postnuptial molt seems to oc<Jur mainly in August, but perhaps 

 earlier, and is evidently complete; I have seen birds in full, fresh 

 autumn plumage as early as August 28. This fresh plumage is similar 

 to the spring plumage, but the crown and back are nearly uniform 

 brown, the crown is darker than in spring, the back is browner than 

 in spring, and the breast and flanks are more or less clouded with 

 grayish. 



Food. — Howell (1924) says that "four stomachs of this bird from 

 Alabama contained remains of caterpillars, spiders, and Hymenoptera 

 (ants, bees, etc.)." 



Brewster (1885a) considered the principal food to be small coleop- 

 terous insects, "as well as some small green worms that are found on 

 water plants, such as the pond lily {Nymjjhaea odorata) and the 

 Nelumbium {Cyamus -flawicomus) . 



Behavior. — Swainson's warbler is an unsuspicious bird and can be 

 easily observed in its haunts where the vegetation is not too dense 

 and tangled and the tree canopy overhead partially open. The 

 neutral color of the bird is often apt to conceal him in the shadowy 

 undergrowth. Singing males usually remain on the same perch 

 during their periods of song, apparently disinclined to move. He 

 often sings from the ground during insect hunting; Meanley (MS.) 

 says : "It was so wrapped up in its song as to be absolutely uncon- 

 cerned; it sang at my very feet with its head thrown back, its beak 

 pointing perpendicularly toward the sky, pouring forth its resounding 

 melody in the best of warbler fashion." 



The female is a close sitter, and the observer has usually to touch 

 her before she leaves the nest. Grimes (1936) writes: "This bird 

 would not leave her eggs until pushed off, and when I held my Hand 

 over the nest she straddled my fingers in trying to get back onto it. 

 * * * Wlien I did drive her away from the nest she fluttered 

 along on the ground in the manner of a crippled bird, her actions 

 manifestly intended to induce me to follow. This bird certainly was 

 not badly frightened, for within a few minutes she was back on her 

 nest, accepting deerflies from my fingers and swallowing them with 

 apparent relish." 



