CANADA WARBLER 651 



movement and in song; clearly marked and brightly colored. In 

 actions it is like the Wilson's, a sort of mongrel between a Dendroica^ 

 an American Redstart, and a true Flycatcher. It darts after flying 

 insects like one of the Tyrannidae, and its bill may sometimes be 

 heard to 'click' when it seizes something; it has much of the Redstart's 

 insistent nervousness of motion, but it is a less airy 'flitter'; and, 

 finally, it glides and gleans among leaves and twigs like a true glean- 

 ing Warbler." 



But, with all its nervous activity, it is not particularly shy nor timid ; 

 I had no difficulty in photographing it on its nest, and Miss Stanwood 

 observed at short range a pair feeding their young. 



Voice. — ^Aretas A. Saunders has contributed the following account : 

 "The song of the Canada warbler is a series of rather rapid notes and 

 2-note phrases, varying greatly and most irregularly in pitch and 

 time. There seems to be no general rule about the form of the song, 

 except that two notes in succession are rarely on the same pitch. 

 The quality of the notes is fairly musical and rather similar to that 

 of the yellowthroat. Not only is the song variable in different indi- 

 viduals, but the same bird often varies it greatly. I have records of 

 7 songs by one individual, and 11 by another, all more or less distinct. 



"The number of notes in the song varies from 5 to 15, averaging 

 about 10. The length of song varies from 1 to 2% seconds. The 

 pitch ranges from W to F'''', and single songs have ranges from 

 one and one half to three and one half tones, averaging two and one 

 half. These are results from 47 records of the song. 



"The length of individual notes varies, as well as the pitch, short 

 and long notes being mixed irregularly. Occasional notes are ac- 

 cented. Explosive consonant sounds are fairly clear. No one rendi- 

 tion will fit more than one song, but one may give a general idea of 

 the songs. Tsip chitaioee tita wee'ti Ufa tupa tee is an example of 

 one written in the field as I listened to the bird. I have heard a 

 flight song from this bird; it is like the regular song but more 

 prolonged, 



"The Canada warbler sings on the breeding grounds till the middle 

 of July. Records of 14 summers in Allegany State Park give an 

 average date of July 16; the earliest are July 11 (1929 and 1939) 

 and the latest is July 31 (1937). The song is resumed after a rather 

 short interval, in late July or August. This bird sings more fre- 

 quently after the molt than any other warbler I know of. The song 

 is about as common in the first half of August as in early July." 



The animated song of the Canada warbler is regularly heard on 

 migration. Many years ago, I recorded it in Taunton in May as a 

 striking, variegated warble, rapidly uttered and fairly well indicated 

 by such syllables as ^er, chicharew^ chichew^ chicherew, chew, or chick- 



