SOUTHERN AMERICAN REDSTART 659 



until at least June 13, another until at least June 19, a third until June 20, and 

 a fourth until June 26. If all four, or even half of these were unmated, the 

 percentage of paired birds would be between 83 and 91. * * * An indeter- 

 minate number of unmated wandering males also exist. * * • 



A male in the immature plumage spent the entire morning softly singing and 

 gradually working its way along 800 yards at the top of the ridge, Tliis bird 

 was furiously driven off by males and females whenever it passed through their 

 territories. Plumage notes on 48 males on territory showed that only four (8.3 

 per cent) were in immature plumage. All four were paired and possessed 

 territories of the same size as those of the adult males. 



The size of territories was about one acre or less, but in one instance was 

 compressed to about half an acre. Approximately twenty-two pairs (or males) 

 each year occupied the 39.93 acres under investigation. Their boundaries were 

 observed in two cases to brealj down on June 17, when young were being fed in 

 the nest. Interspecies competition or jealously were seldom in evidence. Red- 

 starts and Ovenbirds were the two most dominant species of the slope and both 

 would sing in the same tree without the slightest evidence of hostility. The 

 former was once seen briefly fighting with a Blacls and White Warbler, 



Nesting. — In Maine the redstart is an inliabitant of the hardwood or 

 mixed deciduous and coniferous woodlands. These may be in low, 

 damp situations but many of them are found in the second growth of 

 trees and brush of our dry sandy plains. Often the nests are found in 

 the thick growth of small trees which border the forest of larger trees, 

 as well as in places where trees have sprung up along the roadsides. 

 Others may be found in alder and willow thickets bordering our 

 streams and ponds. In New York, it nests in low, damp woods ; it has 

 been found in mixed woodland with a considerable growth of pine and 

 hemlock; and in the Adirondacks its nesting site is often in places 

 where spruces predominate. In Ohio, Michigan, and other sections of 

 the Middle West it frequents the maple, elm, ash, and pin-oak associa- 

 tion of the larger, more mature swamp forests, although sometimes 

 found among similar trees and brush in the larger upland woods. In 

 the far Northwest it shows a decided preference for willow trees and 

 alder thickets. 



There is a tendency for the redstart to forsake the seclusion of the 

 woodlands and, like the yellow warbler, to build its nest in trees and 

 shrubbery adjacent to human habitations. It may even use the 

 exterior of a human dwelling for a nesting site. Annie Lyman Sears 

 of Waltham, Mass,, reports that a nest was built on a bracket above a 

 Venetian ironwork lantern hanging before the front door of her home 

 The redstart has also taken up its residence in the parks located in the 

 midst of some of our densely populated cities. 



The most usual site of the nest of the redstart is an upright, 3- or 

 4-pronged crotch of a dead or live hardwood sapling, such as a maple, 

 elm, ash, or birch. The majority of the nests range from 4 to 20 feet 

 above the ground with an average height of about 7 feet. However, in 

 many instances the redstart has selected other than typical nesting sites. 



