236 



BIRDS OF AiMERICA 



south to California. Arizona, and New Mexico. 

 It is darker than the Alaska Hermit, the back 

 being a sepia-brown. 



The Monterey Hermit Thrush ( Hylocichla 

 guttata slcvini) is smaller, paler, and grayer than 

 the Alaskan. California is its home and the 

 winter is spent in Mexico and Lower California. 



The Sierra Hermit Thrush {Hylocichla gut- 

 tata scquoiensis) is slightly darker and decidedly 

 larger than the Monterey and larger but paler 

 and grayer than the Alaskan. It is found in 



the high mountains of southern California north 

 to southern British Columbia. In the winter it 

 goes to western Texas and over the border into 

 Mexico and Lower California. 



Similar in coloration to the Sierra Hermit 

 but decidedly larger is Audubon's, or the Rocky 

 Mountain, Hermit Thrush (Hylocichla guttata 

 auduboni). It breeds from British Columbia 

 and Montana south to Nevada, Arizona, and 

 New Mexico and winters in western and central 

 Texas and south over Mexico to Guatemala. 



ROBIN 



Planesticus migratorius migratorius ( Linucvus) 



A n. V. Xiimbcr ;(.i 



Other Names. — Fieldfare; Common Roliin ; Roliin 

 Redbreast: Redbreast; Migratory Thrush; Canada 

 Robin; Northern Robin; American Robin. 



General Description. — Length, lo inches. Head, 

 black ; upper parts, gray ; under parts, reddish and 

 white. Bill, decidedly shorter than head, compressed, 

 terminal :'j gradually and increasingly curved down- 

 ward ; wings, rather long and pointed ; tail, shorter 

 than wing, even or slightly rounded, the feathers broad. 



Color. — Adult Male in Spring and Summer: Head 

 black: chin white; throat streaked with white and 

 black; back, lesser wing-coverts, rump, and upper tail- 

 coverts plain, deep mouse-gray or brownish slate-gray ; 

 larger wing-coverts and tertials darker, becoming pale 

 mouse-gray on edges ; primary coverts dark brownish 

 slate, or dusky, edged with pale gray ; tail dull slate- 

 black or sooty black, with narrow grayish edgings ; 

 chest, breast, upper abdomen, sides, flanks, and under 

 wing-coverts plain, deep cinnamon-rufous ; lower abdo- 

 men, anal region, and under tail-coverts, white, the 

 latter with concealed portion mainly gray; zvJiitc spots 

 at the extremities of the outer tail-feathers, showing 

 plainly when the bird is in flinht : bill, yellow; 

 iris, deep brown ; legs and feet, dark horn color or 

 blackish brown. Adult Male in Autumn and Winter : 

 Similar to the spring and summer plumage, but gray 

 of upper parts tinged with olive; cinnamon-rufous 

 feathers of under parts ed.ged with white and other 

 slight variations of the normal plumage. Adult 

 Female: Similar to the male, but usually much duller 

 in color, with gray of upper parts lighter and browner 

 and encroaching more on head, the blackisli feathers 



of under parts paler. Young: Head as in adults, but 

 tlie black duller ; back and shoulders, grayish-brown or 

 olive ; rump and upper tail-coverts, brownish-gray ; 

 wings and tail as in adults, but wing-coverts with 

 terminal wedge-shaped spots or streaks of pale rusty, 

 buff, or whitish ; chin and throat, white or pale buffy. 

 margined laterally with a stripe of blackish or a line 

 of blackish streaks; under parts cinnamon-rufous, con- 

 spicuously spotted in very young birds with black, 

 the lower abdomen white or pale buffy. 



Nest and Eggs. — Mest: A thick but symmetrical 

 bowl, made of mud reinforced with leaves and twigs, 

 in which are frequently woven leaves, twine, paper and 

 rags. It is lined with soft grass, and may be placed 

 (frequently quite near the ground) in any kind of tree. 

 or upon any suitable projection from a house, or within 

 or without barns, sheds, and other outbuildings. Eggs : 

 4 or 5 (occasionally 6), greenish-blue, unmarked; 

 usually two broods a season and sometimes three. 



Distribution. — Eastern and northern North Am- 

 erica ; breeding from the southern Alleghenies (in 

 western North Carolina, etc.), Pennsylvania, New Jer- 

 sey, the New England States, Ohio, central and north- 

 ern Indiana and Illinois, Iowa, northward to the limit 

 of tree growth in Ungava (Fort Chimo), and north- 

 westward to the valley of Kowak River in northwestern 

 Alaska; westward nearly to the Rocky Mountains (to 

 the Pacific at Cook Inlet. Alaska) ; in winter south- 

 ward to southern Florida and along the Gulf coast 

 to Texas ; accidental or occasional in the Bermudas 

 and Cuba; accidental in Europe (as escapes from 

 captivity ?). 



The Robin's remarkably wide distribution, its 

 conspicuous plumage ( notably the fine red breast 

 and black head of the male), its reputation as 

 a harbinger of spring, and above all its evident 



fondness for human society, have combined to 

 make it probably the best known bird in .America. 

 Its chief rival seems to be the Bluebird, whose 

 ranee is virtuallv as <rreat as that of the Robin, 



