The Audubon Societies 189 



(litTerent migrating birds go. Can you make a list of ten regular transients 

 which you are sure pass through your vicinity every year? 



What do you know about the migration journey of the American Golden 

 Plover and Connecticut Warbler? After you have studied the routes followed 

 by these two very different kinds of birds, you will understand more nearly 

 what is meant by an Irregular Transient (I. T.). 



You may notice that certain species which nest in your vicinity are also 

 found nesting considerably farther north or even farther south. This means, 

 simply, that the summer range of these species covers a larger area than that 

 of certain other species. Compare the summer home of the Golden Plover 

 with that of the Maryland Yellow-throat or BlackpoU Warbler. Or, better 

 still, compare the summer homes of the Phoebe and Acadian Flycatcher 

 with those of the Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers. 



Whatever birds stop on their northward journey to nest in your vicinity 

 you may call Summer Residents (S. R.). After the nesting-season, you may find, 

 to your surprise, birds which have nested farther south visiting your latitude. 

 Such birds are well named Summer Visitants (S. V.). 



A little Blue Heron or Summer Tanager in southern New^ England, or 

 along that latitude, are Summer Visitants, the former usually coming under 

 the head of an accidental visitor from the south. 



Accidental and Casiial Visitants may come from the north in winter, as 

 well as from the south in summer; or they may come from the east or the 

 west at different seasons of the year. 



A Turkey Vulture from the south or a Yellow-headed Blackbird from the 

 west would be accidental in Maine, because both of these species have their 

 homes so far distant from northeastern New England. On the other hand, the 

 Knot or "Robin Snipe," a transient bird of the coast, would be accidental as 

 far inland as Missouri, as would also the Kittiwake Gull, which comes south in 

 winter only as far as the Great Lakes, except on the coast, where it occa- 

 sionally drifts down to Long Island and Virginia. 



In addition to all of these seasonal movements which have just been 

 mentioned, birds go hither and thither in search of food, or, for no very apparent 

 reason, in somewhat random fashion, making a series of temporary trips 

 throughout their accustomed range. 



When are the birds, then, really at home, and when are they merely visiting 

 different places? 



The home of a bird i^ where it nests, wherever else it may be found at other 

 times of the year. This is an important fact to keep in mind, for many birds 

 actually spend only a small part of their time at home, if we call the nesting- 

 area home. 



As we glance over the map, then, we see that at nearly every point from 

 the Arctic region to the tropics may be found the home of one or more species 



