THE 



WILSON BULLETIN 



NO. 51. 



A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 



VOL. XVII. JUNE, 1905. No. 2 



A YEAR WITH THE BIRDS IN NEW YORK CITY. 



BY GEORGE E. HIX. 



The year 1904 was a very good one for birds in New York 

 City, not only the common species being abundant, but the 

 number of rare species observed being quite large also. The 

 localities worked were Central, Bronx, and Van Cortlandt 

 Parks, and St. Paul's church-yard in the old city, and Coney 

 Island, Rugby, and Rockaway Beach in that portion of Long 

 Island which is now part of the greater city. 



Central Park, in the heart of Manhattan Island, is a good 

 place in migrations, especially for Warblers. At the height 

 of the migrations more than half the birds seen are Warblers. 

 Excepting Robins comparatively few birds breed there, sev- 

 enteen being the average number of species. 



Bronx Park in the northern part of the city has been left 

 mostly in the natural condition, and is the home of about sixty 

 species. The Lawrence Warbler, which nested there the past 

 year, drew more attention to that locality than had been given 

 before. This is a good place in which to study Hawks, as 

 they are not molested. As the larger part of the park is in 

 charge of the New York Zoological Society, every protection 

 and encouragement is given to the birds. 



Although Coney Island is mostly taken as a pleasure re- 

 sort, the extensive marshes back of the beaches are the 

 homes of a number of marsh birds. Seaside and Sharp-tailed 

 Sparrows are abundant summer residents there. During mi- 

 grations shore and sea birds frequently are seen. 



