556 ANIMAL LIFE IN THE YOSEMITE 



the bird does a great deal of twisting to one side or the other, and jerks 

 the tail this way and that, but it does not 'curtsy' or bob down and up 

 spasmodically like the Canon Wren or the Rock Wren. While engaged 

 in foraging it is not an uncommon thing for this wren to drop down and 

 hop twistingly about on the ground, with the tail held aloft. But when 

 the male sings he is apt to perch rather quietly; and then his tail hangs 

 directly downward in the manner of a thrasher. 



The Bewick Wren has a rather extensive repertoire, consisting of 

 several phrases or 'small songs' each of which is itself set in character. 

 Variety is displayed in the manner or sequence in which these are put 

 together. There is a 'full song,' as indicated at the beginning of this 

 chapter. Another rendering, taten down in the field, was see, see, see, see, 

 sing, sing, sing, sing, sir. Always the song is quick timed and full of 

 sibilants. The ending is usually of three or four clear notes, see, see, see, 

 see; not infrequently these alone are given as a song. Again a bird will 

 call eent, eent, eent, eent, rather slowly, and then sing zree-ier-er-er-er, the 

 latter being a trill of short duration. The call notes of the species differ 

 in quality markedly from time to time even in the same individual. Some- 

 times they are coarse, staccato utterances, given in sharp series; again, 

 they are low, mildly harsh sounds, uttered now and then, singly. 



Western House Wren. Troglodytes aedon parkmani (Audubon) 



Field characters. — Much smaller than Junco ; more nearly size of Kinglet ; bill slen- 

 der, nearly straight. General coloration dull brown, paler on under surface. No con- 

 trasted markings of any sort. (See pi. 54.) Very active and talkative. Voice: Song 

 of male a rapidly delivered series of bubbling notes ; song repeated at frequent intervals ; 

 call note harsh and scolding. 



Occurrence. — Common summer visitant to Upper Sonoran Zone on west slope and to 

 Transition Zone on east side of Sierra Nevada. Eecorded from Pleasant Valley east- 

 ward to El Portal and also about Mono Lake. After nesting season many immature 

 individuals invade higher altitudes, as at Glacier Point (August 17), Merced Lake 

 (August 21), Washburn Lake (August 24), and head of Lyell Canon at 9200 feet 

 (July 23, all dates in 1915). A few individuals winter in western part of region as 

 at El Portal (December 4, 1914) and Snelling (January 2 and 6, 1915). Lives near 

 ground (usually below 10 feet), chiefly about deciduous trees. Solitary or in pairs. 



The Western House Wren or Parkman Wren is a common and con- 

 spicuous element in the summer bird life in the oak belt of the western foot- 

 hill country. It is present also in small numbers from May until September 

 east of the Sierras. Were these two separated areas the only territory 

 visited by the birds, the species would not often come to the attention of 

 the Yosemite traveler. But in the late summer and early fall months the 

 young wrens which have been reared in the Upper Sonoran and Transition 

 zones invade the higher levels, even to the Hudsonian Zone, and continue 

 there for some weeks before departing southward. 



