

THE REDSTART 
Awmost a fourth of the birds usually seen by a good observer 
in a morning’s walk in May or June, belong to a family known 
as Warblers. If they were really as musical as their name suggests, 
people might know them better; but even as it is, their colors are 
often so bright that the birds well repay one who takes the trouble 
to make their acquaintance. Perhaps the best known of the family 
is the Yellow Warbler, not to be confused with the Goldfinch, 
from which the absence of the latter's black cap, wings, and tail 
will distinguish it. The Oven-bird, whose loud feach-er, teach-er, 
teach-ery is so common a sound in dry woods in summer, is another 
member of the Warbler family. The gayest of them all, however, 
in most parts of our country, is the Redstart. His coal black head, 
with bright orange patches at the shoulders, and yellowish bands 
across the wings and tail, suggest a miniature Oriole. 
The Redstart is a splendid bit of color; in Cuba he is known, 
according to Mr. Chapman, as “Candelita,” the little torch. Black 
and orange is a not uncommon combination of color among birds, 
and never fails to be effective. The Redstart, moreover, makes the 
most of his color by keeping both wings and tail spread, so that 
the yellow and orange is constantly displayed. He flits from one 
twig to another, spreading his little black-and-yellow fan, flying 
out, turning his black head and glowing shoulders toward one, and 
continually uttering a little song, not much in itself, and only full 
of meaning and association to the bird’s friends, to whom it suggests 
leafy shade near brooks in the summer heat. 
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