[500] BIRDS OF OREGON 



brewsteri Grinnell and those east of the mountains in the present race. 

 The two seem to be poorly differentiated in this State, and we can see 

 little value in continued recognition of a race based on such slight and 

 variable characters. Therefore we are including all of our breeding 

 Yellow Warblers here. 



The Eastern Yellow Warbler was first reported from Oregon by Bendire 

 (1877), who found it breeding in abundance at Camp Harney, a status 

 that persists to this day. Many subsequent writers have mentioned it, 

 and we now know it to be a common summer resident in every county. 

 It usually arrives in early May (earliest date, April 2.4, Multnomah 

 County) and remains until September (latest date, September 2.1, Lake 

 County). It is the most conspicuous of all breeding warblers, the bright- 

 yellow coloring and simple song being familiar to everyone interested in 

 birds. It is very common in the willow thickets and brush patches of 

 the State, and along stream bottoms the eggs are laid in June. Our ex- 

 treme dates for numerous nests with complete sets, largely in Multnomah 

 County, are May 14 and June 2.7, although doubtless these could be 

 considerably extended by more observations. Patterson (ms.) reported 

 numerous sets from southern Oregon between May 2. and June 6. 



Alaska Yellow Warbler: 



Dendroica aestiva rubiginosa (Pallas) 



DESCRIPTION. Similar to Dendroica a. aestiva, but slightly smaller and much duller 

 in color. Adult male: darker and duller olive green above, the pileum concolor with 

 the back, or else becoming slightly more yellowish on the forehead and fore part of 

 crown- wing edgings less conspicuous. Adult female: darker and duller olive-green 

 above, duller yellow below. Nest and eggs: Similar to those of D. a. aestiva. 

 DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds in Alaska and south to Vancouver Island. Winters 

 from Mexico southward. In Oregon: Detected only as spring migrant to date. 



THE DIFFERENCES between the recognized races of Yellow Warbler are so 

 vague that it is difficult to distinguish with certainty the Alaska Yellow 

 Warbler. Birds that appear identical with breeding birds from the British 

 Columbia coast are considered to be this form. We have specimens 

 from Bend (May n), Brownsboro (May 13), Newberg (May 15), Baker 

 (May 2.7), Portland (June 5 and 7), and Prineville (June 2.1) that seem 

 to belong here. These birds are somewhat smaller and slightly darker 

 than breeding birds and have more yellow on the forehead, but the line 

 between these specimens and local birds is not clearly defined. 



Myrtle Warbler: 



Dendroica coronata (Linnaeus) 



DESCRIPTION. "Adult male in spring and summer: Crown patch and rump bright yellow; 

 rest of upper parts bluish gray, streaked with black; wings with two white bars; 

 tail black with gray edgings; outer pair of tail feathers with large spots of white; 

 throat white; rest of under parts black, yellow, and white. Adult female in spring and 



