BIRDS OF FERGUS COUNTY, MONTANA 63 



652. YELLOW WARBLER. Dendroica aestiva. 



This beautiful songster, the familiar yellow bird of our groves and 

 thickets, is abundant in summer in the woodlands of our prairie districts. 

 By the second week of May, the ringing ditties of this warbler make the 

 groves vocal with melody. One Memorial Day of a belated season, a 

 company of yellow warblers and goldfinches had congregated in the trees 

 en the creek near the home of Rudolf von Tobel, and as they flitted here 

 and there among the branches, uttering their gentle snatches of song, the 

 scene was one to attract the attention of any friend of the birds. 



The yellow warbler nests in the low bushes of its resorts, selecting 

 a site in an upright crotch between three and eight feet from the ground, 

 though at times nests are found in higher situations. The nest is made of 

 strips of weed-bark, and shreds of grayish material, felted within with 

 downy pistils and other soft substances. The eggs have a greenish, white 

 background, and are marked with varying shades of dark brown. 



Distinguishing features: Upper parts yellowish olive; lower parts 

 pamboge yellow, chest and sides streaked with reddish brown; length 

 about 5 inches. 



646. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. Helminthophila celata. 



This warbler is not uncommon as a migrant in this region, and its 

 occurrence has been noted chiefly in early spring. Capt. Thome found it 

 common in April and May at Ft. Keogh. Messrs. Richmond and Knowlton 

 reported its occurrence in south-central Montana early in September. 



Distinguishing features: Upper parts dark olive-green; head with 

 a crown-patch of concealed orange-red; lower parts pale yellow, frequently 

 indistinctly streaked with darker; length about 5 inches. 



655. MYRTLE WARBLER. Dendroica coronata. 



This handsome warbler is a common migrant near Lewistown, where 

 it is noted chiefly in the spring. On April 26, 1903, a male in fine plumage 

 was taken in a thicket near Big Spring Creek, where it was in company 

 v.ith another, both in song. Capt. Thorne reports the species common at 

 Ft. Keogh in the spring. 



Distinguishing features: Crown with a yellow stripe; rump, and 

 spot on side of breast, yellow; other upper parts chiefly bluish gray, 

 striped with black; wings with two bands of white; throat and belly 

 white; breast streaked with black; outer tail feathers with inner webs 

 marked with white; female with duller colors; length 5-6 inches. Easily dis- 

 tinguished from Audubon's warbler by having throat white, instead of 

 yellow, and by the white stripes in front of and behind the eye. 



656. AUDUBON'S WARBLER. Dendroica auduboni. 



A resident of the higher mountainous regions in summer. This 

 v/arbler frequents the tall coniferous trees, flitting actively among the fol- 

 iage in quest of food, and singing in well-voiced measures as it pursues 

 its domestic duties. The song is somewhat like that of the Townsend 

 warbler, but is continued where that of the latter ends, by the addition of 

 several "zee" syllables. In this region the singing of the Audubon war- 



