In the Woods. 



ior 



These birds are found in Western North America. They are more 

 common on the Pacific Coast. They breed chiefly north of the United 

 States, wintering as far south as California. There are records of the Varied 

 Thrush from New Jersey, Long Island, and Massachusetts. 



The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a small slim bird deriving much of its 



apparent size from its tail which is two inches long, the entire bird being but 



Blue-gray about four and a half inches in length. Its name fairly 



Gnatcatcher. indicates the general color and the prevailing tones of the 



Polioptila caerulea (Linn.). b}rd are bluish gray- There J g a narrow b l ack band Qn the 



forehead just back of the bill, which extending back defines the fore part of 





BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 



the crown. The middle tail feathers are black and the outer ones white, while 

 the intermediate ones grade from the black of the middle to the white of the 

 outer ones. The blue gray of the general plumage shades to white on the 

 belly. The wings are dusky with blue gray edging the feathers. 



This is a bird of southern distribution, rarely migrating north of New 

 Jersey and Connecticut on the coast, but in the interior extending its journey 

 to the Great Lakes. It breeds throughout its United States range though 

 but sparingly toward the more northern parts indicated. It winters from 

 Georgia and the Gulf States south. The birds build a very elegant cup 

 shaped nest, usually saddled on a horizontal limb, but sometimes in a crotch, 



