204 Bird - Lore 



Mr. E. H. Forbush, in his book "Useful Birds and their Protection," 

 has written: 



"The insect-food of the Redstart is perhaps more varied than that of any 

 other common Warbler. Apparently there are few forest insects of small size 

 that do not, in some of their forms, fall a prey to this bird. Caterpillars that 

 escape some of the slower birds by spinning down from the branches and hang- 

 ing by their silken threads are snapped up in mid-air by the Redstart. It takes 

 its prey from trunk, limbs, twigs, leaves, and also from the air, so that there 

 is no escape for the tree insects which it pursues, unless they reach the upper 

 air, where the Redstart seldom goes, except in migration. It has been named 

 the fly-catcher of the inner tree tops, but it is a fly-catcher of the bush tops 

 as well. 



"While there are few small pests of deciduous trees that it does not eat in 

 some form, it is not confined to these trees, but forages more or less among con- 

 iferous trees. Also it is seen at times in orchards, and gleans among shade- 

 trees in locaUties where the woods are cut away. It is impossible to weigh the 

 pros and cons of this bird's food, for no thorough examination of it has ever 

 been made. It is an efficient caterpillar hunter, and one of the most destructive 

 enemies of the smaller hairy caterpillars. It catches bugs, moths, gnats, two- 

 -winged flies, small grasshoppers, and beetles. It probably secures a larger 

 proportion of parasitic hymenoptera and diptera than most other Warblers, 

 occasionally destroying a few wasps; otherwise, its habits seem to be entirely 

 beneficial." 



The summer home of the Redstart extends as far northward as Labrador 

 and southern Alaska; in fact, it goes almost to the Hmit of tree-growth through- 

 out Canada. The southern boundary of its breeding-range may be roughly 

 traced by a Hne extending from the North Carohna Mountains to Utah, and 

 thence northwesterly to northern Washington. In a few cases, breeding birds 

 have been found south of this area, for its nesting has been reported at Greens- 

 boro, Alabama; Hopefield, and Jackson, Mississippi; and at Fort Union, 

 New Mexico. 



As this species is highly insectivorous in its feeding habits, it of necessity 

 must depart from the land of frost upon the approach of winter. Therefore, 

 Redstarts migrate southward through the Southern States. Many in the East 

 follow down the peninsula of Florida, and then across to Cuba, Haiti, and others 

 of the West Indies Islands, where they pass the winter. The larger number, 

 however, reach the sea at various points along the west coast of Florida, Missis- 

 sippi, Louisiana, and eastern Texas. Here they pause only long enough to sup- 

 ply themselves well with food, and then at the close of day start out boldly 

 across the Gulf of Mexico. Their journey to Yucatan or to western Cuba is 

 made in a single night, although the distance is from five to seven hundred miles. 



Many of the Warblers pass their winter on the eastern shore of southern 

 Mexico and Central America, although numbers of others push on by the 



