THE VERDIN. 



( A uriparus flaviceps. ) 



The Verdin, or the Yellow-headed 

 Bush-titmouse as it is frequently called, 

 is one of our most beautiful and inter- 

 esting little birds. In size, the birds of 

 this species vary from four to four and 

 one-half inches in length, and are 

 smaller than some of the species of 

 hummingbirds, which frequent the same 

 regions. 



It is to be regretted that their distribu- 

 tion is so limited that they are known to 

 but a few of those who enjoy the study 

 of birds and their habits. While the 

 Verdins are abundant in certain locali- 

 ties, their geographical range is quite 

 limited. They are known to frequent 

 Mexico, and the southern border of the 

 United States from the Valley of the 

 Rio Grande River westward to Arizona, 

 and southern California. They are oc- 

 casionally seen as far north as southern 

 Nevada and southwestern Utah. They 

 are also abundant in Lower California, 

 especially in the vicinity of Cape St. 

 Lucas. 



Many observers have found it very 

 difficult to study the living Verdins be- 

 cause of their extreme wildness, flying 

 rapidly when approached to a very dis- 

 tant point before alighting. 



Though the Verdins are very small 

 birds they build remarkable nests, which 

 are both large and bulky. In the ''Or- 

 nithology of California" the following 

 interesting observation of Dr. J. G. 

 Cooper regarding the nesting habits of 

 the Verdins is given : "On the tenth of 



March, I found a pair building, first 

 forming a wall nearly spherical in out- 

 lines, out of thorny twigs of Algarobia 

 (the honey-mesquit), in which tree the 

 nest is usually built; then lining it with 

 softer twigs, leaves, down of plants and 

 feathers, covering the outside with 

 thorns, until it becomes a mass as large 

 as a man's head, or nine inches by five 

 and a half on the outside." He found 

 that the cavity measured four and a half 

 by nearly three inches, and that there 

 was an opening on one 'side just large 

 enough for the bird to enter. Another 

 observer, who studied the Verdins at 

 San Lucas, California, where he found 

 them abundant, says that for the most 

 part the nests were hung from low aca- 

 cia trees and on the extreme outer 

 branches. He states that in all cases 

 the entrance was at the lower end or 

 toward the ground, and he speaks of one 

 nest that was over two feet long. Mr. 

 Davie states that the nests are either 

 globular, flask-shaped or retort-shaped 

 in form, the wall being an interwoven 

 mass of thorny twigs and stems, and 

 that they are lined with feathers. 



It is said that the Verdins while 

 searching for their insect food, will of- 

 ten remain suspended with their backs 

 downward as do the titmice. Their 

 song is quite like that of the chickadee. 

 Dr. Cooper also heard them utter a loud 

 cry, as they perched on high twigs, and 

 a triple lisping note sounding Hkc the 

 syllables tzee-tee-tee. 



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