THE BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER 



{Polioptila c(zrulea.) 



One of the most interesting of the 

 smaUer migrating birds is the busy Httle 

 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. This tiny song- 

 ster is constantly on the move, and is a 

 veritable woodland acrobat. Its move- 

 ments when flitting nervously about in 

 a bush or tree are both interesting and 

 amusing, as it jumps about the branches 

 and suspends itself from the twigs, all 

 the while spreading and folding its tail 

 in a truly wonderful manner. As has 

 been noted by diflferent ornithologists, 

 this feathered songster, in its suit of 

 quaker gray, seems to combine the hab- 

 its of warblers, flycatchers and titmice. 

 Though restless to an intense degree, the 

 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is not shy and will 

 allow the intruder to secure a good look 

 at him, in fact, seeming to rather enjoy 

 the publicity and to excel in his acrobatic 

 feats on such occasions. 



The common note of the Blue-gray 

 Gnatcatcher resembles the words tszee- 

 tszee. This call is interspersed by sounds 

 which resemble the squeaks and other 

 noises made by the catbird, and it has 

 been likened to the call of that familiar 

 bird. Its love song consists of a low 

 sweet note which has been described by 

 Dr. A. LeMoyne as follows: "Twing- 

 twing-tzving-twing, ree-ree-ree-ree, first 

 half rising scale, latter descending, fol- 

 lowed by the low jumble of warbles, 

 which defies any representation." 



The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a migra- 

 tory bird breeding from the gulf coast 

 of the United States northward to New 

 York, Ontario, southern Michigan, and 

 northern Illinois. It occurs as far west 

 as eastern Nebraska and western Texas 

 and occasional stragglers have been re- 

 ported from Maine and Minnesota. It 

 spends its winters in Florida, Guatemala 

 and parts of the West Indies. They 

 reach the northern limit of their breed- 

 ing range about the middle or latter part 

 of April, and nest building soon occupies 

 their attention. This nest is a striking 



and beautiful piece of bird architecture, 

 somewhat resembling that of the hum- 

 mingbird and appearing much too large 

 for the use of such a diminutive bird. It 

 is placed on a limb, generally in saddle 

 form or sometimes, in a fork of the tree, 

 from ten to fifty feet above the ground. 

 Though very large in external diameter 

 it is small on the inside and is built- 

 strongly for the protection of the tiny 

 eggs. It is so deep that when the female 

 is sitting upon the eggs her tail and her 

 head are pointed directly upward, a posi- 

 tion which would appear to be anything 

 but comfortable. 



The chief beauty of the nest lies in the 

 material of which it is constructed, which 

 consists of the softest and daintiest sub- 

 stances which the forest affords — moss, 

 the scales of buds and blossoms, fern 

 fronds, hairs, fibres and spider's webs — 

 the whole outside being thickly covered 

 with dainty lichens which frequently give 

 the nest a glistening effect. The inside 

 of the nest is lined with fine grass, feath- 

 ers and vegetable down. While build- 

 ing the nest the birds as a rule will not 

 be disturbed by the presence of a human 

 being, but keep right on working un- 

 mindful of his presence. Occasionally, 

 however, a pair of birds will scold the 

 intruder until he leaves the vicinity. The 

 female appears to be the "superintendent 

 of construction," trying the nest fre- 

 quently as it progresses. In shaping and 

 forming the nest the bill is used much as 

 a potter uses his fingers in shaping the 

 vessel of clay. Great pains is taken by 

 these birds in the construction of their 

 nest not only for its utility but for its 

 ornamentation as well. The eggs are 

 four or five in number and are greenish 

 or bluish-white with fine spots of brown. 

 They are almost round, being a trifle 

 longer than wide, the length being about 

 half an inch. 



After the nesting season is over the 

 birds become comparatively quiet and 



no 



