BIRDS OF NEW YORK 



387 



Like the Blue-winged warbler, this species is an inhabitant of swampy 

 thickets and the second growth of damp bushy fields, but as far as my 

 experience goes is not so likely to be found in densely forested regions 

 but in open forests with dense growth of shrubbery and always in low 

 lying situations. Its song is a " lazy zee-zee-zee.'' It has also an insect- 

 like call note, and a sharp diip alarm note like that of the Chipping sparrow. 

 Jacobs says that the song, when 



heard near at hand, 

 the syllables " zee- 



sounds like 

 -ee\ zee-u-ee\ 

 zee-u-ee\ zee-u-zwee' ." The nesting 

 site is thus described by Mr Stone 

 from numerous examples discov- 

 ered by himself and Mr Burtch 

 in Potter swamp: 



" Until 1905 the Golden- winged 

 warbler had not been observed 

 here, but as extensive clearings 

 had been made in Potter swamp 

 (Yates county) an ideal nesting 

 area for warblers was created. 

 Mourning and Canadian warblers 

 became more numerous and in 

 1906-7-8 the Golden- winged warb- 

 ler was not an uncommon breeder. 



"Since 1908 the clearings have 

 rapidly grown up with dense bushes and tangled vines, the old logging 

 roads have become obliterated, while the Golden- wings have nearly for- 

 saken the place, which is now (191 2) converted into a typical nesting 

 haunt for such as the Chestnut-sided warbler and Alder flycatcher. 



"The illustration is a typical nesting of this interesting warbler, the 



nests being placed upon the ground, well concealed at the base of and 



in a bunch of weeds or ferns within the shadow of heavy timber, so that 

 25 



Photo by Verdi Burtch 

 Golden-winged warbler's nest and eggs 



