PALM WARBLER (Dendroica palmarum 

 palmarum) 



Range : Breeds in Canadian Zone from south- 

 ern Mackenzie (Fort Simpson) and central 

 Keewatin south and southeast to northern Min- 

 nesota : winters from southern Florida and the 

 Bahamas to the Greater Antilles and Yucatan. 



The palm warhler, including under this name 

 both the eastern and western, or yellow (l>cii- 

 droica palmarum liypochrysea) , representatives 

 of tlie species, is for the most part an inhabit- 

 ant of the Mississippi Valley and the region 

 eastward, spending' its nesting season chiefly 

 north of our nortliern frontier. It is, there- 

 fore, as a spring and fall migrant that it is best 

 known. Its somewhat subdued tints of olive 

 and j'cUow streaked with brown class it among 

 the less conspicuous members of the warbler 

 group, but its motions and habits unmistakably 

 distinguish it from its fellows. Though often 

 associating with other warblers as they flit 

 from tree to tree, the palm warbler keeps close 

 to Mother Earth and not infrequently visits 

 pastures and stulilile far from cover of any 

 sort. I'avorite hunting grounds are old fences 

 and even buildings. 



Perhaps the most salient characteristic of 

 this little warbler is the almost incessant tip-up 

 motion of its tail, in which respect it recalls a 

 bird in no wise related to it — the spotted sand- 

 piper, or "tip-up," of pond and stream. It nests 

 on the ground. Its song is a low, faint trill, 

 characteristically warblerlike, but in no way 

 remarkable. It winters in great numbers in 

 Florida, and in 187 1 I found it wintering in 

 loose flocks of considerable size near Lakes 

 Borgne and Ponchartrain, Louisiana, where it 

 fed chiefly on the ground and among low 

 bushes. 



PRAIRIE WARBLER (Dendroica discolor) 



Range : Breeds chiefly in Carolinian and 

 Austroriparian Zones from southeastern Ne- 

 braska, eastern Kansas, southern Ohio, south- 

 western Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, 

 and (along the coast) from IMassachusetts 

 south to southwestern Missouri, northern Mis- 

 sissippi, northwestern Georgia, Florida, and 

 the Baliamas, and north locally to central l\Tich- 

 igan, southern Ontario, and New Flampshire; 

 winters from central Florida through the Ba- 

 hamas and the West Indies. 



The prairie, a dainty little warbler in its 

 variegated black, yellow, and chestnut dress, is 

 common from Florida to the New England 

 States and from Nebraska and Kansas east to 

 the Atlantic. Its choice of habitat varies con- 

 sideralily locally ; but wherever it may be found 

 there is nothing in the habits of the bird that 

 justifies its common name, which is entirely 

 misleading, since it has no predilection for 

 prairies or indeed for open country of any sort. 

 In Massachusetts it frequents rocky barberry 

 pastures on onen hillsides dotted with cedars. 

 About Washington it frequents sprout lands, 

 and wlien it first arrives from the south is 

 found almost exclusively in groves of the Jer- 

 sey scrub pine or in junipers. It is an active 

 insect hunter, moving rapidly among the foli- 

 age, now here, now there, ever and again send- 

 ing forth its characteristic song. Its unusually 

 compact and pretty nest is often placed in the 

 crotcli of a barberry bush in Massaclmsetls or 

 elsewliere in junipers or in low deciduous 

 bushes. 



NORTHERN WATER-TFIRUSH (Seiurus 

 noveboracencis noveboracensis) 



Range : Breeds chiefly in Canadian Zone from 

 northern Ontario, northern Ungava, and New- 

 foundland south- to central Ontario, northwest- 

 ern New York, and northern New England, 

 and in mountains south to Pennsylvania and 

 West \irginia; winters from tlic \ alley of 

 Mexico to Colombia and British Guiana, and 

 from the Bahamas throughout the West Indies. 



So far as appearance, motions, and habits go, 

 the water-thrush is more thrush than warbler, 

 and one who sees him for the first time walk- 

 ing sedately along with teetering tail may well 

 be excused for declining to class liim with the 

 warbler family. He is partial to swamps and 

 wet places, is a ground frequenter, and in no 

 real sense arboreal. Though an inhabitant of 

 the wilds and showing strong preference for 

 swampy ground, he not infrequently visits .gar- 

 dens even in populous towns, and seems to be 

 quite at home there in the shade of the shrub- 

 bery. A sharp and characteristic alarm note 

 often calls the attention of the chance passer- 

 by, who would otherwise overlook the bird in 

 its shady recesses. 



Few who are privileged to hear its notes will 

 dissent from the opinion tliat tlie water-thrush 

 is one of the foremost of the warliler choir 

 and a real musician. The Ijird is a ground 

 builder, placing its nest under tlie roots of an 

 upturned tree, in banks, or in cavities of vari- 

 ous sorts. 



LOUISIANA WATER-THRUSH 

 (Seiurus motacilla) 



Range: Breeds mainly in Carolinian Zone 

 from southeastern Nebraska, sotitheastern ]\Iin- 

 nesota, and the southern parts of Michigan, 

 Ontario, New York, and New England south 

 to northeastern Texas, northern Georgia, and 

 central South Carolina ; winters from northern 

 Mexico to Colombia, tlie Greater Antilles, An- 

 tigua, and tlie Bahamas. 



The Louisiana water-thrush, thou.gh not un- 

 like its northern relati\'c in general appearance, 

 is very different in disposition and habits, and 

 I know of no bird more shy and difficult to 

 watch. It frequents the banks and neighbor- 

 hood of clear streams that run through wood- 

 lands and tangles of laurel. One hears the 

 sharp note of challenge or the wild ringing 

 song, but any attempt to see the singer, unless 

 made with the utmost caution, will end in dis- 

 appointment or in a casual glimpse of a small, 

 brown bird flitting like a shadow thrcmgh the 

 brush. 



The song of either water-thrush is of a 

 high order of excellence. I cannot but think, 

 however, that the song of the Louisiana water- 

 thrush gains over that of its tuneful rival by 

 partakin.g somewhat of the nature of its wild 

 surroundings, and that its song is enhanced by 

 its accompaniments — the murmur of the wood- 

 land brook and the wdiisper of the foliage — 

 among which it is heard. Quite a number of 

 our birds habitually teeter or wag their tails, 

 but few as persistently as the water-thrushes. 



KENTUCKY WARBLER (Oporornis 

 formosus) 



(For text, see page 90) 



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