173 CERULEAN WARBLER 



Winter Range. — Western South America from Panama to Peru. 



Spring Migration. — In migration this species shuns the south 

 Atlantic States and the West Indies (except casually), passes through 

 Central America east of Mexico, and enters the United States prin- 

 cipally in the Mississippi Valley. 



Fall Migration. — The Cerulean Warbler is one of the earliest to 

 start south and reaches the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi on dates 

 ranging, in different years, from July 12 to 29. The birds are most 

 numerous there early in August. The latest migrants have been noted 

 at London, Ontario, September i, 1900; Livonia, Mich., September i, 

 1892; Beaver, Pa., September 14, 1889; Berwyn, Pa., September 

 27, 1889; Eubank, Ky., September 14, 1887; Chester County, S. C, 

 as late as October 22. 



The Bird and its Haunts. — The Cerulean Warbler is distinguished 

 alike by its color and by its geographical distribution. No other War- 

 bler resembles it in plumage, none has a similar range. Like certain 

 other Mississippi Valley birds it appears to be gradually extending its 

 range eastward through central New York and possibly it may event- 

 ually reach the maple groves of Vermont. 



Although locally abundant as far east as central New York the 

 bird, true to its route of range extension, migrates southward through 

 the Mississippi Valley and along the Alleghenies, being so rare on the 

 Atlantic seaboard, except in Delaware, as to be considered almost "acci- 

 dental." 



In Mississippi, Allison writes, the Cerulean is "a typical wood 

 Warbler ; it prefers rich mixed woods, its metropolis in migration being 

 the upland beech woods. On the coast it is common in woods of oak 

 and hickory, but shows no objection to pine." 



Near St. Louis, Mo., where Smith^ has found upwards of forty 

 nests in a season, the bird frequents sycamores. In the White Water 

 Valley of southeastern Indiana, where Butler' considers the bird to 

 be as abundant as anywhere within its range, this Warbler is found 

 more frequently along the river valleys and upon hillsides than upon 

 the upland; they prefer the more open woodland, especially that in 

 which the prevailing timber is sugar-maple, elm and linden. They are 

 not gregarious and where found appear to be evenly distributed. 

 They are seldom found nearer the ground than twenty feet, ranging 

 from this height to the tops of the tallest trees. * * * When high 

 in the trees they may be easily mistaken for Flycatchers, and when 

 lower down, among the larger branches, their habits remind one of 

 the Titmouse and Creeper. 



