44 swainson's warbler 



Swainson's Warbler 



HELINAIA SWAINSONI Aud. Plate IV 



Distinguishing Characters. — A brownish bird without white in wings or 

 tail; sexes alike. Length (skin), 5.00; wing, 2.80; tail, 1.95; bill, .60. 



Adult <?, Spring. — Crown cinnamon-brown, forehead with a more or less 

 indistinct buffy median streak; a whitish line over the eye and a dusky streak 

 through it; back olive-brown; tail the same without white patches; wings, 

 like back, without white bars or edgings; underparts whitish more or less tinged 

 with yellowish, the sides grayer; bill brownish, legs flesh-color. 



Adult d, Fall. — Not seen; doubtless not materially different from the last. 



Young <?, Fall.— Doubtless similar to adult <$ in Fall. 



Adult ?, Spring. — Similar to adult 6" in Spring. 



Adult 2, Fall.— Not seen, doubtless resembles Spring $. 



Young 2, Fall. — Similar to $ in Spring. 



Nestling. — Above cinnamon-brown, paler below, the belly whitish. 

 General Distribution. — Eastern United States; north to Virginia 

 and Indiana ; west to the Mississippi River. 



Summer Range. — This is one of the rarer Warblers of the United 

 States ; its breeding range on the Atlantic coast extends from northern 

 Florida (the lower Suwanee River) to Virginia (Dismal Swamp). 

 It is strictly a swamp lover and along the Gulf coast to Louisiana, it 

 is not uncommon in the few localities that seem suited to its habits. 

 Thence it ranges up the Mississippi River to southeastern Missouri, 

 and up the Wabash to Knox county, Indiana. Accidental twice in 

 Texas (Navarro county, August 24, 1880; Port Bolivar, April 17, 

 1904) and once in Mexico (Vera Cruz, winter, 1887-88). 



Winter Range. — So far as known, Jamaica, where it has been 

 taken from October 1 to April 8. 



Spring Migration. — The earliest recorded spring arrival in the 

 United States was on March 22, 1890 on the lower Suwanee River. 

 The same year the species was "taken at the Tortugas, March 25 to 

 April 5. The other records of the first arrival in spring are: Som- 

 brero Key lighthouse April 3, 1889; Savannah, Ga., April 8-16, 

 1894; Kirkwood, Ga., May 4, 1898; Frogmore, S. C April 1-5, 

 1885; New Orleans, La., April 8, 1898; April 1, 1904; March 30, 

 1905; Bayou Sara, La., April 8, 1887; Coosada, Ala., April 12, 1878. 

 Fall Migration. — This begins rather late when compared with 

 the date of nesting. Fledged young have been seen near Charleston, 

 S. C, by June 9, but the earliest date of striking at Sombrero light- 

 house is August 17, 1888; other dates at this lighthouse extend from 

 September 14, 1884, to October 26, 1885, and at Key West, Fla., from 

 the middle of September to September 20. 



