GNATCATCHERS 



(751) Polioptila caerulea c£eru= 



lea (Linn.) (Gr., hoary feathers; Lat., 

 cerulean blue). 



BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 

 Ad. cP — Blue-gray above, lightest 

 and brightest on the crown, which is 

 bordered on the sides with black; 

 tail black, the outer feathers wholly 

 white; sides of head and under parts 

 white. Ad. 9 — Similar but with no 

 black on the head. Im. — Similar 

 but gray instead of blue-gray. L., 

 4.50; W., 2.05; T., 2.00; B., .40. Nest 

 — Of fine bark and plant fibres, the 

 high walls being decorated with 

 lichens; saddled on horizontal limbs; 

 eggs bluish-white, spotted all over 

 with reddish-brown, .55 x .44. 



Range — Breeds from N. J., Pa., 

 Ont. and southern Wis. south to the 

 Gulf States. Casual north to New 

 England. 



cult to discover anyway, even though they flit actively about 

 among the thick foliage. 



Although the Ruby-crown breeds a little father to the 

 north than Golden-crowns, they also go farther south in win- 

 ter, very few of them being found in the northern half of the 

 United States at that season. They make their appearance 

 in spring along with the bulk of the migrating hordes of 

 warblers. 



BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, abundant in the 

 United States south of the Ohio Valley, are even smaller- 

 bodied birds than kinglets, but are longer because of their 

 comparatively long tails. While they often may be seen 

 feeding in bushes or piles of brush, they are normally birds 

 of the treetops. If disturbed while they are feeding they 

 scold with a curious little squeaky buzzing note and often 

 show their displeasure by swinging their tails widely from 

 side to side or bobbing them up and down. Their ordinary 

 call note is a rather weak but yet quite penetrating "ting," 



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