192 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



single individual taken at Leighton, May 5, 1890,* and Avery 

 mentions the capture of two at Greensboro, September 20 and 

 23, 1890.t 



General habits. — This flycatcher may be found most fre- 

 quently in low undergrowth along streams and the borders of 

 swamps. In its summer home in the northern wilderness it 

 lives in deep, moist, coniferous or mixed forests. By reason 

 of its quiet and retiring ways the bird is little known. In its 

 migrations, it is usually silent and hence doubly difficult to 

 identify. 



ACADIAN FLYCATCHER : Empidonax virescens 

 (Vieillot). 



State records. — The Acadian flycatcher is a characteristic 

 southern bird — ^the only member of its genus breeding in the 

 State. It is common and generally distributed as a summer 

 resident. First arrivals from the South were seen at Wood- 

 bine, April 13 (1908) ; Greensboro, April 18 (1891) ; Au- 

 taugaville, April 15 (1912) ; and Leighton, April 20 (1892). 

 In fall I found this bird at Castleberry as late as October 10 

 (1908). Eggs have been found at York, May 14; Leighton, 

 May 26 and June 4; and Autaugaville, May 28 and June 12, 

 the last about ready to hatch. 



General habits. — This little flycatcher is found chiefly in 

 swampy timber and moist, wooded ravines. It is shy and 

 rather quiet, not readily distinguished from the wood pewee 

 by its colors, but easily recognized by its harsh, abrupt 

 call, sounding like qvr-reep, the two syllables closely connected, 

 and the last strongly accented. Another note, uttered as the 

 bird flies from one perch to another, "resembles the soft mur- 

 muring of whistling wings" (Chapman). It is inclined to be 

 solitary in habit, usually resenting the presence of others of 

 its kind near its nest. 



The nest is a frail, shallow structure hung from the forks 

 of a horizontal limb, usually over or near a stream, and from 

 4 to 20 feet above the ground. It is constructed of dark- 

 colored rootlets, catkins of oak or beech, strips of bark, or 



•Leighton (Ala.) News, vol. 2, No. 17, Sept. 1, 1891. 

 tAvcry, W. C, Amer. Field, vol. 86, p. 8, 1891. 



