314 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



(1889). A nest with eggs was found by Holt at Attalla, 

 June 12, 1913. 



General habits. — The Louisiana water-thrush is found along 

 wooded ravines in the hills and to some extent in river-bottom 

 gwamps. The birds feed almost exclusively in or near the 

 beds of small streams or around pools in the bottoms. They 

 are dainty and graceful walkers, and are easily recognized by 

 the habit of continually tilting their body up and down. They 

 are very shy, and on the slightest alarm fly off with a dashing 

 flight and a loud chip. The song is rich and resonant, some- 

 what resembling that of the indigo bird, but more musical. 

 The nest is placed in the side of a bank in a wooded ravine 

 usually only a few feet from a stream, or sometimes among 

 the upturned roots of a fallen tree. 



Food habits. — Barrows says that the food of this bird "con- 

 sists mainly of aquatic insect larvae, but insects and spiders 

 of various kinds are eaten, as well as worms, crustaceans, 

 snails, and other moUusks, and to a lesser extent various seeds 

 and small fruits."* 



KENTUCKY WARBLER : Oporomis formosus (Wilson) . 



State records. — The Kentucky warbler is an abundant sum- 

 mer resident in nearly all parts of Alabama. It is recorded 

 in the breeding season at Leighton, Elkmont, Huntsville, Sand 

 Mountain, Fort Payne, Natural Bridge, Autaugaville, Tusca- 

 loosa, Scale, Dothan, Abbeville, Castleberry, and Mobile. It 

 is common as far south as Castleberry, but is rare in the 

 Coast Belt south of there. 



The first migrants in spring were noted at Teasley Mill 

 (Montgomery County), March 30 (1914) ; Greensboro, April 

 5 (1888) ; Woodbine, April 7 (1908) ; Coosada, April 9 

 (1878) ; Leighton, April 15 (1891) ; Anniston, April 16 

 (1916); and Shelby, April 18 (1898). The last bird in 

 autumn was seen at Greensboro, September 12, and at Leigh- 

 ton, September 13. N«st building must begin very soon after 

 the birds reach the breeding grounds, for Holt found a com- 

 plement of 4 eggs at Barachias on April 22, 1906. Eggs were 



*Barrows, W. B., Michigan Bird Life, p. 633, 1912. 



