WARBLERS 323 



CANADA WARBLER : WUsonia canadensis (Linnaeus) . 



State records. — The Canada warbler occurs rather uncom- 

 monly as a migrant in spring and fall. Avery noted it but 

 once at Greensboro, August 29, 1890. McGormack took a 

 specimen at Leighton, August 18, 1891, and saw another, 

 September 7, 1891. Saunders noted the bird at HoUins, May 

 2 and 3, and at Woodbine, May 9 and 14 (1908). Specimens 

 were taken at Barachias, April 25 (1912) ; York, May 2 

 (1912) ; Leighton, April 25 (1914) ; and Teasley Mill (Mont- 

 gomery County), May 16 (1914). Several were noted also 

 at Florence, May 6 (1912) ; on Sipsey Fork, near Ardell, May 

 2-5 (1914) ; and one in Bear Swamp, near Autaugaville, May 

 10 (1914). Judging from these records the bird may be ex- 

 pected to occur regularly. 



General habits. — This warbler is a dweller in moist, decidu- 

 ous woodland, occupying the thickety underbrush and the low- 

 er branches of the trees. It is quite secretive and is usually 

 hard to locate. Its song is a rather brief, jumbled utterance, 

 quite characteristic, but very difficult to describe. Thayer 

 describes the bird's habits as follows: 



The Canadian is a sprightly, wide-awake, fly-snapping War- 

 bler, vivid in movement and in song; clearly marked and bright- 

 ly colored. In actions it is like the Wilson's, a sort of mongrel 

 between a Dendroica, an American Redstart, and a true Fly- 

 catcher. It darts after flying insects like one of the Tyran- 

 nidae, and its bill may sometimes be heard to "click" when it 

 seizes something; it has much of the Redstart's insistent nerv- .. 

 ousness of motion, but is a less airy "flitter;" and, finally, it 

 glides and gleans among leaves and twigs like a true gleaning 

 Warbler.* 



REDSTART: Setophaga ruticilla (Linnaeus). 



State records. — The redstart is a locally common summer 

 resident over the greater part of the State. It has been ob- 

 served in the breeding season at Huntsville (Monte Sano), 

 Guntersville, Leighton, Tupcaloosa, Squaw Shoals, Autauga- 

 ville, Greensboro, Ardell, Scale, and Castleberry. A female 

 was seen on Dauphin Island, May 18, 1911, but this bird may 



*Thayer, G. H., in ChBpman, The Warblers of North America, p. 283, 1907. 



