108 NORTH AMERICAN WARBLERS. 



677. Geothlypis formosa (Wil^^. ). Kentucky Warbler. 



Breeding range. — The Kentuck}^ warl^ler is a forest lover and makes 

 its chief home in the heaviest timbered regions and dark damp woods 

 of the central ^Mississippi Valle3\ Eastward it breeds more or less 

 locall}^ from the lower Hudson River A^alley to North Carolina. There 

 is a single record of its breeding in South Carolina, and four records 

 of its occurrence during migration in Florida. The Kentucky warbler 

 is common in the State from which it takes its name and in the water- 

 shed of the Ohio River and its tributaries. It is uncommon north of 

 this region, but is found as far as Lake Erie, southern Michigan, 

 southern AVisconsin, and southwestern Minnesota. It is accidental in 

 Ontario and Quebec. The western limit of its range is reached in 

 southeastern Nebraska, and thence through eastern Kansas and Indian 

 Territory to eastern Texas. Though not uncommon in favorable locali- 

 ties along the streams in these States, it is not nearly so abundant as 

 in the Ohio Valley. Breeding principally below an elevation of 1,000 

 feet, it is still not confined to the lowlands. In western North Caro- 

 lina, in the mountains, it breeds commonh^ around Asheville at 2,000 

 feet altitude, and has been noted up to 3,500 feet. The extreme south- 

 western part of its breeding range is found in the viciuit}^ of San 

 Antonio, Tex. As a migrant the bird has been noted at Corpus 

 Christi, Tex.« 



winter range. — The Kentucky warbler is rather common in most 

 of Guatemala, from the hot regions on the Pacific coast to the moun- 

 tains, and occurs up to at least 7,000 feet altitude. It is known to be 

 a common winter resident of southeastern Nicaragua,^ and is quite 

 generalh" distributed over Costa Rica^' and Panama, both on the coasts 

 and in the uplands to 3,500 feet. The onh^ records of its occurrence 

 south and east of Panama are those of some specimens taken at Bonda,^ 

 and Santa Marta,*' Colombia. 



Until within recent years our only knowledge of the occurrence of 

 the Kentucky warbler in Mexico was confined to records of its capture 

 at Playa Vicente and Guichicovi. Through the explorations of some 

 of the parties of the Biological Surve}^ it is now known to be a winter 

 resident of southern ^lexico, in the States of Tabasco and Campeche 

 and southward to the Pacific coast. 



Sjyring migration. — The records of occurrence of the Kentuck}^ 

 warbler in spring in Florida are: Tarpon Springs, April 6, 1886; near 

 mouth of the Suwanee River, April 21, 1892; Dry Tortugas, March 

 29, 1890, and Sombrero Ke}^ (where a bird struck the light), April 25, 



« Chapman, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., Ill, p. 318, 1891. 



& Richmond, Proc. U. S.Nat. Mus.,Xyi, p. 484, 1893. 



<; Underwood, Ibis, p. 434, 1896. Cherrie, Auk, IX, p. 21, 1892. 



f? Allen, Bui. Am. Mus. Xat. Hist. XIII, 177, 1900; Auk, XYII, 366, 1900. 



^ Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XII, p. 144, 1898. 



