BRITISH WARBLERS 



parents, who are then indefatigable in searching for food and 

 keeping them fully supplied. 



"Whilst the young are actually in the nest, the parents 

 share in the task of securing food and cleaning the nest, and 

 both are suspicious and create considerable commotion if the 

 nest is approached too closely. Their suspicions, however, 

 can be allayed to some extent by patience, but no matter how 

 quiet one is, or how well concealed one appears to be, they 

 never seem quite to overcome their shyness, and consequently 

 their behaviour is strained and they either hesitate at the last 

 moment or divide the food very hurriedly amongst their off- 

 spring. Of the two, the male is perhaps the more courageous 

 until his suspicions are thoroughly aroused, when he appears 

 to find greater difficulty than his mate in recovering his 

 natural composure. When the nest is first approached, the 

 bird that is brooding or tending the offspring commences to 

 utter the peculiarly harsh note of the species ; its mate then 

 hurriedly approaches the scene, and the combined vocal efforts 

 of the two produce a commotion which is somewhat unusual 

 in the bird life of the neighbourhood. Individuals belonging 

 to other species approach the scene of disturbance, Redbreasts, 

 W 7 hitethroats, Chiff-chaffs, Blackcaps, and even other Garden 

 Warblers quietly draw near and flit amongst the surrounding 

 branches. Some add to the commotion by their own vocal 

 efforts, others are silent, but it is usually a considerable time 

 before quiet is again restored. So long as the intruder remains 

 by the nest the commotion is liable to recur, stimulated by 

 the harsh alarm note of the parents, and in this respect they 

 differ from many species which, when once their alarm has 

 subsided, proceed naturally with their instinctive routine of 

 activities. Even whilst carrying a full supply of food they 

 may utter their alarm note until they approach to within 

 a few yards of the nest, when it is replaced by a purring 

 sound which is replied to by the young. Both parents share 

 in the brooding of the young, and the one leaves the nest in 

 reply to a note uttered by its partner. When the young are 



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