THE WILLOW-WREN. 



PhylloscopMS trochilus (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 6. 



The Willow-Wren, often called Willow- Warbler, arrives just after the Chiffchaff, 

 about the beginning of April. It is much more abundant than either the Chiff- 

 chaff or the Wood-Wren, being common in most parts of the country, haunting 

 woodlands, gardens, and other like situations. It is widely spread over Europe, 

 from the North Cape to the Mediterranean, ranging eastwards into Siberia and 

 wintering in Southern Europe and Africa. 



The nest, concealed by herbage and made of grass and moss, with a lining of 

 finer grasses, horse-hair, and feathers, is placed on the ground, and, like those of the 

 Chiffchaff and Wood-Wren, is domed. The five to eight eggs are white, with 

 light red to purplish-red spots. 



The food, similar to the Chiffchaff's, is composed mostly of insects, in autumn 

 varied with fruit and berries. 



On its arrival it is partial to birch woods and young plantations of larch, where 

 its joyous and most pleasing notes may be constantly heard. 



Mr. J. Burroughs has happily described these : " The song of the Willow- 

 Warbler has a dying fall ; no other bird-song is so touching in this respect. It 

 mounts up round and full, then runs down the scale, and expires upon the air in a 

 gentle murmur." It is delivered with short intervals, the bird flitting about and 

 picking up its insect food between the snatches. 



The sexes are alike in plumage, but the young are much more brightly coloured. 



In autumn many of these birds may be seen about our gardens, even in large 

 towns. 



Two specimens of a Willow- Wren, known as Eversmann's Warbler [Phylloscopus 

 borealis [Blasius]) have been taken in Scotland. In this species the bill is rather 

 thick and heavy, and the colour duller than in our Willow- Wren. Its summer 

 home is in Northern Europe and Siberia, and the bird winters in Southern Asia. 



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