The Tennessee Warbler {Vermivora peregrina) 



Description. — Adult male: Crown and sides of head bluish ash fading into 

 whitish of throat; above bright oHve-green ; wings and tail dusky with faint edg- 

 ings of olive-green ; outer tail-feathers sometimes show obscure whitish spot near 

 tips; upper eyelid, or faint superciliary line, w^hitish ; below dull white, often 

 washed more or less on throat, breast and sides (especially the last) with sordid 

 yellowish. Adult female: Similar; ashy of head veiled by olive-green skirtings; 

 more yellow below. Immature: Crown and back clear olive-green; under parts 

 washed with yellow, except on under tail-coverts. Length 4.50-5.00 (114.3- 

 127.) ; wing 2.53 (64.3) ; tail 1.65 (41.9) ; bill .40 (10.2). 



Recognition IMarks. — Small warbler size. Another nondescript, — sordid 

 white or pale yellowish below ; white of belly usually unmistakable. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, in low^ bushes near ground, of 

 vegetable fibers, grasses, etc., lined with hair. Eggs, pearly white with wreath 

 about larger end of brown and purpHsh spots. Av. size, .60x.56 (15.2x14.2). 



General Range. — Eastern North America, breeding from northern New York 

 and northern New England northward to Hudson Bay Territory ; in winter south 

 through eastern Mexico to Costa Rica and California. 



And all about, the hills are crowned 



With woods that seem to burn and glow, 

 And purple asters, from the ground. 



Look up and watch the armies go ; 

 Long, swaying ranks of swallows strong, 



And bobolinks, alert and gay, 

 And warblers, full of life and song — 



All moving swiftly on their way. 



— Frank H. Szveet. 



During the spring and fall migrations, the Tennessee Warbler is a common 

 bird in many localities of the eastern United States. Its breeding range extends 

 from Minnesota, New York and northern New England northward to the lati- 

 tude of Hudson Bay, and it winters in Mexico and Central America. 



This ''nymph of the woodland" is a very active bird and extremely dex- 

 terous in catching insects which it seeks in the foliage of trees, both of the forest 

 and the orchard. It seems to be especially fond of the willow trees and shrubs 

 that grow on the banks of water courses, where there is an abundance of insect 

 life, and it is not an uncommon visitor in the denser foHage of tamarack swamps. 

 While it prefers the borders of an open forest, it not infrequently visits, during 

 its fall migration, corn fields and vineyards and may even be seen in large 

 gardens. 



Constantly alert, the Tennessee Warbler flutters through the outer foliage of 

 trees where, with its sharp and slender bill, which is admirably adapted for the 



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