148 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 73 



Nesting Season Distribution: Abundant and well-distributed breeding bird 

 in all regions. Confirmed nest records have been obtained from all counties. 

 Goddard (1972) reported that the common yellowthroat was the second 

 most abundant breeding warbler in the Kinnickinnic River Valley, Pierce 

 County. Breeding Bird Survey data (Table 6) suggest that the common 

 yellowthroat is the most obvious, if not the most abundant, breeding 

 warbler in the Valley. The greatest relative abundance occurs in the North- 

 ern Highland and in northern areas of the Central Plain. 



Habitat: The common yellowthroat is nearly unlimited in its choice of 

 nesting habitat. Jackson (1943) found this warbler in "damp brushy wood- 

 land." In the Western Upland, common yellowthroats are most abundant in 

 small patches of mixed willow and cottonwood associated with streams or 

 rivers. In the Central Plain, extensive use is made of the cattail-bulrush 

 vegetation associated with seasonally and semipermanently flooded 

 wetlands; Shrub Carr and sedge meadow are also important. In the North- 

 ern Highland, this warbler uses Alder Thickets, Northern Sedge Meadows, 

 and Forest Bordered Lakes. Tamarack bogs and Lowland Coniferous Forest 

 are also important. Use of upland habitats include dry upland fields and 

 brushy edge areas. 



Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) 

 Status: Casual migrant and summer resident. 



Migration: There are two spring records from St. Croix County: 6 May 1964 

 and 18 May 1962. Both observations were made along Trout Brook Road 

 near Hudson. One fall record (22-29 September 1948) exists for St. Croix 

 Falls, Polk County (Robbins 1949). 



Nesting Season Distribution: S. D. Robbins observed singing male yeUow- 

 breasted chats near Hudson and Burkhardt, St. Croix County, on 17 June 

 1961, 21 June 1963, and 30 June 1964. The habitat associated with these 

 birds consisted of various shrubby plants at the border of agricultural fields 

 and (one bird) the edge of a retired hayfield. These habitats are similar to 

 typical breeding habitat within their normal range. Thus, it is hkely at that 

 date that these were males defending territories or at least advertising for a 

 mate. 



Habitat: This species is most frequently encountered in the Old Field Com- 

 munity and brushy edges of Southern Deciduous Forest. 



Hooded Warbler {Wilsonia citrina) 

 Status: Casual, two spring records. 



Records: S. D. Robbins observed a singing male hooded warbler at the en- 

 trance to Birkmose Park in Hudson, St. Croix County, on 29 May 1963 

 (Faanes and Goddard 1976). A male hooded warbler was banded and photo- 

 graphed in Washington County on 2 June 1962 (Olyphant 1962). 



