The Black-throated Green Warbler as a Nesting Species on Long Island, 
N. Y — On July 5, 1908, Mr. Francis Harper, of College Point, L. I., and 
I observed at close range a male Black-throated Green Warbler (Derr- 
droica virens) feeding three newly fledged young about a mile north of 
Lake Ronkonkoma, L. I. At least one other male was heard singing in 
the neighborhood. As neither of us had ever before found this bird on 
Long Island in summer and as no definite record of its having nested there 
is given in the most recent publication on the birds of Long Island (‘A List 
of the Birds of Long Island,’ by Wm. C. Braislin, M. D. Abstr. Proc. Lin- 
nsean Soc. of N. Y., Nos. 17-19, pub. Oct. 22, 1907), we were at first dis- 
posed to regard the observation as something of a record. In addition, 
Mr. Wm. Dutcher, who for many years made a particular study of the 
birds of Long Island, informed me that up to about ten years ago, when 
he ceased active field work, he had never seen a Black-throated Green 
Warbler on Long Island. 
A further investigation, however, revealed the following two records: 
by Mr. A. H. Helme of Miller Place, L. I. (Abstr. Proc. Linnsean Soc. of 
N. Y., Nos. 13-14, 1900-1902, p. 19) that the Black-throated Green War- 
bler "has 'been found breeding on Long Island”; and by Mr. Theodore 
Roosevelt in ‘Outdoor Pastimes of an American Hunter’ (1908 edition, 
pages 400-401) where he writes: “It was perhaps due to the same cause 
(cold and wet season) that so many black-throated green warblers spent 
June and July 1907 in the woods on our place (Oyster Bay, L. I.); they 
must have been breeding though I only noticed the males . . The 
black-throated green warblers have seemingly become regular summer 
residents of Long Island .... [This bird] as a breeder and summer resident 
is a newcomer who has extended his range southward.” The bird is not 
mentioned in the earlier (1905) edition of Mr. Roosevelt’s book. 
Correspondence with these gentlemen elicited the following replies. 
From Mr. Helme: “The Black-throated Green Warbler is now one of the 
most abundant breeding warblers in the vicinity of my home. This year 
there have probably been not less than fifteen to twenty pairs breeding 
within a circle of three miles from my house. They have greatly increased 
in numbers during the last ten years. A few years ago I collected a very 
pretty set of four eggs near Miller Place. This is the only nest I have 
been able to find, except a couple of old nests that had done service at an 
eailier date. from Mr. Roosevelt: “Of course my observations of birds 
around here have been rather fragmentary. Formerly I never found a 
Black-throated Green Warbler in summer; but both last summer and 
this summer they have been among our common warblers thruout 
the nesting season, and have evidently nested and brought up their young 
here. In June and July the males were singing in many different places 
for a radius of certainly six miles from my place.” 
These facts would seem to prove that within comparatively few years 
the Black-throated Green Warbler has extended its range into the northern 
parts of Long Island at least; and since inquiry among ornithologists has 
indicated that the present status of the bird on Long Island is little known, 
I have incorporated in this form what information I could gather on the 
subject, with the idea that it might be of interest to readers of ‘ The Auk.’ — 
Clinton G. Abbott, New York City. 
Ank 20, Jan -1900, p* 
