A FIELD KEY TO OUR 
COMMONER EASTERN LAND BIRDS 
The following is a field key to those birds which, either because of 
their abundance or conspicuous colors, most frequently attract our 
attention. With the object of making it as brief, and consequently as 
simple, as possible, I have omitted species which can be referred to 
their respective families without difficulty — for example, Hawks, Owls, 
Woodpeckers, and Swallows. It is designed simply as an aid to the 
first steps of the beginner, who will soon graduate from it to the more 
detailed keys in the body of the book. Like the field keys to Finches 
and Sparrows and Warblers, it is based largely upon adult males. 
First Group. — With yellow or orange in the plumage. 
Second Group. — With red in the plumage. 
Third Group. — With blue in the plumage. 
Fourth Group. — Plumage conspicuously black, or black and white. 
Fifth Group. — Without either yellow, orange, red, br blue in the plumage; 
not conspicuously black, or black and white. 
First Group. — With yellow or orange in the plumage 
I. Throat yellow. 
1. Throat and breast pure yellow, without streaks or spots. 
A. Length 5*00; cap, wings, and tail black; back yellow; song canary- 
like, sometimes uttered on the wing; flight undulating, frequently 
accompanied by the notes chic-o-ree , per-chic-o-ree. 
529. Goldfinch. 
B. Length 5*50; lower belly and wing-bars white; back olive-green; 
frequents the upper branches, generally in woodland ; actions delib- 
erate; song loud and musical, uttered slowly, often with pauses: 
“See me? I’m here; where are you?” 
628. Yellow-throated Vireo. 
C. Length 5*25; cheeks and forehead black bordered by ashy; upper 
parts olive-green; no wing-bars; haunts thickets and undergrowth; 
movements nervous and active ; call-note, pit or chack; song, a vigor- 
ous, rapid witch-e-wee-o , wi l ch-e-wee-o, witch-e-wee-o. 
681. Maryland Yellow-throat 
D. Length 7*25; upperparts olive-green; no wing-bars; a white line 
before the eye; haunts thickets and undergrowth; song, a striking 
mixture of whistles, chucks , and caws , sometimes uttered on the 
wing 683. Yellow-breasted Chat. 
2. Underparts streaked or spotted. 
A. Underparts streaked with rufous-brown; length 5*00; general 
appearance of a yellow bird; haunts shrubbery of lawns, orchards, 
second growths, and particularly willows near water; song, rather 
loud, wee , chee-chee-chee t cher-wee , or chee-chee-chee-chee, way-o. 
652. Yellow Warbler. 
B. Breast yellow, with a conspicuous black crescent; length 10*00; 
fields and meadows, largely terrestrial; flight quail-like, outer white 
tail-feathers showing when on the wing; song, a loud, musical 
whistle 501. Meadowlark. 
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