bird neighbors-第13章
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of this little bird that builds a nest of bits of root； lichens； and sedges； amply large for a family twice the size of his。
BLACK…AND…WHITE CREEPING WARBLER （Mniotilta varia） Wood Warbler family
Called also： VARIED CREEPING WARBLER； BLACK…AND WHITE CREEPER； WHITEPOLL WARBLER； ＇BLACK…AND…WHITE WARBLER； AOU 1998＇
Length 5 to inches。 About an inch smaller than the English sparrow。 Male Upper parts white； varied with black。 A white stripe along the summit of the head and back of the neck； edged with black。 White line above and below the eye。 Black cheeks and throat； grayish in females and young。 Breast white in middle； with black stripes on sides。 Wings and tail rusty black； with two white cross…bars on former； and soiled white markings on tail quills。 Female Paler and less distinct markings throughout。 Range Peculiar to America。 Eastern United States and westward to the plains。 North as far as the fur countries。 Winters in tropics south of Florida。 Migrations April。 Late September。 Summer resident。
Nine times out of ten this active little warbler is mistaken for the downy woodpecker； not because of his coloring alone； but also on account of their common habit of running up and down the trunks of trees and on the under side of branches； looking for insects； on which all the warblers subsist。 But presently the true warbler characteristic of restless flitting about shows itself。 A woodpecker would go over a tree with painstaking； systematic care； while the black…and…white warbler； no less intent upon securing its food； hurries off from tree to tree； wherever the most promising menu is offered。
Clinging to the mottled bark of the tree…trunk； which he so closely resembles； it would be difficult to find him were it not for these sudden fittings and the feeble song； 〃Weachy； weachy； weachy； 'twee； 'twee； 'tweet；〃 he half lisps； half sings between his dashes after slugs。 Very rarely indeed can his nest be found in an old stump or mossy bank； where bark； leaves。 and hair make the downy cradle for his four or five tiny babies。
DUSKY AND GRAY AND SLATE…COLORED BIRDS
Chimney Swift Kingbird Wood Pewee Phoebe and Say's Phoebe Crested Flycatcher Olive…sided Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Canada Jay Catbird Mocking…bird Junco White…breasted Nuthatch Red…breasted Nuthatch Loggerhead Shrike Northern Shrike Bohemian Waxwing Bay…breasted Warbler Chestnut…sided Warbler Golden…winged Warbler Myrtle Warbler Parula Warbler Black…throated Blue Warbler
See also the Grayish Green and the Grayish Brown Birds； particularly the Cedar Bird； several Swallows； the Acadian and the Yellow…bellied Flycatchers； Alice's and the Olive…backed Thrushes； the Louisiana Water Thrush； the Blue…gray Gnatcatcher； and the Seaside Sparrow。 See also the females of the following birds： Pine Grosbeak； White…winged Red Crossbill； Purple Martin； and the Nashville； the Pine； and the Magnolia Warblers。
DUSKY； GRAY； AND SLATE…COLORED BIRDS
CHIMNEY SWIFT （Chaetura pelagica） Swift family
Called also： CHIMNEY SWALLOW； AMERICAN SWIFT
Length to 5。45 inches。 About an inch shorter than the English sparrow。 Long wings make its length appear greater。 Male and Female Deep sooty gray； throat of a trifle lighter gray。 Wings extend an inch and a half beyond the even tail； which has sharply pointed and very elastic quills； that serve as props。 Feet are muscular； and have exceedingly sharp claws。 Range Peculiar to North America east of the Rockies； and from Labrador to Panama。 Migrations April。 September or October。 Common summer resident。
The chimney swift is； properly speaking； not a swallow at all； though chimney swallow is its more popular name。 Rowing towards the roof of your house； as if it used first one wing； then the other； its flight； while swift and powerful； is stiff and mechanical； unlike the swallow's； and its entire aspect suggests a bat。 The nighthawk and whippoorwill are its relatives； and it resembles them not a little； especially in its nocturnal habits。
So much fault has been found with the misleading names of many birds； it is pleasant to record the fact that the name of the chimney swift is everything it ought to be。 No other birds can surpass and few can equal it in its powerful flight； sometimes covering a thousand miles in twenty…four hours； it is said； and never resting except in its roosting places （hollow trees or chimneys of dwellings）； where it does not perch； but rather clings to the sides with its sharp claws； partly supported by its sharper tail。 Audubon tells of a certain plane tree in Kentucky where he counted over nine thousand of these swifts clinging to the hollow trunk。
Their nest； which is a loosely woven twig lattice； made of twigs of trees； which the birds snap off with their beaks and carry in their beaks； is glued with the bird's saliva or tree…gum into a solid structure； and firmly attached to the inside of chimneys； or hollow trees where there are no houses about。 Two broods in a season usually emerge from the pure white； elongated eggs。
What a twittering there is in the chimney that the swifts appropriate after the winter fires have died out！ Instead of the hospitable column of smoke curling from the top； a cloud of sooty birds wheels and floats above it。 A sound as of distant thunder fills the chimney as a host of these birds； startled； perhaps； by some indoor noise； whirl their way upward。 Woe betide the happy colony if a sudden cold snap in early summer necessitates the starting of a fire on the hearth by the unsuspecting householder！ The glue being melted by the fire； 〃down comes the cradle； babies and all〃 into the glowing embers。 A prolonged； heavy rain also causes their nests to loosen their hold and fall with the soot to the bottom。
Thrifty New England housekeepers claim that bedbugs； commonly found on bats； infest the bodies of swifts also； which is one reason why wire netting is stretched across the chimney tops before the birds arrive from the South。
KINGBIRD （Tyrannus tyrannus） Flycatcher family
Called also： TYRANT FLYCATCHER； BEE MARTIN； ＇EASTERN KINGBIRD； AOU 1998＇
Length 8 inches。 About two inches shorter than the robin。 Male Ashy black above； white； shaded with ash…color； beneath A concealed crest of orange…red on crown。 Tail black； Terminating with a white band conspicuous in flight。 Wing feathers edged with white。 Feet and bill black。 Female Similar to the male； but lacking the crown。 Range United States to the Rocky Mountains。 British provinces To Central and South America。 Migrations May。 September。 Common summer resident。
If the pugnacious propensity of the kingbird is the occasion of its royal name； he cannot be said to deserve it from any fine or noble qualities he possesses。 He is a born fighter from the very love of it； without provocation； rhyme； or reason。 One can but watch with a degree of admiration his bold sallies on the big； black crow or the marauding hawk； but when he bullies the small inoffensive birds in wanton attacks for sheer amusement； the charge is less entertaining。 Occasionally； when the little victim shows pluck and faces his assailant； the kingbird will literally turn tail and show the white feather。 His method of attack is always when a bird is in flight； then he swoops down from the telegraph pole or high point of vantage； and strikes on the head or back of the neck； darting back like a flash to the exact spot from which he started。 By these tactics he avoids a return blow and retreats from danger。 He never makes a fair hand…to…hand fight； or whatever is equivalent in bird warfare。 It is a satisfaction to record that he does not attempt to give battle to the catbird； but whenever in view makes a grand detour to give him a wide berth。
The kingbird feeds on beetles； canker…worms； and winged insects； with an occasional dessert of berries。 He is popularly supposed to prefer the honeybee as his favorite tidbit； but the weight of opinion is adverse to the charge of his depopulating the beehive； even though he owes his appellation bee martin to this tradition。 One or two ornithologists declare that he
