bird neighbors-第41章
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This musical little bird shows a curious preference for rows of trees in the village street or by the roadside； where he can be sure of an audience to listen to his rich； continuous warble。 There is a mellowness about his voice； which rises loud； but not altogether cheerfully； above the bird chorus； as if he were a gifted but slightly disgruntled contralto。 Too inconspicuously dressed； and usually too high in the tree…top to be identified without opera…glasses； we may easily mistake him by his voice for one of the warbler family； which is very closely allied to the vireos。 Indeed； this warbling vireo seems to be the connecting link between them。
Morning and afternoon； but almost never in the evening； we may hear him rippling out song after song as he feeds on insects and berries about the garden。 But this familiarity lasts only until nesting time； for off he goes with his little mate to some unfrequented lane near a wood until their family is reared； when； with a perceptibly happier strain in his voice； he once more haunts our garden and row of elms before taking the southern journey。
OVENBIRD （Seiurus aurocapillus） Wood Warbler family
Called also： GOLDEN…CROWNED THRUSH； THE TEACHER； WOOD WAGTAIL； GOLDEN…CROWNED WAGTAIL； GOLDEN…CROWNED ACCENTOR
Length 6 to 6。15 inches。 Just a shade smaller than the English sparrow。 Male and Female Upper parts olive； with an orange…brown crown； bordered by black lines that converge toward the bill。 Under parts white； breast spotted and streaked on the sides。 White eye…ring。 Range United States； to Pacific slope。 Migrations May。 October。 Common summer resident。
Early in May you may have the good fortune to see this little bird of the woods strutting in and out of the garden shrubbery with a certain mock dignity； like a child wearing its father's boots。 Few birds can walk without appearing more or less ridiculous； and however gracefully and prettily it steps； this amusing little wagtail is no exception。 When seen at all which is not often； for it is shy it is usually on the ground； not far from the shrubbery or a woodland thicket； under which it will quickly dodge out of sight at the merest suspicion of a footstep。 To most people the bird is only a voice calling； 〃TEACHER TEACHER。 TEACHER； TEACHER； TEACHER！〃 as Mr。 Burroughs has interpreted the notes that go off in pairs like a series of little explosions； softly at first； then louder and louder and more shrill until the bird that you at first thought far away seems to be shrieking his penetrating crescendo into your very ears。 But you may look until you are tired before you find him in the high； dry wood； never near water。
In the driest parts of the wood； here the ground is thickly carpeted with dead leaves； you may some day notice a little bunch of them； that look as if a plant； in pushing its way up through the ground； had raised the leaves； rootlets； and twigs a trifle。
Examine the spot more carefully； and on one side you find an opening； and within the ball of earth； softly lined with grass； lie four or five cream…white； speckled eggs。 It is only by a happy accident that this nest of the ovenbird is discovered。 The concealment could not be better。 It is this peculiarity of nest construction in shape like a Dutch oven that has given the bird what DeKay considers its 〃trivial name。〃 Not far from the nest the parent birds scratch about in the leaves like diminutive barnyard fowls； for the grubs and insects hiding under them。 But at the first suspicion of an intruder their alarm becomes pitiful。 Panic…stricken； they become fairly limp with fear； and drooping her wings and tail； the mother…bird drags herself hither and thither over the ground。
As utterly bewildered as his mate； the male darts； flies； and tumbles about through the low branches； jerking and wagging his tail in nervous spasms until you have beaten a double…quick retreat。
In nesting time； at evening； a very few have heard the 〃luxurious nuptial song〃 of the ovenbird； but it is a song to haunt the memory forever afterward。 Burroughs appears to be the first writer to record this 〃rare bit of bird melody。〃 〃Mounting by easy flight to the top of the tallest tree；〃 says the author of 〃Wake…Robin；〃 〃the ovenbird launches into the air with a sort of suspended； hovering flight； like certain of the finches； and bursts into a perfect ecstasy of song clear； ringing； copious； rivalling the goldfinch's in vivacity and the linnet's in melody。〃
WORM…EATING WARBLER （Helmintherus vermivorus） Wood Warbler family
Length 5。50 inches。 Less than an inch shorter than the English sparrow。 Male and Female Greenish olive above。 Head yellowish brown； With two black stripes through crown to the nape； also black Lines from the eyes to neck。 Under parts buffy and white。 Range Eastern parts of United States。 Nests as far north as southern Illinois and southern Connecticut。 Winters in the Gulf States and southward。 Migrations May。 September。 Summer resident。
In the Delaware Valley and along the same parallel； this inconspicuous warbler is abundant； but north of New Jersey it is rare enough to give an excitement to the day on which you discover it。 No doubt it is commoner than we suppose； for its coloring blends so admirably with its habitats that it is probably very often overlooked。 Its call…note； a common chirp； has nothing distinguishing about it； and all ornithologists confess to having been often misled by its song into thinking it came from the chipping sparrow。 It closely resembles that of the pine warbler also。 If it were as nervously active as most warblers； we should more often discover it； but it is quite as deliberate as a vireo； and in the painstaking way in which it often circles around a tree while searching for spiders and other insects that infest the trunks； it reminds us of the brown creeper。 Sunny slopes and hillsides covered with thick undergrowth are its preferred foraging and nesting haunts。 It is often seen hopping directly on the dry ground； where it places its nest； and it never mounts far above it。 The well…drained； sunny situation for the home is chosen with the wisdom of a sanitary expert。
ACADIAN FLYCATCHER （Empidonax virescens） Flycatcher family
Called also： SMALL GREEN…CRESTED FLYCATCHER； SMALL PEWEE
Length 5。75 to 6 inches。 A trifle smaller than the English sparrow。 Male Dull olive above。 Two conspicuous yellowish wing…bars。 Throat white； shading into pale yellow on breast。 Light gray or white underneath。 Upper part of bill black； lower mandible flesh…color。 White eye…ring。 Female Greener above and more yellow below。 Range From Canada to Mexico； Central America； and West Indies。 Most common in south temperate latitudes。 Winters in southerly limit of range。 Migrations April。 September。 Summer resident。
When all our northern landscape takes on the exquisite； soft green； gray； and yellow tints of early spring； this little flycatcher； in perfect color…harmony with the woods it darts among； comes out of the south。 It might be a leaf that is being blown about； touched by the sunshine filtering through the trees； and partly shaded by the young foliage casting its first shadows。
Woodlands； through which small streams meander lazily； inviting swarms of insects to their boggy shores； make ideal hunting grounds for the Acadian flycatcher。 It chooses a low rather than a high； conspicuous perch； that other members of its family invariably select； and from such a lookout it may be seen launching into the air after the passing gnat darting downward； then suddenly mounting upward in its aerial hunt； the vigorous clicks of the beak as it closes over its tiny victims testifying to the bird's unerring aim and its hearty appetite。
While perching； a constant tail…twitching is kept up； and a faint； fretful 〃Tshee…kee； tshee…kee〃 escapes the bird when inactively waiting for a dinner to heave in sight。
In the Middle Atlantic States its peeping sound and the clicking of its particolored bill are infrequently heard in the village streets in the autumn； when the shy and solitary birds are enticed from the deep woods by a prospect of a more plentiful diet of insects； attracted by the fruit in orchards an
