bird neighbors-第46章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ces　of　a　dozen　or　more　of　these　pretty　little　birds；　that　often　sing　together；　afford　something　approaching　a　musical　treat。


WILSON'S　WARBLER　（Sylvania　pusila）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　BLACKCAP；　GREEN　BLACK…CAPPED　WARBLER；　WILSON'S　　　FLYCATCHER

Length　　4。75　to　5　inches。　About　an　inch　and　a　half　shorter　than　　　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　Black　cap；　yellow　forehead；　all　other　upper　parts　　　　olive…green；　rich　yellow　underneath。　Female　　Lacks　the　black　cap。　Range　　North　America；　from　Alaska　and　Nova　Scotia　to　Panama。　　　Winters　south　of　Gulf　States。　Nests　chiefly　north　of　the　United　　　States。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Spring　and　autumn　migrant。

To　see　this　strikingly　marked　little　bird　one　must　be　on　the　sharp　lookout　for　it　during　the　latter　half　of　May；　or　at　the　season　of　apple　bloom；　and　the　early　part　of　September。　It　passes　northward　with　an　almost　scornful　rapidity。　Audubon　mentions　having　seen　it　in　Maine　at　the　end　of　October；　but　this　specimen　surely　must　have　been　an　exceptional　laggard。

In　common　with　several　others　of　its　family；　it　is　exceedingly　expert　in　catching　insects　on　the　wing；　but　it　may　be　known　as　no　true　flycatcher　from　the　conspicuous　rich　yellow　of　its　under　parts；　and　also　from　its　habit　of　returning　from　a　midair　sally　to　a　different　perch　from　the　one　it　left　to　pursue　its　dinner。　A　true　flycatcher　usually　returns　to　its　old　perch　after　each　hunt。

To　indulge　in　this　aerial　chase　with　success；　these　warblers　select　for　their　home　and　hunting　ground　some　low　woodland　growth　where　a　sluggish　stream　attracts　myriads　of　insects　to　the　boggy　neighborhood。　Here　they　build　their　nest　in　low　bushes　or　upon　the　ground。　Four　or　five　grayish　eggs；　sprinkled　with　cinnamon…colored　spots　in　a　circle　around　the　larger　end；　are　laid　in　the　grassy　cradle　in　June。　Mr。　H。　D。　Minot　found　one　of　these　nests　on　Pike's　Peak　at　an　altitude　of　11；000　feet；　almost　at　the　limit　of　vegetation。　The　same　authority　compares　the　bird's　song　to　that　of　the　redstart　and　the　yellow　warbler。


YELLOW　REDPOLL　WARBLER　（Dendroica　palmarum　hypochrysea）　Wood　　　Warbler　family

Called　also：　YELLOW　PALM　WARBLER；　＇the　two　former　palm　warbler　　　species　combined　as　PALM　WARBLER；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　5。5　to　5。75　inches。　A　little　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Chestnut　crown。　Upper　parts　brownish　olive；　　　greenest　on　lower　back。　Underneath　uniform　bright　yellow；　　　streaked　with　chestnut　on　throat；　breast；　and　sides。　Yellow　　　line　over　and　around　the　eye。　Wings　unmarked。　Tail　edged　with　　　olive…green；　a　few　white　spots　near　tips　of　outer　quills。　More　　　brownish　above　in　autumn；　and　with　a　grayish　wash　over　the　　　yellow　under　parts。　Range　　Eastern　parts　of　North　America。　Nests　from　Nova　Scotia　　　northward。　Winters　in　the　Gulf　States。　Migrations　　April。　October。　Spring　and　autumn　migrant。

While　the　uniform　yellow　of　this　warbler's　under　parts　in　any　plumage　is　its　distinguishing　mark；　it　also　has　a　flycatcher's　trait　of　constantly　flirting　its　tail；　that　is　at　once　an　outlet　for　its　superabundant　vivacity　and　a　fairly　reliable　aid　to　identification。　The　tail　is　jerked；　wagged；　and　flirted　like　a　baton　in　the　hands　of　an　inexperienced　leader　of　an　orchestra。　One　need　not　go　to　the　woods　to　look　for　the　restless　little　sprite　that　comes　northward　when　the　early　April　foliage　is　as　yellow　and　green　as　its　feathers。　It　prefers　the　fields　and　roadsides；　and　before　there　are　leaves　enough　on　the　undergrowth　to　conceal　it　we　may　come　to　know　it　as　well　as　it　is　possible　to　know　any　bird　whose　home　life　is　passed　so　far　away。　Usually　it　is　the　first　warbler　one　sees　in　the　spring　in　New　York　and　New　England。　With　all　the　alertness　of　a　flycatcher；　it　will　dart　into　the　air　after　insects　that　fly　near　the　ground；　keeping　up　a　constant　chip；　chip；　fine　and　shrill；　at　one　end　of　the　small　body；　and　the　liveliest　sort　of　tail　motions　at　the　other。　The　pine　warbler　often　bears　it　company。

With　the　first　suspicion　of　warm　weather；　off　goes　this　hardy　little　fellow　that　apparently　loves　the　cold　almost　well　enough　to　stay　north　all　the　year　like　its　cousin；　the　myrtle　warbler。　It　builds　a　particularly　deep　nest；　of　the　usual　warbler　construction；　on　the　ground；　but　its　eggs　are　rosy　rather　than　the　bluish　white　of　others。

In　the　Southern　States　the　bird　becomes　particularly　neighborly；　and　is　said　to　enter　the　streets　and　gardens　of　towns　with　a　chippy's　familiarity。

Palm　Warbler　or　Redpoll　Warbler　（Dendroica　palmarum）　differs　from　the　preceding　chiefly　in　its　slightly　smaller　size；　the　more　grayish…brown　tint　in　its　olive　upper　parts；　and　the　uneven　shade　of　yellow　underneath　that　varies　from　clear　yellow　to　soiled　whitish。　It　is　the　Western　counterpart　of　the　yellow　redpoll；　and　is　most　common　in　the　Mississippi　Valley。　Strangely　enough；　however；　it　is　this　warbler；　and　not　hypochrysea；　that　goes　out　of　its　way　to　winter　in　Florida；　where　it　is　abundant　all　winter。


YELLOW　WARBLER　（Dendroica　aestiva）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　SUMMER　YELLOWBIRD；　GOLDEN　WARBLER；　YELLOW　POLL

Length　　4。75　to　5。2　inches。　Over　an　inch　shorter　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　Upper　parts　olive…yellow；　brightest　on　the　crown；　under　　　parts　bright　yellow；　streaked　with　reddish　brown。　Wings　and　　　tail　dusky　olive…brown；　edged　with　yellow。　Female　　Similar；　but　reddish…brown　streakings　less　distinct。　Range　　North　America；　except　Southwestern　States；　where　the　　　prothonotary　warbler　reigns　in　its　stead。　Nests　from　Gulf　　　States　to　Fur　Countries。　Winters　south　of　the　Gulf　States。　As　　　far　as　northern　parts　of　South　America。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Common　summer　resident。

This　exquisite　little　creature　of　perpetual　summer　（though　to　find　it　it　must　travel　back　and　forth　between　two　continents）　comes　out　of　the　south　with　the　golden　days　of　spring。　From　much　living　in　the　sunshine　through　countless　generations；　its　feathers　have　finally　become　the　color　of　sunshine　itself；　and　in　disposition；　as　well；　it　is　nothing　if　not　sunny　and　bright。　Not　the　least　of　its　attractions　is　that　it　is　exceedingly　common　everywhere：　in　the　shrubbery　of　our　lawns；　in　gardens　and　orchards；　by　the　road　and　brookside；　in　the　edges　of　woods　　everywhere　we　catch　its　glint　of　brightness　through　the　long　summer　days；　and　hear　its　simple；　sweet；　and　happy　song　until　the　end　of　July。

Because　both　birds　are　so　conspicuously　yellow；　no　doubt　this　warbler　is　quite　generally　confused　with　the　goldfinch；　but　their　distinctions　are　clear　enough　to　any　but　the　most　superficial　glance。　In　the　first　place；　the　yellow　warbler　is　a　smaller　bird　than　the　goldfinch；　it　has　neither　black　crown；　wings；　nor　tail；　and　it　does　have　reddish…brown　streaks　on　its　breast　that　are　sufficiently　obsolete　to　make　the　coloring　of　that　part　look　simply　dull　at　a　little　distance。　The　goldfinch's　bill　is　heavy；　in　order　that　it　may　crack　seeds；　whereas　the　yellow　warbler's　is　slender；　to　enable　it　to　pick　minute　insects　from　the　foliage。　The　goldfinch's　wavy；　curved　flight　is　unique；　and　that　of　his　〃double〃　differs　not　a　whit　from　that　of　all　nervous；　flitting　warblers。　Surely　no　one　familiar　with　the　rich；　full；　canary…like　song　of　the　〃wild　canary；〃　as　the　goldfinch　is　called；　could　confuse　it　with　the　mild　〃Weechee；　chee；　cher…wee〃　of　the　summer　yellowbird。　Another　distinction；　not　always　infallible；　but　nearly　so；　is　that　when　seen　feeding；　the　goldfinch　is　generally　below　the　line　of　vision；　while　the　yellow　warbler　is　either　on　it　or　not　far　above　it；　as　it　rarely　goes　over　twelve　feet　from　the　ground。

No　doubt；　the　particularly　mild；　sweet　amiability　of　the　yellow　warbler　is　responsible　for　the　persistent　visitations　of　the　cowbird；　from　which　it　is　a　conspicuous　sufferer。　In　the　exquisite；　neat　little　matted　cradle　of　glistening　milk…weed　flax；　lined　with　down　from　the　fronds　of　fern；　the　skulking　housebreaker　deposits　her　surreptitious　egg　for　the　little　yellow　mother…bird　to　hatch　and　tend。　But　amiability　is　not　the　only　prominent　trait　in　the　female　yellow　warbler's　character。　She　is　clever　as　well；　and　quickly　builds　a　new　bottom　on　her　nest；　thus　sealing　up　the　cowbird's　egg；　and　depositing　her　own　on　the　soft；　spongy　floor　above　it。　This　operation　ha