What bird is that?

by Frank M. Chapman

THRUSHES, BLUEBIRDS, ETC. FAMILY TURDIDÆ

WOOD THRUSH
Hylocichla mustelina. [Case 6], Fig. 74

Head brighter than tail; underparts white, heavily spotted with large, round black dots. Largest of our Thrushes. L. 8¼.

Range. Nests from Florida and Texas north to central Minnesota and southern New Hampshire; winters in the tropics.

Washington, common S.R., Apl. 10-Oct. 10. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 30-Oct. 2. Cambridge, locally common S.R., May 10-Sept. 15. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 20-Oct. 1. Glen Ellyn, fairly common S.R., Apl. 30-Sept. 29 SE. Minn., common S.R., May 1-Sept. 19.

Most familiar of our Thrushes. From late April to early August his bell-like notes are heard, not only in the forest, but in wood-bordered village streets and from the shade trees of our lawns. His sharp, pebbly, pit-pit, is prominent in the chorus of protesting notes which greet the Screech Owl should he leave his retreat before diurnal birds have gone to bed.

The nest is usually built in small trees about 8 feet from the ground. The 3-5 greenish blue eggs are laid in May. There is a second brood in June.

VEERY
Hylocichla fuscescens fuscescens. [Case 6], Fig. 73

Upperparts, including tail, uniform cinnamon-brown, breast buff with indistinct brownish spots; sides white. L. 7½.

Range. Nests from northern New Jersey and northern Illinois into Canada and south in the Alleghanies to Georgia; winters in the tropics. A closely related western form, the Willow Thrush (H. f. salicicola) nests in Minnesota and westward, and migrates through the Mississippi Valley. To the field naturalist it is essentially the Veery.

Washington, common T.V., Apl. 26-June 2. Aug. 18-Sept. 25. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 29-Sept. 5. Cambridge, locally abundant S.R., May 8-Sept. 5. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 20-Oct. 1. Glen Ellyn, tolerably common T.V., Apl. 24-May 29; Aug. 26-Sept. 3; SE. Minn., common S.R. May 5.

Low, wet woods with considerable undergrowth, where skunk cabbage and hellebore flourish are the home of the Veery. Here he winds his mysterious double-toned spiral song, and here, on the ground, hidden beneath the rank vegetation, he builds his nest. The eggs, laid late in May, resemble those of the Wood Thrush. The Veery's common call is a clearly whistled wheé-you, quite unlike the quirt or pit-pit of the Wood Thrush. Except in mountainous regions and some local 'stations,' the Wood Thrush and Veery are the only Thrushes which nest in the eastern United States south of Massachusetts.

GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH
Hylocichla aliciæ aliciæ. [Case 8], Fig. 82

Upperparts uniform olive; eye-ring whitish, not buffy as in the Olive-backed Thrush ([Case 8], Fig. 81); sides of throat and breast less buffy than in the Olive-back. L. 7½.

Range. Nests north of the United States. Bicknell's Thrush (H. a. bicknelli) a slightly smaller, southern form, nests in the higher parts of the Catskills, the mountains of northern New York and northern New England, and northward and eastward into Canada; both visit us in migration and both winter in the tropics.

Washington, rather common T.V., May 8-31; Sept. 15-Oct. 20. Ossining, tolerably common T.V., May 15-June 1; Sept. 20-Oct. 17. Cambridge, uncommon T.V., May 18-28; Sept. 15-Oct. 9. N. Ohio, not common T.V., Apl. 29-May 23. Glen Ellyn, common T.V., May 7-June 4; Aug. 26-Oct. 9. SE. Minn., common T.V., May 7-; Sept. 8.

The Gray-cheeked and Bicknell's Thrushes are merely the larger northern and smaller southern forms, respectively, of the same species. They are known in the United States chiefly as migrants and can be distinguished with certainty in life only by an expert under favorable conditions. The larger form is the commoner. The species may be known from the Veery and Wood Thrush by its olive, instead of cinnamon-brown back, and from the Olive-backed Thrush by its whitish eye-ring and paler breast.

Brewster describes the song of the southern form (Bicknell's Thrush) as exceedingly like that of the Veery but more interrupted, while the ordinary call-note is practically identical with the pheu of the Veery. The nest is placed in low trees or bushes. The eggs are greenish blue spotted with brown.

OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH
Hylocichla ustulata swainsoni. [Case 8], Fig. 81

Upperparts uniform olive; eye-ring buff; breast and sides of the throat deeper than in the Gray-cheeked Thrush. L. 7¼.

Range. Nests from northern Michigan and northern New England northward into Canada and southward in the mountains to West Virginia; winters in the tropics.

Washington, common T.V., Apl. 19-June 2; Sept. 2-Nov. 1. Ossining, tolerably common T.V., May 2-30; Sept. 19-Oct. 22. Cambridge, common T.V., May 13-28; Sept. 15-Oct. 5. N. Ohio, common T.V., Apl. 22-June 13; Sept. 2-Oct. 24. Glen Ellyn, common T.V., Apl. 23-June 6; Aug. 16-Oct. 24. SE. Minn., common T.V., May 1-; Sept. 25-.

We know this Thrush chiefly as a migrant when, in the latter part of May, and again in September and October, it passes us en route to and from its northern home. At these seasons we may even hear its whistled puit from the sky as it journeys through the night. "Its song," Dwight says, "lacks the leisurely sweetness of the Hermit Thrush's outpourings, nor is there pause, but in lower key and with greater energy it bubbles on rapidly to a close rather than fading out with the soft melody of its renowned rival."

The Olive-back nests in bushes or low trees, and lays 3-4 greenish blue brown-spotted eggs in June.

HERMIT THRUSH
Hylocichla guttata pallasi. [Case 4], Fig. 77; [Case 5], Fig. 26

Back midway in color between Figs. 77 and 26; the tail noticeably brighter, more rusty. L. 7¼.

Range. Nests from Long Island (locally), the higher parts of Connecticut, and central Minnesota northward to Canada, and southward in the mountains to Maryland; winters from New Jersey and Ohio Valley to the Gulf States and Cuba.

Washington, very common T.V., sometimes not uncommon W.V., Apl. 6-May 17; Sept. 18-Nov. 12. Ossining, common T.V.. Apl. 5-May 9; Oct. 18-Nov. 26. Cambridge, very common T.V., Apl. 15-May 5; Oct. 5-Nov. 15; occasionally one or two may winter; one summer record. N. Ohio, common T.V., Mch. 21-May 10; Oct. 2-28. Glen Ellyn, common T.V., Mch. 18-May 11; Sept. 14-Nov. 1. SE. Minn., common T.V. Apl. 1-; Sept. 13-Oct. 26.

The Hermit is the only one of the Thrushes to winter in the eastern United States and it is, therefore, the first one to reach us in the spring. It comes early in April and takes about a month to complete its migration. It rarely sings at this season and then only an echo of the heavenly music which has won for it first place among American songsters.

We may know the Hermit Thrush by the season in which he visits us, by his reddish brown tail, which he slowly raises and lowers after alighting, and by the low chuck note with which he usually accomplishes this movement.

The Hermit nests on the ground, laying, in the latter part of May, 3-4 greenish-blue eggs, slightly lighter in tint than those of the Wood Thrush.

ROBIN
Planesticus migratorius migratorius. [Case 4], Fig. 80; [Case 5], Fig. 12

In spring and summer the head is blacker, the breast brighter, the bill more yellow than in fall and winter. L. 10.

Range. Nests from Virginia (in the mountains, northern Georgia) and northern Mississippi to Labrador and Alaska; winters from New Jersey and Ohio Valley to the Gulf. Birds from the lowlands, from Maryland southward, are somewhat smaller and paler and are known as the Southern Robin (P. m. achrusterus).

Washington, rather common S.R., abundant T.V., from Feb-Apl.; irregularly common W.V. Ossining, common S.R., Mch. 4-Oct. 30; a few winter. Cambridge, very abundant S.R., common but irregular W.V. N. Ohio, abundant S.R., Feb. 26-Nov. 30; a few winter. Glen Ellyn, very common S.R., rare W.V., Jan. 25-Nov. 19. SE. Minn., common S.R., rare W.V., Mch. 8-Nov. 11.

The Robin is the best-known and probably most abundant of our native birds. Civilization agrees with him. Man has destroyed many of his enemies and has provided him with a bountiful supply of fruits and a vast area of lawns where worms are at his mercy. Sociable and trustful he has taken up his abode with us and become as much a part of our outdoor life as the flowers in our gardens and trees in our lawns. His varied calls have an intimate association with the hour and season and spring itself speaks through his cheerful song.

Robins show their confidence in us by building their nests in situations where few birds would venture to rear a family, and from mid-April to July they are occupied with household cares.

BLUEBIRD
Sialis sialis sialis. [Case 4], Fig. 78; [Case 5], Fig. 13

The Bluebird's red, white and blue mark him as a truly American bird. L. 7.

Range. Nests from the Gulf States to Florida; winters from Connecticut and northern Ohio southward.

Washington, common S.R., and W.V. Ossining, common P.R. Cambridge, common S.R., Mch. 6-Nov. 1; more numerous during migrations, in Mch. and Nov. N. Ohio, common S.R., Feb. 17-Nov. 18; a few winter. Glen Ellyn, fairly common S.R., Feb. 19-Nov. 18. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch. 16-Oct. 31.

Not many years ago the Bluebird was as familiar as he was welcome about our homes; but too gentle to battle effectively with English Sparrows and Starlings for the possession of bird houses, he has sought such nesting sites in the orchard as the 'tree surgeons' have left. If we would not lose this bird, "beloved of children, bards and spring," who wears our national colors so modestly, we must supply him with a home in which he may rear his family in peace. It may be placed not only in our garden, but also in the orchard where it is less likely to be occupied by Sparrows or Starlings. It should be erected not later than March 15, for the Bluebird's bluish white eggs are laid in the first half of April.

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