Color Key to North American Birds / with bibliographical appendix

by Frank M. Chapman

666. Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia). L. 5. Ad. ♂. Throat, crown and back black; cheeks and spot in forehead yellow; a narrow black line through eye; wing-bars and tail-patches white. Ad. ♀. Above olive green with black streaks; cheeks duller than in ♂, eye-streak dusky; throat yellow, breast blackish; belly white. Notes. Song, tser, weasy-weasy, twea, resembling song of [No. 667]. (Nehrling.) Range.—Western central and southern Texas and south through eastern Mexico to highlands of Guatemala. (Ridgway.) 667. Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens). L. 5. Ad. ♂. Throat and breast black; cheeks greenish yellow; back olive-green; wing-bars and tail patches white. Ad. ♀ and Yng. ♂. Similar, but throat yellowish; black breast tipped with yellowish; belly tinged with yellow; back without black streaks. Yng. ♀. Throat and breast yellowish white, little or no black. Notes. Song, a droning zēē, zēē, zĕ-ēē', zēē. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from Connecticut and northern Illinois north to Nova Scotia and Hudson Bay, and south in Alleghanies to South Carolina; winters in Central America. 668. Townsend Warbler (Dendroica townsendi). L. 5.1. Ad. ♂. A black eye-patch bordered by yellow stripes; crown and throat black; back olive-green spotted with black; wing-bars and tail-patches white. Ad. ♀. Eye-patch olive; throat yellow, indistinctly blackish; crown and back olive-green, with few black streaks. Yng. Similar, but yellower. Notes. Song, de-de, de-de, de, like that of [No. 667]. (Merrill.) Range.—Western North America; breeds from mountains of southern California north to Alaska, east to western Colorado; in migrations to western Texas; winters in Mexico. 669. Hermit Warbler (Dendroica occidentalis). L. 5.1. Underparts without streaks. Ad. ♂. Crown and cheeks yellow; throat black; back gray spotted with black; wing-bars and tail-patches white. Ad. ♀. Crown less yellow; throat yellowish; back olive-gray, usually without spots. Yng. ♀. Similar, but yellower. Yng. ♂. Throat dusky; forehead and cheeks yellow; back olive-green with concealed black spots. Much like Yng of [No. 667], but forehead yellower, no streaks below. Notes. Song, zeegle-zeegle-zeegle-zeek. (Barlow.) Range.—Western United States; breeds in high mountains from British Columbia to California, and from Pacific Coast district of United States to Rocky Mountains; migrates to Lower California, Mexico, and Guatemala. (Bailey.) 684. Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia mitrata). L. 5.7. Outer tail-feather with white patches. Ad. ♂. Forehead and cheeks yellow; hindhead extending to breast and throat black; belly yellow; back olive-green. Ad. ♀. Throat yellow, hindhead olive-green usually with black. Notes. Call, a sharp cheep; song, a gracefully whistled you must come to the woods, or you wont see me. Range.—Eastern United States; breeds north to southern Connecticut, central western New York, and southern Michigan; winters in Central America.

531. Lawrence Goldfinch (Astragalinus lawrencei). L. 4.7. Ad. ♂. Crown, throat and front of cheeks black; body gray, breast, rump, wings and, to a less degree, back with yellow; outer tail feathers with large white spots near the end. Ad. ♀. Similar, but no black, back browner and without yellow. Notes. Suggesting those of the Goldfinch, but weaker. Range—California, west of the Sierra; breeds from northern Lower California north to Chico, California; winters to Arizona and New Mexico. 642. Golden-winged Warbler (Helminthophila chrysoptera). L. 5. Ad. ♂. Crown yellow, wing-bars broadly yellow; above bluish gray; below grayish white; throat-patch and eye-stripe black. Ad. ♀. Crown duller; throat-patch and eye-stripe gray. Notes. Song, a lazy zee-zee-zee-zee all on same note. Range.—Eastern United States; breeds from northern New Jersey and northern Indiana north to Vermont, southern Ontario, and Michigan, and south along Alleghanies to South Carolina; winters in Central America. 678. Connecticut Warbler (Geothlypis agilis). L. 5.5. Eye-ring white; no white in wings or tail. Ad. ♂. Crown and cheeks bluish slate; throat and breast paler, the latter with no black; above olive-green; below yellow, sides greenish. Ad. ♀ and Yng. Throat and breast olive brown; belly yellow; back brownish olive-green; crown browner. Notes. Call, a sharp peek; song, suggesting that of Maryland Yellow-throat and also that of Oven-bird, free-chapple, free-chapple, free-chapple, whoit. (Seton.) Range.—Eastern North America, north to Maine and Manitoba; known to breed only in Manitoba; winters in northern South America. 679. Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia). L. 5.4. No white in wings or tail. Ad. ♂. No white eye-ring; crown and cheeks bluish slate; throat blackish; breast black more or less veiled by slaty; belly yellow; back olive-green. Ad. ♀. Head slaty; throat and breast grayish; an inconspicuous white eye-ring. Yng. Similar, but browner above; throat more yellow. Notes. Song, clear and whistled, tee te-o te-o te-o we-se, the last couplet accented and much higher pitched. (Jones.) Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from northern New England, northern New York and eastern Nebraska north to Nova Scotia and Manitoba, and south along the Alleghanies to West Virginia; winters in Central and South America. 680. Macgillivray Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei), L. 5.4. Ads. Similar to [No. 679], but with an incomplete white eye-ring showing above and below eye. Range.—Western North America from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific; breeds from western Texas and mountains of southern California north to British Columbia; in migrations ranges east to Nebraska and middle Texas; winters in Mexico and Central America.

656. Audubon Warbler (Dendroica auduboni). L. 5.6. Crown, sides of breast, rump, and throat usually with yellow. Ad. ♂. Throat bright yellow; breast black; back blue-gray streaked with black; wing-bars broadly white; outer tail-feathers with white. Ad. ♀. Similar to male, but breast grayish; yellow less bright; less white in wings. ♂, Winter. Like same plumage of [No. 655], but throat, yellowish; more white in tail. ♀, Winter. Similar, but less yellow, throat sometimes without yellow, when like [No. 655], but white on four or five outer tail-feathers instead of on two or three. Range.—Western United States; breeding in higher mountains from southern California and New Mexico north to British Columbia; winters south into Mexico. 656a. Black-fronted Warbler (D. a. nigrifrons). Similar to [No. 656], but Ad. ♂. with forehead, sides of crown, and ears black; back black, narrowly margined with bluish gray. In winter. Bluish gray, not brownish above. Ad. ♀ darker, more heavily streaked with black above. (Ridgw.) Range.—Mountains of northern Mexico north to southern Arizona. 657. Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica maculosa). L. 5.1. Rump yellow; seen from below a white band across middle of tail. Ad. ♂. Crown ashy, back black; wing-coverts broadly white; below yellow streaked with black. Ad. ♀. Duller; fewer black stripes below; wing-bars separated, narrow. Yng. and Ad in winter. Crown and sides of head brownish ashy, back olive-green; below yellow, sides occasionally streaked. Notes. Song, a loud, clear whistle, chee-to, chee-to, chee-tee-ee, uttered rapidly and with a falling inflection, (Langille.) Range.—Eastern North America, west in migrations, to the Rockies; breeds from northern New England, northern Michigan (and south along the Alleghanies to Pennsylvania), north to Quebec and Hudson Bay region; winters in Central America. 663. Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica). L. 5.2. Ads. Throat and line from bill to eye yellow; cheeks and forehead black; back bluish gray; two broad white wing-bars; tail-patches white. Notes. Song, loud, ringing and ventriloquial; suggesting that of Indigo Bunting but shorter. Range.—Southeastern United States; breeds from Florida north to Virginia and winters from Florida south into West Indies. 663a. Sycamore Warbler (D. d. albilora). Similar to [ No. 663], but bill smaller, line from eye to bill white or with but traces of yellow. Range.—Mississippi Valley; breeds from Texas north to Kansas, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and West Virginia; winters in Mexico and Central America. 664. Grace Warbler (Dendroica graciæ). L. 5. Ad. ♂. Throat and line over eye yellow; cheeks gray; above gray, crown and back with black streaks; wing-bars and tail-patches white. Ad. ♀. Similar, but duller, back sometimes brownish. Range.—Northwestern Mexico, north to New Mexico, southwestern Colorado, and Arizona.

686. Canadian Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis). L. 5.6. No white in wings or tail. Ad. ♂. A necklace of black spots on breast; back gray; belly yellow; forehead black. Ad. ♀ and Yng. ♂. Black areas smaller. Yng. ♀. Slightly yellowish above; necklace slightly indicated by dusky spots. Notes. Song, tu-tu, tswe, tu, tu, longer or shorter and suggesting in style of utterance both the Yellow Warbler and Goldfinch. (Jones.) (See [page 190].) Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from Massachusetts, central New York, and northern Michigan north to Labrador and Manitoba, and south along the Alleghanies to North Carolina; winters in Central and South America. 640. Bachman Warbler (Helminthophila bachmanii). L. 4.2. Outer tail-feathers usually with a white patch more or less distinct. Ad. ♂. Breast-patch and crown-band black; forehead, chin and belly yellow; back olive-green, hindhead grayish. Ad. ♀. Above grayish olive-green, head grayer; below dingy grayish with a yellow tinge. Notes. Song, when migrating, resembles that of Parula Warbler, (Brewster); when breeding, that of Worm-eating Warbler, Junco or Chippy. (Widmann). Range.—Southeastern United States, west to Louisiana, north to Virginia and southern Indiana; rare on Atlantic coast; known to breed only in Missouri; winters south of United States. 641. Blue-winged Warbler (Helminthophila pinus). L. 4.8. Ad. ♂. Crown and underparts yellow; back olive-green; a black stripe through eye; two whitish wing-bars; outer tail-feathers with white patches. Ad. ♀. Similar, less yellow on head, duller below. Notes. Song, a wheezy, swee-chee, the first inhaled, the second exhaled; also, later, wēē, chi-chi-chi-chi, chūr, chēē-chūr. Range.—Eastern United States; breeds north to southern Connecticut and Minnesota, occasionally wanders to Massachusetts; winters south of United States. 670. Kirtland Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandi). L. 5.7. Ad. ♂. Above bluish gray streaked with black; below pale yellow, sides streaked with black; wing-bars grayish; tail-patches white. Ad. ♀. Similar, but browner. Notes. Song, said to resemble that of Maryland Yellow-throat and also that of Yellow-throated Warbler. Range.—Eastern United States; has been found from April to October in United States as follows: in Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ontario, in all some twenty odd specimens; found breeding in summer of 1903 in Oscoda County, Michigan; winters in Bahamas where some fifty specimens have been taken. 671. Pine Warbler (Dendroica vigorsii). L. 5.5. Ad. ♂. Throat and breast greenish yellow; above bright yellowish green; wing-bars and tail-patches white. Ad. ♀. Similar, but breast duller, back browner. Yng. ♂. Similar to Ad. ♂, but browner. Yng. ♀. Below buffy white, breast slightly or not all yellowish; back olive-brown. Notes. Song, suggesting a Chipping Sparrow's but more musical. Range.—Eastern North America; breeds from Gulf States north to New Brunswick, Minnesota, and Manitoba; winters from Virginia and southern Illinois to Gulf States.

696. Siberian Yellow Wagtail (Budytes flavus leucostriatus). L. 6.5. Ad. ♂. Crown bluish slate, a white line over eye; back olive-green; below yellow; wing-bars yellowish; outer tail-feathers largely white. Ad. ♀. Similar, but duller, head and wing-bars browner. Notes. Call, a sharp, plé-plé-ple; song, a low, clear, medley of jingling notes uttered on the wing. (Nelson.) (See [page 191].) Range.—China, Eastern Siberia, and Bering Sea portion of eastern Alaska. 529. American Goldfinch (Astragalinus tristis). L. 5.1; W. 2.8. Ad. ♂. Yellow, cap, wings and tail black; wing-coverts, secondaries and inner margins of tail-feathers tipped with white. Ad. ♀, Above grayish olive-brown; below buffy whitish; throat yellowish; wings and tail duller than in male; white tips to tail not distinct. Yng. ♂ and Ad. ♂ in winter. Similar to ♀ but wings and tail black; white markings grayer than in summer. Notes. Calls, when perching, hear me, hear me, dearie, soft and sweet, when flying, per-chic'-o-ree; per-chic'-o-ree; song, sweet, rapid, varied and canary-like. Range.—Eastern North America west to the Rockies; breeds from Virginia and Missouri north to Labrador and Manitoba; winters from northern United States to the Gulf States. 529a. Western Goldfinch (A. t. pallidus). Similar to [No. 529], but larger, W. 3.05. Ad. ♂, in summer, similar in color to [No. 529]. ♀ and ♂, in winter. Much paler, the white areas greater in extent. Range.—Rocky Mountain region from northern Mexico north to British Columbia. 529b. California Goldfinch (A. t. salicamans). Similar to [No. 529], but wings and tail shorter and color darker. Ad. ♂ in summer. With back always (?) tinged with pale olive-green; in winter darker than [No. 529], but with white areas as large as in 529a. (Ridgw.) Range.—California, west of the Sierra, south to Lower California, north to Washington. 530. Arkansas Goldfinch (Astragalinus psaltria). L. 4.1. Ad. ♂. Cap, wings, and tail black, most of primaries and tail white basally; back and cheeks olive-green, often marked with black; below yellow Ad. ♀. No black cap; above olive-green; below dull yellowish; wings and tail brownish black, former with white much reduced, latter with little or no white. Yng. Resemble female. Notes. Call, se-e-e-ep; song, sweet, varied and musical. Range.—Western United States, from the Plains to the Pacific; breeds from northern Lower California and western Texas, north to Colorado, southern Idaho, and Oregon; winters from the southern part of its breeding range southward. 530b. Mexican Goldfinch (A. p. mexicanus). Resembles No. 530, but cheeks and entire upperparts black; ♀ as in [No. 530]. Range.—Mexico, north to southern Texas.