The loud, ringing ching-ching-ching, chicker, cherwee of the Yellow-throated Warbler is one of the characteristic bird songs of spring in southern woods. The bird usually sings from the upper branches of tall trees, often cypresses, in Florida, but further north, from pines, where he can be far more easily heard than seen. The nest is placed 30-40 feet from the ground and the white eggs, thickly marked with shades of brown, are laid in April.
The Sycamore Warbler (D. d. albilora, [Case 5], Fig. 19) is a nearly related race of the Yellow-throat which inhabits the Mississippi Valley nesting as far north as southern Michigan and wintering in the tropics. It differs from the Atlantic coast form in having a smaller bill and no yellow in front of the eye. As its name implies, it favors sycamore trees.
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER
Dendroica virens virens. [Case 6], Fig. 62
The female has a yellow throat and a band of black spots on the breast, but both sexes may be known by the yellow cheeks and the large amount of white in the tail. L. 5.
Range. Nests from Long Island and northern Ohio north to Canada and south in the Alleghanies to Georgia.
Washington, very common T.V., Apl. 22-May 30; Aug. 26-Oct. 21. Ossining, common T.V., Apl. 30-June 3; Sept. 1-Oct. 26; a few breed. Cambridge, abundant S.R., May 1-Oct. 15. N. Ohio, common T.V., Apl. 25-May 24; Sept. 1-Oct. 16; a few breed. Glen Ellyn, common T.V., Apl. 29-June 6; Aug. 22-Oct. 12. SE. Minn., common T.V., uncommon S.R., Apl. 29-Sept. 22.
The quiet little zee-zee, zee-ee-zee of the Black-throated Green announces the arrival of the vanguard of true Wood Warblers, which for the succeeding two weeks will pass in countless numbers through our woodlands, still almost leafless. At this time we may find him wherever trees grow, but his real summer home is coniferous forests, especially of hemlocks, in which he often builds his nests 15-20 feet above the ground. The eggs, laid in late May or early June, are white spotted and speckled with brown.
A southern form of this Warbler (D. v. waynei) has been described from the vicinity of Charleston, S.C.
KIRTLAND'S WARBLER
Dendroica kirtlandi. [Case 8], Fig. 45
A large Warbler, pale yellow below; crown slaty; back brownish streaked with black.