Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
The characteristic song of this bird may be written zwee-chee, the former syllable with an inhalant, the latter an exhalant quality. Later in the summer other songs are given which combine this song with many chips. Look for the Blue-wing near the ground in a swampy situation, among alders, or willows. In the fall it sometimes occurs in the higher woodlands along with other migrating species.
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
Vermivora chrysoptera (Linnæus)
Description.—Male: Top of head yellow; line through eye, and chin and throat, black; an area from lower mandible back to neck, white; back of head, neck, wings, and tail, gray; wing, with lesser and most of greater coverts, pale yellow; outer feathers of tail with white spots on inner webs; breast and belly white, the sides washed with grayish. Female: Similar, but duller, the black of the head being replaced with gray. Length: 5 inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather uncommon and local summer resident from early May to September, found in low meadows or in bushy edges of woodlands.
Nest.—Of leaves, lined with finer materials and often somewhat arched over with leaves, placed at the base of a bush. Eggs: 4 or 5, white, speckled with brown.
The song may be written see, zee, zee, zee.
The Brewster’s and Lawrence’s Warblers, hybrid forms which result from the interbreeding of the Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers, sometimes occur in Pennsylvania. The typical Brewster’s Warbler has the white underparts and yellow-marked wings of the Golden-wing. The breast and belly of Lawrence’s Warblers are yellow, and there are two prominent white wing-bars as in the Blue-wing.
NASHVILLE WARBLER
Vermivora ruficapilla ruficapilla (Wilson)
Description.—Adult male: Upper part of head blue-gray, with a partly concealed rufous crown-patch and noticeable white eye-ring; chin, throat, breast, and belly clear, strong yellow; upperparts olive-green, without markings in wings or tail. Female: Duller. Immature: Almost unmarked, the eye-ring being buffy and not noticeable, the sides being washed with buffy. Length: 4¾ inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and often abundant migrant in May and September; rare and very local as a summer resident in northern counties and at high altitudes.
Nest.—On the ground, near a log or at the base of a sapling. Eggs: 4 or 5, white, speckled with red-brown.
Nashville Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler