CONNECTICUT WARBLER
Oporornis agilis (Wilson)
Description.—Adult male: Head, neck, and breast, ashy gray, with prominent white eye-ring; rest of upperparts olive-green; wings and tail unmarked; underparts yellow; sides washed with olive-green. Female and young: Similar to adult male, but uniform olive-green above, the lighter eye-ring not noticeable, the throat and breast light brownish gray. Length: 5½ inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant, very rare in spring, during latter May, and somewhat commoner from latter August to about the end of September.
Mourning Warbler
Connecticut Warbler
This rare bird does not often sing in Pennsylvania. Look for it among high weed-growth in fall and among undergrowth in damp woods.
MOURNING WARBLER
Oporornis philadelphia (Wilson)
Description.—Adult male: Much like the Connecticut Warbler, but without eye-ring, and throat blackish, blending into a fan-shaped black area on breast. Female and young: Similar, but with upperparts olive-green, slightly grayer on head, and throat and breast gray, lightest on throat. Length: 5½ inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather uncommon migrant during May and from mid-August to the end of September. As a summer resident it occurs only in the northern and higher counties.
Nest.—A rather bulky structure, among weeds, on or near the ground, made of grasses, plant-fiber, and old leaves, lined with hair or fern rootlets. Eggs: 3 or 4, white, spotted with brown at larger end.
Look for this beautiful warbler in dense weed-growth or in brush along lowland streams. It is not particularly shy, but is very difficult to see because it slips away so easily among the shadows. The song, which is not heard in the fall, as a rule, has been written trú ee, trú ee, trú ee, trú, too. The voice rises on the first three parts of the song, and falls on the last two.
MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT
Geothlypis trichas trichas (Linnæus)
Description.—Adult male: A mask of black across forehead; cheeks and ear-coverts bordered behind by gray; rest of upperparts olive-green, unmarked; throat and breast bright yellow, fading to white on belly and brownish on sides; under tail-coverts yellow. Female: Similar, but without the black mask, the forehead sometimes tinged with reddish brown. Adult males in the fall: Browner above and on sides. Immature males: Black facial mask obscured by grayish edgings. Length: 5⅓ inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant and summer resident from late April to about the end of September.
Nest.—On or near the ground, of grasses, leaves, and bark strips, lined with finer materials, in a swamp or low meadow. Eggs: 3 to 5, white, sparsely speckled with brown, often chiefly at the larger end.