Motacilla canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 336 (not p. 334, which is D. coronata). Sylvia canadensis, Lath.; Wilson.—Aud. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxlviii, clv.—Sallé, P. Z. S. 1857, 231 (St. Domingo). Sylvicola canadensis, Swains.; Jard.; Bon.; Aud. Birds Am. II, plate 95, pl. xcv. Rhimanphus can. Cab. Dendroica canadensis, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 271.—Ib. P. Z. S. 1861, 70 (Jamaica).—Gundl. Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common).—Samuels, 224. Motacilla cærulescens, Gm. S. Nat. I, 1788, 960. Sylvia cær. Lath.; Vieill. II, pl. lxxx.—D’Orb. Sagra’s Cuba, Ois. 1840, 63, pl. ix, figs. 1, 2. Dendroica cær. Baird, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 186. Sylvia pusilla, Wils. V, pl. xliii, fig. 3 (Juv.). Sylvia leucoptera, Wils. Sylvia palustris, Steph. Sylvia macropus, Vieillot. Sylvia sphagnosa, Bon.; Nuttall; Aud. Sylvicola pannosa, Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 162 (female).—Ib. Illust. No. 37.
Sp. Char. Above uniform continuous grayish-blue, including the outer edges of the quill and tail-feathers. A narrow frontal line, the entire sides of head and neck, chin and throat, lustrous black; this color extending in a broad lateral stripe to the tail. Rest of under parts, including the axillary region, white. Wings and tail black above, the former with a conspicuous white patch formed by the bases of all the primaries (except the first); the inner webs of the secondaries and tertials with similar patches towards the base and along the inner margin. All the tail-feathers, except the innermost, with a white patch on the inner web near the end. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.25.
Female, olive-green above and dull yellow beneath. Sides of head dusky olive, the eyelids and a superciliary stripe whitish. Traces of the white patches at the base of the primaries and of the tail.
Hab. Eastern Province of United States; Jamaica, Cuba, and St. Domingo in winter; very abundant; Bahamas (Bryant). Not recorded from Mexico or Central America.
The white patch at the base of the primary, together with the total absence of outer markings on the wings, is peculiar to this species, and is found in both sexes. The female is more different from the male than that of any other species.
The plumage of the male in autumn is similar to the spring dress, but the back and wings are washed with greenish, and the black of the throat variegated with white edges to the feathers. A younger male (788,
October 10, Carlisle, Penn.) differs in having the black appearing in patches, the throat being mostly white; there is also a narrow white superciliary stripe.
Habits. The Black-throated Blue Warbler, at different seasons of the year, is distributed over nearly the whole eastern portion of North America. Abundant in the West Indies in winter, as also in the South Atlantic States in early spring and late in fall, it is found during the breeding-season from Northern New York and New England nearly to the Arctic regions. A few probably stop to breed in the high portions of Massachusetts, and in late seasons they linger about the orchards until June. They undoubtedly breed in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Dr. Woodhouse states that he found it abundant in Texas; but this is the only instance, so far as is known, of its occurring west of the Mississippi Valley.
Towards the close of the remarkably mild winter of 1866, a pair of these birds were observed for several days in a sheltered portion of Boston. They were in excellent condition, and were very busily employed hunting for the larvæ and eggs of insects and spiders in the corners and crevices of the walls of houses and out-buildings, evidently obtaining a full supply. In Southern Illinois, Mr. Ridgway cites this Warbler as one of the least common of the spring and fall visitants.