bird neighbors-第42节

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This　largest　of　the　warblers　might　be　mistaken　for　a　dozen　birds　collectively　in　as　many　minutes；　but　when　it　is　known　that　the　jumble　of　whistles；　parts　of　songs；　chuckles；　clucks；　barks；　quacks；　whines；　and　wails　proceed　from　a　single　throat；　the　yellow…breasted　chat　becomes　a　marked　specimen　forthwith　　a　conspicuous　individual　never　to　be　confused　with　any　other　member　of　the　feathered　tribe。　It　is　indeed　absolutely　unique。　The　catbird　and　the　mocking…bird　are　rare　mimics；　but　while　the　chat　is　not　their　equal　in　this　respect；　it　has　a　large　repertoire　of　weird；　uncanny　cries　all　its　own　　a　power　of　throwing　its　voice；　like　a　human　ventriloquist；　into　unexpected　corners　of　the　thicket　or　meadow。　In　addition　to　its　extraordinary　vocal　feats；　it　can　turn　somersaults　and　do　other　clown…like　stunts　as　well　as　any　variety　actor　on　the　Bowery　stage。

Only　by　creeping　cautiously　towards　the　roadside　tangle；　where　this　〃rollicking　polyglot〃　is　entertaining　himself　and　his　mate；　brooding　over　her　speckled　eggs　in　a　bulky　nest　set　in　a　most　inaccessible　briery　part　of　the　thicket；　can　you　hope　to　hear　him　rattle　through　his　variety　performance。　Walk　boldly　or　noisily　past　his　retreat；　and　there　is　〃silence　there　and　nothing　more。〃　But　two　very　bright　eyes　peer　out　at　you　through　the　undergrowth；　where　the　trim；　elegant…looking　bird　watches　you　with　quizzical　suspicion　until　you　quietly　seat　yourself　assume　silent　indifference。　〃Whew；　whew！〃　he　begins；　and　then　immediately；　with　evident　intent　to　amuse；　he　rattles　off　an　indescribable；　eccentric　medley　until　your　ears　are　tired　listening。　With　bill　uplifted；　tail　drooping；　wings　fluttering　at　his　side；　he　cuts　an　absurd　figure　enough；　but　not　so　comical　as　when　he　rises　into　the　air；　trailing　his　legs　behind　him　stork…fashion。　This　surely　is　the　clown　among　birds。　But　any　though　he　is；　he　is　as　capable　of　devotion　to　his　Columbine　as　Punchinello；　and　remains　faithfully　mated　year　after　year。　However　much　of　a　tease　and　a　deceiver　he　may　be　to　the　passer…by　along　the　roadside；　in　the　privacy　of　the　domestic　circle　he　shows　truly　lovable　traits。

He　has　the　habit　of　singing　in　his　unmusical　way　on　moonlight　nights。　Probably　his　ventriloquial　powers　are　cultivated　not　for　popular　entertainment；　but　to　lure　intruders　away　from　his　nest。


MARYLAND　YELLOWTHROAT　（Geothlypis　trichas）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　BLACK…MASKED　GROUND　WARBLER；　＇COMMON　YELLOWTHROAT；　　　AOU　1998＇

Length　　5。33　inches。　Just　an　inch　shorter　than　the　typical　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　Olive…gray　on　head；　shading　to　olive…green　on　all　the　　　other　upper　parts。　Forehead；　cheeks；　and　sides　of　head　black；　　　like　a　mask；　and　bordered　behind　by　a　grayish　line。　Throat　and　　　breast　bright　yellow；　growing　steadily　paler　underneath。　Female　　Either　totally　lacks　black　mask　or　its　place　is　　　Indicated　by　only　a　dusky　tint。　She　is　smaller　and　duller。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　west　to　the　plains；　most　common　　　east　of　the　Alleghanies。　Nests　from　the　Gulf　States　to　Labrador　　　and　Manitoba；　winters　south　of　Gulf　States　to　Panama。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Common　summer　resident。

〃Given　a　piece　of　marshy　ground　with　an　abundance　of　skunk　cabbage　and　a　fairly　dense　growth　of　saplings；　and　near　by　a　tangle　of　green　brier　and　blackberry；　and　you　will　be　pretty　sure　to　have　it　tenanted　by　a　pair　of　yellowthroats；〃　says　Dr。　Abbott；　who　found　several　of　their　nests　in　skunk…cabbage　plants；　which　he　says　are　favorite　cradles。　No　animal　cares　to　touch　this　plant　if　it　can　be　avoided；　but　have　the　birds　themselves　no　sense　of　smell？

Before　and　after　the　nesting　season　these　active　birds；　plump　of　form；　elegant　of　attire；　forceful；　but　not　bold；　enter　the　scrubby　pastures　near　our　houses　and　the　shrubbery　of　old…　fashioned；　overgrown　gardens；　and　peer　out　at　the　human　wanderer　therein　with　a　charming　curiosity。　The　bright　eyes　of　the　male　masquerader　shine　through　his　black　mask；　where　he　intently　watches　you　from　the　tangle　of　syringa　and　snowball　bushes；　and　as　he　flies　into　the　laburnum　with　its　golden　chain　of　blossoms　that　pale　before　the　yellow　of　his　throat　and　breast；　you　are　so　impressed　with　his　grace　and　elegance　that　you　follow　too　audaciously；　he　thinks；　and　off　he　goes。　And　yet　this　is　a　bird　that　seems　to　delight　in　being　pursued。　It　never　goes　so　far　away　that　you　are　not　tempted　to　follow　it；　though　it　be　through　dense　undergrowth　and　swampy　thickets；　and　it　always　gives　you　just　glimpse　enough　of　its　beauties　and　graces　before　it　flies　ahead；　to　invite　the　hope　of　a　closer　inspection　next　time。　When　it　dives　into　the　deepest　part　of　the　tangle；　where　you　can　imagine　it　hunting　about　among　the　roots　and　fallen　leaves　for　the　larvae；　caterpillars；　spiders；　and　other　insects　on　which　it　feeds；　it　sometimes　amuses　itself　with　a　simple　little　song　between　the　hunts。　But　the　bird's　indifference；　you　feel　sure；　arises　from　preoccupation　rather　than　rudeness。

If；　however；　your　visit　to　the　undergrowth　is　unfortunately　timed　and　there　happens　to　be　a　bulky　nest　in　process　of　construction　on　the　ground；　a　quickly　repeated；　vigorous　chit；　pit；　quit；　impatiently　inquires　the　reason　for　your　bold　intrusion。　Withdraw　discreetly　and　listen　to　the　love…song　that　is　presently　poured　out　to　reassure　his　plain　little　maskless　mate。　The　music　is　delivered　with　all　the　force　and　energy　of　his　vigorous　nature　and　penetrates　to　a　surprising　distance。　〃Follow　me；　follow　me；　follow　me；〃　many　people　hear　him　say；　others　write　the　syllables；　〃Wichity；　wichity；　wichity；　wichity〃；　and　still　others　write　them；　〃I　beseech　you；　I　beseech　you；　I　beseech　you；〃　though　the　tones　of　this　self…assertive　bird　rather　command　than　entreat。　Mr。　Frank　Chapman　says　of　the　yellowthroats：　〃They　sing　throughout　the　summer；　and　in　August　add　a　flight…song　to　their　repertoire。　This　is　usually　uttered　toward　evening；　when　the　bird　springs　several　feet　into　the　air；　hovers　for　a　second；　and　then　drops　back　to　the　bushes。〃


BLACKBURNIAN　WARBLER　（Dendroica　blackburnia）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　HEMLOCK　WARBLER；　ORANGE…THROATED　WARBLER；　TORCH…BIRD

Length　　4。5　to　5。5　inches。　An　inch　and　a　half　smaller　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　Head　black；　striped　with　orange…flame；　throat　and　breast　　　orange；　shading　through　yellow　to　white　underneath；　wings；　　　tail；　and　part　of　back　black；　with　white　markings。　Female　　Olive…brown　above；　shading　into　yellow　on　breast；　and　　　paler　under　parts。　Range　　Eastern　North　America　to　plains。　Winters　in　tropics。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Spring　and　autumn　migrant。

〃The　orange…throated　warbler　would　seem　to　be　his　right　name；　his　characteristic　cognomen；〃　says　John　Burroughs；　in　ever…delightful　〃Wake　Robin〃；　〃but　no；　he　is　doomed　to　wear　the　name　of　some　discoverer；　perhaps　the　first　who　robbed　his　nest　or　rifled　him　of　his　mate　　Blackburn；　hence；　Blackburnian　warbler。　The　burn　seems　appropriate　enough；　for　in　these　dark　evergreens　his　throat　and　breast　show　like　flame。　He　has　a　very　fine　warble；　suggesting　that　of　the　redstart；　but　not　especially　musical。〃

No　foliage　is　dense　enough　to　hide；　and　no　autumnal　tint　too　brilliant　to　outshine　this　luminous　little　bird　that　in　May；　as　it　migrates　northward　to　its　nesting　ground；　darts　in　and　out　of　the　leafy　shadows　like　a　tongue　of　fire。

It　is　by　far　the　most　glorious　of　all　the　warblers　　a　sort　of　diminutive　oriole。　The　quiet…colored　little　mate　flits　about　after　him；　apparently　lost　in　admiration　of　his　fine　feathers　and　the　ease　with　which　his　thin　tenor　voice　can　end　his　lover's　warble　in　a　high　Z。

Take　a　good　look　at　this　attractive　couple；　for　in　May　they　leave　us　to　build　a　nest　of　bark　and　moss　in　the　evergreens　of　Canada　　that　paradise　for　warblers　　or　of　the　Catskills　and　Adirondacks；　and　in　autumn　they　hurry　south　to　escape　the　first　frosts。


REDSTART　（Setophaga　ruticilla）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　YELLOW…TAILED　WARBLER；　＇AMERICAN　REDSTART；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　5　to　5。5　inches。　Male　　In　spring　plumage：　Head；　neck；　back；　and　middle　breast　　　glossy　black；　with　blue　reflections。　Breast　and　underneath　　　white；　slightly　flushed　with　salmon；　increasing　to　bright　　　salmon…orange　on　the　sides　of　the　body　and　on　the　wing　linings。　　　Occasional　specimens　show　orange…red。　Tail　feathers　partly　　　black；　partly　orange；　with　broad　black　band　across　the　end。　　　Orange　markings　on　wings。　Bill　and　feet　black。　In　autumn：　　　Fading　into　rusty　black；　olive；　and　yellow。　Female　　Olive…brown；　and　yellow　where　the　male　is　orange。　Young　　　browner　than　the　females。　Range　　North　America　to　upper　Canada。　West　occasionally；　as　far　　　as　the　Pacific　coast；　but　commonly　found　in　summer　in　the　　　Atlantic　and　Middle　States。　Migrations　　Early　May。　End　of　September。　Summer　resident。

Late　some　evening；　early　in　May；　when　one　by　one　the　birds　have　withdrawn　their　voices　from　the　vesper　chorus；　listen　for　the　lingering　〃'tsee；　'tsee；　'tseet〃　（usually　twelve　times　repeated　in　a　minute）；　that　the　redstart　sweetly　but　rather　monotonously　sings　from　the　evergreens；　where；　as　his　tiny　body　burns　in　the　twilight；　Mrs。　Wright　likens　him　to　a　〃wind…blown　firebrand；　half　glowing；　half　charred。〃

But　by　daylight　this　brilliant　little　warbler　is　constantly　on　the　alert。　It　is　tru