Report on the birds of Pennsylvania - with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations (1890) (20045718464)

Title: Report on the birds of Pennsylvania : with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations
Identifier: commercialpoultr11 (find matches)
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Warren, Benjamin Harry, 1858-
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Harrisburg : E. K. Meyers, State Printer
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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-^ ^ o CI o =3 o o •Xj ^ o ^ CO JJLl *-. CO ci c^3 a O '« x: -^ CD cvj -^ ^•^ BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. Subfamily POLIOPTILIN^. Gxatcatchers. Genus POLIOPTILA Sclater. 323 Polioptila caerulea (Linn.). Blue-gray Giiatcatcher. Description. Bill long and slender much depressed at base, distinctly notched at end and slightly hooked ; hill anterior to the exposed nostrils rapidly narrows, and becomes very slender at tip ; the round wings are about equal to tail; tail graduated, feathers with rounded ends. Length about 5 inches ; extent about 6^ ; bill and legs black- jsh ; eyes dark brown. Above grayish-blue ; crown decidedly blue, rump some- what lighter than back ; forehead and line over eye black (absent in female) ; whit- ish ring round eye. Lores and under parts pale bluish-white, except chin and me- dian line on throat, and abdomen also in some specimens, pure white. First and second pairs of tail-feathers black at base then white ; third and fourth black with white tips, rest l)lack. /fa/>i^rt^—Middle and southern portions of the United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacitic, south, in winter, to Guatemala, Cuba and the Bahamas; rare north toward the Great Lakes, southern New York and southern New England, straggling north to Massachusetts and Maine. Tlie^ Blue-o-ray Gnatcatcher occurs as a summer resident in the south- ern parts of Pennsylvania. Arrives here about the last week in April and remains until al)out the middle of September. I have observed this bird in the southeastern counties as a rare visitor, in the spring", late summer and autumn. In southwestern Pennsylvania the o^nat- catcher is reported to be a rather frequent summer resident. Messrs. M. Compton, W. T. Warrick and James S. Nease, all report it as being* rather common during- migrations in Washington county, and they also mention it as a prol)able breeder. Dr. T. Z. Hazzard, of Allegheny City, informs me it breeds regularly in his locality (Allegheny county). The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Mr. H. J. Roddy says, " is common at one place near Lebo, Perry county. I find them breeding there every year; saw a family August 10, on Jack's mountain." I found this bird to be quite common in Fel)ruary, March and the early part of April in Florida. Its food consists entirel)^ of small-winged insects and various larvae. "It is an expert insect-catcher, taking its j^rey on the wing with great celerity. All its movements are very rapid, the bird seeming to be constantly in motion as if ever in quest of insects, moving from one part of the tree to the other, but generally prefening the upper branches "' (Hist, N. Am. Birds). Never having had the good fortune to find the nest or eggs of this species, I take the following descriptions concerning the same from other wTiters. " The nest of this species is one of the gems of bird architecture. It is a very compact mass of soft f(4ted niat(3rials, elaborately^ and artistically ornamented on the out- side with gray and glaucous lichens, the deep interior cavity lined ^vith softest down and feathers. The shape varies from that of a deep cup I ill COLOR PLATE

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