THE AUK'

A (&UARTERL¾ JOURNAL OF

ORNITHOLOGY.

VOL. I. JULY, I884. Xo. 3.

A STUDY OF THE SINGING OF OUR BIRDS.

BY EUGENE P. BICKNELL.

( • bn/inuedfi'om 2). z4o.)

Anthus pensilvanicus (•al•.) 7'3icJzem.* AMERICAN Trru^nK.

EvEn¾ autumn, late in Septe•nberor early in October, Tit- larks appear in restlessflocks, flitting about the brown fields and salt meadows, the quick double-noteof manx individuals smmd- ing iu azreeahleconsonance when the flocks are on the wing. Befk)re the present year I never knew the•n to occnr in the spring, hut this seasonthey were presentin large flocks through the greater part of April, first appearing on the 3(1. On the afternoon of the zoth, I was quite sure I heard them sing--- some short trills, sometimesbroken into separate notes, certainly came fi'om a flock of Titlarks in a large tulip tree standingalone in a wide field. Though the songsof Robins and Meadow Larks confi•sedmy hearing, be•brethe flock took wing I heard enough to satisfv me that the Titlark clots somethnessing while it is with t•s on its spring migration. '

* (f. Stejneger,Auk, Vol. I., pp. x67, x68. 2 I0 B•CKNEL:t.on the Singing' of Birds. [July

Mniotilta varia. BLACK-AND-WItITE CREEPING WARBLER.

With this species, singing continuesfrom its arrival in late April until the end of June. In someyears I have not heard its songat all in July; in otheryears it singsoccasionally.up to the end of that month. The secondsong-period begins about the middleof August(9th to 22nd),and maylast for a few daysonly, or for over two weeks; concludingdates fall betweenAugust I8 and 28. An exceptionaldate for songis September23, i879, when one of these birds was heard to singperfectly several suc- cessivetimes. Final departureoccurs five or six weeks after the cessationof song.

Helminthotherus vermivorus. WORM-EATING WARBLER.

Commonly remains in song after its arrival until the second weel• of july. Sometimessinging ceases a little earlierthan this; again, in other years, songsare to be heard into the third week of the month. The secondsong-period of this Warbler I can speakof only from one season'sexperience. On July IO, I88•, severalof these birds were silently inhdbiting a small tract of woodland, their first seasonof songhaving passed; here, on August i4, and again on the 2•st, they were foundin fine plumageand in full song. The songsof no other three birds known to me are more alike than thoseof the Worm-eatingWarbler, the Chipping Sparrow, and the Slate-colored Snowbird.

Helminthophila pinus (œ.) Ridffw. BLUE-1VlNGEDYE•.LOW •VARBLEE.

My data relatingto the endingof the first song-period,in the caseof those of our summer birds which earliest become silenl, are lesscomplete than I could wish; fi)r experiencehad to teach me that observation which would discover the time when several speciesleft offsinging must begin before the middleof June. The Blue-winged Yellow Warbler is perhaps the first of out' summer birds to withdraw from the leathered choir. After its arrival in earlyMay, scarcelya monthelapses before singing has begun to wane; and it is not often continuedafter the middle of ß884. ] BICKNELLon the Sz'nfft'nffof Birds. 2 1 I

June. Absenceabout this time in severalrecent years has inter- fered with my observations,but attentivevisits to favorite haunts of the speciesin the lastweek of severalJunes failed to showthat it had not then becomesilent. Sometimes, indeed, it appears to ceasesinging soonafter the end of May; again it ,nay continue intermittentlynearly to the end of June, and I have recorded a few isolateddates of songin early July. A supplementarysong-period occurs in August, usuallyabout the middle of the month; beginning, according to my records, August 5 to •5, and endingAugust •8 to 24. Though the true spring song is then recovered, it is largely supersededby a markedly different song, which seems to be especially charac- teristic of the late,' season. I have heard both songs succeedone another fi'om the same bird. Representingthe spring-songas Ce-e-e-e--ker-r-r-r-r, the later song•vould comparesomewhat as follows: /tier-r-r-r-- kik-kik-kik-kik. An approachto this songis sometimesnotice- able towardsthe end of June; and the only songsof the species that I ever heard in Jul3 , were much like it. In one seasonits song was not infrequent during the spring. At the time of the resumptionof singingiu mid-August,before the specieshas come into possessionof its fnll prayers,I have sometimes heard some singular vocallzation fi-om it--a series of lo•v, disconnectednotes, unrecognizableas being fi'om this species,sometilnes, however, ending with the sharp /•):k, kik, kik, kik, of the late,' song. This song sometimes strikingly suggeststhat of the Nashville Warbler. At the time of this strangevocalism I have found the species completinga renewal of plumage,but with many feathersstill in active growth. A little late,', when singing is regularly resumed, the bird appearsin its new attire, which is of a silken beauty, with evenfi-esher and brighter colors than in th.espring. In view of the fact that hybridization seemsto be established among certain speciesof the group to which this Warbler belongs,the above notedvariations in song and time of singing may be due to other than merely individual and seasonalcauses.

Helminthophila ruficapilla (Wils.) Ridg•w. g•r AIl B LEll. Slugs regularly on its spring migration, but I have never heard it in the fidl. 2 I 2 BiCKNELL On /he St'.•e'i•tff of Bœrrls. [July

Helminthophila peregrina (/•57.s-.) ]eh•Vw. TIœNNESSEE WAIl. BEER.

The transientpresence of this species,in tile upper fi)liageof the woodlandin May, is usually revealed by its attractive song. In tile antuntoit passesin silence.

Compsothlypis americana (L.) Cab. BACKIœ1) WARBLEI1..

A constantsongster on its spring migration, but ordinarily silent in the fidl, unlessindividuals sometimes cause exceptions to the rule. I feel quite positiveof having heard a faint song on September•8, •88i, fi'omone of a small party of these hirds; but it wasnot repeated,nnd I couldnot verify my convie~ tion. A little farther north,however, the speciesdoes sing on its return migration; for Imn told by Dr. E. A. Mearns that, near\Vest Point, he has sometimesfound it in fifil songiu the atltllnlll. The Blne Yellow-hackedWarbler has two (liftSrentsongs. Ill one the notes coalesce into a fine insect-like trill; in the other four similar notes are fi)llowed by four others, weaker and more quickly given. This speciesarrives in the fall h• fifil plumage, and somewhat fat. The color of its art is a very pale sulphury•in contrastto that of other species,as tile Nashville Warbler or tile Redstart, in which the fi•t is more opaqueand of nn orangeor reddish color.

Dendrceca •estiva. StrX,•MEI{ W,x•{m.t•{.

Singsfi'om its arrival in lateApril throu.•hJuly, but usually with diminishedfi'equcncy toward the cudof the nlollth,although in someyears it continuesin fifil songnearly until mid-August. Ordinarilysinging ceases in the secondweek of August; rarely earlier,but solnctimeslater. Extreme datesare August•. 5, and 9, and August •8 aml •9- This is the seasonof the bird's departure.

* (:X Stejneger,Auk, Vol. [, pp. x69,x7 o. •884]. BICKNELL0n the S_,'n•vin•of ]3/rds. 2 13

Dendrceca caerulescens. BLACK-THI1OATED BLUE WAllBLEI1.

Passesby in fi111song in May. Though usnally sileut ou its migration in the autnmn, it is sometimesto be nulnberedamong the birds whlcb sing at that season. On September22, •878• a morning when birds were abundant and active, and a nnmber voicefid, including the IIouse ¾Vren, Blue-beaded and ¾Vhite- eyed Vireos, Swamp and Song Sparrows. several of these ¾Varblers were observed in fine plumage and fnll song. It arrives iu autmnn with reuewed plumage and usuallywith little 15•t.

19eJzdrvecacoro•za/a, Yellow-rumped Warbler; f). maculosa. Black-aud-yellow Warbler; 19. •cJzJzO,/vaJz/ca,Chestnut-sided Warbler; 19. cas/anea, Bay-breasted Warbler; 19. s/ria/a, Black-poll Warbler; 19. b/ack&•r•icc, BlackburnJanWarbler; 19. vire;zs,Black-throated Green Warbler; 29. •a/marum hyfio- chrysca, Yellow Red-poll •¾arbler: 19. /z•s•rina, Cape May Warbler. All of these spring and autunm migrants sing as they pass north, but are silent when they return.

Siurus auricapillus. ()VF•N-mnD. Toward the end of June the songof this bird, which has been st) constantlyacceutnated through our woodlandfor two months, becomesless fl*equent, and thoughheard iuto July, comparatively fewindividuals sing tbrongh the month/ In solneseasons I have missed it after the first week, but in others have heard it with some regularity throngb the secondweek, with rarely a chance songin the •veek following; July 23 is my latest(late. The secondsong-period occurs in August, and is transient and irregular; with varying seasonssbitUng a little to either side of the 1hidrileof the month. Rarely it continuesilnperfectly into September. Augns( 9 and September 5 constitute extreme l)oundarydates, but at neither limit were the songsperfect. As if the power of soug was graduallyregained at the lnamrityof the new plumage,the time of silencewhich followsthe breeding season,accompanying the moult, is finalls'interrupted, not with 2 14 BICKNELLon the S/n•o7'ng'of Bœrds. [July

a suddenrecommencement of song, but gradually •vith the cessationof feather-growth. About the middle of August a few notessuggestive of their songmay now and then be beard about woody tractswhere for weeks the birds have conductedthem- selveswith silenceand seclusion. These preliminarynotes are hesitatingand faintly uttered. On succeedingdays they become louder and more extended,suggesting the beginningof the true song, but there is an uncertainty about their delivery •vhich seemsto betray either inability or lack of confidence. Later, a sudden bold efibrt may be made, when the bird follows the successivelyhigher notesof its true songnntil a point is attained beyond •vbich it seemsincapable of proceedlug,and abruptly discontinues. But after a brief seasou of such efforts and failre'es the true song is attained. Though the apparent inability of the bird to sing rnay result from lack of vigor at•er the moult, the manner in which song is regained suggestsvocal disabilityas a not improbablecause of the precedingand succeedingsilence. In the supplementarysong-period, song is to be beard only for a few days and in the early morning hours, and seemsnever to reachthe precisionand vigor of the true springsong. The ordinary songof the Oven-bird, but for its inseparable associatiouwith the quiet recessesof summer woods, would cer- tainly seemto us monotonousand commonplace; and the bird's persistentreiteration of this plain song might •vell lead us to believe that it had no higher vocal capability. But it is no•vwell known that, on occasions,as if suddenemotion carried it beyond the restrictionsthat ordinarilybeset its expression,it burststbrth with a wild outpouringof intricateand melodioussong, proving itself the superiorvocalist of the trio of pseudo-Thrushesof which it is so unassuminga member. This songis producedon the •ving, oftenestwhen the spell of evening is coming over the •voods. Sometimesit may be heard as an outburstof vesper melody carried above the foliage of the slmdowy torest and descendingand dyin• axvay•vltb the waning twilight.

Siurus naevius. 8MAI,I,-BII.I,ED ¾VATER-TIIIlUSH.

In full song•vhile passingin the spring. On its return visit it is ordinarily silent, though probablynot invariably so. The songof a ¾Vater-Thrush heard in theevening of Aug,ust 25, x879, I felt very surewas of this species. •SS4.] BICKNELLon •,•e Sœn,4¾n•o_f Birds. 2 I •

Siurus motacilla. LAP•GE-BILLED W,vrFm-Tunus•.

My noteson this species,although incomplete,seein to indicate two song-periods;the first endingin June or early in July; the later coufincdto a hricf period of late July or early August. I do not regularlyhear its sougafter June haswell advanced,but as the birds are not coralnOnnear me, I have not had opportunity for œnllobservatiou. Before the end of July tbc birds seem to feel the migratil•g impulseand beginto grow restless. They may then be found in placeswblch have not knoxvntheln through the breeding season,and songs, often of full continuance and power, may againbe heard. My recordgives July 22 and August 4 as limiting dates fbr the brief second'song-period.

Geothlypis trichas. M^uv•.^m• YF•.•ow-'rnr•o•x'r.

There is probably a dual seasonof son,h'with this species, which is obscuredhy variation in the singing-timewith individ- uals. Though it usually remains in song all tbrough the stnn- met, in tbe last weeks of July and the first of August singingis less generaland less spirited than either before or after. Often after the middle of August songswill be louder and more fi'e- quent than fi•r •veeks previously. Singing may ceaseat any time fi'om about the middle of August to the end of the month, or first part of Septemher(August 12 and •9, to September3, 4, TMand •3); but Septembersingin,• is unusual. The motfit takes place in Auzust, and is cmnpleted in September, when the birds become tilt. Wqtb this speciesthe habit of song-flight i• xvell developed. The little black-maskedbird seemsto believe•it necessary that siuging should co1•tlnllethrough the whole conrse of the flight, and as the ordinary song, xvith •vhicb it begins, colnes to an eml while yet the bird is in the air, the time is filled out by a disarrangedmedlcy of notes very diflbrent fl-om its usual utterance. I have not often seenthese performauces before mid-summer,and the August songsof the speciesare most fre- quentlythose which accompanythese flights, which are oftenest indulged in the late afternoonor towards evening. This species, and the Oven-1)ird,and Yellow-breastedChat appear to be the 2 16 BrCKNE•-•-on lhe Sing'œng'of Bt'rds. [ July only membersof the family Mniotiltida2with which the song- flight is a normal and regular habit.

Icteria virens. YELLOYV-BI•.EAST•I) CHAT.

Regnlarly up to the middle of July, and sometimesthrougl• the third or evenfourth week of the month, this species continuesin song. Imperfect songsmay sometimesbe heard in early Angust, but rarely later, although my record extends to August •4- Dates of fairly perfect final songs range between July •5 and August •. After the cessationof songthe singularchat note of the speciesmay yet be heard about the shrubberywhich it still closelyhaunts; but even this seemsto be discontinued1)eft)re its departure. This eccentricbird is perhaps our only specieswhich regular- ly singsat night. Where Chats abound,it is a common expe- rience to hear'at one time several singing with full vigor at most untimely hours; and from my windo•v I have listened to such serenadeson man) successivenights. They singboth when the moon is bright and when the night is clear and dark; their odd notes interrupting the midnight stillness with peculiar eftbet. Thus have I heard them into the small hours.

Myiodioctes mitratus. }tOODED WAIIBLE•I.

The first song-periodof this speciesseems rarely to pass early July--latest dates,Jtdy •o and •5' Perfect songsheard in the fourth week of Angust locate the secondsong-period. At this time the plumage is approachingmamrlty. As has before been reported, this speciespossesses txvo differ- ent songs,or perhaps more trtdy, two distinct wuSationsof one. These difibrences, ho•vever, are neither individual nor seas(real, but seemto comewithin the normalvocal compassof the species, both songsbeing used indiscriminately by the same bird. This fact bas beennoted by Rev. J. H. Langille in the •Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club' fi)r April, ISg2 (pp. •9, •2o), whose experiencein its discoverywas very similar to my own. I well remember with what interest and excitement I tbllowed one of the songsof this bird about the woodson many (liftbrentdays, expectingto make a ne•v bird acquaintance,and with.•vhat sur- tss4.] BICKXF.Lt. on /he S?n.•,'/n.•of Birds. 2x 7 prise and chagrin I discoveredthat it proceededfi'om the Hooded Warbler, which had heen constantlyabout me, but which I had never suspectedto possesssuch versatility.

Myiodioctes canadensis. CANADIANFLYCATCHLXG

Myiodioctes pusillus. BLACK-CAPPEDFLYCATCIIIN(; •rARB I.ER.

Both thesespecies are in fidl songwhile passingin the spring, but I have neverheard either sing on the oppositemigration in the antunto. Then they appear with perfectedplumage and usually with considerable fat.

Setophaga ruticilla. AMERICAN REDSTART.

In someyears I have found this speciessongless soon after the beginningof july. In seasonswhen it thusearly becmncssilent singing is restnnedin the first part of August, and continues for two or three weeks. But the period of July silenceis inconstant, and sometimessinging is little interrnpted through the month. When this is the casesinging seems to ceasefinally at the end of the monthor early in August, and is followedby no supplemen- tary song-period. It is not probablethat these indicationsof Day recordshave resultedfrom incomplete observations;for records of the time of singing and silenceof otherbirds go to show that the singingof a speciesin what is normally its central time of silence is at the expenseof later song; and that the snpplementarysong- period is sometitnesthus wholly sacrificed. My dates of last songsare limited by the third week of August, except in one exceptionalinstance when one of the birds was heard to sing on September 5. In the stunruer a song is commonly heard fi'om the Redst,'u't which is weaker and othersvise (liftbrent fi'om the normal. and which is l)rohably producedby immatm'e males.

Vireo olivaceus. RED-EYED

A mostuntiring vocalist, maintaining song ahnost uninterrupted- ly through the summer,and only relinquishingit in September-- flora the •st to the •oth. My records fail to show any regular time of silence heft)re this; but singing is tit a low ebb about 218 N•nSONon the PeeloralSand•i]Ser. [July mid-August, and in seasonsof heat and drought almost fails at that time. Towards the end of the month, however, there is usuallyan accessionof vocalenergy. With individuals of no other one of our birds is singing so con- tinuous as with the Red-eyed Vireos. They are often to be heard in full song for a great part of the day abont one spotiu the woodsor even on the same tree. I have watched single birds singingfor many minutes uninterruptedly; that ii, with no rests savethe slight natural pausesbetween the dittOrentsets of notes that make up the song. In Augustwhile the speciesis still in song,it is undergoinga changeof plain.age; this is consummatedin' September,when the bird soon becomesPat. I have shot individuals in August which, though in an active stage of feather-growth, were never- thelessin song. Vireo gilvus. W^Rm•NC. VmEo. In favorableseasons this Vireo singsthrough May, June, July, and the first half of August. But, whether it be because of uu- favorable conditlousor from scarcity of birds, in some years its song is so interruptedin Jnly that during most of the month singingis the exceptionrather than the rule. Singing may ceaseat any time during the first two weeks of August:later in themonth the speciesis notoften heard from, although I have a few datesof songin the third and fom'thweeks. The true secondsong-period seems not to begin beforethe last daysof them6nth, or September,when for a weekor morethe speciesmay be generallyin song. Latest dates for singing are September•4 and i8. (7b be continued.)

TIlE BREEDING HABITS OF THE PECTORAL SANDPIPER (A CTODROMAS 21,[ACrZZA 7M).

BY E. XV. NELSON.

Dumx• my residenceiu Alaska I foundthis Sapdpiper--the E-a-AcJkk-kJ-ag'-'t-sh'a-J-O.-•7•kof tlie natives'of Alaska -- to be