History of Androscoggin County, Maine, Part 8

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew, ed
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Boston, W.A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1050

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H. E. W.

T HE Passeres, or Perchers, including one-third of all our birds, are divided into two sub-orders. The Oscines, or singers, constitute the first sixteen families, and the single family of the Tyrannida, or fly-catchers, makes up the second sub-order of Clamatores, or non-singers. The nomenclature of the American Ornithological Union is used in this article.

HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

FIRST SUB-ORDER-OSCINES. First Family -Turdidæ.

The thrush family ocenrs everywhere, except in Australia, and includes the highest singers. Although twenty-two thrushes are catalogued for the United States, only five have been seen in this county. Their special mission seems to be to rid the surface of the ground of noxious insects. Singing at the close of day seems to be a family characteristic.

1. WILSON'S THRUSH. TURDUS FUSCESCENS. Stephens.

This is the "veery," and he holds an enviable position among our singers. His baek is colored throughout a reddish-brown, and his breast, instead of being mottled like the hermit's, presents a faded appearance. They often sing their low, flute-like song in concert. Arriving here the last of April, the retrograde migration begins the last of Angust, and by the middle of September hardly a straggler is left.

2. BICKNELL'S THRUSH. TURDUS ALICLE BICKNELLI. Ridgway.

Olive back and gray cheeks. They rear their young well up towards the summit of Mount Washington, and probably pass through Androseoggin county, though I am not aware that it has ever been seen here.

3. OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH. TURDUS USTULATUS SWAINSONII. Cabanis.

Uniformly olive from head to tail, with spotted breast. He is sometimes seen in this county on his migration during May. With us he only utters a sharp, harsh call-note, but after he reaches his northern home and begins housekeeping, he vindicates his right to belong to a musical family.

4. HIERMIT THRUSH. TURDUS AONALASCHKE PALLASII. Cabanis.

Like Jennie Lind, here is a "natural-born singer," by many regarded as entirely without a rival among our feathered vocalists. He is a shy bird as his name suggests, and his plumage accords with the dry leaves and twigs of early spring, but his song is divine in its sweetness and plaintive melody. It is heard in out-of-the-way thieket places, flute-like, elear and woodsy, just at night-fall and in early morning. They arrive by the middle of April, but soon become rare in comparison to Wilson's, which follows soon after. They usually rear two broods.

5. AMERICAN ROBIN. MERULA MIGRATORIA. Linnaeus.

The pilgrims at Plymouth, worn out and discouraged by that first long, dreary winter on our "roek-bound coast," hailed with joy, when spring came at last, this cheerful thrush so familiar to us all. In their homesickness they christened him the robin, although no ties of relationship bind him to his English namesake. He is the pioneer of the spring, being, with the bluebird, the earliest to arrive from the south. Sometimes a straggler remains all winter, finding shelter low down in the thick bushes of a swamp. They rear their young everywhere except in the grass or on the ground, and usually have two or three broods during the season. Young robins are very voracious, and

THE BIRDS OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

while attaining their majority keep their industrious parents at work from morning till night to supply them with insect food. Mr William Brewster, in The Auk for October, 1890, brings to our notice one peculiar habit of the robins that has escaped the notice of even the ornithologists until recently. The male robins do not remain over night in the vicinity of the nest, but at niglit-fall fly off to a "roost " together in some dense grove of trees, congre- gating there night after night in great numbers. This habit, so far as has been observed, is peculiar to the robin.

6. BLUEBIRD. SIALIA SIALIS. Linnaus.

"Sky-tinged above, earth-tinged below." Coming from the south with the robin the last of March, the bluebird is among the first of our migrants. Soon after their arrival they retire to the woods, usually building a coarse nest in stumps or deserted woodpeckers' holes. Their warbling call-note is some- times mistaken for that of the robin, which it resembles.

Second Family -Sylviidæ.

7. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. REGULUS SATRAPA. Lichtenstein.

The males have an olive-green back and an orange-red, yellow-margined crown, while the crowns of the females are entirely yellow. Length about four inches. The weight of this tiny bird is only one-sixth of an ounce, yet he is with us from about the first of October until the middle of April, evidently enjoying our winter weather. They breed in the northern part of Maine, and one nest has been identified by Dr Brewer as far south as Bangor. They are very social, and are usually seen flying restlessly about among the bare twigs, after insects and their larvæ, in company with nuthatches and chickadees. Their note while with us consists of three or four lisps, zee-zee-zee, given in quick succession.

8. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. REGULUS CALENDULA. Linnaus.

The mature male has a scarlet patch on his head; the female none. Rearing its young in Nova Scotia, this bird is with us only for two or three weeks from the middle of April, but he makes his stay memorable by his spirited singing, which is quite remarkable for so small a musician. The song is very difficult of description, but once heard will never be forgotten. In habits the ruby-crowned are similar to the golden-crowned.

Third Family -Paridæ.

9. WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. SITTA CAROLINENSIS. Latham.

Ashy blue above and dirty white beneath, with a black cap and neck and white cheeks. The nuthatches have long bills and go up trees like the wood- peckers, except their tails are too short for bracing. This deficiency is more than made good, however, by their sharp claws. They stay throughout the year, nesting in hollow trees. Their note is a peculiar nasal cark, repeated

HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

rapidly at intervals. They also have a sibilant note, uttered while searching the bark of trecs for insects. Length, six inches.

10. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. SITTA CANADENSIS. Linnaeus.

Back slaty; under parts a brownish rusty red. A black line, beneath a white line, runs through each eye. In shape and habits similar to No. 9, excepting that they remain here very rarely throughout the summer. A pair nested in a hollow tree near Lewiston in the summer of 1890. The hole of the nest is usually smeared with pitch. Some say in explanation that this is to catch insects, and others say that, with more than human thoughtfulness, they wipe their pitch-besmeared feet at the entrance of the nest whenever they return from foraging excursions up and down the trunks and limbs of pine trees. They usually arrive from the north the third week in August and remain until the first of April.

11. CHICKADEE. PARUS ATRICAPILLUS. Linnaus.

This is the bird that is happy and cheerful with us all the year around and familiar enough to be a living example to every one. He has two songs, the one, chick-a-dee dee, and the other, given only rarely, a flute-like pe-wee-wee. Like the nuthatches and kinglets they are always busy, searching out with never-failing eye the insects and the eggs and pupa of insects that infest trees and bushes. They build in hollow trees and rear large families, usually seven. 12. HUDSONIAN CHICKADEE. PARUS HUDSONICUS. Forster.

This rare visitor has a brown cap and is slightly smaller than his more familiar cousin, whom he resembles in habits and disposition. They breed in Labrador and the Hudson Bay region and very rarely in the winter come as far south as Androscoggin county. The writer took a specimen near Lewiston, February 5, 1890, and a second May 5th of the same year, and three other stragglers were taken in this locality during that season, with these excep- tions, so far as I am informed, the bird has not been seen within the county for several years. They fly in company with the other chickadees.

Fourth Family-Certhiidæ.

13. BROWN CREEPER. CERTINA FAMILIARIS AMERICANA. Bonaparte.

Upper parts dark brown, streaked with ashy white, with a curved bill as long as the head. This is the only genus of the family in America. He remains in this county throughout the year, although seen less frequently dur- ing the summer months. The nest was not found for years, but finally it was discovered that it built in the bark-pockets formed by the loosening of the bark from the wood of balsam firs growing in swampy places. He climbs trees like the woodpecker, bracing with his tail, and is often seen ascending and descending trees in spirals. His usual note is only a sibilant lisp which has been represented by the syllables cre-e, cre-e, cre-e-ep.

THE BIRDS OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

Fifth Family-Troglodytidæ.

14. CATBIRD. GALEOSCOPTES CAROLINENSIS. Linnaeus.

This is the " Maine mocking-bird." A black-capped, dark slate individual, with the versatility and nonchalance of a Yankee. He arrives early in May and chooses some exposed place a few feet from the ground, like a clump of bushes, in which to build his nest of bark, sticks, and leaves. The finishing touch of his architecture is usually weaving into his nest a discarded snake skin. Besides mewing like a cat, whence his name, he has at his command quite an extensive repertoire that he has picked up from his neighbors. Mr John Burroughs says of him: "He is a good versifier, but not a great poet." His food is almost exclusively the larvæ of insects, and so, notwith- standing he is Paul-Pry-on-wings and makes havoc with fruit, he is a valuable friend of the farmer, after all. The eggs, usually four, are the darkest of all our blue eggs and are unspotted.

15. BROWN THRASHER. HARPORHYNCHUS RUFUS. Linneus.

Upper parts a rich, rusty red. Under parts white, brown tinged with an unspotted throat bordered by a necklace of spots. This delightful songster resembles in habits the catbird, although he is not so curious and is less familiar with mankind. His song, consisting of from eighteen to twenty-two different strains, is more original and can be heard at a greater distance. They come north in pairs the first week in May and return the first of October. The nest, similar to that of the catbird, is built on the ground or low down in bushes or trees. Length, eleven inches.

16. HOUSE WREN. TROGLODYTES AEDON. Vieillot.

This bird is variable in its habitat and has almost deserted some towns where it was formerly abundant. With a tail turning up like the nose of a typical Hibernian, this pugnacious little fellow has rights of his own which he proposes to defend. Often they are not content with their own rights alone. For instance, they have been known to drive bluebirds and purple martins from their nests, which they have afterwards appropriated for themselves. Familiar and fearless with man they usually build in hollow trees or post-holes, and even in boxes, etc., near houses, always filling up the hole, however large it may be, in which they locate their nest. They utter hoarse, chattering notes as well as a hearty, trilling song. Length, under five inches.

17. WINTER WREN. TROGLODYTES HYEMALIS. Vieillot.

This pert, inquisitive, sly busy-body comes to us the last of April, and again, on the retrograde migration, about the middle of September, tarrying a little longer in the autumn than in the spring. Occasionally he remains all winter. He is usually to be seen, hopping in and out of brush-heaps, on low, moist ground, and is as difficult of location as the Irishman's flea. He has a gushing, lyrical song that is very sweet and quite prolonged. It is remarkably loud and is so spontaneous that it seems to have escaped in spite of the singer.

HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

His tail is more than erect and quite short, giving him an air of jauntiness that is not equaled by any of our other birds. Length, four inches.

Sixth Family - Motacillidæ.

18. AMERICAN PIPIT. ANTHUS PENSILVANICUS. Latham.

Upper parts olive brown, showing in flight two white tail-feathers. Dr Cones says of them: " Voice querulous, gait tremulons, and flight vacillating." They are walkers and are never still, but, like the water thrush, seem to be afflicted with the St Vitus' dance, especially in their tails. They rear their young in Labrador, going north by one course and returning by another, passing through this county only in the fall.

Seventh Family - Mniotiltidæ.

The warblers are the real woodbirds and are the second largest North American family, having wide range in habit and song. All are small, migra- tory and insectivorous. All confined to America.

19. BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER. MNIOTILTA VARIA. Linnaus.

More like a nuthatch than a creeper or warbler, this bird, from the last of April until the middle of October, is commonly seen in woodlands, thickets, and swamps, gracefully searching up and down the trunks and larger branches of trees for his insect food. He is often so absorbed in his work as to entirely ignore the presence of spectators. By some he is called "saw-your-leg-off," from his song, which strikingly resembles the noise made by a fine saw. 20. NASHVILLE WARBLER. HELMINTHOPHILA RUFICAPILLA. Wilson.

Upper parts olive green. Under parts a rich, clear yellow at all seasons. Cheeks and shoulders gray and a reddish-brown cap characterize this bird. Arriving the first of May, comparatively silent and songless, they proceed to build on the ground a nest, which, by the way, is very large for so small tenants as themselves, of leaves, bark, and pine needles, sometimes lining it with horse- hair. The song, which is weak but interesting, consists of repetitions of single notes, the whole ending suddenly.

21. TENNESSEE WARBLER. HELMINTHOPHILA PEREGRINA. Wilson.

Much like the Nashville in appearance and song, except being entirely yellowish-gray and having no brown head. It is one of the rarest of the warblers that pass through the county but has been identified several times. A specimen was taken by Mr H. V. Neal, in Lewiston, May 1, 1888. 22. PARULA WARBLER. COMPSOTHILYPIS AMERICANA. Linnaus.

This bird was formerly called the "blue yellow-back," and the name gives an idea of its appearance. Arriving in pairs early in May, they return during September. They are abundant in high, open places, where they may be seen, nervous and active, among the terminal foliage. Mr John Burroughs speaks of them as the handsomest as well as the smallest warblers known to him.

THE BIRDS OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

The note is a drawling one, as if the bird had an impediment in his throat. The nest is often an architectural wonder, built high up in some spruce tree, and is the only nest in Maine built entirely of moss.

23. CAPE MAY WARBLER. DENDROICA TIGRINA. Gmelin.

Upper parts yellowish-olive. Under parts yellow, black-striped. Crown black with cheek patch of orange brown. This rare visitant flies in company with the magnolia warblers, which it resembles. It does not nest in the county and is rarely seen here. The writer took a specimen May 7, 1890, in Lewiston. 24. YELLOW WARBLER. DENDROICA ÆESTIVA. Gmelin.

The male is bright yellow, striped with orange, while the female has no orange stripes. The "summer yellow-bird" is the commonest of all the warblers, coming as the forerunner of unfolding leaves and summer itself, they return south early, being too delicate to endure much cold weather. The nests are very skillfully constructed of fine strips of bark, willow catkins, etc., and are lined with fine grasses, feathers, and, when the little architect is fortunate, with cotton or wool. The vagrant cowbird often turns this nest into an orphan asylum by depositing her eggs therein.

25. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. DENDROICA CÆRULESCENS. Gmelin.

The male above is slaty blue, below white, with a black throat and chin, all the colors being in masses. The female is a dull olive-green, with a triangular white spot at the base of the primary wing feathers. Their note is harsh and hoarse. They arrive the first of May and call again the last of September on their return south. At each period they tarry only for about two weeks. I am not aware that their nest has been found within Andros- coggin county, the White Mountains being one of their usual nesting places. 26. MYRTLE WARBLER. DENDROICA CORONATA. Linnaus.

Marked by a white throat and four sharp yellow spots, one each on the head, rump, and each side of the breast. This warbler passes through the county on both migrations, the last of April and early in September, usually in company with other birds, and in quite large numbers during the passage. Their note, which is not very noticeable, may be represented by the syllables zillet, zillet, repeated very rapidly.

27. MAGNOLIA WARBLER. DENDROICA MACULOSA. Gmelin.

A slate-colored head with black eye-stripes and a yellow throat. Black spots and stripes on the chest. A dainty bird and quite a common summer resident, arriving about May 6th and remaining well into September.

28. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. DENDROICA PENSYLVANICA. Linnaus.

Whole crown pure yellow and entirely white beneath, with chestnut stripes down each side. A beautiful bird, coming early in May and remaining during the season. They are more conspicuous during the migrations, for they scatter to low, wild, swampy localities during the summer months in order to build, in low saplings, shrubs, or bushes, their nests of dried grass and thin strips of

HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

bark. Their song, tirelessly repeated at short intervals while searching the leaves and twigs for insects, is something like the syllables whish-whish-whish- whishéa.

29. BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. DENDROICA CASTANEA. Wilson.

Bay on breast and back of head. Black on forehead and sides of head. This is one of the rarer warblers breeding in northern Maine, especially in the vicinity of Umbagog. It is sometimes seen here during its migratory passage. The writer took one May 17, 1890, while it was sluggishly feeding among the lower branches in a pine grove near the city of Lewiston.

30. BLACK-POLL WARBLER. DENDROICA STRIATA. Forster.

Upper parts grayish olive-green, heavily streaked with black. Black cap. Under parts pure white. When this straggler reaches us, usually about the 21st of May, we may know that summer has begun in good earnest, for he is the last of the warblers to arrive. Although he is so tardy in reaching us, he goes still farther north to rest. His retrograde migration begins by the middle of September and continues into October. He is active and restless, and, in addition to his other accomplishments, is something of a fly-catcher.

31. BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. DENDROICA BLACKBURNLE. Gmelin.

A brilliant flame-colored throat makes this bird unmistakable. Dr Coues says of it: "There is nothing to compare with the exquisite hue of this Promethean torch." He is shy, keeping well in the tree-tops of mixed wood- lands, and is somewhat rare. They arrive in Androscoggin county as early as the first week in May, and the return begins early in September. They nest low among the bushes.

32. BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. DENDROICA VIRENS. Gmelin.

Back yellowish-olive. Chin, throat, and breast black. Cheeks yellow. This warbler is next in abundance to the yellow warbler, especially in the vicinity of pineries, for they nest in the forks of pine trees. They come early in May and prefer the foliage of the high trees for their hunting-grounds. Their peculiar song, something like te-te-te-te-ta-te, with the next to the last syllable dropped in pitch, can be easily distinguished in the jargon of warblers songs.

33. PINE WARBLER. DENDROICA VIGORSII. Audubon.

Dull yellow breast without distinct markings, and often called the "pine creeper," from his habits. He is among the first to leave the south for our fragrant pine forests, where his delicate, high-pitched trill is repeatedly heard, and he does not return until about the second week of October. They nest very high, sometimes even seventy feet from the ground, and when not breeding are often gregarious, traveling with other birds. In summer they feed on the larvæ and eggs of insects, but in the winter supplement their bill of fare with such small fruits as they can find south.

THE BIRDS OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

34. YELLOW PALM WARBLER. DENDROICA PALMARUM HYPOCHRYSEA. Ridgway.

Yellow breast and reddish crown. This is the first warbler to arrive, coming often by the middle of April and returning in the latter part of October after all the others, with the possible exception of the myrtle, have taken passage. On each migration they linger in this county about a month. They have the noticeable peculiarity of jerking their tails, and are more often seen on swampy ground than in high, dry places. The only member of the Dendrocæ to build on the ground, and remarkable also for nesting nowhere in the United States except in northern Maine.

35. OVEN-BIRD. SEIURUS AUROCAPILLUS. Linnaeus.

Yellow crown, with breast distinctly marked black and white. This summer resident receives his common name of "oven-bird " from his peculiar habit of roofing over the nest, which is built on the ground, like an old-fashioned oven. This is not, however, always the case with them. They arrive abont the first week of May and proceed directly with their matrimonial arrange- ments, which have evidently been neglected until this time. Their accustomed habitat is in hard-wood groves, where they are often seen walking mincingly about on the ground or scratching among the leaves like a hen. Their song, loud, clear, rapid, and echoing, is very familiar. Mr John Burroughs describes it very happily as follows,-teacher, teacher, TEACHER, TEACHER, TEACHER! 36. WATER-THRUSH. SEIURUS NOVEBORACENSIS. Gmelin.

Chest yellowish, with very conspicuous dark stripes. Resembling his relative, the oven-bird, in many ways, he differs noticeably in his habitat, preferring, instead of dry, hard-wood groves, low, wet places, and building a nest, principally of green moss, on the ground near the water. He has a loud, clear, cheerful, striking song which he frequently sings while bathing. He walks like the oven-bird, and has the additional peculiarity of wagging his tail sideways.

37. MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT. GEOTHLYPIS TRICHAS. Linnaeus.

Male with yellow breast and black stripes through the eyes. Female with- out the black stripes. Distinctively a ground warbler and very common in shrubbery and underbrush from the first weck in May until well into October. Occasionally found in fields of grain when the insects are plenty there. Silent in the fall but tirelessly repeating its whit-ta-tee-tee during the earlier months. Her basket-like nest is built carelessly of very coarse materials.

38. WILSON'S WARBLER. SYLVANIA PUSILLA. Wilson.

Mature males with bright yellow chest and black cap. The females and young males lack the black cap. This warbler also nests upon the ground, and is often classed as a fly-catcher, because of his proficiency in that direction. They come north the second week of May, and are occasionally seen until the last of August, sometimes rearing their young in this county, although they usually go a little farther north to nest.

HISTORY OF ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY.

39. CANADIAN WARBLER. SYLVANIA CANADENSIS. Linnaeus.

Upper parts bluish-lead color. Yellow chin and throat, the latter bordered with a necklace of black. Also has a yellow breast. In habits much like No. 38. They usually nest in a tussock of grass, and the male has a lively, animated song. Mr John Burroughs speaks of him as "too happy to keep silent."

40. AMERICAN REDSTART. SETOPHAGA RUTICILLA. Linnous.

Glossy blue-black above and white beneath. In the male six rich, orange spots, situated one on each side of the tail, wings, and breast, being replaced in the female by yellow spots similarly placed. As the scientific name signifies, the redstart is pre-eminently a "mosquito eater." Graceful and rapid in flight, always nervous and vivacious, they adorn our moist woodlands from May to September, nesting usually either in or near the fork of some tree.

Eighth Family- Vireonidæ.

Half warbler and half fly-catcher, measuring between five and one-quarter and six inches in length. These summer residents have a sweet song and neat, delicate plumage, though far less brilliant and variegated than that of the warblers. Their nests are well woven, pendulous cups suspended almost invariably from the small forks of trees and bushes. They are peculiar to America, and are often called " greenlets."

41. RED-EYED VIREO. VIREO OLIVACEOUS. Linnaeus.

Olive color above. Whitish beneath with a black stripe, above a white stripe, over the eye. Iris of eye red. This genial, happy, industrial bird is one of the commonest and most widely distributed of all, and from May to August can be seen and heard, especially among the ehns and maples of old pasture lands, where he busily searches the leaves for his insect food. He sings a sleepy, persistent, sing-song strain all day long, and with apparent indifference, like a boy whistling abstractedly at his work. He even continues to sing late in the summer after all the other birds have abandoned the musical profession.

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History of Androscoggin County, Maine, Part 8

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew, ed Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Boston, W.A. Fergusson & co. Number of Pages: 1050

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew, ed
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Boston, W.A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1050