MONTHLY BIRD LIFE 99 song. So apparently complete is the disappearance of birds in August, that before the fall migration brings new arrivals daily from the north, one may spend hours in the woods and hear only the Red-eyed Vireo and the Wood Pewee, August’s own songsters. Late in the month, migrants from the north travel through the woods in small companies, but the characteristic bird-life of August is in the marshes. There the Swallows come in increasing numbers to their roosts in the reeds, while Red-winged Blackbirds and Bobolinks, under the alias of Reedbird, are abundant where the wild rice grows.
BIRDS OF THE MONTH.
Permanent Residents, see page 85, Summer Residents, see page 86, Migrants arriving from the North.
August I to I5.
Sora. Golden-winged Warbler.
Semipalmated Sandpiper. Chestnut-sided Warbler. Semipalmated Plover. Canadian Warbler.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Small-billed Water-Thrush. August 15 to 31.
Olive-sided Flycatcher. Black-throated Green Warbler. Tennessee Warbler. Black-throated Blue Warbler. Nashville Warbler. Magnolia Warbler.
Parula Warbler. Blackburnian Warbler.
Cape May Warbler. Wilson’s Warbler.
Red-breasted Nuthatch.
September Bird-Life—The student whose patience has been sorely tried by the comparative scarcity of birds in August will find that in September his observations in the field will be attended by far more interesting results. The first marked fall in the temperature is sure to be followed by a flight of migrants which, like the “bird waves” of May, will flood the woods with birds. By far the larger number will be Warblers; indeed, September, like May, is characterized by the abundance of these small birds. Birds of the year will outnumber the adults, and in most cases their plumage will be quite unlike that worn by their parents in May. In many instances, even the adults themselves appear in a changed dress. As a rule, fall plumages are less striking than those of spring, and when, in addition, it is remembered that birds are not in song, and that the foliage is much denser, the greater difficulty of identifying birds in the field will be appreciated. About September 25 our more common Winter Visitants arrive from the north, but afterward birds decrease rapidly in number. [21]
100 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL BIRDS OF THE MONTH.
Permanent Residents, see page 85. Summer Residents, see page 86, Summer Residents leaving for the South. September 1 to Io.
Acadian Flycatcher. Rough-winged Swallow. Orchard Oriole. Worm-eating Warbler. Blue-winged Warbler.
September 10 to 20.
Baltimore Oriole. Yellow Warbler. Purple Martin. Yellow-breasted Chat. September 20 to 30.
Common Tern. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Green Heron. Yellow-throated Vireo. Hummingbird. Warbling Vireo. Kingbird. Hooded Warbler.
Crested Flycatcher. Louisiana Water-Thrush. Wood Pewee. Veery.
Migrants arriving from the North. September 1 to Io.
Lincoln’s Sparrow. Black-poll Warbler. Connecticut Warbler.
September 10 to 20.
Wilson’s Snipe. Olive-backed Thrush. Blue-headed Vireo. Bicknell’s Thrush. September 20 to 30.
Herring Gull. Myrtle Warbler. Green-winged Teal. Yellow Palm Warbler. Blue-winged Teal. Brown Creeper. American Coot. Golden-crowned Kinglet. Junco. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. White-throated Sparrow. Winter Wren. White-crowned Sparrow. Gray-cheeked Thrush. October Bird-Life——Early October generally brings the first killing frost, depriving insectivorous birds of a large part of their food and forcing them to journey southward. Flycatchers, Warblers, Vireos and Swallows now take their departure, and after the 15th of the month few insect-eating birds remain, except those which, like Woodpeckers, feed on insect’s eggs or larve. This is the season of Sparrows. In countless numbers they throng old stubble, potato and corn fields, doing untold good by destroying the seeds of noxious weeds. With these birds will be the lately arrived Juncos, Tree Sparrows and Fox Sparrows. When disturbed, all seek shelter in the nearest hedgerow, and _ their mingled notes produce a twittering chorus in which it is difficult to distinguish the voices of individual birds. [22]
MON TEAEY© BERD “LiRE 101 This, however, will not be the only bird music of the month. Certain species now have a brief second song period, and on the brighter days of the month we may hear Song, White-throated and Fox Sparrows, Phoebes and Ruby-crowned Kinglets singing. BIRDS OF THE MONTH.
Permanent Residents, see page 85. Summer Residents, see page 80. Summer Residents leaving for the South. October 1 to 10.
Black-crowned Night Heron. Scarlet Tanager. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Cliff Swallow. Black-billed Cuckoo. Barn Swallow. Chimney Swift. Bank Swallow. Least Flycatcher. White-eyed Vireo. Bobolink. Black and White Warbler. Grasshopper Sparrow. Oven-bird. Indigo Bunting. Redstart. Wood Thrush.
October 10 to 20.
Spotted Sandpiper. Catbird. Whip-poor-will. Brown Thrasher. Nighthawk. House Wren.
Red-eyed Vireo. Short-billed Marsh Wren. Maryland Yellowthroat. Long-billed Marsh Wren. October 20 to 31.
Pied-billed Grebe. Towhee. Pheebe. Tree Swallow.
Migrants arriving from the North. October I to To.
Loon. Bronzed Grackle.
Pintail. Rusty Blackbird. Mallard. American Pipit. Canada Goose. Hermit Thrush. October to to 20.
Fox Sparrow.
October 20 to 31.
Horned Lark. Snowflake. Pine Finch. Redpoll.
Tree Sparrow. Northern Shrike. November Bird-Life.—It is an interesting fact that the last migrants to leave in the fall are the first to arrive in the spring. The bird-life of November, when the fall migration is practically concluded closely resembles, therefore, that of March, when spring migration is inaugurated. The reason for this similarity is to be found in the fact that both months furnish birds with essentially the same kind of food. Thus the Loon, Grebes, Ducks, Geese and [23]
102 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL Kingfisher remain until the forming of ice in November or early December deprives them of food and forces them to seek open water; while Woodcock and Snipe linger until they can no longer probe the frost-hardened earth. The thaws of March, however, will bring all these birds back to us by restoring their food. Certain Sparrows stay with us until the weed-bearing seeds on which they feed are covered by snow, when they are compelled to retreat farther southward, only to return, however, when the March sun lays bare the earth. Few birds’ songs are heard in November. In some sheltered spot Song and White-throated Sparrows may continue in voice, but the characteristic bird-note of the month is the scatter-call or fall whistle of Bob-White.
BIRDS OF THE MONTH.
Permanent Residents, see page 85.
Migrants leaving for the South.
Wood Duck. Cowbird.
American Bittern. Red-winged Blackbird Great Blue Heron. Purple Grackle.
Woodcock. Vesper Sparrow.
Mourning Dove. Chipping Sparrow.
Belted Kingfisher. Field Sparrow.
Swamp Sparrow.
December Bird-Life.—The character of the bird-life of December depends largely upon the mildness or severity of the season. Should the ponds and streams remain open, the ground be unfrozen and little or no snow fall, many of the migrant species of November will linger into December.
The comparative scarcity of food now forces birds to forage actively for provisions, and when a supply is found, they are apt to remain until it is exhausted. Their wanderings in search of food lead them over large areas, and our dooryards and orchards may often be visited by species which, when food is more abundant, do not leave their woodland haunts. An excellent means of attracting them is to provide suitable food. Crumbs and seeds scattered in some place where they will not be covered by snow or blown away will bring Juncos and Tree Sparrows: an old seedfilled sunflower head may prove a feast for Goldfinches, while bits of meat, suet or ham bone hung from a tree will be eagerly welcomed by Chickadees, Nuthatches and Downy Woodpeckers. : BIRDS OF THE MONTH.
Permanent Residents, see page 85.
Winter Residents, see page 88.
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List oF Birps FouND WITHIN Firry MILES OF THE AMERICAN Museum oF NATURAL History, NerEw York City. OrDER PYGOPODES. Divine Birps.
Famity COLYMBIDZE. GreEBEs.
Holbell’s Grebe (Colymbus Holballi). A rather uncommon spring and fall migrant and less common winter resident. Horned Grebe (Colymbus auritus). A common spring and fall migrant and not uncommon winter resident.
*Pied-billed Grebe; Diedapper; Dabchick; Hell Diver (Podilymbus podiceps). Occurs chiefly as a migrant. In northern New Jersey and the Lower Hudson Valley it is common, but on Long Island is of ‘comparatively rare and infrequent occurrence” (Dutcher, MS). During favorable seasons a few pass the winter here. I know of no definite instance of its breeding. (See group, second floor of Museum).
Famity GAVIID2. Loowns.
Loon (Gavia imber). A common migrant and less common winter resident. (See group, second floor).
Fic. 1. Loon.
Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica). Breeds in the far north, migrating southward to southern Canada. The only record of its occurrence near New York is based on an adult male (Coll. Am. Mus. No. 64,610) taken April 29, 1893, between Sands Point and Execution Lighthouse, L. I. (Dutcher, Auk, X, 1893, p. 265).
Red-throated Loon (Gavia lumme). A not uncommon winter resident, but more frequently found during the migrations. lIssued also in separat>: form as Guide Leaflet, No. 22. 733 [25]
134 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL Famity ALCID. Avxs, Murres AND PUFFINS.
Puffin (lratercula arctica). There is but one recent record of its occurrence, December 15, 1882, Center Moriches, L. I. (Dutcher, Auk, V, 1888, p. 171). Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). Breeds from the Bay of Fundy northward; in winter migrates southward, regularly to Massachusetts. It has been found but once in Connecticut (Stony Creek, Dec. 1887.—Sage, Auk, VII, 1890, p. 283), and the only Long Island record, given by Lawrence, is apparently based on a specimen in the Lawrence Collection labeled “Long Island” (Coll. Am. Mus. No. 64,614).
Brunnich’s Murre (Uria lomvia). Breeds from the Magdalen Islands northward; in winter migrates southward as far as New Jersey. On the western end of Long Island it is as a rule uncommon; at the eastern end it occurs more frequently, but is irregular (Dutcher, Auk, II, 1885, p. 38). Duringsome seasons, however, the bird becomes common in our waters (Averill, Auk, VIII, 1801, p. 307). Giraud’s record of “Uria troile”’ doubtless refers to this species, Specimens in the Lawrence Collection originally labeled “U. troile” are U. lomvia. Records of the occurrence of this species on Long Island during the winter are given by Braislin (Auk, XX, 1903, p. 51).
Razor-billed Auk (Alcea torda). Breeds from the Magdalen Islards northward; in winter migrates southward, regularly to Long Island and rarely to Virginia and North Carolina.
Dovekie (Alle alle). A species of the far north, migrating southward in winter, more or less regularly to New Jersey. With us its numbers vary during different winters. It is considered by Dutcher to be generally a rare bird on Long Island (Abst. Linn. Soc. No. 4, 1892, p. 6), but is given by Scott as a regular winter visitant on the New Jersey coast (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, IV, 1879, p. 228).
OrpER LONGIPENNES. LOoNG-wincep SwIMMERs.
Famity STERCORARIID#. Sxuas Anp JGERS.
Pomarine Jeger (Stercorarius pomarinus). Passes the nesting season chiefly within the Arctic Circle and migrates* southward from July to late October, during which period it is sometimes not uncommon off our coast, its presence depending largely on the abundance of the small fish on which it feeds (Baird, Auk, IV, 1887, p. 71):
Parasitic Jeger (Stercorarius parasiticus). Occurs off the coast in this ‘vicinity as a regular migrant with the preceding species. Long-tailed Jeger (Stercorarius longicaudus). During its migration it is sometimes not uncommon off our coast.
Famiry LARIDZE.: Gutts anv TERNS.
Ivory Gull (Pagophila alba). A boreal species of which there appears to ke but one record, that of an adult taken at Sayville, L. I., January 5, 1893 (Dutcher, Auk, XII, 189-. p. 2¢0).
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PIROS OR LHE VICINITY OF NEWYORK CITY 135 Kittiwake Gull (Rissa tridactyla). A common late fall transient visitant and a comparatively rare winter resident, occuring generally some distance off-shore (Dutcher, MS).
Glaucous Gull; Burgomaster (Larus glaucus). Several specimens have been killed on the Lower Hudson River, and off Long Island it is found regularly in small numbers (Dutcher, MS).
Iceland Gull (Larus leucopterus). A northern species of which but one valid record exists for this vicinity, Rye, N. Y. March 3, 1894 (Porter, Auk, XII, 1895, p. 76; see also Dwight, Auk, XXIII, 1906, p. 37, where a second specimien reported by Porter, and incorrectly recorded by Chapman as_ Jleucopterus, is given as L. kumlient).
Kumlien Gull (Larus kumlient). There are two records of this rare Gull for this vicinity, one is based on an immature male shot March 8, 1808, at Rockaway Beach, L. I. (Braislin, Auk, XVI, 18co, p. 190 and XXII, 1905, p. 168, where the specimen is definitely identified), the other an immature female taken February 16, 1894, at Stamford, Conn. (Porter, Auk, 1895, p. 76; see also Dwight, Auk, XXIII, 1906, p. 37, where this specimen incorrectly identified by Chapman is re-determined).
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus). A regular winter resident not uncommon along the coast, but rarely ascending our rivers. *Herring Gull (Larus argentatus). This is the common winter Gull of our harbor and coast. It arrives from the north in September and is abundant until April. The adults are pearl gray; the immature birds, or young born the previous summer, are grayish brown. There has been an evident increase in the numbers of this species since certain of its breeding grounds have been protected. Braislin states that non-breeding birds are now common on the south shore of Long Island during the summer (Auk, XXII, 1905, p. 168). Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis). A rather uncommon spring and fall migrant and winter resident (Dutcher, MS). Braislin (Auk, XXII, 10905, p. 168) states that this species is not uncommon on Long Island in the summer, that it occurs in large numbers in October, but that he has no record later than November 17.
Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla). Formerly a common summer resident on Long Island, but now known to nest only on Great South Bay, where it is rare. (See group, second floor).
Bonaparte’s Gull (Larus philadelphia). A regular spring and fall migrant, sometimes seen in winter.
Little Gull (Larus minutus). This is a European species; the only satisfactory records of its occurrence in North America are those of immature birds taken on Fire Island, Long Island, September 15, 1887 (Dutcher, Auk, V, 1888, p. 172), and Rockaway Beach, L. I., May 10, 1902 (Braislin, Auk, EXOX= 1903, p» 52).
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136 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabinii). A circumpolar species breeding in the Far North and rarely coming as far south as northern United States. Giraud records a specimen shot at Raynor South, Long Island, “July, 1837.” Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica). A southern species breeding as far north as Virginia, and wandering occasionally to Maine. There are several Long Island records, the most recent being two specimens taken at South Oyster Bay, July 4, 1882 (Dutcher, Auk, I, 1884, p. 34), and one shot from a flock of five on Shinnecock Bay, July 8, 1884 (Dutcher, Auk, II, 1885, p. 38).
Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia). A rather uncommon fall migrant. There appears to be but one spring record, that of two adult males taken at Amityville, L. I., May 12, 1898 (Braislin, Auk, XVI, 1899, p. 191). Royal Tern (Sterna maxima). There is but one instance of its occurrence on Long Island, a specimen taken at Raynor South, August 27, 1831, by J. F. Ward (Am. Mus. No. 46,008, Lawrence Coll.). j Forster’s Tern (Sterna Forsteri). More common in the interior than on the Atlantic coast, where it is not known to breed north of Virginia. It wanders irregularly northward and is sometimes found in this vicinity. Common Tern; Sea Swallow (Sterna hirundo). Inhabits the greater part of the Northern Hemisphere; in North America breeds locally from the Arctic regions to the Gulf of Mexico. This was formerly an abundant bird along our coasts, but the relentless persecutions of millinery collectors have so reduced its numbers that it is now found in only a few isolated localities. Not many years ago it bred more or less commonly all along the Long Island coast, but until recently almost the only surviving large colony inhabited Big Gull Island. Even in this remote locality it was constantly persecuted by nest-robbing fishermen and egg collectors. Through the efforts of a number of bird-lovers, who raised a sum of money for the purpose, permission was cbtained from the Lighthouse Board to have the lightkeeper on Little Gull Island appointed a special game-keeper to protect the Terns on Big Gull Island. The birds rapidly increased under this guardianship, but the subsequent use, by the United States Government, of Gull Island for the erection of fortifications has caused the Terns to abandon it. Colonies are now found at both the northern and southern ends of Gardiner’s Island.
, Roseate Tern (Sterna dougalli). “Temperate and tropical regions.’ In north America formerly breeding along the Atlantic coast northward irregularly to Maine; now rare north of southern New Jersey. A few pairs lived on Big Gull Island with the colony of Common Terns above mentioned, but I have not observed the species in either of the Gardiner’s Island colonies. The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisea) is included by Lawrence without remark. I know of no record of its occurrence near New York City, and Mr. Dutcher has but one specimen from Long Island, a male taken on Ram Island Shoals, July 1, 1884.
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