A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

Second quill longest, third almost equal, first and fourth nearly equal; tail slightly emarginate; upper parts dark olivaceous brown; the head darker, wings and tail blackish-brown, secondary coverts tipped with brownish-white, and secondary quills margined with the same; outer edges of lateral tail-feathers pale brownish-grey; fore part of neck, breast, and sides light dusky grey tinged with olive, abdomen pale dull yellow, lower tail-coverts brownish-grey margined with yellowish-white.

Male, 69/12, wing 31/4.

Columbia River. Fur Countries. Labrador. Rare. Migratory.

Tyrannula Richardsonii, Swainson's Short-legged Pewit, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 146.

Short-legged Pewee Flycatcher, Muscicapa Richardsonii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 299.

62. 9. Muscicapa acadica, Gmel. Small Green-crested Flycatcher

Plate CXLIV. Male and Female.

Bill broad and much depressed; second quill longest, third a little shorter, first shorter than fourth; tail scarcely emarginate, upper parts dull greenish-olive, the head darker; wings and tail dusky-brown; two bands of dull pale yellow on the wing, the secondary quills broadly edged and tipped with the same; a narrow ring of yellowish-white round the eye; throat greyish-white; sides of neck and fore part of breast greyish-olive, the rest of the lower parts yellowish-white.

Male, 51/2, 81/2.

From Texas northward. Migratory.

Small Green Crested Flycatcher, Muscicapa querula, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 77.

Small Pewee, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 288.

Muscicapa acadica, Bonap. Syn. p. 68.

Small Green-Crested Flycatcher, Muscicapa acadica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 256; v. v. p. 427.

63. 10. Muscicapa fusca, Gmel. Pewee Flycatcher

Plate CXX. Male and Female.

Wing much rounded, third quill longest, fourth scarcely shorter, but considerably longer than second, first intermediate between sixth and seventh; tail emarginate; upper parts dull olive, the head much darker; quills and tail dusky brown, secondaries and their coverts edged with pale brown; outer tail-feathers whitish on the outer edge, unless toward the tip; lower parts dull yellowish white, the breast tinged with grey.

Male, 7, 91/2.

Throughout the United States, and northward. Spends the winter in vast numbers in the southern parts.

Pewit Flycatcher, Muscicapa nunciola, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 78.

Muscicapa fusca, Bonap. Syn. p. 68.

Pewit Flycatcher or Phœbe, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 278.

Pewee Flycatcher, Muscicapa fusca, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 122; v. v. p. 424.

64. 11. Muscicapa virens, Linn. Wood Pewee Flycatcher

Plate CXV. Male.

Slightly crested; second quill longest, first shorter than third and longer than sixth; tail deeply emarginate; upper parts dusky olive, upper part of head much darker; a pale greyish ring round the eye; two bands of greyish-white on the wings, secondaries margined with the same; quills and tail-feathers blackish-brown; throat and breast ash-grey tinged with green, the rest of the lower parts pale greenish-yellow.

Male, 61/2, 11.

Throughout the United States. British Provinces. Labrador. Newfoundland. Rocky Mountains. Columbia River. Migratory.

Wood Pewee, Muscicapa rapax, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 81.

Wood Pewee, Muscicapa virens, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 285.

Muscicapa virens, Bonap. Syn. p. 68.

Wood Pewee, Muscicapa virens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 93; v. v. p. 425.

65. 12. Muscicapa Traillii, Aud. Traill's Flycatcher

Plate XLV. Male.

Slightly crested; wing rounded, with the third quill longest, second and fourth almost equal, first a little longer than sixth; tail slightly rounded, and faintly emarginate; upper parts dusky olive, upper part of head much darker; a pale greyish ring round the eye; two bands of greyish-white on the wings, secondaries margined with the same; throat and breast ash-grey, the rest of the lower parts shaded into pale yellow.

Male, 53/4, 81/2.

Arkansas. Columbia River. Migratory.

Traill's Flycatcher, Muscicapa virens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 236; v. v. p. 426.

66. 13. Muscicapa pusilla, Swains. Least Pewee Flycatcher

Plate CCCCXXXIV. Fig. 1. Adult.

Third quill longest, fourth scarcely shorter, second nearly one-twelfth shorter, and exceeding the first by three and a quarter twelfths; tail slightly emarginate; upper parts light greenish-brown; loral band whitish, a narrow pale ring surrounding the eye; wings olive-brown, with two bands of dull white, secondaries margined with the same; tail olive-brown, the lateral feathers lighter, the outer web pale brownish-grey; fore part of neck and a portion of the breast and sides ash-grey, the rest of the lower parts pale yellow.

Male, 52/12, wing 25/12.

Columbia River. Fur countries. Labrador. Newfoundland. Rare in the Atlantic States.

Tyrannula pusilla, Little Tyrant Flycatcher, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 144.

Little Tyrant Flycatcher, Muscicapa pusilla, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 288.

67. 14. Muscicapa minuta, Wils. Small-headed Flycatcher

Plate CCCCXXXIV. Fig. 2. Male.

Wings short, the second quill longest; tail of moderate length, even; general colour of upper parts light greenish-brown; wings and tail dark olive-brown, the outer feathers of the latter with a terminal white spot on the inner web; a narrow white ring surrounding the eye; two bands of dull white on the wing; sides of the head and neck greenish-yellow, the rest of the lower parts pale yellow, gradually fading into white behind.

Male, 5, 82/8.

Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Exceedingly rare. Migratory.

Small-headed Flycatcher, Muscicapa minuta, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vi. p. 62.

Sylvia minuta, Bonap. Syn. p. 86.

Small-headed Sylvan Flycatcher, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 296.

68. 15. Muscicapa Ruticilla, Linn. Redstart Flycatcher. – American Redstart

Plate XL. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

Second and third quills equal and longest, fourth longer than first; tail rounded. Male with the head, neck all round, fore part of breast, and back, glossy bluish-black; sides of the breast, lower wing-coverts, a patch on the wings formed by the margins of the primaries and the basal half of most of the secondaries, together with three-fourths of both webs of the outer four tail-feathers on each side, and the outer web of the next, bright orange-red; abdomen and lower tail-coverts white. Female with the upper parts yellowish-brown, the head grey, the quills greyish-brown, the tail darker, the parts yellow which in the male are bright orange; the rest of the lower parts white, tinged with yellow. Young similar to the female, more grey above, and with less yellow beneath.

Male, 5, 61/2. Female.

Throughout the United States. Abundant. Migratory.

American Redstart, Muscicapa Ruticilla, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 103.

Muscicapa Ruticilla, Bonap. Syn. p. 68.

American Redstart, Muscicapa Ruticilla, Aud. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 202; v. v. p. 428.

American Redstart, Muscicapa Ruticilla, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 291.

GENUS V. PTILOGONYS, Swains. PTILOGONYS

Bill short, rather strong, somewhat triangular, depressed at the base, a little compressed at the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line convex at the end, the nasal groove wide, the sides convex toward the end, with a distinct notch, the tip short, rather obtuse; lower mandible with the angle rather long and wide, the dorsal line ascending and convex, the sides convex toward the end, the tip small, with a slight notch behind. Nostrils linear, oblong, partially concealed by the feathers. Head ovato-oblong; neck rather short; body slender. Feet short, and rather slender; tarsus shorter than the middle toe with its claw, compressed, covered anteriorly with a long plate and three inferior scutella; toes free, the outer only adherent at the base; hind toe rather large, stouter, outer a little longer than inner; claws moderate, arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage soft and blended; slight bristles at the base of the upper mandible, and the feathers in the angle of the lower jaw bristle-tipped and curved forward. Wings long, rounded; first quill very small, fourth longest. Tail very long, straight, emarginate, and rounded, of twelve feathers.

This genus seems to connect the Thrushes with the Flycatchers.

69. 1. Ptilogonys Townsendi, Aud. Townsend's Ptilogonys

Plate CCCCXIX. Fig. 2. Female.

General colour dull brownish-grey; quills and coverts dusky brown; edge of wing dull white; basal part of primaries pale yellow, of secondaries ochre-yellow; edges of all the quills dull greyish-white; secondaries with a faint patch of light brownish-grey on the outer web toward the end; middle tail-feathers greyish-brown, the rest blackish-brown, the outer with an oblique white space, including, from the tip, a considerable portion of the inner web, and more than two-thirds of the outer; the next with a white patch at the end; lower parts paler than the upper; lower tail and wing-coverts broadly tipped with dull white, some of the inner wing-coverts white.

Female, 81/4, wing, 41/2.

Columbia River.

Townsend's Ptilogonys, Ptilogonys Townsendi, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 206.

GENUS IV. CULICIVORA, Swains. GNAT-CATCHER

Bill of moderate length, depressed at the base, rapidly attenuated, becoming very slender toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge distinct, the tip extremely narrow and deflected, the edges overlapping, the notch distinct, but very small; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, the ridge narrowed towards the end, the edges inclinate, the tip acute. Nostrils oblong, exposed. Head ovate; neck short; body slender. Feet of moderate length, tarsus longer than the middle toe, extremely slender, with the upper scutella indistinct; toes very small, extremely compressed; hind toe proportionally very large; outer adherent at the base. Claws well arched, extremely compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Wings of moderate length, concave; the first quill about a third of the length of the second, fourth longest, third and fifth little shorter. Tail long, slender, much rounded.

70. 1. Culicivora cœrulea, Lath. Blue-grey Gnat-catcher

Plate LXXXIV. Male and Female.

Upper parts bright blue, deeper on the head, paler on the tail-coverts; a narrow black band on the forehead, extending over the eyes; wings brownish-black, margined with blue, some of the secondaries with bluish-white; tail glossy black, the outer feather on each side nearly all white, the next with its terminal half, and the third with its tip of that colour; lower parts greyish-white. Female similar, but with the tints duller, and the black band on the head wanting.

Male, 41/2, 61/2.

From Texas northward. Abundant. Migratory.

Blue-grey Flycatcher, Muscicapa cœrulea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 164.

Sylvia cœrulea, Bonap. Syn. p. 85.

Blue-grey Sylvan Flycatcher, Muscicapa cœrulea, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 297.

Blue-grey Flycatcher, Muscicapa cœrulea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 431.

FAMILY VIII. SYLVICOLINÆ. WOOD-WARBLERS

Bill short, or of moderate length, rather slender, somewhat conical, considerably broader than high at the base, gradually compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal outline straight until near the end, the point very narrow, the notches very slight; lower mandible with the angle rather short and narrow, the dorsal line straight, the edges somewhat involute, the tip acute. Head moderate, ovate; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of moderate length; tarsus longer than the middle toe, slender, much compressed, with eight anterior scutella, of which the upper are blended; toes rather small, or of moderate size, hind toe proportionally stout, outer adherent for a short way at the base; claws moderate, much compressed, arched, acute. Plumage generally soft and blended. Wings of moderate length. Tail of moderate length, of twelve feathers. Tongue of moderate length, sagittate, tapering. Œsophagus of moderate width, without dilatation, proventriculus bulbiform; stomach of moderate size, roundish or elliptical, moderately muscular, with the muscles distinct; epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestine short, rather wide; cœca very small; cloaca oblong. Trachea simple; with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.

GENUS I. MYIODIOCTES, Aud. FLYCATCHING-WARBLER

Bill of moderate length, stoutish, straight, considerably broader than high, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge distinct, the dorsal line convex toward the end, the edges sharp and overlapping, with a very faint notch close to the slightly deflected tip; lower mandible with the ridge indistinct, the sides rounded, the edges somewhat involute, the tip narrow, not ascending. Nostrils basal, oblong. Head ovate, of moderate size; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of moderate length; tarsus pretty stout, much compressed; scutella blended, excepting the lower three; toes of moderate length, very slender, the hind toe proportionally large, the third and fourth united at the base, all scutellate. Claws moderate, extremely compressed, well arched, very acute. Bristles at the base of the bill elongated but slender. Wings of moderate length, the second and third quills longest, the first scarcely shorter than the fourth. Tail moderate, slightly rounded. Name from [Greek: Myia], an insect, [Greek: Diôchtês], a pursuer.

71. 1. Myiodioctes mitratus, Lath. Hooded Flycatching-Warbler. – Hooded Flycatcher. Hooded Warbler

Plate CX. Male and Female. Plate IX. Young.

Third quill longest, second longer than fourth, which slightly exceeds the first; tail slightly emarginate and rounded. Male with the forehead, sides of the head, breast, sides, abdomen, lower wing and tail coverts, rich pure yellow; hind head and neck all round black; upper parts yellowish-olive; wings and tail dusky brown, margined with yellowish-olive, an oblique patch of white on the inner webs of the three outer tail-coverts. Female with the forehead, the sides of the head, the throat, and all the lower parts yellow, the hind part of the head dusky, the upper part as in the male. Young similar to the female, but with the tints a little duller.

Male, 51/2, 8.

From Texas to Virginia. In the interior, as far as Memphis on the Mississippi. Rather common. Migratory.

Hooded Flycatcher, Muscicapa cucullata, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 101.

Sylvia mitrata, Bonap. Syn. p. 79.

Hooded Warbler, Sylvia mitrata, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 66. Adult Male and Female; v. v. p. 465.

Selby's Flycatcher, Muscicapa Selbyii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 46. Young.

72. 2. Myiodioctes canadensis, Linn. Spotted Canadian Flycatching Warbler. – Canadian Flycatcher. Canada Warbler

Plate CIII. Male and Female.

Third quill longest, scarcely exceeding the second, fourth slightly shorter, first intermediate between the fourth and fifth; tail rounded. Male with the upper parts ash-grey; the feathers of the wings and tail brown, edged with grey; the head spotted with black; loral space, a band beneath the eye, proceeding down the side of the neck, and a belt of triangular spots across the lower part of the fore neck, black; the lower parts, and a bar from the nostril over the eye, pure yellow; lower wing and tail-coverts white. Female similar to the male, but with the black spots on the neck smaller and fainter. Young similar to the female, with the tints paler, and the neck unspotted.

Male, 51/4, 9.

From Kentucky northward. Not found in the Atlantic districts. Migratory.

Motacilla canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 27.

Canada Flycatcher, Muscicapa canadensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 100.

Sylvia pardalina, Bonap. Syn. p. 79.

Canada Flycatcher, Muscicapa canadensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 17.

73. 3. Myiodioctes Bonapartii, Aud. Bonaparte's Flycatching Warbler

Plate V. Male.

Bristles longer than in the last, second quill longest; tail very long, nearly even; upper parts light greyish-blue; quills dusky brown, their outer webs greyish-blue, the two outer margined with white; middle tail-feathers and edges of the rest like the back; lower parts and a band on the forehead ochre-yellow, with a few faint dusky spots on the lower part of the fore neck. This species differs from the last chiefly in being of a more elongated form, in having the bristles much longer, the upper parts of a much lighter tint; in wanting the black band down the side of the neck, and the yellow band over the eye, the bill is straighter and more pointed, and the outer primaries are edged with white.

Male, 51/4.

Louisiana. Only one specimen ever found.

Bonaparte's Flycatcher, Muscicapa Bonapartii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 27.

74. 4. Myiodioctes formosus, Wils. Kentucky Flycatching Warbler. – Kentucky Warbler

Plate XXXVIII. Male and Female.

Third quill longest, second scarcely shorter, first longer than fourth, the outer three being nearly equal. Tail slightly emarginate and slightly rounded. Male with the upper part of the head and a band from the base of the upper mandible under the eye and down the side of the neck black; a streak from the nostril over the eye, and all the lower parts bright yellow; the upper parts yellowish-olive; wings brown, the feathers margined with yellowish-olive; tail light greenish-brown. Female similar, without the black band on the cheek and neck, and the black of the head less extended.

Male, 51/2, 8.

Valley of the Mississippi, and Kentucky. Migratory.

Kentucky Warbler, Sylvia formosa, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 85.

Sylvia formosa, Bonap. Syn. p. 34.

Kentucky Warbler, Sylvia formosa, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 196.

75. 5. Myiodioctes Wilsonii, Bonap. Wilson's Flycatching Warbler

Plate CXXIV. Male and Female.

Wings short, the second and third quills longest and about equal, the first much shorter than the fourth and a little longer than the fifth; tail even. Back, rump, and upper tail-coverts yellowish-green; crown glossy bluish-black, bordered on the forehead and over the eyes with a broad band of bright yellow, of which colour are all the lower parts; wings and tail dusky brown, the feathers margined with yellowish-green. Female similar to the male, but with the black of the crown of much less extent. Young similar to the female, without black on the head.

Male, 41/2, 63/4.

From Texas northward, Columbia River, and intervening regions. Not in the Fur Countries. Rather rare. Migratory.

Green Black-capt Flycatcher, Muscicapa pusilla, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 103.

Sylvia Wilsonii, Bonap. Syn. p. 86.

Green Black-capt Warbler, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 149.

Green Black-capped Flycatcher, Muscicapa Wilsonii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 148.

GENUS II. SYLVICOLA, Swainson. WOOD-WARBLER

Bill short, straight, rather strong, tapering, scarcely broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal outline declinate and nearly straight, the tip slightly declinate, the edges overlapping, with a slight notch; lower mandible with the angle short and rounded, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex, the edges a little inclinate, the tip narrow. Nostrils basal, oval or oblong, partially concealed by the feathers. Head of ordinary size; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of ordinary length, rather slender; tarsus longer than the middle toe, much compressed, covered anteriorly with seven scutella, very sharp behind; toes of moderate length, slender, free, the outer united as far as the second joint, the hind toe proportionally large; claws moderate, well arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. Plumage soft and blended. Bristles at the base of the upper mandible feeble. Wings rather long, little curved, pointed; the second quill longest, the first and third slightly shorter. Tail rather long, emarginate.

76. 1. Sylvicola coronata, Lath. Yellow-crowned Wood-Warbler. – Yellow-crowned Warbler. Yellow-rump Warbler

Second quill longest, third scarcely shorter, first longer than fourth; tail slightly emarginate. Male with the upper parts deep ash-grey, streaked with black; crown, rump, and a patch on the sides of the body, rich yellow: secondary coverts, and first row of small coverts tipped with white, which forms two bars on the wing; quills dark brown, margined with light greyish-brown; tail feathers brownish-black, margined with ash-grey, the outer three on each side with a white patch on the inner web near the end; a slender white line over the eye; feathers of the eyelids white; lore and cheek black; throat white; lower neck, fore part of breast and sides variegated with black, the tips of the feathers being white; the rest of the lower parts white. Female without the yellow spot on the crown, although the feathers there are tinged with that colour at the base; the upper parts tinged with light brown, the yellow spots on the sides and rump paler.

Male, 51/4, 81/2.

From Texas northward, and throughout the interior. Extremely common. Migratory.

Yellow-rump Warbler, Sylvia coronata, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 138.

Sylvia coronata, Bonap. Syn. p. 78.

Yellow-crowned Warbler, or Myrtle Bird, Sylvia coronata, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 361.

Yellow-rump Warbler, Sylvia coronata, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 303.

77. 2. Sylvicola Auduboni, Townsend. Audubon's Wood-Warbler, – Audubon's Warbler

Plate CCCXCV. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

Outer four quills nearly equal, second longest; tail slightly emarginate. Male with the upper parts bluish ash-grey, streaked with black; crown, rump, upper part of throat, and a patch on the sides of the body, rich yellow; first row of small coverts largely tipped, and secondary coverts broadly margined and tipped with white, which thus forms a conspicuous patch on the wing; quills and tail brownish-black, narrowly margined with greyish-white; a patch of white on the inner webs of all the tail-feathers, but on the central reduced to a mere edging; a small white spot on each of the eyelids; loral space and cheek black; lower part of neck anteriorly, fore part of breast, and sides, variegated with black and white or ash-grey, the latter colours margining the feathers; the rest of the lower parts white. Female without the yellow spot on the crown, although the feathers there are tinged with that colour at the base; upper parts light brownish-grey, streaked with dusky; lower parts whitish, tinged with brown, and streaked with dusky; throat and rump yellow, but of a lighter tint than in the male, and but slight indications of the yellow patch on the sides; there is much less white on the wings, and the white patches on the tail-feathers are of less extent.

In size, form, and proportion, this species and Sylvicola coronata are almost precisely similar; and their colours are almost exactly alike, the only remarkable difference in this respect being, that the throat of the present species is yellow, while that of the former is white.

Male, 53/4, wing, 31/12.

Columbia River, northward. Common. Migratory.

Sylvia Audubonii, Audubon's Warbler, Townsend, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc., Philadelphia, v. vii. p. 190.

Audubon's Warbler, Sylvia Audubonii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 52.

78. 3. Sylvicola striata, Lath. Black-poll Wood-Warbler

Plate CXXXIII. Male and Female.

First and second quills equal and longest, third a little shorter; tail emarginate. Male with the upper parts bluish ash-grey, streaked with black; the upper part of the head deep black; the secondary coverts and first row of small coverts largely tipped with white; quills and tail-feathers blackish-brown; primaries narrowly edged with greenish-yellow, secondaries broadly with white; three outer tail-feathers with a patch of white on the inner web at the end; cheeks and lower parts white; a band of black spots from the base of the lower mandible down the side of the neck and body. Female with the upper parts oil-green, streaked with black; the rump and upper tail-coverts plain and edged with grey; white wing-bands tinged with yellow; cheeks yellowish-grey, mottled with dusky, lower parts dull white, tinged with yellow and reddish the sides of the neck and body with fainter dark streaks. Young like the female.