This sprightly little bird is met with in various sections of the
country. It occurs in all parts of New England and New York, and has
been found in the interior as far north as Fort Simpson. It is common
in the Bahamas and most of the West India Islands, generally as a
migrant; in Texas, in the Indian Territory, in Mexico, and throughout
eastern America.
Dr. Coues states that this warbler is a very common summer resident
near Washington, the greater number going farther north to breed. They
arrive there during the first week in April and are exceedingly
numerous until May.
In its habits this bird seems to be more of a creeper than a Warbler.
It is an expert and nimble climber, and rarely, if ever, perches
on the branch of a tree or shrub. In the manner of the smaller
Woodpecker, the Creepers, Nuthatches, and Titmice, it moves rapidly
around the trunks and larger limbs of the trees of the forest in
search of small insects and their larvae. It is graceful and rapid in
movement, and is often so intent upon its hunt as to be unmindful of
the near presence of man.
It is found chiefly in thickets, where its food is most easily
obtained, and has been known to breed in the immediate vicinity of a
dwelling.
The song of this Warbler is sweet and pleasing. It begins to sing from
its first appearance in May and continues to repeat its brief refrain
at intervals almost until its departure in August and September. At
first it is a monotonous ditty, says Nuttall, uttered in a strong but
shrill and filing tone. These notes, as the season advances, become
more mellow and warbling.
The Warbler's movements in search of food are very interesting to the
observer. Keeping the feet together they move in a succession of
short, rapid hops up the trunks of trees and along the limbs, passing
again to the bottom by longer flights than in the ascent. They make
but short flight from tree to tree, but are capable of flying far when
they choose.
They build on the ground. One nest containing young about a week old
was found on the surface of shelving rock. It was made of coarse
strips of bark, soft decayed leaves, and dry grasses, and lined with a
thin layer of black hair. The parents fed their young in the presence
of the observer with affectionate attention, and showed no uneasiness,
creeping head downward about the trunks of the neighboring trees, and
carrying large smooth caterpillars to their young.
They search the crevices in the bark of the tree trunks and branches,
look among the undergrowth, and hunt along the fences for bunches
of eggs, the buried larvae of the insects, which when undisturbed,
hatch out millions of creeping, crawling, and flying things that
devastate garden and orchard and every crop of the field.
[Illustration: From col. Chi. Acad. Sciences. BLACK AND WHITE CREEPING
WARBLER. CHICAGO COLORTYPE CO.]
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