_Fringilla gambeli_, NUTT. Man. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 556.—GAMBEL, Pr.
A. N. Sc. Phila. I, 1843, 262 (California.) _Zonotrichia gambeli_,
GAMBEL, J. A. N. Sc. 2d series, I, Dec. 1847, 50.—BAIRD, Birds N.
Am. 1858, 460, pl. lxix, f. 1.—LORD, Pr. R. A. Inst. IV, 1864, 119
(British Columbia).—COOPER & SUCKLEY, 201.—DALL & BANNISTER, Tr.
Ch. Ac. I, 1869, 284 (Alaska).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 195.
_Zonotrichia leucophrys_, NEWBERRY, Zoöl. Cal. & Or. Route; Rep.
P. R. R. VII, iv, 1857, 87.
SP. CHAR. Precisely similar to _Z. leucophrys_, but rather smaller;
the lores are gray throughout, this color continuous with a white
superciliary stripe along the side of the head. Length, 6.25; wing,
2.83; tail, 3.08.
HAB. Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, north to Nulato and Fort
Kenai, east through the valley of the Mackenzie River, and south to
Jalisco and Mazatlan, Mexico.
As stated in the previous article, the only appreciable and constant
difference between this race and _Z. leucophrys_ is found in the
character of the black stripe on the side of the crown. In
_leucophrys_ the black passes down over the upper half of the lores,
and in front of the eye, to a line continuous with the cutting edge of
the bill, and sends back a short branch to the eye, which cuts off the
white superciliary stripe. In _gambeli_ the superciliary stripe passes
continuously forward to the ashy lores, cutting off the black from the
eye. The lower edge of the black anteriorly is much higher than in
_leucophrys_, and nearly on a line with the nostrils.
We cannot give any positive character by which immature specimens of
_leucophrys_ and _gambeli_ may be distinguished, unless that the short
dark line from forehead to eye of the former is indicated by a greater
amount of dusky at the base of the feathers of that region.
The young of this species, like that of _leucophrys_, is streaked with
blackish on side of the throat, across the breast, and on the sides of
body, instead of being entirely unmarked beneath, as in the adult.
One specimen, collected in the West Humboldt Mountains, connects this
form with _leucophrys_, and may possibly be a hybrid. In this there is
a black spot in front of the eye, but separated from the black of the
crown by the usual light superciliary stripe of _gambeli_.
Some specimens from the coast region of California have the ash of
head and breast duller, and with a brownish cast, and the spots on the
back black instead of deep dark brown.
HABITS. The Western White-crowned Sparrow is found in great abundance,
from Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, between the Rocky Mountains and the
Pacific. Dr. Suckley found this bird very abundant at Fort Dalles and
at Puget Sound, at both of which places it is a constant summer
resident. It was always found in excellent condition. He states that
it makes its nest in low bushes, among the stalks of lupins and other
shrub-like weeds. Dr. Cooper also mentions that this bird is very
abundant in all the prairie districts of Washington Territory,
especially where there are low bushes. Unlike most of the Sparrows, it
was also common on the coast prairies, where he found it breeding.
They arrive at the Straits of Fuca at the end of March in large
numbers, and leave for the South in October. He afterwards found them
at Fort Mohave, in the Colorado Valley, quite common throughout the
winter, some remaining until the 15th of May, but he does not think
that any remain there to breed. They are also abundant, in winter,
from San Francisco south, through all the inhabitable country. In
summer they are found in the Sierra Nevada, to their summits, and are
also plentiful in the regions north of the Columbia. A few remain,
during the summer, in the cool district about San Francisco. In June,
1854, Dr. Cooper met with its nest near the mouth of the Columbia. It
was built in a bush, about a foot from the ground, formed of neatly
interwoven grasses, and lined with softer materials. He describes its
song as loud, but short and melancholy, heard at intervals during the
whole year, and frequently at night.
The Western White-crowned Sparrow was first met with by Mr. Ridgway,
at the Summit Meadows, near the summit of Donner Lake Pass of the
Sierra Nevada, at an altitude of about seven thousand feet. It was
there an abundant and characteristic bird. The males were in full song
in all parts of the meadow, and were nesting in such numbers that on
the evening of July 9, on halting for the night, in a hurried search
no less than twenty-seven of their eggs were obtained within about
fifteen minutes. In every instance the nests were embedded under a
species of dwarf-willow, with which the ground was covered. The birds
were extremely unsuspicious, the male often sitting on a bush within a
few feet of the collector, and chanting merrily as the eggs were being
blown. In one instance, having occasion to repass a spot from which a
nest had been taken, the female was found sitting in the cavity from
which its nest had been removed. This species is only a winter
visitant of the lower country, but is there universally distributed,
and always found in bushy localities.
Mr. Bannister states that this bird was tolerably abundant among the
alder-bushes in certain parts of St. Michael’s Island. Mr. Dall found
it common at Nulato, and especially so at Fort Yukon. It arrived at
Nulato about May 20. Its nests and eggs were obtained from Indians at
Nowikakat, on the Yukon River. Dr. Kennerly met with these birds, in
February, at White Cliff Creek, New Mexico. They were first observed
on approaching the Big Sandy, and from thence to the Colorado they
were found in abundance. They were mostly in flocks, and were
generally found among the bushes, in the vicinity of water. He also
met with it in the valley of the Rio Grande, Corralitos, and Janos
Rivers. It seemed to prefer the vicinity of settlements, where it was
always seen in greater numbers than elsewhere.
Mr. Dresser found these birds common about San Antonio, Texas, during
the winter, arriving late in September. Some may remain and breed, as
several were observed there in June. Dr. Coues also found them
abundant in Arizona, where he first observed them September 15. After
this they became exceedingly numerous, and remained so until January.
Later than this only a few stragglers were seen, until April, when
they again became abundant. By far the greater part left, and
proceeded north to breed.
These Sparrows were found breeding on the Yukon and at Fort Anderson
in great numbers by Messrs. MacFarlane, Lockhart, and Ross. Their
nests were in nearly all cases found upon the ground, often in tufts
of grass, clumps of Labrador tea, or other low bushes. They were
composed of hay, and, in nearly every instance, were lined with deer’s
hair, and in a few with feathers. A few were without any lining. In
selecting a situation for their nests, they seemed generally to give
the preference to open or thinly wooded tracts. The male bird was
usually seen, or its note heard, in the immediate vicinity of the
nest. The eggs were obtained from the 4th of June to the 1st of July.
Their maximum number was six; the most common, four.
Mr. B. R. Ross states that this species arrives at the Arctic Circle
from about the 15th to the 20th of May, and at Slave Lake only a few
days earlier. They are then no longer in flocks, but have already
paired. They commence nesting almost immediately upon their arrival at
the Yukon and at Fort Good Hope. Mr. Ross found nests made as early as
May 20 to 25, while there was still considerable snow upon the ground.
They mostly nest, however, in the first half of June, the young
usually hatching between the 15th and 30th, and leaving the nests when
less than a month old. They all leave the Arctic Circle about the
middle of September. A few were seen at Fort Simpson in the latter
part of that month. When starting, they gather in small flocks. The
nest is built on high ground, among low, open bushes, always at the
foot of some shrub or bush, and more or less protected and concealed
by grass. It is never placed in the edges of marshes, like _Melospiza
lincolni_; nor on small prairies, like the _Passerculus savanna_; nor
in thick woods, as does sometimes the _Z. albicollis_. The nest is
neatly built, is more compact and of finer materials than that of the
latter. It is large and deep, formed externally of coarse grass, and
lined with finer materials.
When started from her nest, the female flies off a few yards and
flutters silently along the ground to divert attention. If
unsuccessful, she flies about her nest uttering sharp, harsh notes of
anxiety. The male is less bold on such occasions. Their favorite
habitat is light open bushes, affecting neither open plains nor deep
woods and never perching so high as twenty feet from the ground, and
usually, in all their movements, keeping close to the earth.
Its food, so far as could be observed, consisted almost wholly of
seeds, sought mostly on the ground. It hatches only a single brood in
a year.
Mr. B. R. Boss adds that this is the most abundant Sparrow throughout
the Mackenzie River region, and also the most interesting. Through the
spring and summer its melodious song, which strongly calls to mind the
first notes of the old air, “O Dear! what can the Matter be?” may be
heard from every thicket, both night and day. When sleeping in the
woods, Mr. Boss states that he has often been awakened by several of
these birds singing near him, answering each other, throughout the
short night, when all the other birds were silent. On this account,
but for the richness and melody of its song the bird would have made
itself quite disagreeable.
The Cree Indians name this Sparrow _Wah-si-pis-chan_, because they
think this resembles its notes, the last of which are supposed to
imitate the sound of running water. It sings long after the
breeding-season is past, and its notes may be heard even into August.
The eggs measure .85 of an inch in length by .65 in breadth, and have
a ground of a greenish-white marked with a rusty-brown. They are of a
rounded-oval shape.
[Illustration: PLATE XXVI.
1. Zonotrichia coronata. ♂ _ad._, Columb. R., 2780.
2. Junco oregonus. ♂ _ad._, Cal., 3920.
3. “ caniceps. ♂ Utah, 11159.
4. Zonotrichia querula. ♂ _ad._, Ft. Union, Dakota, 1940.
5. Junco hyemalis. ♂ Pa., 1287.
6. “ aikeni. ♂ Colorado, 61302.
7. Zonotrichia querula. Autumn.
8. Poospiza bilineata. ♂ _ad._, N. Mex., 6316.
9. “ belli. _Ad._, Nevada, 53516.
10. Zonotrichia albicollis. ♂ _ad._, Pa., 1434.
11. Spizella atrigularis. ♂ _ad._, Coahuila, Mex., 4935.
12. “ “ ♀ _juv._, Cape St. Lucas, 23866.]
Zonotrichia coronata, BAIRD.