THE SUMMER BIRDS
OF THE ADIRONDACKS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY, N. Y.
CL
BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT, JR., AND H. D. MINOT.
V'1
The following catalogue (written in the mountains) is based upon observations
made in August, 1874, August, 1875, and June 22d to July 9th
1877 especially about the Saint Regis Lakes, Mr. Minot having been with
me, only during the last week of June. Each of us has used his initials
in making a statement which the other has not verified.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT, Jr.
The general features of the Adirondacks, in those parts which we have
examined, are the many lakes, the absence of mountain-brooks thes luxuriant
forest-growth (the taller deciduous trees often reaching the height
of a hundred feet, and the White Pines even that of a hundred and thirty),
the sandy soil, the cool, invigorating air, and both a decided wildness and
levelness of country as compared with the diversity of the White Moun-
Theam7auna is not so rich as that of the latter country, because wantin-
in certain "Alleghanian" birds found there, and also in species
belonging especially to the Eastern or North-eastern Canadian fauna.
Nestst moreover, seem to be more commonly inaccessible and rarely
built beside roads or wood-paths, as they often are in the White Mountains.
M.
1. Robin. Turdus migratorius (Linnseus).
Sometimes found in the woods.
2. Hermit Thrush. Turdus Pallasi (Cabanis).
until the middle of August (R.).
3. Swainson's Thrush. Turdus Swainsoni (Cabanis).
Moderately common.
Common. Sings
The comrCat-
toird. Mimus Carolinensis (Linnaeus). Observed beyond the
mountains to the northward, near Malone.
5 Blue Bird. Sialia sialis, (Linnaeus). Common near Malone.
6* Golden-crowned "Wren." Begulus satrapaQUchten.). Quite
common; often heard singing in June.
7. Chickadee. Parus atricapillus (Linnaeus). Rather scarce in
June.' Abundant in August (R.).
8 Hudsonian Chickadee. Parus Hudsonictts (Forster). Found
in small flocks at Bay Pond in the early part of August (R.).
9 Red-bellied Nuthatch. Sitta Canadensis (Linnaeus). Common.
The White-bellied Nuthatch has not been observed here by us.
10 Brown Creeper. Certhia familiaris (Linnaeus). Common.
11.' Winter Wren. Troglodytes hyemalis (Vieillot). Moderately
common.
12. Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. Parula Americana (Linnaeus).
Very common. The Black and White Creeper we have not seen here.
13. Nashville Warbler. Helminthophaga ruficapilla (Wilson). Not
common.
14. ?Tennessee Warbler. Helminthophaga peregrina (Wilson).
15. Yellow Warbler. Dendroeca cestiva (Gmelin). Common near
Malone.
16. Black-throated Green Warbler. Dendroeca virens (Gmelin).
Common.
17. Black-throated, Blue Warbler. Dendroeca ccerulescens (Linnseus).
Common.
18. Orange-throated Warbler. Dendroeca BlacJcburnice (Gmelin).
Common. Its song has several rather misleading variations.
19. Yellow-rumped Warbler. Dendroeca coronata (Linnseus).
Common in August (R.). Summer-resident in the White Mountains (M.).
20. Black and Yellow Warbler. Dendrceca maculosa (Gmelin).
Not common.
The following other Dendroecce are summer-residents in the White
Mountains : Prairie Warbler, accidental; the Chestnut^sided, Bay-breasted,
Black-polled, and Pine Warblers, all rare (M.).
21. Golden-crowned " Thrush." Siurus auricapillus (Linnaeus).
Quite common.
22. Water "Thrush." Siurus ncevius (Boddaert). Eare summerresident
(E.).
23. Maryland "Yellow-throat." Geothlypis trichas (Linnaeus).
Hardly common. Very common in the White Mountains (M.).
24. Mourning Warbler. Geothlypis Philadelphia (Wilson). Locally
not uncommon.
25. Canada "Flycatcher." Myiodioctes Canadensis (Linnaeus).
Less common than in the White Mountains, where the Redstart also is
found, even at Bethlehem (M.).
26. Scarlet Tanager. Pyranga ruhra (Linnaeus). Two pairs found
in June near the Upper Saint Regis Lake.
27. Barn Swallow. Hirundo horreorum (Barton).
28. Cliff Swallow. Petrochelidon lunifrons (Say). Seen near Malone.
29. White-breasted Swallow. Tachycinetes bicolor (Vieillot).
Common, and met with far from any buildings.
30. Bank Swallow. Cotyle riparia (Linnaeus). Rather rare.
31. Purple Martin. Progne subis (Linnaeus). One seen at Malone.
32. Cedar-bird. Ampelis cedrorum (Vieillot). Common.
33. Red-eyed Vireo. Vireo olivaceus (Linnaeus). Very common.
34. Solitary Vireo. Vireo solitarius (Wilson). Very common. The
Warbling Vireo has not been observed here by us.
35. Purple Finch. Carpodacus purpureus (Gmelin). Common.
36. Red Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra (Linnaeus). Not rare. The
male often sings somewhat like a Purple Finch from the top of a tall dead
tree. The White-winged Crossbill we have not seen here.
37. Goldfinch. Chrysomitris tristis (Linnaeus). Common. Less so
than in the White Mountains (M.).
38. Siskin. Chrysomitrispinus (Wilson). One specimen got, August
27th, 1874 (R.). Probably breeds.
39. Savannah Sparrow. Passerculus savanna (Wilson). Apparently
rare. s . rv
40. Bay-winged Sparrow. Pomcetes gramineus (Gmelin). Common.
41. Song Sparrow. Melospiza meloda (Wilson). Common. Much
less so than in the White Mountains (M.).
42. Swamp Sparrow. Melospiza palustris (Wilson). Two or three
were found in the wet ground, covered with very low shrubs, which borders
the stream connecting Upper Saint Regis and Spitfire Lakes. Perhaps
not found in the White Mountains (M.).
43. Chipping Sparrow. Spizella sodalis (Wilson).
44. ?Field Sparrow. Spizella pusilla (Wilson).
45. White-throated Sparrow. ZonotricMa albicollis (Gmelin).
Common. v J
_ 46. Snow-bird. Junco hyemalis (Linnaeus). Common. Less so than
in the White Mountains, at least than in the northern and western parts
where the Canadian fauna is most marked (M.). This opportunity is taken
lor mentioning that the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Goniaphea Ludoviciana
(Linnaeus), was seen in July, 1875, on Mount Mansfield, Vt., and in July,
1877, in Essex County, New York (R.).
47. Bobolink. Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linnaeus). Several seen, AugUkSt,
1874 (R).
48. Cow-bird. Molothrus ater (Boddaert)- Rare.
49. Red-winged Blackbird. Agalasus phceniceus (Linnaeus). By
no means abundant. J J
50. Rusty Blackbird. Scolecophagus ferrugineus (Gmelin). Two
or three seen in June (M.). . v J
sJ*}\ C?r
ow Blackbird. Quiscalus purpureus (Bartr.) var. ceneus
(lid.). Neither rare nor common. The Baltimore Oriole is not seen here.
^52. Raven. ^Corvus corax (Linnaeus). A pair were observed at Lake
53. Crow. Corvus Americanus (Audubon). Comparatively uncommon.
54. Canada Jay. Perisoreus Canadensis (Linnaeus). Locally common
in the thicker woods.
55. Blue Jay. Gyanurus cristatus (Linnaeus). Moderately common.
56. King-bird. Tyrannus Carolinensis (Linnaeus). Common.
57. Great .Crested Flycatcher. Myiarchus criniius (Linnaeus).
Very rare. v J
58. Pewee. Sayornis fuscus (Gmelin).
59. Wood Pewee. Gontopus virens (Linnaeus).
60. Olive-sided Flycatcher. Contopus borealis (Richardson). Not
uncommon. v • J
61. Traill's Flycatcher. Empidonax Trailli (Audubon). Rare.
62. Least Flycatcher. Empidonax minimus (Baird). Strikingly
common, and much in tree-tops. . .
63. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Empidonax flaviventris (Baird)
Rather rare, and a frequenter of shrubbery. '
64. Hight "Hawk." Chordeiles Virginianus (Gmelin).
65. Whippoorwill. Antrostomus vociferus (Wilson). One heard
early in July (R.).
66. Chimney Swift. Chcetufa pelagica (Linnaeus). Common, and
often met with in the wilds.
67. Hummingbird. .Trochilus colubris (Linnaeus). Rare: lives in
the woods. ' '
68. Kingfisher. Cenjle alcyon (Linnaeus).
69. Cuckoo. Coccygus [erythropthalmus (Wilson)?]. Twice heard.
70. Pileated Woodpecker. Hylotomuspileatus (Linnaeus). Rare;
but found in the backwoods (R.)-
71 Hairy Woodpecker. Picus villosus (Linnaeus). Very common
| with a great variety of notes, some of which are indistinguishable
from'those of the Picoides.
72. Downy Woodpecker. Picus pubescens (Linnaeus). Once seen
in June, and common in August (R.).
73. Black-backed Woodpecker. Picoides arcticus (Swainson).
Common; second in numbers to the Hairy only.
74. Banded-backed Woodpecker. Picoides Americanus (Brehm).
Much less common than the preceding.
75. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Sphyrapicus varius (Linnaeus).
Quite common.
76. Golden-winged Woodpecker. Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus).
77. Barred Owl. Syrnium nebulosum (Forster). One shot in August,'
1875 (R.)- Probably not very rare.
78 Great Horned Owl. Bubo Virginianus (Gmelin). Common in
wild parts (R.). There are doubtless other kinds of owls here as summer-
residents.
79. Goshawk. Astur atricapillus (Wilson). Found in June.
80. Cooper's Hawk. Nisus Cooperi (Bonaparte).
81. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Nisus fuscus (Gmelin). The Sparrow
Hawk and the Red-shouldered Buzzard we have not seen here.
82. Red-tailed Buzzard. Buteo borealis (Gmelin).
83. Broad-winged Buzzard. Buteo Pennsylvanicus (Wilson). One
shot August 24th, 1874 (R.).
84 Bald Eagle. Haliaetus leucocephalus (Linnseus). Rare, but
seen at least once (R.). The Golden Eagle probably occurs here.
85. Fish Hawk. Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus). Rare, but certainly
breeds here (R-)-
86. Wild Pigeon. Ectopistes migratorius (Linnaeus). Undoubtedly
to be found here at times.
87 . Canada Grouse. Tetrao Canadensis (Linnaeus). In some parts
quite plentiful (R.)-
88. Ruffed Grouse. Bonasa umbellus (Linnaeus). Not uncommon
(R.).
89 Woodcock. Philohela minor (Gmelin). In July, one was shot
at Paul Smith's; none of the inhabitants knew what it was, or had ever
seen another (R.)-
90. Spotted Sandpiper. Tringoides macularius (Linnaeus).
91. Great Blue Heron. Ardea herodias (Linnaeus). Rare.
92. Bittern. Botaurus mugitans (Bartram). Occasional (R.).
93. Black Duck. Anas obscura (Gmelin). Breeds (R.)-
94. Wood Duck. JEx sponsa (Linnseus). Breeds (R.).
95. Merganser. Mergus [serrator (Linnaeus) ?] Breeds (R.).
96 Loon. Colymbus torquatus (Briinnich). Rare, but in 1870 common
(R.). Grebes have been seen in August; species uncertain (R.).
97 Herring Gull. Lams argentatus (Briinnich). Rare. Breeds
(R.).'