Painted

1912

Published

1929

Volume

12

Plate

725-725a

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Long-Billed Marsh Wren

Telmatodytes palustris palustris

DESCRIPTION

THERE IS a lure in small streams lacking in reaches of broad rivers. In one such favored creek, long since "improved," I spent many days of my youth watching the abundant bird life and "loafing." The stream was tide fed from Jamaica Bay as far as the old Vanderveer Mill. In the impounded waters above the millgate, I saw many species new to me.

In the half mile of sinuous waterway twixt mill and railroad bridge LONG-BILLED MARSH WRENS were everywhere numerous. One day in mid-May I poled the skiff into a patch of cattails, where a dozen Marsh Wren mechanics were chattering things over, and settled down to watch building operations. All objects were magnified in the early morning mist, even the bustling bunches of brown feathers nearby seemed twice normal size as they discussed the question of continuing building while that strange animal in the boat watched them.

In about a quarter of an hour the colony became accustomed to my presence and during the ensuing two hours I learned some extraordinary facts in the art of home erection and the mystery elucidated of how such tiny workers could bend the stout cattail stalks into globular form.

Observation was concentrated on a foundation of a few stalks already twisted into place three feet up in standing flags. The nearest dead "timber" was twenty feet away. One bird remained on the platform, fussily pretending work (female?), the other tackled the pile of rushes. The first piece was loose and transported with comparative ease to the base of the home site. The lady ceased talking long enuf to help lift the material across the foundation, then reassumed the bossing. One end was pushed down thru reed crevices until half woven, then they both threaded the other end around.

The next stud was fast at the base and only separated after hard work with voluble remarks from the boss who did not leave her perch on the foundation until the stalk was underneath.

"My, but you're slow! Can't you move that stuff any faster?"

"Come on down and lend a hand if you're not satisfied, or shut your bill!"

All pieces were too heavy to lift thru the air by wing power, and had to be dragged thru intervening obstacles. The birds' strength and perseverance were marvelous. When a bit jammed or came hard from the stem it was assisted by "cussin'" that had a nautical flavor.

The rafters commenced to go up in half an hour and the exhibition of muscle and mechanical ability was more than worth the mosquito discomfort.

After one end was securely anchored they both jumped on the other end, bent it down, then one stayed on while the other scrambled below, seized the point and pulled it thru opening after opening and clinched it underneath. Man killing work tho and each addition required more time.

The flood tide was creeping in around the reeds and I wondered how the builders would manage with water on the road. Settling that question was easy enuf. At six A. M. the gang quit but the bungalow was thinly outlined with the main timbers hooping the structure.

There was no sign of either bird when I returned at four P. M. The afternoon sou'wester was still blowing and kept off the buzzing devils, so I put the "flattie" in the same groove, lit the pipe and waited. About five o'clock they appeared and got down to business with less talk than they used in the morning session. Far less was accomplished tho and they knocked off for the day after adding seven sheathing cattails. Guess they are like us in doing their best work in the morning hours.

The house was finished, down lined and held one egg when I came back four days later and the industrious Captain had started another nearby!

These surplus nests are loosely built, being evidently put together entirely by the male bird and are seldom finished. Building these houses is one of the most astounding exhibitions of avian strength and cleverness in this part of the world, especially noteworthy because the birds' bills are used as hammer, saw, chisel and auger.

BREEDING

NEST as above with entrance an inch in diameter on side.

EGGS, 6–10, so heavily spotted with brown as to obscure the ground color.

RANGE

Eastern United States, chiefly east of Allegheny Mountains: north to Massachusetts and New York. West to western New York and Pennsylvania. Breeds south to Potomac valley and coast of Maryland and Virginia. Winters from southern New Jersey, casually to Florida.

Tule Wren

Telmatodytes palustris paludicola

DESCRIPTION

BREEDING

RANGE

Pacific coast. Breeds in Transition, Upper and Lower Sonoran zones from British Columbia to southern California. Winters from Washington south to Cape San Lucas.

long-billed-marsh-wren-tule-wren
cactus-wren-bryant-cactus-wren-san-lucas-cactus-wren
Cactus Wren, Bryant Cactus Wren, San Lucas Cactus Wren
713-713a-713b
rock-wren-san-nicolas-rock-wren-guadalupe-rock-wren
Rock Wren, San Nicolas Rock Wren, Guadalupe Rock Wren
715-715a-715b
white-throated-wren-canyon-wren-dotted-canyon-wren
White-Throated Wren, Canyon Wren, Dotted Canyon Wren
717-717a-717b
carolina-wren-florida-wren-lomita-wren
Carolina Wren, Florida Wren, Lomita Wren
718-718a-718b
bewick-wren-vigor-wren-baird-wren
Bewick Wren, Vigor Wren, Baird Wren
719-719a-719b
san-clemente-wren-guadalupe-wren
San Clemente Wren, Guadalupe Wren
719.1-720
texas-wren-san-diego-wren-seattle-wren
Texas Wren, San Diego Wren, Seattle Wren
719c-719d-719e
house-wren-western-house-wren
House Wren, Western House Wren
721-721a
winter-wren-western-winter-wren-kadiak-winter-wren
Winter Wren, Western Winter Wren, Kadiak Winter Wren
722-722a-722b
alaska-wren-aleutain-wren
Alaska Wren, Aleutian Wren
723-723.1
short-billed-marsh-wren
Short-Billed Marsh Wren
724
long-billed-marsh-wren-tule-wren
Long-Billed Marsh Wren, Tule Wren
725-725a
worthington-marsh-wren-western-marsh-wren-prairie-marsh-wren-marian-marsh-wren
Worthington Marsh Wren, Western Marsh Wren, Prairie Marsh Wren, Marian Marsh Wren
725b-725c-725d-725e
brown-creeper-mexican-creeper
Brown Creeper, Mexican Creeper
726-726a
rocky-mountain-creeper-california-creepeer-sierra-creeper
Rocky Mountain Creeper, California Creeper, Sierra Creeper
726b-726c-726d
white-breasted-nuthatch-slender-billed-nuthatch-florida-white-breasted-nuthatch
White-Breasted Nuthatch, Slender-Billed Nuthatch, Florida White-Breasted Nuthatch
727-727a-727b
rocky-mountain-nuthatch-san-lucas-nuthatch
Rocky Mountain Nuthatch, San Lucas Nuthatch
727c-727d
red-breasted-nuthatch
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
728
brown-headed-nuthatch
Brown-Headed Nuthatch
729
pygmy-nuthatch-white-naped-nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch, White-Naped Nuthatch
730-730a
tufted-titmouse
Tufted Titmouse
731
black-crested-titmouse-sennett-titmouse
Black-Crested Titmouse, Sennett Titmouse
732-732a
plain-titmouse-gray-titmouse-ashy-titmouse
Plain Titmouse, Gray Titmouse, Ashy Titmouse
733-733a-733b
bridled-titmouse
Bridled Titmouse
734
chickadee-long-tailed-chickadee
Chickadee, Long-Tailed Chickadee
735-735a
oregon-chickadee-yukon-chickadee
Oregon Chickadee, Yukon Chickadee
735b-735c
carolina-chickadee-plumbeous-chickadee-florida-chickadee
Carolina Chickadee, Plumbeous Chickadee, Florida Chickadee
736-736a-736b
mexican-chickadee
Mexican Chickadee
737
mountain-chickadee-bailey-mountain-chickadee
Mountain Chickadee, Bailey Mountain Chickadee
738-738a
alaska-chickadee
Alaska Chickadee
739
hudsonian-chickadee-acadian-chickadee
Hudsonian Chickadee, Acadian Chickadee
740-740a
chestnut-backed-chickadee-california-chickadee-barlow-chickadee
Chestnut-Backed Chickadee, California Chickadee, Barlow Chickadee
741-741a-741b
bushtit-california-bushtit-grinda-bushtit
Bushtit, California Bushtit, Grinda Bushtit
743-743a-743b
lead-colored-bushtit-lloyds-bushtit
Lead Colored Bushtit, Lloyd Bushtit
744–745
verdin-cape-verdin
Verdin, Cape Verdin
746-746a
wrentit-pallid-wrentit
Wrentit, Pallid Wrentit
747-747a
coast-wrentit-ruddy-wrentit
Coast Wrentit, Ruddy Wrentit
747b-747c
golden-crowned-kinglet
Golden-Crowned Kinglet
748
western-goden-crowned-kinglet
Western Golden-Crowned Kinglet
748a
ruby-crowned-kinglet
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
749
sitka-kinglet
Sitka Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
749a
dusky-kinglet
Dusky Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
749b
blue-gray-gnatcatcher-western-gnatcatcher
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Western Gnatcatcher
751-751a
plumbeous-gnatcatcher-black-tailed-gnatcatcher
Plumbeous Gnatcatcher, Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher
752-753
townsends-solitaire
Townsend’s Solitaire
754
wood-thrush
Wood Thrush
755
veery
Veery
756
willow-thrush
Willow Thrush
756a
gray-cheeked-thrush-bicknells-thrush
Gray-Cheeked Thrush, Bicknell’s Thrush
757-757a
russet-backed-thrush
Russet-Backed Thrush
758
olive-backed-thrush
Olive-Backed Thrush
758a
alaska-hermit-thrush
Alaska Hermit Thrush
759
audubons-hermit-thrush
Audubon’s Hermit Thrush
759a
hermit-thrush
Hermit Thrush
759b
dwarf-hermit-thrush-monterey-hermit-thrush-sierra-hermit-thrush
Dwarf Hermit Thrush, Monterey Hermit Thrush, Sierra Hermit Thrush
759c-759d-759e
robin
Robin
761
western-robin-southern-robin
Western Robin, Southern Robin
761a-761b
san-lucas-robin
San Lucas Robin
762
varied-thrush
Varied Thrush
763
northern-varied-thrush
Northern Varied Thrush
763a
wheatear-greenland-wheatear
Wheatear, Greenland Wheatear
765-765a
bluebird
Bluebird
766
azure-bluebird
Azure Bluebird
766a
western-bluebird
Western Bluebird
767
chestnut-backed-bluebird
Chestnut-Backed Bluebird
767a
san-pedro-bluebird
San Pedro Bluebird
767b
mountain-bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
768

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