Ken Hooles
September 15, 2008

This year, the Committee on the Status of Wildlife in Canada declared the Canada Warbler an endangered species and placed it on the threatened species list.

Apparently, this small yellow warbler is on the decline. Over the last 40 years, the number of Canada Warblers have declined 45 per cent.

The Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis) breeds in Canada\'s vast boreal and woodland forests. In the spring, it is the first warbler to arrive, and in the fall, the first to leave.

This warbler likes to frequent low, dense undergrowth under mixed hardwoods. From there, it likes to sing its warbling song and forage for food. It eats insects from the low foliage and stems, and also from the ground.

The Canada Warbler is a small yellow bird with a beautiful black necklace around its neck and on parts of its breast. It has no wing bars, a whitish eye ring, and pinkish legs and feet.

This warbler is a solitary nester. It builds its nest on the ground or under an upturned tree in the roots. The nest is cup-shaped and made of dead leaves, grasses, dead plants, and

ferns. It is lined with fine grasses and rootlets. The Canada Warbler has one brood per year. The

female incubates the eggs of the Canada Warbler for 10- 12 days.

This bird\'s range stems all across Canada\'s boreal region and south into the Smoky and Shenandoah mountain ranges in the United States. In the winter it migrates south to South America.

The decline of this bird seems to be related to forestry practices, pollution, and land fragmentation in South America, and to the degradation and habitat loss of many of its staging areas on its travels, both north and south. The extinction of this pretty bird would be indeed a tragic loss!

Elsewhere on the local scene, as indicated last week, the fall migration is now in full force. Several of our birds have left the area, including such birds as the Whip-poor-wills, Common for an endangered species

Nighthawks, Eastern

Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, some of the Flycatchers, Swallows, and Chimney Swifts. The Blackbirds are staging in large flocks in the fields and you should soon see several large flocks of Common Grackles. As these birds are leaving, the northern migrants are arriving on the way south, like the Sandhill Cranes, and of course, more Canada Geese. Look for some Snow Geese mixed among the Canada Geese.

Due to a server problem at the paper back around September 1, these interesting sightings were lost in the system. My apologies to all of you. However, better late than never!

Back on August 18, Ryan Ethier of Westmeath was pleased to observe an American Bittern in his area. This bird is not rare for our area but is just often hard to observe in its terrain. This bird also should soon be leaving on its way south.

On August 19, John Meadows of Westmeath spotted a lone Snow Goose among a flock of Canada Geese on the Ottawa River. Nice photo, John!

Around this same period, Chris Renault of Forest Lea Road also spotted one of the Black-crowned Night Herons that have been frequenting the marsh area on Snake River Road.

On August 25, Reg Biggs of B-Line Road spotted a large Hawklike bird sitting near the bridge on Forest Lea Road. The bird sat there for some time, slowly turning its head. From the description, it may have been a Cooper\'s Hawk or female Peregrine Falcon. However, from both the description and behaviour, it may have been a Barred Owl. If it is any one of these birds, it is a good sighting!

Finally, on this same date, Larry Scales of Pembroke updated me on his summer bird sightings. At his home, these included Goldfinches and House Finches, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, White and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Cardinals, Blue Jays and Evening Grosbeaks.

At his cottage on Round Lake, Larry had Pine Warblers, Belted Kingfishers, Great Blue Herons, Mallards, Common Mergansers, both Downy and Hairy woodpeckers, Merlins and for a brief time, an American Bittern. Looks like you had a great summer, Larry!

Next week:The American Bittern and this year\'s Woodlot Conference.