Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
hl Wolf
1963
Aimophila quinquestriata
July 13 10 mi. E. Mazatan, Sonora, Mexico
At least 3 singing off here. Found 2 in 50+ yards. One singing while perching. This one on dead limb above shrub canopy 20 feet up. Other not evident.
1st song - [[...]] for 5+ min + then flew down hill to a mesquite - 50 yards - then to rock pile 10 yards away + up onto dead limb - then to east to hill. Silent back in 5+ min to sing 5-10 songs then quiet.
The other singing bird often gave just .[[...]] + left off trill.
0640 - chase - one bird 1-2 feet behind other - down a little gully, giving slurred chattering note. Attempted to land on [illegible] dead, horizontal branches 15 feet away. Both fluffed + with tail spread just before landing. Continued on down slope followed by 3rd which joined chase just in front of me.
Next saw 2 of these birds foraging up a small draw, down which they had chased. One was chased so near me by a Brown Towhee. Stopped + then was chased again. Both [illegible] This bird then flew down to ground caught a "caterpillar" at least 2x length of bird.
Ate by flipping caterpillar against rock to soften + then gradually swallow by bite.
Saw 2nd bird catch + eat small moth. Also flipped head over or twice during process of swallowing.