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FOR  THE   PEOPLE 
FOP.  EDVCATION 
!      FORSCIENCE 

LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  AMERICAN  MUSEUM 

OF 

NATURAL  HISTORY 

BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

A  GUIDE-BOOK  FOR  BEGINNERS 

An  Introduction  to  150  Common  Land  Birds  of  the 
Eastern  United  States 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 


BY 

ALICE  E.  BALL 

Author  of  "A  YEAR  WITH  THE  BIRDS" 


ILLUSTRATED  BY 

ROBERT  BRUCE  HORSFALL 

Painter  of  Backgrounds  in  Habitat,  Groups  American  Museum 
of  Natural  History    New  York  City 


56  COLORED  PLATES 


NEW  YORK 

DODD,  MEAD  AND  COMPANY 

1923 


Coptri5ht.  1923. 
By  DODD,  mead  &  COMPANY,  Ino. 


PBINTED    IN    V.   8.   A. 


VAIL-BALLOU     COMPANY 
eiNGHAMTON  AND  NEW  YORK 


TO  MY  FRIEND 

ELIZABETH  JONES 

IN  LOVING  ACKNOWLEDGMENT  OF  HER  UNTIRING  AID, 
UNWAVERING  FAITH,  AND  INSPIRING  CRITICISM 

THIS  BOOK  IS  DEDICATED 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

In  the  "Foreword"  of  this  book  1  express  my  grateful  appre- 
ciation to  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher  and  Mr.  E.  H.  Forbush  for  permission 
to  use  extracts  from  published  works.  I  wish  to  add  my  thanks 
to  Dr.  Charles  Richmond  and  Mr.  Joseph  Riley  of  the  National 
Museum  of  Washington,  for  their  courtesy  in  furnishing  me 
with  bird-skins  from  the  National  Museum  collections  and  a 
copy  of  the  A.  O.  U.  Check-list  of  1910,  used  for  the  descrip- 
tions and  ranges  of  the  birds  described  in  the  !ext. 

I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  John  M.  Clarke,  Director  of  the  State 
Museum  of  the  University  of  New  York,  for  the  permission  to 
make  selections  from  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York";  also  to  Dr. 
Francis  H.  Herrick,  of  Western  Reserve  University,  and  Dr. 
Alexander  Wetmore,  of  the  Biological  Survey,  for  the  right  to 
quote  from  their  publications. 

The  selections  from  John  Burroughs,  Thoreau,  Frank  Bolles, 
Dallas  Lore  Sharp,  Florence  Merriam,  Olive  Thome  Miller, 
Henry  W.  Longfellow,  E.  R.  Sill,  Celia  Thaxter,  Lucy  Larcom, 
and  Edna  Dean  Proctor,  are  used  by  permission  of,  and  by 
special  arrangement  with,  The  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  the  author- 
ized publishers.  Three  selections  from  Wilson  Flagg's  "Birds  of 
New  England"  are  used  by  special  arrangement  with  the  Page 
Co.  of  Boston. 

To  the  Courtesy  of  D.  Appleton  &  Co.  I  am  indebted  for  the 
right  to  quote  one  stanza  of  Bryant's  "To  a  Waterfowl,"  dates 
and  selections  from  Frank  M.  Chapman's  "Birds  of  Eastern 
North  America";  to  G.  P.  Putman's  Sons  for  the  use  of  three 
extracts  from  Dr.  Herrick's  "Home  Life  of  Wild  Birds,"  and 
to  Charles  Scribner's  Sons  for  Henry  van  Dyke's  rendering  of 
the  song  sparrow's  song.  I  acknowledge  also  with  thanks  my  ob- 
ligation to  Mr.  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  for  his  permission  to  use  six 
color-plates  of  the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies 
and  to  quote  from  the  Educational  Leaflets  of  the  Society. 

[vii] 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

To  my  friends,  Dallas  Lore  Sharp,  Mrs.  Sylvester  D.  Judd, 
and  Miss  Harriet  E.  Richards,  I  desire  to  express  my  deep  ap- 
preciation of  their  suggestions  and  criticisms.  I  am  indebted  to 
Mr.  James  P.  Chapin,  Assistant-Curator  at  the  American  Museum 
of  Natural  History,  New  York,  for  a  critical  reading  of  the 
manuscript. 


[viii] 


FOREWORD 

John  Burroughs,  in  his  delightful  essay  called  "Birds 
and  Poets"  says:  "The  very  idea  of  a  bird  is  a  symbol 
and  a  suggestion  to  the  poet.  A  bird  seems  to  be  at  the 
top  of  the  scale,  so  vehement  and  intense  is  his  life — 
large  brained,  large  lunged,  hot,  ecstatic,  his  frame 
charged  with  buoyancy  and  his  heart  with  song.  The 
beautiful  vagabonds,  endowed  with  every  grace,  mastery 
of  all  climes,  and  knowing  no  bounds, — how  many  human 
aspirations  are  realized  in  their  free,  holiday-lives — and 
how  many  suggestions  to  the  poet  in  their  flight  and  song."  * 

Long  before  the  place  of  birds  in  the  great  scheme  of 
nature  was  understood,  they  made  their  appeal:  first,  to 
primitive  man,  who  had  curious  superstitions  and  created 
beautiful  myths  concerning  them;  next,  to  poets  and 
dreamers  of  ancient  civilizations,  who  used  them  in  allu- 
sions beautiful  with  Oriental  imagery;  to  artists,  who  de- 
lighted in  portraying  symbolism;  to  later  poets  and  lovers 
of  beauty,  who  perceived  deep  truths  and  revelations  of 
God;  and  to  scientists,  who  saw  back  of  the  phenomena 
of  nature  the  marvelous  laws  of  God. 

It  is  interesting  to  follow  the  effect  birds  have  had 
upon  the  development  of  man.  Though  the  religion  of 
the  early  Egyptians  was  largely  worship  of  the  sun  and 
moon,  yet  reverence  for  birds  entered  into  their  faith  and 
their  ritual.     The  swallow,  the  heron,  the  hawk,  the  vul- 

1  Used  with  the  permission  of  the  Houghton,  Mifflin  Co,  the  authorized 
publishers. 

[ix] 


FOREWORD 

ture,  the  goose,  and  the  ibis  were  all  held  sacred.  The 
people  of  Egypt  with  their  belief  in  transmigration,  imag- 
ined the  swallow  and  the  heron  as  possible  abiding-places 
for  their  souls  after  death. 

The  Chinese  and  Japanese  have  had  interesting  concep- 
tions regarding  birds  that  have  been  both  symbolic  and 
poetic.  In  Japan,  wild  ducks,  geese,  cocks,  herons,  and 
cranes  have  been  highly  honored.  The  people  have  built 
torii  gates,  or  entrances  to  their  temples,  as  "bird-rests" 
or  perches  for  their  sacred  fowl. 

The  Greek  and  Roman  mythologies  abound  in  allusions 
to  bird-life.  It  was  natural  that  the  powerful  eagle  should 
be  held  sacred  to  Jupiter,  the  lordly  peacock  to  Juno, 
the  wise  owl  to  Minerva,  the  repulsive  vulture  that  haunted 
battlefields  to  Mars,  the  beautiful  swan  to  Apollo,  and 
the  cooing  dove  to  Venus. 

The  American  Indians  regarded  birds  with  great  rever- 
ence. Their  bird-myths  are  full  of  beauty.  To  them  the 
eagle  and  the  raven  were  especially  sacred. 

The  dove  was  a  cherished  symbol  of  early  Christian 
writers  and  painters.  The  pelican,  too,  was  revered;  it 
was  the  mediaeval  symbol  of  charity.  The  red  breast  of 
the  robin  was  thought  to  have  been  caused  by  a  prick 
of  a  thorn  in  Christ's  crown  as  the  bird  strove  to  "wrench 
one  single  thorn  away."  The  red  crossbill's  beak  was 
believed  to  have  been  twisted  in  its  attempt  to  remove  the 
iron  nail  from  Christ's  blood-stained  hand. 

Burroughs  continues:  "The  very  oldest  poets,  the 
towering  antique  bards,  seem  to  make  very  little  mention 
of  the  song-birds.  They  loved  better  the  soaring,  swoop- 
ing birds  of  prey,  the  eagle,  the  ominous  birds,  the  vul- 

[x] 


FOREWORD 

tures,  the  storks  and  cranes,  or  the  clamorous  sea-birds 
and  the  screaming  hawk.  These  suited  better  the  rugged, 
warlike  character  of  the  times,  and  the  simple,  powerful 
souls  of  the  singers  themselves.  Homer  must  have  heard 
tlie  twittering  of  the  swallows,  the  cry  of  the  plover,  the 
voice  of  the  turtle  (dove),  and  the  warble  of  the  nightin- 
gale; but  they  were  not  adequate  symbols  to  express  what 
he  felt  or  to  adorn  his  dieme.  i^schylus  saw  in  the  eagle 
the  'dog  of  Jove,'  and  his  verse  cuts  like  a  sword  with 
such  a  conception. 

"It  is  not  because  the  old  bards  were  less  as  poets, 
but  that  they  were  more  as  men.  To  strong,  susceptible 
characters,  the  music  of  nature  is  not  confined  to  sweet 
sounds.  The  defiant  scream  of  the  hawk  circling  aloft, 
the  wild  whinney  of  the  loon,  the  whooping  of  the  crane, 
the  booming  of  the  bittern,  the  loud  trumpeting  of  the 
migratory  geese  sounding  down  out  of  the  midnight  sky, 
or  the  wild  crooning  of  the  flocks  of  gulls — are  much 
more  welcome  in  certain  moods  than  any  and  all  mere 
bird-melodies,  in  keeping  as  they  are  with  the  shaggy  and 
untamed  features  of  ocean  and  woods,  and  suggesting 
something  like  Richard  Wagner  music  in  the  ornithologi- 
cal orchestra." 

As  the  life  of  man  grew  less  warlike  and  heroic,  as  the 
humbler  fireside  virtues  were  honored  and  the  amenities 
of  life  were  cultivated,  it  is  true  that  poets  sang  of  the 
gentler,  more  beautiful  aspects  of  nature.  Wordsworth 
wrote  of  the  skylark,  the  cuckoo,  and  the  throstle,  Shel- 
ley and  Shakespeare  of  the  skylark,  Keats  of  the  nightin- 
gale and  of  goldfinches,  Tennyson  of  the  swallow  and  the 
throstle.  They  were,  however,  all  deeply  sensitive  to  the 
wilder  phases  of  nature — to  the  scudding  cloud,  the  dash- 

[xi] 


FOREWORD 

ing  spray  of  the  ocean,  the  raving  and  moaning  of  the 
tempest.  They  saw,  too,  as  have  many  later  poets,  a 
spiritual  significance  and  an  inspiration  as  truly  great 
and  ennobling  as  the  conceptions  of  the  older  bards. 

Numerous  American  poets  have  found  spiritual  help, 
comfort,  and  inspiration  in  birds.  Frank  Bolles  felt  the 
presence  of  God  in  the  forest  where  the  Oven-bird  sings: 

'Touting  out  his  spirit's  gladness 
Toward  the  Source  of  life  and  being.'* 

Celia  Thaxter  mused  on  God's  care  of  man  and  bird: 

"For  are  we  not  God's  children  both, 
Thou,  little  Sandpiper,  and  I?" 

Serenity  and  joy  came  to  Edna  Dean  Proctor: 

"My  heart  beside  the  bluebird,  sings 
And  folds  serene  its  weary  wings." 

Edward  Rowland  Sill  voiced  human  need  in  his  poem: 

SPRING  TWILIGHT 

Surely  thus  to  sing,  Robin, 

Thou  must  have  in  sight. 
Beautiful  skies  behind  the  shower, 

And  dawn  beyond  the  night. 

Would  thy  faith  were  mine,  Robin! 

Then,  though  night  were  long 
All  its  silent  hours  would  melt 

Their  shadow  into  song." 

Beautiful  memories  that  soothed  pain  came  to  Helen 
Hunt  Jackson  at  the  mere  shadow  of  a  bird's  wing  across 
her  darkened  window.  Bird-song  bowed  Lucy  Larcom's 
heart  in  reverence: 

[xii] 


FOREWORD 

"Then  will  the  birds  sing  anthems:  for  the  earth  and  sky  and  air 
Will  seem  a  great  cathedral,  filled  with  beings  dear  and  fair; 
And  long  processions,  from  the  time  that  bluebird  notes  begin 
Till  gentians  fade,  through  forest-aisles  will  still  move  out  and 
in." 

All  who  appreciate  Bryant's  great  poem  "To  a  Water- 
fowl" may  see  God,  not  only  "flying  over  the  hill  with  the 
bird,"  but  as  the  unfailing  guide  of  the  human  soul. 

*'He  who,  from  zone  to  zone, 
Guides  through  the  boundless  sky  thy  certain  flight. 
In  the  long  way  that  I  must  tread  alone. 

Will  lead  my  steps  aright." 

No  more  triumphant  lines  exist  in  literature  than  those 
in  Browning's  "Paracelsus"  which  express  faith  in  God's 
guidance  of  man  and  bird: 

"I  go  to  prove  my  soul! 
I  see  my  way  as  birds  their  trackless  way. 
I  shall  arrive:  what  time,  what  circuit  first, 
I  ask  not:     but  unless  God  send  his  hail 
Or  blinding  fireballs,  sleet  or  stifling  snow. 
In  some  time,  his  good  time,  I  shall  arrive: 
He  guides  me  and  the  bird." 

The  poets  of  the  past  generations  may  have  written 
much  about  birds,  but  it  is  quite  probable  that  they  pos- 
sessed very  little  accurate  information  regarding  the  serv- 
ice they  render  to  the  world.  Longfellow  alone  has  be- 
queathed to  us,  in  his  beautiful  "Birds  of  Killingworth," 
a  plea  for  the  preservation  of  birds  because  of  their  prac- 
tical use  to  man  as  well  as  their  aesthetic  and  spiritual 
value: 

[xiii] 


FOREWORD 

*'Plato,  anticipating  the  Reviewers, 

From  his  Republic  banished  without  pity 

The  Poets;  in  this  town  of  yours, 

You  put  to  death,  by  means  of  a  Committee, 

The  ballad-singers  and  the  Troubadours, 
The  street  musicians  of  the  heavenly  city. 

The  birds,  who  make  sweet  music  for  us  all 

In  our  dark  hours,  as  David  did  for  Saul. 

*'Think  of  your  woods  and  orchards  without  birds! 

Of  empty  nests  that  cling  to  boughs  and  beams 
As  in  an  idiot's  brain  remembered  words 

Hang  empty  'mid  the  cobwebs  of  his  dreams  I 
Will  bleat  of  flocks  or  bellowing  of  herds 

Make  up  for  the  lost  music,  when  your  teams 
Drag  home  the  stingy  harvest,  and  no  more 
The  feathered  gleaners  follow  to  your  door? 

"You  call  them  thieves  and  pillagers;   but  know 
They  are  the  winged  wardens  of  your  farms, 

Who  from  the  cornfields  drive  the  insidious  foe, 
And  from  your  harvests  keep  a  hundred  harms." 

During  this  past  century,  the  period  of  scientific  investi- 
gation, birds  have  received  a  large  share  of  attention. 
The  immortal  pioneers  in  American  Ornithology,  Audu- 
bon, Wilson,  and  Nuttall  have  been  followed  by  a  host  of 
scientists  w^ho  have  done  work  of  distinction  along  various 
lines.  They  have  described  the  birds  of  both  fertile  and 
arid  regions,  as  well  as  far  distant  lands,  such  as  Alaska 
and  the  tundra  of  the  North.  They  have  made  complete 
and  valuable  collections,  the  most  noted  of  which  are  in 
the  National  Museum  of  Washington  and  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History  in  New  York.     The  latter 

[xiv] 


FOREWORD 

contains  famous  Habitat  Groups  with  beautiful  back- 
grounds, painted  by  distinguished  bird-artists. 

Scientists  have  studied  the  anatomy  of  birds,  their  eggs, 
their  nests,  and  nestlings;  an  army  of  field-men  have  been 
recording  observations  on  migration,  on  the  molt  of  birds, 
their  songs  and  call-notes,  their  food  habits,  especially 
with  relation  to  their  economic  importance.  The  work 
of  the  Biological  Survey  in  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
at  Washington  has  been  of  incalculable  value;  the  ex- 
amination of  the  contents  of  birds'  stomachs  has  given  in- 
disputable evidence  of  the  relation  the  different  species 
bear  to  insect-life  and  thus  to  vegetation.  The  bulletins 
published  by  the  Department  and  the  leaflets  issued  by  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies  have  been 
enormous  factors  in  the  preservation  of  bird-life  in  the 
United  States. 

Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher,  Professor  F.  E.  L.  Beal,  Dr.  Sylvester 
D.  Judd,  Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  Dr.  Henry  W.  Henshaw, 
Dr.  E.  W.  Nelson,  Dr.  T.  S.  Palmer,  and  Dr.  Wells  T. 
Cooke  have  done  work  of  special  distinction  in  the  Biologi- 
cal Survey,  Mr.  William  Brewster  and  Mr.  E.  H.  Forbush 
in  Massachusetts,  and  Dr.  Frank  Qiapman  in  New  York. 

To  Dr.  Fisher  I  am  especially  indebted  for  the  right 
to  incorporate  into  this  book  extracts  from  the  bulletins 
of  the  Biological  Survey,  and  to  Mr.  Forbush  for  per- 
mission to  quote  from  his  admirable  book  "Useful  Birds 
and  Their  Protection." 

It  has  been  my  purpose  to  give,  not  only  a  portrait 
and  a  description  of  the  birds  I  have  chosen  for  this 
volume,  but  a  summing  up  of  the  beneficial  and  injurious 
habits  of  each,  gained  from  the  highest  authorities  ob- 
tainable.    The  book  is  intended  for  beginners,  or  for  those 

[xv] 


FOREWORD 

who  long  to  know  birds  intimately  and  intelligently,  and 
wish  to  belong  to  the  great  army  of  bird-students  who  are 
"doing  their  bit"  to  preserve  the  bird-life  of  our  country. 


I[xvi] 


CONTENTS 

PAQB 

I    PART  ONE .    „    :.    >:    w    r.:    vii 

1.  Acknowledgments 

2.  Foreword 


II    PART  TWO r..    .     .     .      1 

1.  Introduction — Winter  Birds 

2.  Lists  of  Permanent  Residents  and  Winter 

Visitors 

3.  Descriptions  and  Biographies 

of 
Winter  Residents  and  Visitors 

III  PART  THREE 89 

1.  Introduction — Early  Spring  Birds 

2.  Spring  Migration  Lists 

3.  Descriptions  and  Biographies 

OF 

Early  Spring  Birds 

IV  PART  FOUR .    V    .T    .  167 

1.  Introduction — Later  Spring  Birds 

2.  Descriptions  and  Biographies 

OF 

Later  Spring  Arrivals 

3.  Afterword 


65 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 
WINTER  BIRDS 

PAGE  PAOB 

Blue  Jay 6    Cedar  Waxwing     ...     47 

Cardinal 19    Tufted  Titmouse    ...     51 

Red  Crossbill  ....     24     *  Chickadee      ....     53 

Junco 27     Downy  Woodpecker 

and 
Snowflake 30     Hairy  Woodpecker 

*  Tree  Sparrow       ...     34    White-Breasted  Nuthatch  .     73 

Bob  White 39    Brown  Creeper      ...     78 

EARLY  SPRING  BIRDS 

Robin 96    Red-Headed  Woodpecker  .   131 

Bluebird 102     Red-Bellied   Woodpecker 

and 
Song  Sparrow  ....   107    Yellow-Bellied  Sapsucker^ 

Phoebe Ill  Mourning  Dove 

Purple  Crackle      .      .      .114  Kingfisher 

Red-Winged  Blackbird       .   118  Field  Sparrow 

Cowbird 121  Vesper  Sparrow     . 

Meadowlark       ....   123  Chipping  Sparrow 

Flicker 127  Towhee        .      .      . 


134 


141 
144 
147 
149 
151 
161 


LATER  SPRING  ARRIVALS 
Tree  Swallow  ....    169     Chimney  Swift       .      .      .   180 
Barn  Swallow  ....   172     Whip-poor-will       .      .      .   184 
Purple  Martin       .      .     .175    Nighthawk 187 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGB  PAQB 

House  Wren     ....  190  Brown  Thrasher    .     .     .224 

Hummingbird  .     .     .     .  192  » Mockingbird  .     .     .     .  227 

Indigo-Bird       .     .      .      .196  *  Yellow-Billed  Cuckoo   .  231 

Baltimore  Oriole     .      .      .198  Kingbird     .....  235 

Orchard  Oriole     .      .      .202  Wood  Pewee    .      .      .      .242 

Scarlet  Tanager     .      .      .204  Red-Eyed  Vireo     ...  248 

Rose-Breasted  Grosbeak    .  207  Oven-Bird   .      .      .     .      .  257 

» Bobolink 212  Yellow  Warbler     .      .      .  268 

Goldfinch 216  Maryland  Yellow-Throat     270 

*  Catbird 220  Wood  Thrush  .     .     .     .285 


Note — The  illustrations  starred  are  made  from  plates  loaned  by  T.  Gilbert 
Pearson,  President  of  the  National  Association   of  Audubon   Societies. 


DESCRIPTIONS  AND  BIOGRAPHIES 

OF 
OUR  COMMON  WINTER  BIRDS 

PART  TWO 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 


WINTER  BIRDS 
Permanent  Residents 

AND 

Winter  Visitors 

Most  people  are  surprised  to  learn  that  about  sixty- 
species  of  birds  may  be  seen  in  the  north-central  part 
of  Eastern  North  America  during  the  winter  months. 
Many  of  us,  if  questioned,  would  affirm  that  sparrows, 
crows,  and  jays  are  the  only  winter  birds  to  be  found. 
If  some  one  opens  for  us  the  door  which  leads  out  into 
the  great  bird-world,  we  may  say,  as  did  the  writer  of 
the  old  couplet: 

"I  hearing  get,  who  had  but  ears, 
And  sight,  who  had  but  eyes  before," 

and  we  may  then  find,  even  during  the  winter  season,  a 
surprising  wealth  of  bird-life  to  enrich  our  own. 

In  spite  of  wings  that  will  bear  them  immeasurable  dis- 
tances, birds  seem  to  have  unusual  loyalty  to  their  native 
haunts,  and  they  stay  in  the  North  until  hunger  impels 
them  to  seek  friendlier  climes.  Those  that  remain  may 
be  grouped  according  to  the  kind  of  food  upon  which 
they  subsist  during  the  winter:  first,  birds  that  eat  animal 
food;  second,  birds  that  eat  vegetable  food;  and  third, 

[1] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

those  that  eat  the  eggs  or  young  of  insects  on  tree-trunks 
and  branches,  or  chisel  them  from  the  wood. 

To  the  first  group  belong  six  species  of  owls  and  eight 
species  of  hawks,  eagles,  crows,  gulls,  shrikes,  and  about 
eight  species  of  ducks.  They  feed  on  mice  and  other 
small  rodents,  on  smaller  birds  and  poultry,  and  on  sea- 
food such  as  fish,  clams,  mussels,  and  scallops. 

The  birds  that  live  on  vegetable  food  during  the  winter 
are  numerous.  Throughout  the  spring  and  summer 
months  they  may  be  useful  destroyers  of  insects;  but  in 
winter  they  are  able  to  subsist  on  what  the  woods  and 
fields  yield  in  the  way  of  nuts,  acorns,  berries,  and  the 
seeds  of  grasses  and  weeds.  Such  are  jays,  red-headed 
woodpeckers,  quail,  grouse,  and  the  following  members 
of  the  finch  or  sparrow  family:  cardinals,  pine  grosbeaks, 
crossbills,  goldfinches,  snow  buntings,  juncos,  tree  spar- 
rows, white-throated  sparrows,  redpolls,  and  pine  siskins. 
Many  of  these  are  permanent  residents,  but  juncos,  snow 
buntings,  tree  sparrows,  crossbills,  pine  grosbeaks,  and  a 
few  others  leave  their  homes  in  the  far  North  when  deep 
snows  bury  their  food  supply  and  resort  to  less  severe 
climates.  Winter  wrens  are  found  in  some  localities.  A 
few  robins,  bluebirds,  meadowlarks,  and  flickers,  remain 
North  during  open  winters. 

The  third  group  of  winter  birds  consists  of  downy 
and  hairy  woodpeckers,  chickadees,  tufted  titmice, 
brown  creepers,  nuthatches,  and  golden-crowned  kinglets. 
They  glean  insect-eggs  from  the  bark  of  trees  as  a  large 
part  of  their  winter  food-supply  and  form  an  exceedingly 
important  group.  The  enormous  number  of  insect-eggs 
eaten  by  them  every  year  is  almost  incalculable.     Every 

[2] 


RESIDENTS  AND  WINTER  VISITORS 

part  of  a  tree — tlie  trunk,  the  large  branches,  and  small 
twigs — is  scrutinized  by  these  industrious  members  of  the 
Life-Saving  Army  of  our  forests. 

Dr.  Frank  Chapman  recommends  beginning  the  study 
of  birds  in  the  winter,  while  the  trees  are  leafless  and  the 
birds  comparatively  few  in  number.  People  who  spread 
tables  for  them  are  frequently  surprised  at  the  number 
of  species  they  attract  and  at  the  pleasure  they  experi- 
ence in  the  companionship  of  their  interesting  winter  vis- 
itors. 


BIRDS  SEEN  DURING  THE  WINTER 
NEAR  NEW  YORK  CITY 

The  class  of  birds  called  permanent  residents  in- 
cludes species  which  are  to  be  found  tliroughout  the  year. 
Dr.  Chapman  states  that  comparatively  few  species  of  this 
group  are  permanent  residents  in  the  strictest  use  of  the 
term.  "The  Bob-white,  Ruffed  Grouse,  and  several  of 
the  owls  are  doubtless  literally  permanent  residents,  but  it 
is  not  probable  that  the  Bluebirds,  for  example,  found 
here  during  the  winter  are  the  same  birds  which  nested 
with  us  in  the  summer.  Doubtless  our  winter  Bluebirds 
pass  the  summer  farther  north,  while  our  summer  Blue- 

^  The  above  lists  of  Winter  Residents  and  Visitors  near  New  York  City 
is  taken  from  Dr.  Frank  M.  Chapman's  pamphlet,  "The  Birds  of  the  Vi- 
cinity of  New  York  City,"  a  reprint  from  the  "American  Museum  Journal" 
of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History.  The  lists  and  dates  are 
used  with  the  permission  of  Dr.  R.  C.  Murphy,  Acting  Director  of  the 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  and  of  D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  Dr. 
Chapman's  authorized  publishers. 

[3] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

birds  winter  farther  south,  but  as  a  species,  the  Bluebird 
is  a  permanent  resident." 


PERMANENT  RESIDENTS 


** 


Bob-white 

Ruffed  Grouse 

8  species  of  Hawks 

Bald  Eagle 

5  species  of  Owls 

Hairy  Woodpecker 

Downy  Woodpecker 

Red-headed  Woodpecker 

*  Flicker 

*  Meadowlark 
Blue  Jay 
American  Crow 
Fish  Crow 


»» 


House  Sparrow 
Purple  Finch 
American  Goldfinch 
Song  Sparrow 
Cardinal 
Cedar  Waxwing 
Carolina  Wren 
White-breasted  Nuthatch 
Tufted  Titmouse 
Chickadee 

*  Robin 

*  Bluebird 
Starling 


WINTER  RESIDENTS  OF  WINTER  VISITANTS  are  birds  that 
breed  farther  north  and  move  southward  during  the  winter 
months  to  obtain  food.  They  may  arrive  in  the  fall  and 
remain  until  spring. 


WINTER  RESIDENTS  AND  VISITORS 


Horned  Lark 

American  or  Red  Crossbill 

White-winged  Crossbill 

Pine  Grosbeak 
**  Pine  Siskin 
**  Redpoll 


*A  few  in  winter. 
*  *Rare  or  irregular  in  winter. 


Tree  Sparrow 
White-throated  Sparrow 
Northern  Shrike 
*  Myrtle  Warbler 
Winter  Wren 
Brown  Creeper 


[4] 


RESIDENTS  AND  WINTER  VISITORS 

Snowflake  Red-breasted  Nuthatch 

Junco  Golden-crowned  Kinglet 

Grebes,  Loons,  Auks,  Cormorants,  Snowy  Owls,  and  several 
species  of  Gulls  and  Ducks  may  also  be  found  during  the  winter 
months  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  City. 


[5] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 


THE  BLUE  JAY 

Crow  Family — Corvidcs 

Length:  About  ll^j  inches;  li/^  inch  longer  than  the  !robin; 
tail,  over  5  inches  long. 

General  Appearance :  A  crested  grayish-blue  bird,  with  bright 
blue  wings  and  tail,  barred  and  tipped  with  black 
and  white.  In  flight,  the  long  tail  is  conspicuous; 
it  resembles  a  pointed  fan. 

Male  and  Female:  Grayish-blue  above,  grayish-white  below, 
lighter  on  throat  and  belly.  Head  with  a  conspic- 
uous crest;  forehead  black;  bill  long,  strong,  and 
black.  A  black  band  that  extends  back  of  the  crest 
and  encircles  the  throat  is  widest  across  the  breast. 
Wings  bright  blue,  barred  with  black;  the  white  tips 
of  some  of  the  feathers  form  bands  and  patches  of 
white. 

Note:  A  harsh  yah,  yah,  yah,  or  jay,  jay,  jay,  which  Thoreau 
says  is  "a  true  winter  sound,  wholly  without  senti- 
ment." ^ 

Song:  A  pleasant,  flute-like  strain:  Pedunkle,  pedunkle,  parlez- 
vous.  There  is  a  sort  of  jerkiness  about  his  love- 
song,  as  though  his  throat  was  unaccustomed  to  make 
agreeable  sounds.  Jays  are  able  to  produce  many 
strange  noises,  and  appear  to  enjoy  using  their  power. 

Habitat:  Woodlands;  those  containing  oaks  and  other  nut- 
bearing  trees  preferred. 

Nest:     A  rough  basket  of  twigs,  with  a  soft  lining  of  root-fibers. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  A  permanent  resident  of 
south-central  Canada  and  eastern  United  States,  west 
to  the  Dakotas,  Colorado,  and  central  Texas. 

iFrom  "Notes  on  New  England  Birds,"  by  Henry  D.  Thoreau. 

[6] 


r.l.l'K  JAY 


THE  BLUE  JAY 

THIS  brilliant,  handsome  blue-coat  never  "hides  his 
light  under  a  bushel";  his  noisy  jay-jay  always 
proclaims  his  presence.  He  would  at  times  be  unendur- 
able, except  that  he  never  remains  long  in  one  place;  he 
is  on  the  leap  constantly,  with  a  dash  and  an  impudent 
assurance  that  is  amusing. 

He  is  the  "bad  boy"  of  the  bird  neighborhood,  the  ter- 
ror of  the  small  birds.  They  seem  to  have  the  same  fear 
of  him  that  children  have  of  a  great  bully.  He  swoops 
down  upon  them,  worries  and  frightens  them,  robs  their 
nests,  and  brings  to  his  own  spoiled  fledglings  eggs  and 
young  as  tidbits. 

He  is  a  devoted  husband  and  father,  who  shows  his 
best  traits  in  his  family  circle.  He  reminds  one  of  cer- 
tain human  beings  who  take  excellent  care  of  their  own, 
but  who  are  neither  good  neighbors  nor  desirable  citizens. 
Occasionally,  however,  he  has  family  differences.  My 
sister  tells  of  watching  a  jay  bring  twig  after  twig  for  nest- 
building  to  his  mate,  who  was  evidently  in  a  bad  mood. 
She  would  have  none  of  them;  she  seized  each  twig  and 
threw  it  away  with  a  disagreeable  yah,  yah.  After  re- 
peated attempts,  he  gave  it  up  and  both  flew  away.  My 
sister  never  learned  what  occurred  later. 

The  jay  is  an  inveterate  tease.  He  delights  in  annoy- 
ing poor  half-blind  owls  in  the  day-time,  by  pecking  at 
them  from  unexpected  quarters.  An  owl  has  been  known 
to  seize  the  Tormentor  and  speedily  put  an  end  to  his 
existence. 

The  blue  jay  is  a  member  of  the  same  family  to  which 
the  crow  belongs,  and  while  totally  diff^erent  in  appear- 
ance, resembles  him  in  his  cleverness,  his  fearlessness, 
and  his  audacious  insolence.     Dr.  Henshaw,  formerly  of 

[7] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

the  Biological  Survey  in  Washington,  brings  the  follow- 
ing accusation  against  this  bird: 

"The  blue  jay  is  of  a  dual  nature.  Cautious  and  silent 
in  the  vicinity  of  its  nest,  away  from  it,  it  is  bold  and 
noisy.  Sly  in  the  commission  of  mischief,  it  is  ever  ready 
to  scream  'thief  at  the  slightest  disturbance.  As  usual 
in  such  cases,  its  remarks  are  applicable  to  none  more 
than  itself,  a  fact  neighboring  nest-holders  know  to  their 
sorrow,  for  during  the  breeding  season  the  jay  lays  heavy 
toll  upon  the  eggs  and  young  of  other  birds,  and  in  doing 
so  deprives  us  of  the  services  of  species  more  beneficial 
than  itself."  ^ 

Mr.  E.  R.  Kalmbach,  also  of  the  Biological  Survey, 
says  that  in  winter  jays  eat  the  eggs  of  the  tent  caterpillar, 
and  the  larvae  of  the  brown-tail  moth,  besides  waste  grain, 
and  "mast," — the  name  given  to  vegetable  food  such  as 
acorns,  beechnuts,  chestnuts,  hazelnuts,  etc.  It  likes  pe- 
cans and  cultivated  fruit  in  their  season — two  other  points 
against  the  bird.  The  wild  fruits  it  selects  are  of  no 
economic  value. 

Mr.  Kalmbach  concludes:  "The  blue  jay  probably 
renders  its  best  service  to  man  in  destroying  grasshoppers 
late  in  the  season  and  in  feeding  on  hibernating  insects 
and  their  eggs,  as  they  do  in  the  case  of  the  tent  caterpillar 
and  brown-tail  moth.  Beetles  and  weevils  of  various 
kinds  also  fall  as  their  prey.  The  severest  criticism 
against  the  species  is  the  destruction  of  other  birds  and 
their  eggs.  Where  we  wish  to  attract  the  latter  in  large 
numbers  about  our  dooryards,  in  our  parks,  and  in  game 

2  Farmers'   Bulletin  513,  U.   S.   Department  of  Agriculture,   Bureau  of 
Biological  Survey. 

[8] 


THE  BLUE  JAY 

preserves,  it  will  be  well  not  to  allow  the  jay  to  become 
too  abundant."  ^ 

Wilson  Flagg  says:  "The  blue  jay  is  a  true  American. 
He  is  known  througliout  the  continent  and  never  visits  any 
otlier  country.     At  no  season  is  he  absent  from  our  woods. 

"He  has  a  beautiful  outward  appearance,  under  which 
he  conceals  an  unamiable  temper  and  a  propensity  to 
mischief.  There  is  no  bird  in  our  forest  that  is  arrayed 
in  equal  splendor.  But  with  all  his  beauty,  he  has,  like 
the  peacock,  a  harsh  voice.  He  is  a  sort  of  Ishmael 
among  the  feathered  tribes,  who  are  startled  at  the  sound 
of  his  voice  and  fear  him  as  a  bandit.  There  is  no  music 
in  his  nature;  he  is  fit  only  for  'stratagems  and  spoils.' 

"He  is  an  industrious  consumer  of  the  larger  insects 
and  grubs,  atoning  in  this  way  for  some  of  his  evil  deeds. 
I  cannot  say,  tlierefore,  tliat  I  would  consent  to  his  banish- 
ment, for  he  is  one  of  the  most  cheering  tenants  of  the 
grove  at  a  season  when  they  have  but  few  inhabitants."  "* 

FLORIDA    JAYS 

Two  species  of  jays  are  found  in  Florida.  One,  called 
the  FLORIDA  BLUE  JAY,  resembles  its  northern  relative,  ex- 
cept diat  it  is  somewhat  smaller  (10^/2  inches),  is  less 
brilliant  in  color,  and  has  narrower,  less  conspicuous  white 
tips  to  its  feathers.  These  jays  frequent  live-oak  trees. 
A  flock  of  six  or  eight  on  tlie  ground  searching  for  acorns, 
is  pleasing  to  the  eye,  but  not  to  the  ear. 

A  second  species  is  called  the  FLORIDA  JAY.  The  top 
and  sides  ,of  its  head  are  a  grayish-blue;  its  neck,  wings', 

3  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,   Biological   Survey,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

*From  "Birds  of  New  England,"  by  Wilson  Flagg. 

[9] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

and  tail  are  a  brighter  blue;  its  back  is  a  grayish-brown; 
its  under  parts  are  gray,  washed  with  brown,  and  faintly 
streaked  on  throat  and  breast.  Its  breast-band  is  bluish. 
This  jay  is  found  chiefly  along  the  southern  coast  of  Flor- 
ida. The  absence  of  a  crest  is  its  most  distinguishing 
mark. 

PACIFIC   COAST   JAYS 

Two  species  t)f  jays  are  common  in  California  and  its 
neighboring  states.  One,  the  steller  jay,  enjoys  a  good 
reputation.  It  differs  from  its  better-known  relatives  in 
appearance,  also.  Its  head,  crest,  throat,  breast,  and  back 
are  a  brownish-black;  its  belly  and  rump  are  light 
blue,  its  wings  and  tail  purplish-blue,  barred  with 
black. 

It  is  a  shy  bird  and  does  not  often  approach  the  haunts 
of  man.  Its  food  is  very  like  that  of  other  jays,  but  its 
habits  bring  no  condemnation  upon  it.^ 

The  CALIFORNIA  JAY  is  similar  to  the  Florida  Jay  and 
may  be  easily  distinguished  by  its  blue  head  without  a 
crest,  its  blue  neck,  wings,  and  tail,  its  brown  back,  white 
throat,  and  gray  under  parts.  This  jay  is  a  decided  rep- 
robate. Professor  Beal  has  characterized  it  as  follows: 
"It  freely  visits  the  stockyards  near  ranch  buildings,  and 
orchards  and  gardens.  As  a  fruit  stealer  it  is  notorious. 
One  instance  is  recorded  where  seven  jays  were  shot  from 
a  prune  tree,  one  after  the  other,  the  dead  bodies  being 
left  under  the  tree  until  all  were  killed.  So  eager  were 
the  birds  to  get  the  fruit  that  the  report  of  the  gun  and 
the  sight  of  their  dead  did  not  deter  them  from  coming 

5  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

[10] 


THE  CALIFORNIA  JAY 

to  the  tree.  In  orchards,  in  canyons,  or  on  hillsides  ad- 
jacent to  chaparral  or  other  cover,  great  mischief  is  done 
by  this  bird.  In  one  such  case  an  orchard  was  under  ob- 
servation at  a  time  when  the  prune  crop  was  ripening, 
and  jays  in  a  continuous  stream  were  seen  to  come  down 
a  small  ravine  to  the  orchard,  prey  upon  the  fruit,  and 
return. 

"Fruit  stealing,  however,  is  only  one  of  the  sins  of  the 
California  jay.  That  it  robs  hens'  nests  is  universal  tes- 
timony. A  case  is  reported  of  a  hen  having  a  nest  under 
a  clump  of  bushes;  every  day  a  jay  came  to  a  tree  a 
few  rods  away,  and  when  it  heard  the  cackle  of  the  hen 
announcing  a  new  egg  it  flew  at  once  to  the  nest.  At 
the  same  time  the  mistress  of  the  house  hastened  to  the 
spot  to  secure  the  prize,  but  in  most  cases  the  jay  won  the 
race.  This  is  only  one  of  many  similar  cases  recounted. 
The  jays  have  learned  just  what  the  cackle  of  the  hen 
means.  Another  case  more  serious  is  that  related  by  a 
man  engaged  in  raising  white  leghorn  fowls  on  a  ranch 
several  miles  from  a  canyon.  He  stated  that  when  the 
chicks  were  very  young  the  jays  attacked  and  killed  them 
by  a  few  blows  of  the  beak  and  then  pecked  open  the 
skull  and  ate  out  the  brains.  In  spite  of  all  efforts  to 
protect  the  chicks  and  kill  the  jays,  the  losses  in  this 
way  were  serious."  ^ 

THE    CANADA   JAY 

The  CANADA  JAY  is  similar  in  form  and  size  to  its  blue 
relatives,  but  has  the  coloring  of  a  northern  winter  land- 
scape— gray,  black,  and  white.     This  jay  has  no  crest; 

« Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  Biological  Survey,  U.   S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

[11] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

the  back  of  its  head  and  nape  are  black;  the  forehead 
and  neck  are  white;  the  upper  parts  are  gray,  with  darker 
gray  wings  and  tail;  under  parts,  light  gray;  tail,  long; 
plumage,  fluffy  and  fur-like. 

This  bird  is  found  in  the  forests  of  Canada  and  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  United  States,  where  it  is  most 
common  in  the  coniferous  forests  of  Maine  and  Minne- 
sota, in  the  wilder  parts  of  the  White  and  Green  Mts., 
and  in  the  Adironda'cks. 

Major  Charles  Bendire,  in  his  interesting  "Life  His- 
tories of  American  Birds,"  published  by  our  government, 
writes  the  following  amusing  account  of  the  Canada  jay: 

"No  bird  is  better  known  to  the  lumbermen,  trappers 
and  hunters  along  our  northern  border  than  the  Canada 
Jay,  which  is  a  constant  attendant  at  their  camps,  and  af- 
fords them  no  little  amusement  during  the  lonely  hours 
spent  in  the  woods.  To  one  not  familiar  with  these  birds 
it  is  astonishing  how  tame  they  become. 

"Mr.  Manly  Hardy  writes:  'The  Canada  Jay  is  a  con- 
stant resident  of  northern  Maine,  but  in  some  seasons 
they  are  far  more  abundant  than  in  others,  being  usually 
found  in  companies  of  from  three  to  ten.  They  are  the 
boldest  of  all  our  birds,  except  the  Chickadee,  and  in 
cool  impudence  far  surpass  all  others.  They  will  enter 
tents,  and  often  alight  on  the  bow  of  a  canoe  where  the 
paddle  at  every  stroke  comes  within  18  inches  of  them. 
I  know  of  nothing  which  can  be  eaten  that  they  will  not 
take,  and  I  had  one  steal  all  my  candles,  pulling  them  out 
endwise  one  by  one  from  a  piece  of  birch  bark  they  were 
rolled  in,  and  another  pecked  a  large  hole  in  a  cake  of 
castile  soap.  A  duck  which  I  had  picked  and  laid  down 
for  a  few  minutes  had  the  entire  breast  eaten  out  by 

[12] 


THE  CANADA  JAY 

one  or  more  of  these  birds.  I  have  seen  one  alight  in 
the  middle  of  my  canoe  and  peck  away  at  the  carcass 
of  a  beaver  I  had  skinned.  They  often  spoil  deer  sad- 
dles by  pecking  into  them  near  the  kidneys.  They  do 
grea-t  damage  to  the  trappers  by  stealing  the  bait  from 
traps  set  for  martens  and  minks  and  by  eating  trapped 
game;  they  will  spoil  a  marten  in  a  short  time.  They 
will  sit  quietly  and  see  you  build  a  log  trap  and  bait  it, 
and  then,  almost  before  your  back  is  turned,  you  hear 
their  hateful  ca-ca-ca  as  they  glide  down  and  peer  into 
it.  They  will  work  steadily  carrying  off  meat  and  hid- 
ing  it.'  " 


[13] 


THE  AMERICAN  CROW 
Crow  Family — Corvidce 

THE  AMERICAN  CROW  is  too  well-known  to  need  a 
description — merely  a  reference  to  the  steely-blue 
or  dark  purple  sheen  o-f  his  "crow-black"  plumage,  and 
to  the  remarkable  power  of  his  long  (twelve-inch)  wings, 
which  in  flight  show  feather  finger-tips  at  their  ends. 

One  cannot  but  admire  his  strength  and  his  absolute 
fearlessness,  nor  fail  to  be  amused  at  his  cleverness  and 
his  insolent  bravado.  Two  or  three  crows,  cawing 
hoarsely,  will  people  a  woodland  in  winter;  while  a  flock, 
winging  its  way  to  the  naked  March  woods,  will  cause  a 
thrill  of  joy  and  expectancy,  in  spite  of  the  knowledge 
that  the  advent  of  these  bla'ck  marauders  means  eternal 
vigilance  to  long-suffering  farmers. 

Dr.  Sylvester  D.  Judd  at  Marshall  Hall,  Maryland, 
made  an  exhauistive  study  of  the  crow's  food  habits.  He 
reported  the  following: 

"The  crow  is  by  all  means  the  worst  pilferer  of  the 
cornfield.  Every  year  at  Marshall  Hall,  as  elsewhere, 
a  part  of  the  field  must  be  replanted  because  of  his  'pick- 
ings and  stealings.'  In  1899,  the  replanting  was  more 
extensive  than  usual — 46  per  cent,  of  the  3^/^  bushels 
originally  planted.  This  unusual  ratio  was  probably 
caused  by  ^le  failure  of  the  cherry  crop,  which  left  the 
crow  short  of  food." 

Dr.  Judd  told  of  the  "protective  devices  of  tarring 
corn,"  which  did  not  prevent  the  crows  from  pulling  up 

[14] 


THE  AMERICAN  CROW 

the  grain  in  large  quantities,  though  they  did  not  eat  it. 
He  continued: 

"The  injury  to  com  at  other  seasons  than  sprouting  time 
is,  as  a  general  thing,  comparatively  insignificant,  but 
in  some  years  it  has  been  important  when  the  ears  were 
in  the  milk.  They  then  tear  open  the  ears,  and  pick  out 
the  kernels  in  rapid  succession.  In  the  National  Zoolog- 
ical Park  at  Washington  during  the  summer  of  1896, 
their  depredations  on  an  acre  of  corn  were  watched,  and 
50  per  cent,  of  the  crop  was  found  to  have  been  ruined. 

"The  only  scarecrows  that  proved  effective  at  Marshall 
Hall  were  dead  crows,  and  strings  stretched  on  poles 
around  the  field  and  hung  with  long  white  streamers. 
Although  in  fall  the  number  of  marauders  is  greatly  in- 
creased by  reenforcements  from  the  North,  ripe  com  sus- 
tains less  injury  from  crows  than  roasting  ears.  One 
reason  is  the  abundance  of  fall  fmit. 

"Wlieat  suffers  comparatively  little.  When  it  is  ripen- 
ing, cherries  and  sprouting  com  divert  the  crow's  atten- 
tion. After  it  is  cut  and  gathered  into  the  shock,  however, 
they  often  join  the  English  sparrows  in  removing  the 
kernels.  Oats  are  injured  even  less  than  wheat,  though 
crows  have  been  noticed  feeding  on  them  at  harvest 
time." 

While  the  crow  is  considered  the  arch-criminal  of  the 
bird-world.  Dr.  Judd  ascribed  to  him  a  good  habit — that 
of  the  dissemination  of  wild  seeds  in  an  unusual  manner. 
He  wrote:  "In  November,  1899,  a  large  flock  on  the 
wing  was  noticed  in  the  distance,  at  a  point  opposite  Fort 
Washington,  several  miles  above  Marshall  Hall.  They 
came  on  down  the  river  in  a  line  that  at  times  stretched 
almost  from  one  bank  to  the  other.     They  circled  several 

[15] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

times  and  alighted  on  the  shore.  The  flock  numbered  at 
least  a  thousand,  and  hoarse  caws  and  croaks  gave  evi- 
dence that  it  was  made  up  to  some  extent  of  fish  crows. 

"After  the  birds  had  remained  on  shore  about  fifteen 
minutes,  they  were  put  to  flight  by  a  farmer's  boy  and 
flew  on  down  the  river.  Going  to  the  place  where  they 
had  alighted,  I  found  the  sandy  beach  cut  up  for  more 
than  a  hundred  yards  with  their  tracks.  Many  led  out 
to  the  water,  and  floating  black  feathers  here  and  there 
showed  where  baths  had  been  taken. 

"The  most  interesting  trace  of  their  sojourn,  however, 
was  several  hundred  pellets  of  fruit  material,  which  they 
had  ejected  through  their  mouths  and  dropped  on  the 
ground.  These  pellets  were  about  an  inch  in  length  and 
half  an  inch  in  diameter.  They  were  of  a  deep  purplish 
color,  due  to  the  fruit  of  woodbine,  wild  grape,  and  poke- 
berry,  of  which  they  were  mainly  composed.  In  50  pel- 
lets collected  there  were  only  11  seeds  of  other  plants — 
namely,  holly,  bitter-sweet,  and  poison  ivy.  Pokeberry 
seeds  were  by  far  the  most  numerous.  Mr.  A.  J.  Pieters, 
of  the  Botanical  Division  of  the  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture, germinated  some  of  them,  thus  demonstrating  the 
fact  that  they  were  distributed  uninjured. 

"The  pellets  were  made  up  not  only  of  seeds  and  skins, 
but  largely  of  fruit  pulp  in  an  undigested  state.  It  seems 
strange  that  the  birds  should  have  rid  themselves  of  a  sub- 
stance that  still  contained  a  good  deal  of  nutriment. 

"Little  is  known  of  the  distribution  of  fruit  seeds  by 
crows  during  migration,  but  it  is  certain  that  they  do  this 
work  eff"ectively  while  they  fly  to  and  from  the  roosts  where 
they  congregate  in  winter,  for  their  feeding  grounds  often 
cover  an  area  stretching  out  on  all  sides  from  the'  roosts 

[16] 


THE  AMERICAN  CROW 

for  50  miles  or  more.  It  appears  highly  probable  that 
the  crows  which  are  found  in  winter  at  Marshall  Hall 
roost  at  Woodbridge,  D.  C,  some  15  miles  distant. 
There,  in  the  midst  of  several  acres  of  woodland,  a  crow 
dormitory  is  established,  in  which  probably  100,000  crows 
sleep  every  winter  night.  It  was  visited  in  February, 
1901,  and  the  ground  was  found  to  be  strewn  with  dis- 
gorged pellets."  ^ 

The  FISH  CROW  (16  inches  long)  is  three  inches  smaller 
than  the  common  crow.  It  has  a  more  uniform  irides- 
cence above,  and  is  greenish  underneath.  Its  caw  is 
hoarser  and  more  nasal.  Its  range  is  from  Connecticut 
and  the  lower  Hudson  southward,  generally  near  the  coast. 
It  is  abundant  in  Virginia,  and  near  the  city  of  Wash- 
ington. 

The  FLORIDA  CROW  is  similar  to  the  American  Crow, 
except  that  its  bill  and  feet  are  larger,  its  wings  and  tail 
shorter. 

THE   RAVEN 

The  NORTHERN  RAVEN  SO  resembles  the  crow  that  it  is 
often  difficult  to  distinguish  them.  The  chief  differences 
are  the  raven's  much  greater  size  (from  22  to  26 V^  in- 
ches), and  its  note,  which  sounds  more  like  Croak  than 
Caw.  This  is  the  raven  found  in  Alaska,  northern  Can- 
ada, and  Greenland, — the  bird  especially  revered  by  Alas- 
kan Indians.  It  is  found  also  in  the  northern  United 
States, — in  the  state  of  Washington,  in  Minnesota,  the 
Adirondacks,  and  elsewhere. 

Major  Charles  Bendire,  in  his  "Life  Histories  of  North 

1  From  "Birds   of  a   Maryland  Farm,"  by  Sylvester   D.   Judd — Bulletin 
No.   17,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agrtculture,  Division  of  Biological  Survey. 

[17] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

American  Birds,"  makes  the  following  statements  about 
the  northern  raven: 

"It  lives  to  a  great  extent  on  ofFal  and  refuse  of  any 
kind,  and  is  generally  most  abundant  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  Indian  camps  and  settlements,  which  are  mostly 
located  on  the  seashore,  or  on  the  banks  of  the  larger 
rivers  in  the  interior  where  these  birds  act  as  scavengers. 
Hundreds  of  ravens  may  frequently  be  seen  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  salmon-canning  stations.  Clams  also  form  a 
part  of  their  food;  these  are  said  to  be  carried  some  dis- 
tance in  the  air  and  dropped  on  the  rocks  to  break  their 
shells.  They  also  prey  to  no  small  extent  on  the  young 
and  eggs  of  different  water-fowl." 


[18] 


^   y     f 


CARDINAL 


THE  CARDINAL 

Cardinal   Grosbeak,   Redbird,  Virginia  Nightingale 

(Cardinals  belong  to  the  Grosbeak  group  of  the  large 
Finch  or  Sparrow  Family,  or  the  Fringillidce.) 

Length:     About  8i/4  inches;  slightly  smaller  than  the  robin. 

General  Appearance:  Brilliant  rose-red  plumage;  crested  head 
and  thick  beak. 

Male:  A  soft  cardinal  red,  except  for  a  black  throat,  a  black 
band  encircling  bill,  and,  in  winter,  a  grayish  tinge 
to  wings.  Bill  large,  heavy,  and  light  red.  Red 
crest  ^conspicuous ;  it  may  be  raised  and  lowered  at 
will.  Tail  long  and  slender;  it  is  twitched  nervously 
and  frequently. 

Female:  Brownish-gray  above,  yellowish  underneath.  Crest, 
wings,  and  tail  reddish — the  color  especially  notice 
able  in  flight.  Throat  and  band  about  bill  grayish- 
black. 

Gall-note :     A  sharp,  insistent  tsip,  tsip. 

Song:  A  loud  and  clear,  yet  sweet  and  mellow  whistle,  cheer, 
cheer,  he-u,  he-u,  he-u,  repeatedly  rapidly  with  de- 
scending inflection,  and  with  nearly  an  octave  in 
range.  The  female,  unlike  most  of  her  sex  in  the 
bird-world,  is  also  a  fine  singer;  her  soft  melodious 
warble  is  considered  by  many  listeners  to  be  superior 
to  the  song  of  her  mate. 

Habitat:  "Shrubbery  is  its  chosen  haunt,  the  more  tangled  the 
better.  Here  the  nest  is  built  and  here  they  spend 
most  of  their  days.  Higher  trees  are  usually  sought 
only  under  the  inspiration  Oi  song."  ^ 

^  From  W.  L.  McAtee;  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S. 
Department  of  Agriculture. 

[19] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Range:  From  southeastern  South  Dakota,  Iowa,  northern  In- 
diana and  Ohio,  southeastern  and  southwestern  Penn- 
sylvania, southern  Hudson  Valley,  south  to  the  Gulf 
States;  a  resident  of  Bermuda.  Cardinals  are  not 
migratory. 

CARDINALS  are  especially  numerous  in  our  South- 
ern States.  They  abound  in  Florida  and  Bermuda, 
where  their  brilliant  coloring  contrasts  wonderfully  widi 
the  light  sands  and  the  coral  limestone.  A  cardinal  sing- 
ing in  an  hibiscus  bush,  laden  with  gorgeous  red  blooms, 
makes  a  never-to-be-forgotten  memory;  while  a  sight  of 
one  in  a  blossoming  Virginia  dog-wood  tree  or  against  a 
northern  snow-scene  is  equally  memorable.  These  birds 
are  great  favorites  in  the  South,  rivaling  the  mockingbirds 
in  the  affections  of  many  people.  In  the  North,  a  glimpse 
of  a  cardinal  marks  a  red-letter  day;  and  bird-lovers  whose 
kind  hands  spread  bountiful  tables  for  winter  residents, 
count  themselves  highly  favored  to  have  a  pair  of  car- 
dinals for  their  guests.  Aside  from  the  joy  which  their 
beauty  and  their  song  bring,  they  possess  great  practical 
value. 

Mr.  W.  T.  Atee,  of  the  Biological  Survey,  writes  that 
about  one-fourth  of  the  cardinal's  food  consists  of  destruc- 
tive pests  such  as  the  worms  which  infest  cotton  plants, 
and  numerous  other  caterpillars,  besides  grasshoppers, 
scale  insects,  beetles,  and  others.  A  large  part  of  their 
food  consists  of  the  seeds  of  troublesome  weeds  and  of 
wild  fruits.  "The  bird  has  a  record  for  feeding  on  many 
of  the  worst  agricultural  pests."  ^  No  sins  are  laid  at 
his  door.     "Cardinals  are  usually  seen  in  pairs,  but  in 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  Biological   Survey,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

[20] 


THE  CARDINAL 

winter  they  often  collect  in  southern  swamps  and  thickets, 
and  flock  to  feeding-places  near  the  haunts  of  man  when 
food  is  scarce."  ^ 

They  were  formerly  trapped  for  cage-birds.  They 
were  so  highly  esteemed  that  they  were  in  great  demand 
even  in  Europe,  where  they  received  the  name  of  the  "Vir- 
ginia Nightingale."  But  trapping  is  now  nearly  abol- 
ished, and  the  wild,  liberty-loving  cardinal  may  roam  as 
he  will  with  the  wife  of  his  heart.  Few  birds  are  more 
ardent,  jealous  lovers,  more  tenderly  devoted  husbands, 
or  more  anxious,  solicitous  fathers  than  these  beautiful, 
sweet-voiced  redbirds.'' 

3  &  ^  William  Dutcher,  Former  President  of  the  National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies;  Educational  Leaflet  No.  18. 


[21] 


THE  PINE  GROSBEAK 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:  A  little  over  9  inches;  slightly  larger  than  his  cousin, 
the  cardinal,  and  nearly  an  inch  smaller  than  the 
robin. 

General  Appearance :  A  red  bird  with  brown  and  white  wings, 
a  broivn  tail,  and  a  heavy  beak. 

Male:  A  bright  raspberry-red,  deepest  on  the  head,  breast, 
rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts ;  the  rest  of  the  body  a 
slaty  gray,  lighter  underneath,  with  a  soft  red  breast; 
wings  dark  brown,  edged  with  white,  forming  two 
broad  wing-bars;  tail  forked;  beak  large  and  strong, 
with  a  small  hook  at  the  end. 

Female:  Slaty  gray,  with  head,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts 
olive-yellow  where  the  male's  are  red;  under  parts 
washed  with  yellow:  wings  and  tail  brown;  wings 
edged  with  white;  two  wing-bars. 

Young:     Similar  to  female. 

Song:  A  loud,  clear  whistle,  given  while  on  the  wing.  In 
spring,  a  melodious  nesting  song. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  in  the  tree-regions  of 
Canada,  in  the  White  Mts.,  and  Maine;  winters  south 
to  Iowa,  Indiana,  Pennsylvania,  northern  New  Jersey, 
(and  occasionally  to  the  District  of  Columbia  and 
Kentucky),  westward  to  Manitoba,  Minnesota,  and 
Kansas. 

THIS  brilliant,  handsome  Pine  Grosbeak  is  compara- 
tively unknown  in  the  United  States,  but  wherever 
he  appears  as  a  rare  visitor,  he  is  hailed  with  enthusiasm 
or  excitement  because  of  his  beautiful  color.     He  resem- 

[22] 


THE  PINE  GROSBEAK 

bles  his  cousin,  the  purple  finch,  in  color  and  markings, 
but  is  much  larger. 

Thoreau  says,  "When  some  rare  northern  bird  like  the 
pine  grosbeak  is  seen  thus  far  south  in  the  winter,  he  does 
not  suggest  poverty,  but  dazzles  us  with  his  beauty. 
There  is  in  them  a  warmth  akin  to  the  warmth  that  melts 
the  icicle.  Think  of  these  brilliant,  warm-colored,  and 
richly-warbling  birds,  birds  of  paradise,  dainty-footed, 
downy-clad,  in  the  midst  of  a  New  England,  a  Canadian 
winter."  ^ 

The  Pine  Grosbeak  "is  of  gentle,  unobtrusive  manner, 
almost  entirely  fearless  of  man's  approach,  and  always 
seems  to  be  perfectly  contented  with  its  situation  wher- 
ever encountered.  A  whole  tree  full  of  these  birds  may 
be  seen  feeding  on  the  seeds  of  mountain  ash  berries,  ap- 
ples, or  the  buds  of  beeches.  One  may  stand  within  a  few 
feet  of  them  for  a  long  time  without  their  taking  any  no- 
tice of  one's  presence.  They  are  slow  and  deliberate  in 
manner.  Their  flight,  however,  is  rather  rapid  and  ag- 
gressive, slightly  undulating."  ^ 

They  are  silent,  uninteresting  birds,  awkward  in  their 
movements.  They  are  very  hardy,  and  roam  southward 
when  the  severe  Canadian  winters  send  them  forth  in  search 
of  food.  Seeds  of  cone-bearing  trees,  sumac  and  moun- 
tain ash  berries  are  their  favorite  winter  diet.  They  re- 
turn to  their  northern  nesting  places  when  few  birds  would 
consider  it  seemly  to  set  up  housekeeping. 

1  From  ''Notes  on  New  England  Birds,"  H.  D.  Thoreau,  page  421. 

2  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York,"  page  255. 


[23] 


THE  AMERICAN  OR  RED  CROSSBILL 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

LeTigth:  A  little  over  6  inches;  slightly  larger  than  the  English 
sparrow. 

General  Appearance:  A  small,  plump  red  bird,  with  brown 
wings,  brown  forked  tail,  and  a  bill  crossed  at  the 
tip. 

Male:  Head  and  body  a  dull  red,  brownish  on  the  back,  and 
bright  red  above  tail;  wings  brown,  without  white 
bars;  tail  brown  and  notched;  bill  with  long  strong 
mandibles  that  are  crossed  somewhat  like  a  parrot's. 

Female:  Head  and  body  dull  olive,  with  a  yellowish  wash — 
brightest  on  rump;  head,  back,  and  under  parts  mot- 
tled with  black. 

Gall-note:     A  short,  clear,  metallic  whistle. 

Song:     A  gentle  warble,  varied,  and  agreeable  to  hear. 

Flight :     Undulating. 

Habitat:     Coniferous  forests,  preferably. 

Range:  Northern  North  America.  Breeds  from  central  Alaska, 
and  northern  Canada  south  to  the  mountains  of  Cal- 
ifornia, to  Colorado,  Michigan,  and  in  the  AUegha- 
nies  of  Georgia,  occasionally  in  Massachusetts,  Mary- 
land, and  Virginia. 

RED  CROSSBILLS  are  truly  the  "Wandering  Jews" 
of  the  bird-world.  They  are  erratic  nomads,  liv- 
ing in  flocks,  and  roaming  where  fancy  leads  or  necessity 
impels  them.  They  pitch  their  tents  and  raise  their 
broods  wherever  they  may  happen  to  be  sojourning  in  late 
winter  or  early  spring,  even  though  many  miles  south  of 
their  natural  breeding  places.     Dr.  Elliot  Coues  writes: 

[24] 


7^-3RWCt.  tiOHi^rAux 


CROSSBILL 


THE  AMERICAN  OR  RED  CROSSBILL 


"Their  most  remarkable  habit  is  that  of  breeding  in  the 
winter,  or  very  early  in  the  spring,  when  one  would  think 
it  impossible  that  their  callow  young  could  endure  the 
rigors  of  the  season."  He  mentions  a  nest  taken  in  Maine 
in  February,  and  another  in  Vermont  so  early  in  March 
that  the  ground  was  covered  with  snow  and  the  weather 
was  very  severe/ 

They  make  no  regular  migrations,  spring  or  fall,  but 
like  will-o'-the-wisps  appear  and  vanish,  affording  one  of 
the  most  delightful  surprises  to  be  found  in  nature.  To 
see  one  of  them,  accompanied  by  his  olive-green  mate, 
swinging  from  a  spruce  bough  against  a  flaming  sunset 
sky  or  a  snowy  landscape,  is  an  event  in  one's  life. 

Crossbills  are  denizens  of  coniferous  forests.  Their 
twisted  or  crossed  bills  are  peculiarly  adapted  to  extract- 
ing seeds  from  pine  and  spruce  cones,  though  they  eat 
berries,  fruit,  grass  seeds,  and  cankerworms  in  season. 
Because  of  their  curiously  twisted  beaks,  these  birds  have 
always  been  regarded  with  peculiar  interest,  even  with 
superstition.  Longfellow  has  preserved  for  us  the  Ger- 
man legend  regarding  this  bird  in  his  poem: 

THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  CROSSBILL 

On  the  cross  the  dying  Saviour 
Heavenward  lifts  his  eyelids  calm. 

Feels,  but  scarcely  feels,  a  trembling 
In  his  pierced  and  bleeding  palm. 

And  by  all  the  world  forsaken, 

Sees  He  how  with  zealous  care 
At  the  ruthless  nail  of  iron 

A  little  bird  is  striving  there. 

^  Educational  Leaflet  No.  35,  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies. 

[25] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Stained  with  blood  and  never  tiring 

With  its  beak  it  doth  not  cease; 
From  the  cross  'twould  free  the  Saviour, 

Its  Creator's  Son  release. 

And  the  Saviour  speaks  in  mildness: 

"Blest  be  thou  of  all  the  good! 
Bear,  as  token  of  this  moment, 

Marks  of  blood  and  holy  rood!'* 

And  that  bird  is  called  the  crossbill ; 

Covered  all  with  blood  so  clear, 
In  the  groves  of  pine  it  singeth 

Songs,  like  legends,  strange  to  hear.^ 

Henry  W.  Longfellow 

THE   WHITE-WINGED   CROSSBILL 

The  White-winged  Crossbill  is  similar  to  the  Red  Cross- 
bill, but  its  body  is  a  dull  crimson  instead  of  red,  and  its 
black  wing-feathers  are  so  tipped  with  white  as  to  form 
two  broad  white  wing-bars.  The  female  is  olive-green, 
gray  underneath,  with  a  yellow  rump,  dark  wings  and  tail, 
white  wing-bars,  and  dark  streaks  on  head,  breast,  and 
back. 

This  crossbill  breeds  in  Canada,  south  to  the  Adiron- 
dacks,  White  Mountains,  and  Maine.  Its  note  is  a  soft 
cheep;  its  song  a  gentle  warble.  To  see  a  flock  of  these 
birds  feeding  silently  in  a  grove  of  spruces  or  hear  them 
singing  their  low  sweet  song  makes  a  memory  cherished 
by  bird-lovers.  They  may  be  seen  in  winter  as  far  south 
as  North  Carolina. 

-  Used  with  permission  of  the  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  the  authorized  pub- 
lishers. 


[26] 


JUNCO 


THE  JUNCO  OR  SLATE-COLORED  SNOWBIRD 
Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

hength:  About  6^4  inches;  slightly  smaller  than  the  English 
sparrow. 

General  Appearance:  Trim,  dainty  little  birds,  all  gray  and 
white,  except  for  a  pinkish  or  flesh-colored  bill. 
White  outer  tail-feathers,  showing  in  flight,  are  dis- 
tinguishing marks. 

Male:  Dark  slate-gray  above  and  white  below.  The  gray  ex- 
tends to  the  center  of  the  breast  in  a  nearly  horizon- 
tal line,  and  with  the  white  under  parts,  gives  the 
effect  of  the  birds'  having  waded  breast-deep  in  the 
snow,  or  having  been  sliced  in  two,  like  the  "sliced 
animals"  of  our  childhood.  Sides  grayish;  wings 
slightly  darker;  tail  dark  brown,  with  two  outer 
feathers  white;  third  feather,  partly  white;  bill  heavy, 
adapted  to  a  diet  of  seeds. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  only  brownish-gray.  Winter  plu- 
mage of  all  juncos  browner  than  summer  plumage. 

Young:     Light  brownish,  streaked  with  black. 

Note:  A  gentle  tseep,  tseep,  and  a  smack,  smack,  of  alarm  or 
distress. 

Song:  A  tender,  sweet  trill  in  the  spring.  Though  monotonous, 
the  song  is  very  pleasing. 

Habitat:  Groves  of  conifers;  thickets  of  bushes  or  vines,  or 
clumps  of  weeds. 

Nest:  Juncos'  nests  are  built  of  mosses  or  grasses  on  or  near 
the  ground.  The  speckled  eggs  and  the  streaked 
babies  are  excellent  examples  of  protective  coloring. 
The  nests  are  sometimes  placed  very  near  houses,  if 
the  surroundings  are  to  the  liking  of  the  birds. 

Range:     Eastern   and   northern   North  America.     Breeds  from 

[27] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

the  tree-limit  of  Alaska  and  Canada  southward  to 
northern  United  States, — northern  Minnesota,  central 
Michigan,  Maine,  the  mountains  of  New  York,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  Massachusetts;  winters  throughout  east- 
ern United  States  and  southern  Canada  to  the  Gulf 
Coast. 

The  Carolina  Junco,  nesting  in  the  southern  Appa- 
lachian mountains,  is  a  subspecies,  differing  but  very 
slightly  in  color. 

J  UNCOS  are  gentle,  attractive  little  creatures  that  come 
to  our  thickets  when  the  chill  of  autumn  has  driven 
away  our  insectivorous  birds.  Being  seed-eaters,  they  do 
not  fear  winter  snows,  except  those  that  cover  tall  weeds. 
According  to  Professor  Beal,  juncos  should  be  rigidly  pro- 
tected. They  not  only  destroy  large  quantities  of  weed 
seeds,  thereby  rendering  service  to  agriculture,  but  they 
eat  harmful  insects,  of  which  caterpillars  are  their  favorite. 
They  do  no  damage  to  fruit  or  grain.^ 

Mr.  Forbush  writes  of  the  junco  as  follows:  "The 
Snowbird  does  not  often  breed  in  Massachusetts,  excepting 
on  the  higher  lands  of  the  north-central  and  western  parts 
of  the  State.  Pairs  are  said  to  nest  occasionally  in  ice- 
houses, which  are  certainly  cool,  if  not  suitable  situations. 
It  is  a  bird  of  the  Canadian  fauna,  and  it  winters  in  Mas- 
sachusetts whenever  conditions  are  favorable.  In  the 
southeastern  portion  of  the  State,  where  the  ground  is 
bare  in  sheltered  places  through  much  of  the  winter,  or 
where  weed  seed,  chaff,  and  other  food  can  be  secured, 
this  bird  is  common  in  the  colder  months.  Its  notes  at  this 
season  are  chiefly  sparrow  like  chirps. 

1  Farmers'  Bulletin  506,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

[28] 


THE  JUNCO  OR  SLATE-COLORED  SNOWBIRD 

"A  flock  of  these  dark  birds  on  the  new-fallen  snow  is 
an  interesting  sight  on  a  cold  winter's  day,  as  they  come 
familiarly  about  tlie  house  or  barnyard.  Audubon  says 
that  in  winter  they  burrow  in  stacks  of  corn  or  hay  for 
shelter  at  night  during  the  continuance  of  inclement 
weather.  As  spring  comes  they  begin  to  sing  much  like 
the  Chipping  Sparrow.  They  converse  together  with  a 
musical  twittering,  and  about  the  first  of  May  they  leave 
for  tlieir  northern  breeding-ground."  ^ 

2  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection"— E.  H.  Forbush. 


[29] 


THE  SNOWFLAKE  OR  SNOW  BUNTING 


Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Lengfth:  A  little  less  than  7  inches;  slightly  larger  than  the 
junco  and  the  English  sparrow. 

General  Appearance:  A  brown,  black,  and  white  bird;  the 
white  is  conspicuous  on  wings  and  tail,  especially  in 
flight.  The  bird  has  a  characteristic  way  of  "hug- 
ging the  ground"  when  walking  or  running — it  does 
not  hop. 

Male  and  Female:  In  winter:  head  brown  on  top,  lighter  on 
neck;  white  o,n  sides  of  head,  with  a  brown  thumb- 
mark  below  eye;  back  brown,  streaked  with  black; 
throat  and  belly  white;  a  broad  brownish  band  across 
breast;  a  brownish  wash  on  sides  and  rump;  wings 
black  and  white,  some  of  the  feathers  edged  with 
brown — in  flight,  the  wings  appear  white,  broadly 
tipped  with  black;  inner  tail-feathers  black,  outer 
feathers  white.  In  summer:  back  and  shoulders 
black,  the  rest  of  the  body  white;  wings  and  tail 
black  and  white. 

Notes:  Thoreau  calls  their  note  ""'a  rippling  whistle."  He  says 
also,  "Besides  their  rippling  note,  they  have  a  vibra- 
tory twitter,  and  from  the  loiterers  you  hear  quite 
a  tender  peep."  ^ 

Habitat :  The  tundras  of  North  America.  Snow  buntings  breed 
in  the  treeless  regions  of  the  North;  they  migrate 
southward  during  the  winter. 

Range:  Northern  Hemisphere.  In  North  America,  they  breed 
from  83°  north  (including  Greenland),  to  the  north- 
ern part  of  Canada  and  Alaska;  winter  from 
Unalaska    and    south-central    Canada    to    northern 

1  From  "Notes  on  New  England  Birds,"  H.  D.  Thoreau,  page  278. 

[30] 


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4 


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iv.  « 


/ 


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^     4 


■i 


h  f  RUff   HdllJ/^A«.4 


SNOWFLAKE 


THE  SNOWFLAKE  OR  SNOW  BUNTING 

United  States,  irregularly  to  northern  California, 
Colorado,  Kansas,  southern  Indiana  and  Ohio,  and 
Florida. 

SNOW  BUNTINGS,  or  "Brown  Snowbirds"  as  they  are 
called  to  distinguish  them  from  the  juncos,  or  "Gray 
Snowbirds,"  are  not  generally  known  because  of  the  infre- 
quency  and  irregularity  of  their  visits.  They  belong  to 
the  Sparrow  family,  but  have  so  much  black  and  white  on 
their  wings  and  tail  as  to  appear  very  unlike  their  rela- 
tives. 

Snowflakes  are  gentle,  fearless  little  birds,  possibly  be- 
cause they  come  from  the  sparsely  settled  regions  of  the 
North,  where  they  need  not  learn  to  fear  human  beings. 
Like  chickadees,  they  appear  to  love  driving  storms,  and  to 
frolic  during  February  blizzards  with  as  keen  delight  as 
warmly  clad  children;  like  tree  sparrows,  they  are  pro- 
tected by  a  layer  of  fat  that  keeps  out  the  cold.  As  they, 
too,  are  seed-eaters,  snow  buntings  must  journey  southward 
during  the  winter  to  regions  where  deep  snows  do  not  bury 
the  weeds. 

Few  people  are  aware  that  in  the  treeless  plains  of  the 
north  there  lives  a  bird  that  resembles  the  much-admired 
skylark  of  England  in  its  way  of  singing.  Both  snow 
buntings  and  skylarks  begin  to  sing  as  they  rise  from  the 
ground,  sing  while  on  the  wing  or  high  up  in  the  air,  then 
drop  swiftly  to  the  ground. 

Dr.  Judd  writes  as  follows  about  the  snowbird:  "The 
snowflake  is  a  bird  of  the  arctic  tundra,  above  the  limit  of 
tree  growth.  In  North  America  it  breeds  about  Hudson 
Bay,  in  the  northermost  parts  of  Labrador  and  Alaska,  and 
to  the  northward.  In  its  northern  home  it  is  a  white, 
black-blotched   sparrow,    of  whose   habits   very   little   is 

[31] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

known,  except  that  it  makes  a  feather-lined  nest  on  the 
ground,  in  which  it  rears  four  or  five  young  on  a  diet 
which  probably  consists  principally  of  insects.  After  the 
breeding  season,  however,  a  buffy  brown  comes  mixed 
with  the  black  and  white,  and  the  birds  assume  a  more 
sparrowlike  aspect.  They  migrate  southward  with  the 
first  severe  cold  weather,  some  of  them  coming  as  far  south 
as  the  northern  half  of  the  United  States,  where  their  ap- 
pearance is  regarded  as  a  sure  sign  that  winter  has  begun  in 
earnest.  Often  a  flock  of  a  thousand  will  come  with  a 
blizzard,  the  thermometer  registering  30°  to  40°  below 
zero;  and  in  their  circling,  swirling  flight,  as  they  are 
borne  along  by  the  blast,  they  might  well  be  mistaken  at  a 
distance  for  veritable  snowflakes.  They  settle  in  the  open 
fields  and  along  railroad  tracks,  where  they  secure  some 
food  from  hayseed,  grain  that  has  sifted  out  of  the  grain 
cars,  and  seeds  of  weeds  that  grow  along  the  tracks.  Here 
they  remain  until  April,  when,  in  obedience  to  the  migrat- 
ing instinct,  they  journey  north  to  nest  on  the  treeless 
plains  of  the  arctic  regions. 

"The  snowflake  diff"ers  from  many  other  winter  spar- 
rows, such  as  the  tree  sparrow,  junco,  and  white-throated 
sparrow,  in  that  its  flocks  act  more  nearly  as  units,  the 
alarm  of  a  single  member  causing  the  whole  flock  to  whirl 
up  into  the  air  and  be  off".  A  further  difference  may  be 
noted  in  its  strictly  terrestrial  habits.  When  not  flying,  it 
is  almost  invariably  found  on  the  ground;  and  when  it 
does  happen  to  alight  in  a  tree,  awkward  wobblings  betray 
its  discomfort.  Where  the  feeding  conditions  are  favor- 
able, immense  flocks  of  snowflakes  may  be  seen  apparentlji 
rolling  like  a  cloud  across  the  land,  this  curious  effect  be- 

[32] 


THE  SNOWFLAKE  OR  SNOW  BUNTING 

ing  due  to  tlie  rear  rank  continually  rising  and  flying  for- 
ward to  a  point  just  in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  flock."  ~ 

Dr.  Judd  says  that  little  information  can  be  given  con- 
cerning the  summer  food  of  this  bird,  but  that  it  probably 
feeds  on  tlie  seeds  of  shore  or  marsh  plants.  The  winter 
food  consists  of  grain,  mostly  gleanings  or  waste,  and  of 
weed  seed  which  is  consumed  in  enormous  quantities. 
"On  account  of  its  good  work  as  a  weed  destroyer  and  the 
apparent  absence  of  any  noticeably  detrimental  food  hab- 
its, the  snowflake  seems  to  deserve  high  commendation,  and 
should  receive  careful  protection." 

2  From    "The    Relation    of   Sparrows   to   Agriculture,"  by    Sylvester    D. 
Judd,  Bulletin  No.  15,  Biological  Survey. 


[33] 


THE  TREE  SPARROW  OR  WINTER  CHIPPY 

Finch  Family — Fringillidcs 

Length:  A  little  over  6  inches;  about  the  size  of  the  English 
sparrow. 

General  Appearance:  A  small  brown  bird  with  a  gray  breast 
that  has  an  indistinct  black  spot  in  the  center. 

Male  and  Female:  Crown  reddish-brown;  a  gray  line  over  the 
eye,  a  reddish-brown  line  back  of  eye;  gray  below 
eye;  a  reddish-brown  streak  curving  from  bill;  bill 
short  and  thick ;  back  brown,  streaked  with  black  and 
buff;  wings  dark  brown,  edged  with  white,  and  with 
two  white  wing-bars;  tail  brown,  slightly  forked, 
outer  feathers  edged  with  white;  sides  brownish, 
other  under  parts  white;  the  black  spot  in  the  center 
of  the  breast,  the   identification  mark. 

Notes:     Cheerful  twitters  and  chirps. 

Song:     A  sweet,  gentle  trill,  very  delightful  to  hear. 

Habitat:  Fields,  especially  those  bordered  by  bushes  that  can 
be  used  as  shelter  at  night  and  as  a  refuge  from 
enemies. 

Bange:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  in  northern  and 
central  Canada;  winters  from  southern  Minnesota 
and  southeastern  Canada  to  eastern  Oklahoma,  cen- 
tral Arkansas,  and  South  Carolina. 

THE  TREE  SPARROW 

When  lordly  Winter  stalks  abroad 

With  trailing  robes  of  snow. 
That  hide  the  lovely  tender  things 

His   icy  breath   lays  low; 
When  grasses,  shrubs,  and  hardy  weeds 

[34] 


Mi  !  '^i^- 


TREE   SPARROW 


THE  TREE  SPARROW  OR  WINTER  CHIPPY 

Hold  high  their  heads,  and  mock 
Their  tyrant  lord, — from  Northland  woods 

There  come  a  merry  flock 
Of  feathered  songsters,  soft  and  brown 

With  a  dark  spot  on  each  breast. 
They  sway  on  stalk  of  golden-rod 

Above  a  snowdrift's  crest. 
Their  voices  ring  like  tinkling  bells 

Beneath  the  wintry  sky, 
Till  April,  when  with  joyous  songs 

Back  to  the  North  they  fly. 

SUCH  are  the  rollicking  little  Tree  Sparrows,  that  whirl 
into  our  vision  like  an  eddy  of  brown  leaves.  To 
the  untrained  observer,  they  are  "just  sparrows,"  but  to 
the  "seeing  eye"  they  are  altogether  more  dainty  and  re- 
fined than  English  sparrows,  and  have  different  markings. 
Their  little  brown  caps,  the  gray  line  over  their  bright 
eyes,  their  brown  backs,  white  wing-bars,  pale  gray  breasts 
and  forked  tails  resemble  those  of  their  little  cousins,  the 
chipping  sparrows.  But  the  soft  grayish-black  spot  on 
each  tree  sparrow's  breast  is  a  difference.  Careful  com- 
parison with  the  "Chippy"  will  show  no  straight  black  line 
extending  from  the  eye,  but  a  brown  curve  behind  the  eye 
that  joins  the  one  extending  from  the  bill. 

The  voices  of  winter  chippies  are  infinitely  sweeter  than 
those  of  the  door  yard  chippies  and  their  English  relatives. 
Their  note  is  sweet  and  joyous.  Mr.  Forbush  writes  of 
their  song  as  follows:  "Tree  Sparrows  are  among  the 
few  birds  that  can  'look  our  winters  in  the  face  and  sing.' 
They  are  occasionally  heard  singing  in  November  and  De- 
cember and  late  in  February,  when  deep  snow  covers  the 
ground.  The  song  is  among  the  sweetest  of  sparrow  notes, 
but  not  very  strong.     It  slightly  resembles  that  of  the  Fox 

[35] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Sparrow.  Like  other  sparrows  they  chirp  and  twitter 
from  time  to  time,  but  the  full  chorus  of  a  flock  in  winter 
is  a  sound  worth  going  far  to  hear."  ^ 

Dr.  Judd  says:  "The  tree  sparrow  breeds  in  Labrador 
and  the  Hudson  Bay  region  and  westward  to  Alaska.  In 
the  fall  the  birds  come  down  from  the  north  in  immense 
throngs  and  spread  over  the  United  States  as  far  south  as 
South  Carolina,  Kansas,  and  Arizona.  During  the  winter, 
in  company  with  j uncos,  white-throats,  white-crowns,  and 
fox  sparrows,  they  give  life  to  the  hedgerows,  tangled 
thickets,  and  weed  patches.  .  .  .  The  food  of  the  tree 
sparrow  during  its  stay  in  the  United  States  is  almost  en- 
tirely made  up  of  seeds.  The  bird  shows  an  essential 
difference  from  its  associates,  however,  in  its  large  con- 
sumption of  grass  seed,  fully  half  of  its  food  consisting  of 
this  element.  .  .  .  Nearly  two-thirds  of  the  vegetable  food 
that  is  not  grass  seed  is  derived  from  such  plants  as  rag- 
weed, amaranth,  lamb's  quarters,  .  .  .  and  a  variety  of 
seeds  such  as  wild  sunflower,  goldenrod,  chickweed,  purs- 
lane, wood  sorrel,  violet,  and  sheep  sorrel."  ^ 

Professor  Beal  says  that  the  oily  seeds  of  such  plants 
as  ragweed  cause  the  little  bodies  of  tree  sparrows  to  be 
encased  in  "a  layer  of  fat  constituting  a  set  of  under-flan- 
nels  from  one-eighth  to  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  thickness 
all  over  the  bird's  body."  They  are  so  warmly  dressed 
that  it  is  no  wonder  they  are  happy,  cheerful,  and  active. 
A  sight  of  them  in  a  beautiful,  snowy  meadow  is  enough 
to  repay  one  for  the  trouble  of  a  quest. 

1  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Thesir  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush. 

2  Bulletin  No.  15,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[36] 


THE  TREE  SPARROW  OR  WINTER  CHIPPY 

Pine  siskins,  redpolls,  song  sparrows,  white- 
throated  SPARROWS,  PURPLE  FINCHES,  and  GOLDFINCHES 
are  other  species  of  the  large  Finch  family,  or  Fringilli- 
dae,  that  may  be  seen  during  the  winter  months. 

The  Pine  siskin  or  pine  finch  is  a  small  brownish- 
gray  bird  streaked  with  black,  and  with  buff  edges  to  many 
of  its  feathers.  The  yellow  in  the  wings  and  in  the  forked 
tail  will  distinguish  it. 

The  redpoll  is  a  little  brownish-gray  bird  with  a  red 
forehead,  reddish  breast  and  rump,  black  chin  and  throat. 
It  has  distinct  dark  streaks  on  its  head,  back,  and  under 
parts,  except  the  breast.  There  are  several  species  vary- 
ing slightly  in  size  and  markings. 

The  Song  Sparrow  is  described  on  page  106,  the  White- 
throat  on  page  154,  the  Purple  Finch  on  Page  159,  the 
Goldfinch  on  page  216. 


[37] 


THE  BOBWHITE  OR  QUAIL 
American  Partridge  Family — Odontophoridce 

Length:  About  10  inches;  the  same  length  as  the  robin,  but 
the  quail  has  a  stouter  body  and  a  shorter  tail. 

General  Appearance:  A  plump,  mottled  brown  bird,  with  a 
small  head,  short  bill,  and  short  tail. 

Male:  Upper  parts  reddish-brown  and  chestnut-brown,  mottled 
with  black,  gray,  and  buff;  head  slightly  crested; 
forehead  and  line,  above  eye  white,  line  extending  to 
neck;  black  patch  below  eye,  that  curves  to  enclose 
white  throat  and  forms  a  band  below  it;  under  parts 
whitish,  barred  with  black,  except  upper  part  of 
breast  which  is  reddish-brown;  tail  short,  gray,  mot- 
tled with  buff  and  a  few  black  flecks. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  except  for  buff  patch  over  eye  and 
buff  throat,  and  less  black  on  head,  neck,  and 
across  breast.  In  summer,  the  crown  of  both  sexes 
is  darker  than  in  winter ;  the  buff  markings  are  lighter 
in  color. 

Note:  Bob-white?  Bob-bob-white?  A  very  clear,  sweet,  musi- 
cal whistle. 

Habitat:  Grassy  meadows  and  cultivated  fields;  farmyards, 
thickets,  and  swamps  during  the  winter. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America,  from  southern  Canada  to  the 
Gulf  Coast  and  northern  Florida  and  west  to  eastern 
Colorado.     Usually  a  resident. 

In  Florida,  except  in  the  north,  is  found  the  FLORIDA 
BOBWHITE,  a  smaller  and  darker  species.  A  quail  is 
called  a  partridge  in  the  south.  The  California 
QUAIL,  one  of  several  western  species,  is  very  differ- 

[38] 


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BOB-WHITE 


The  bobwhite  or  quail 

ent  in  appearance  from  the  eastern  quail.  It  has  a 
nodding  plume  on  its  head  and  is  largely  black, 
white,  and  brownish-gray. 

NO  birds  of  my  acquaintance,  unless  it  be  bluebirds, 
goldfinches,  chickadees,  and  thrushes,  seem  so  lov- 
able, so  interesting,  and  so  altogether  desirable  as  quail. 
Our  summer  meadows  would  lose  much  of  their  charm 
without  the  cheery  "Bob  White"  ringing  across  them. 

The  character  of  human  beings  is  shown  in  their  voices; 
that  of  birds  seems  likewise  revealed.  The  note  of  the 
quail  breathes  sweetness,  tenderness,  joy  in  life,  and  deep 
contentment.  Unless  need  of  food  compels  it,  the  killing 
of  these  nearly  human  creatures  seems  to  me  like  the 
"Slaughter  of  the  Innocents." 

Few  birds  are  so  devoted  to  their  mates  or  to  their  young 
as  the  quail.  Many  human  parents  are  less  alive  to  pa- 
rental responsibilities.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  while 
Mother  Quail  is  sitting  upon  her  second  nestful  of  a  dozen 
or  more  eggs.  Father  Bob  assumes  die  entire  care  of  the 
large,  restless,  older  brood. 

Most  birds  love  their  mates  and  their  young,  but  quail 
seem  to  have  affection  for  their  brothers  and  sisters,  also. 
The  parents  and  the  two  broods  sometimes  remain  together 
during  the  winter.  When  one  member  of  the  family  is 
lost,  the  others  give  their  tender  covey-call,  to  lure  home 
the  prodigal.  There  are  few  sweeter  sounds  in  nature. 
Mr.  Forbush  says:  "When  the  broods  are  scattered  by 
the  gunner,  they  are  reassembled  again  by  a  whistled  call 
of  the  old  bird,  which  has  been  given,  ^ka-loi-kee,  ka-loU 
kee,*  and  is  answered  by  the  whistled  repeated  response, 
*whoil-kee.'  The  syllables  almost  run  together.  The 
first  call  is  uttered  with  a  rising  and  the  oilier  with  a  falling 

[39] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

inflection.     It  is  plainly  the  rallying  call  and  the  answer- 

"  1 
ing  cry. 

Dallas  Lore  Sharp,  in  his  charming  book  "Wild  Life 
Near  Home,"  refers  to  the  covey-call  as  follows:  "It 
was  the  sweetest  bird-note  I  ever  heard,  being  so  low,  so 
liquid,  so  mellow  that  I  almost  doubted  if  Bob  White 
could  make  it.  But  there  she  stood  in  the  snow  with  head 
high,  listening  anxiously.  Again  she  whistled,  louder 
this  time;  and  from  the  woods  below  came  a  faint  answer- 
ing call,  White!  The  answer  seemed  to  break  a  spell;  and 
on  three  sides  of  me  sounded  other  calls.  At  this  the  little 
signaler  repeated  her  eff"orts,  and  each  time  the  answers 
came  louder  and  nearer.  Presently  something  dark  hur- 
ried by  me  over  the  snow  and  joined  the  quail  I  was  watch- 
ing. It  was  one  of  the  covey  I  had  heard  call  from  the 
woods. 

"Again  and  again  the  signal  was  sent  forth,  until  a 
third,  fourth,  and  finally  a  fifth  were  grouped  about  the 
leader.  There  was  just  an  audible  twitter  of  welcome  and 
gratitude  exchanged  as  each  new-comer  made  his  appear- 
ance. Once  more  the  whistle  sounded ;  but  this  time  there 
was  no  response  across  the  silent  field." 

Young  quail  are  very  precocious.  They  are  able  to 
run  about  soon  after  they  are  hatched.  They  early  learn 
how  to  hide  and  "freeze."  A  friend  told  me  of  coming 
suddenly  upon  a  brood.  The  mother  gave  a  call  and  all 
fled  instantly,  except  one  that  turned  into  a  little  brown 
wooden  image  under  a  leaf  at  his  feet.  He  picked  it  up 
and  held  it  in  his  hand.  Not  a  motion  did  it  make  until 
its  mother  gave  a  second  call,  when  it  shot  out  of  his  hand 
like  a  flash. 

1  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,  E.  H.  Forbush,  page  328. 

[40] 


THE  BOBWHITE  OR  QUAIL 

Another  friend  told  me  of  her  experience  in  finding  a 
lost  baby-quail.  It  was  too  little  and  too  weak  to  keep 
up  with  the  family — was  probably  the  last  bom.  It  was 
so  tired  and  distressed  that  when  she  knelt  down  and 
placed  her  cupped  hand  near  it,  the  poor  little  thing  ran 
to  it,  nestled  down,  and  shut  its  eyes.  She  discovered  the 
brood  and  carried  the  baby  over  to  join  its  family,  but  it 
seemed  loath  to  leave  her.  Three  times  it  ran  back  to 
the  warm  shelter  of  her  hand.  She  could  hardly  bear  to 
abandon  it  to  the  life  that  seemed  more  than  it  could  en- 
dure. 

Dr.  Judd  made  a  careful  study  of  the  bobwhite.  The 
following  extracts  are  from  his  report:  "It  is  the  general 
opinion  that  with  the  on-coming  of  winter  the  bobwhite  is 
found  less  often  in  the  open  fields,  when  withered  her- 
baceous plants  afford  but  scant  protection  from  enemies, 
than  in  dense  bushy,  briery  coverts  and  woods.  In  Mary- 
land and  Virginia,  the  scattered  and  depleted  coveys  after 
the  shooting  season  evidently  unite  into  large  bevies. 
Their  favorite  resort  is  a  bank  with  a  southern  exposure 
and  suitable  food-supply. 

"Robert  Ridgway  found  a  clutch  of  freshly  deposited 
eggs  in  soutliern  Illinois  on  October  16,  and  H.  C.  Munger 
found  another  set  in  Missouri  in  January,  the  parent  being 
afterwards  found  frozen  on  the  nest.  Authentic  records 
show  that  bobwhite  has  been  known  to  breed,  at  least 
occasionally,  somewhere  in  its  range  every  month  in  the 
year.  .  .  . 

"In  Maryland  and  Virginia  large  land-owners  often 
feed  their  birds  in  severe  weather.  Wheat  and  corn  are 
the  best  food  and  should  be  scattered,  if  possible,  among 
the  briers  where  the  birds  are  safe  from  hawks.     Bob- 

[41] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

whites  have  been  known  to  feed  with  chickens  in  barn- 
yards. By  a  little  forethought  land-owners  and  sportsmen 
can  easily  make  provision  for  their  birds.  Sumac  bushes 
should  be  left  along  hedgerows  and  the  edge  of  woodland 
to  furnish  food  that  is  always  above  the  snow  and  lasts 
well  into  spring.  .  .  .  The  bayberry  and  wax-myrtle  last 
until  May,  also. 

"The  food  habits  of  the  bobwhite  are  noteworthy  in  sev- 
eral respects.  Vegetable  matter  has  long  been  known  to 
be  an  important  element  in  the  food  of  the  bobwhite. 
Grain-eating  birds  are  likely  to  do  much  harm  to 
crops.  .  .  .  The  bobwhite  is  a  notable  exception.  Not  a 
single  sprouting  kernel  was  found  in  the  crops  and  stom- 
achs of  quail  examined."  ^ 

Dr.  Judd  enumerates  eighty-eight  varieties  of  weed 
seeds  that  are  eaten  by  quail,  and  states  an  amazing  num- 
ber eaten  at  one  time.  "One  bird  shot  at  Marshall  Hall 
had  eaten  1000  ragweed  akenes;  another  contained  [quan- 
tities of]  leguminous  seeds,  mainly  tick-trefoil;  a  third 
had  eaten  5000  seeds  of  green  foxtail  grass,  while  a  fourth 
had  taken  about  10000  [infinitesimal]  pigweed  seeds."  ^ 

As  an  insect-destroyer  the  bobwhite  is  of  enormous 
value.  During  the  summer,  insects  form  more  then  one- 
third  of  its  food.  Over  one  hundred  varieties  had  been 
discovered  by  examination  of  the  stomachs  of  quail  in 
1905,  an  unusually  large  proportion  of  which  were  highly 
injurious  to  crops.  Mr.  Forbush  thinks  that  no  farmer 
in  Massachusetts  can  afford  to  shoot  a  quail  or  allow  it  to 
be  shot  on  his  land,  and  that  if  the  markets  must  be  sup- 
plied, quail  must  be  reared  artificially. 

1  &  2  Bulletin  No.  21,  Bureau  of  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Department  of 
Agriculture. 

[42] 


THE  BOBWHITE  OR  QUAIL 

Our  bobwhite  sleeps  on  the  ground.  The  California 
quail  roosts  in  bushes  or  trees.  One  summer  evening  in 
Santa  Barbara  it  was  my  privilege  to  see  a  charming  phase 
of  quail  family  life.  I  was  sitting  quietly  under  a  tree  on 
a  knoll  that  overlooked  a  flat  shed-roof,  when  I  heard  a 
low  call,  and  a  whirring  of  wings.  Mother  Quail,  accom- 
panied by  tliirteen  little  balls  of  brown  feathers,  alighted 
on  the  roof  near  me.  She  talked  to  her  adorable  family, 
and,  judging  by  their  quick  responses,  she  evidently  gave 
them  numerous  commands.  They  finally  ran  to  the  edge 
of  the  roof  and  arranged  themselves  in  a  row,  faces  out- 
ward, until  she  gave  anotlier  call.  Then  obediently  they 
gathered  around  her  in  a  true  Kindergarten  Circle,  heads 
outward  and  tails  toward  her,  all  ready  for  bed.  There 
they  nestled,  until  a  passer-by  disturbed  them  and,  to  my 
great  regret,  they  flew  away.  In  a  few  minutes  I  heard 
a  clear  loud  ku-ku-kow,  and  on  the  same  roof  alighted 
Father  Bob  with  fifteen  restless  boys  and  girls — a  veri- 
table Primary  Class.  He  had  more  trouble  in  controlling 
them  than  Mother  had  experienced  with  her  docile  little 
ones;  they  ran  hither  and  thither  in  spite  of  his  insistent, 
anxious  calls.  He  succeeded  in  gathering  them  about 
him,  however;  but  just  as  they  were  forming  their  circle, 
they,  too,  were  frightened  away. 


[43] 


THE  RUFFED  GROUSE 

Grouse  Family — Tetraonidce 

Length:     About  17  inches. 

Male:  Upper  parts  reddish-brown,  with  black,  yellowish,  gray, 
and  whitish  markings;  large  tufts  or  "ruffs"  of  glossy 
black  feathers  at  the  sides  of  the  neck.  Tail  long 
and  broad,  gray  and  reddish-brown,  mottled  and 
barred  with  black,  and  a  broad  blackish  band  near 
the  end;  when  spread,  the  tail  resembles  a  fan. 
Under  parts  buffy,  becoming  white,  with  black  bars 
that  are  indistinct  on  breast  and  belly,  and  darker 
on  the  sides;  a  broken  band  on  the  breast. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  with  smaller  ruffs  on  the  sides 
of  the  neck. 

"Love-songf":  A  loud  tattoo  or  drumming  that  sounds  like  a 
thump  on  a  large  drum — a  tum-tum-tum-tum-tum- 
tup-tup-whir-r-r-r-r-r.  This  tattoo  is  most  common  in 
late  winter  and  early  spring,  but  may  be  heard  in 
the  summer  and  fall.  While  heard  most  frequently 
during  the  day,  it  may  be  heard  at  any  hour  of  the 
night.  In  making  it,  the  bird  usually  stands  very 
erect  on  a  hollow  log  or  stump,  with  head  held  high 
and  ruffs  erected  and  spread,  and,  raising  its  wings, 
strikes  downward  and  forward.  The  sound  produced 
is  a  muflfled  boom  or  thump.  It  begins  with  a  few 
slow  beats,  gradually  growing  quicker,  and  ends  in 
a  rolling,  accelerated  "tattoo."  ^ 

Habitat:     A  bird  of  the  woods  that  nests  on  the  ground. 

Bange:  A  resident  in  the  northern  two-thirds  of  the  United 
States  and  in  the  forested  parts  of  Canada. 

iFrom  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush. 

[44] 


THE  RUFFED  GROUSE 

THE  Ruffed  Grouse,  the  finest  and  most  famous 
game-bird  of  the  northern  woods,  was  formerly 
very  abundant.  Its  numbers  have  greatly  decreased 
Like  the  bobwhite,  it  responds  to  protection  and  may  be 
raised  under  artificial  conditions.  It  eats  nearly  sixty 
kinds  of  wild  fruit;  beechnuts,  hazelnuts,  chestnuts,  acorns, 
and  weed  seeds  form  a  large  part  of  its  diet.  It  eats 
some  insects,  the  most  important  being  beetles  of  various 
kinds. 

Mr.  Forbush  says:  "The  female  alone  undertakes  the 
task  of  incubation  and  the  care  of  the  young.  .  .  .  All  the 
young  grouse  in  a  nest  hatch  at  nearly  the  same  instant; 
their  feathers  dry  very  rapidly,  and  they  are  soon  ready  to 
run  about.  .  .  .  They  run  about,  stealing  noiselessly  along 
among  the  dead  leaves,  under  the  foliage  of  ferns  and 
shrubbery.  .  .  .  Meanwhile,  the  mother  marches  slowly 
in  the  rear,  perhaps  to  guard  them  against  surprise  from 
any  keen-scented  animal  that  may  follow  on  the  trail. 
She  seems  to  be  always  on  the  alert,  and  a  single  warning 
note  from  her  will  cause  the  young  birds  to  flatten  them- 
selves on  the  ground  or  to  hide  under  leaves,  where  they 
will  remain  motionless  until  they  are  trodden  upon,  rather 
than  run  the  risk  of  betraying  themselves  by  attempting  to 
escape. 

"During  the  fall,  the  Grouse  keep  together  in  small 
flocks.  Sometimes  a  dozen  birds  may  be  found  around 
some  favorite  grape  vine  or  apple  tree,  but  they  are  usually 
so  harried  and  scattered  by  gunners  that  toward  winter  die 
old  birds  may  sometimes  be  found  alone. 

"As  winter  approaches,  this  hardy  bird  puts  on  its 
*snowshoes,'  which  consist  of  a  fringe  of  homy  processes 
or  pectinations  tliat  grow  out  along  each  toe,  and  help  to 

[45] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

distribute  the  weight  of  the  bird  over  a  larger  surface,  and 
so  allow  it  to  walk  over  snows  into  which  a  bird  not  so 
provided  would  sink  deeply.  Its  digestion  must  resemble 
that  of  the  famous  Ostrich,  as  broken  twigs  and  dry  leaves 
are  ground  up  in  its  mill.  It  is  a  hard  winter  that  will 
starve  the  Grouse.  A  pair  spent  many  winter  nights  in 
a  little  cave  in  the  rocky  wall  of  an  old  quarry.  Sumacs 
grew  there,  and  many  rank  weeds.  The  birds  lived  well 
on  sumac  berries,  weed  seeds,  and  buds. 

"Sometimes,  but  perhaps  rarely,  these  birds  are  impris- 
oned under  the  snow  by  the  icy  crust  which  forms  in  cold 
weather  following  a  rain,  but  usually  they  are  vigorous 
enough  to  find  a  way  out  somewhere.  The  Grouse  is  per- 
fectly at  home  beneath  the  snow;  it  will  dive  into  it  to 
escape  a  Hawk,  and  can  move  rapidly  about  beneath  the 
surface  and  burst  out  again  in  rapid  flight  at  some  unex- 
pected place. 

"The  Ruffed  Grouse  is  a  bird  of  the  woodland,  and 
though  useful  in  the  woods,  it  sometimes  does  some  injury 
in  the  orchard  by  removing  too  many  buds  from  a  single 
tree.  In  winter  and  early  spring,  when  other  food  is  bur- 
ied by  the  snow  and  hard  to  obtain,  the  Grouse  lives 
largely  on  the  buds  and  green  twigs  of  trees;  but  as  spring 
advances,  insects  form  a  considerable  part  of  the  food. 
The  young  feed  very  largely  on  insects,  including  many 
very  destructive  species."  ^ 

2  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush. 


[46] 


'*-'^^ft^ 


CEDAR   WAXWING 


THE  CEDAR  WAXWING  OR  CEDAR-BIRD 

Called  Locally  the  "Cherry  Bird'* 
Waxwing  Family  or  Bombycillidcs 

Length:     A  little  over  7  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  grayish-brown  bird,  with  a  decided 
crest  and  a  yellow  band  at  end  of  tail.  Plump  and 
well-fed  in  appearance. 

Male  and  Female:  A  beautiful,  rich  grayish-brown  with  a  soft 
yellow  breast.  Head  conspicuously  crested;  fore- 
head glossy  black;  a  black  line  above  the  bill  is  ex- 
tended toward  the  top  of  the  head,  outlining  the 
crest;  crest  elevated  and  lowered  to  express  surprise, 
contentment,  fear  and  other  emotions;  bill  and  chin 
black;  throat  blackish.  Wings  brown,  becoming  a 
soft  gray;  wing-feathers  with  small  red  tips  that  look 
like  bits  of  sealing-wax — hence  the  name,  Waxwing. 
Tail  light  gray,  shading  to  a  dark  grey,  rounded,  fan- 
shaped  in  flight,  and  edged  with  a  broad  yellow 
band. 

Young:  Grayish-brown,  streaked,  and  without  red  tips  to  their 
wings. 

Note:  A  gentle  lisping  tseep,  tseep,  monotonous  and  uninter- 
esting. Mr.  Forbush  says  of  the  waxwing,  "It  moves 
about  in  silence,  save  as  it  utters  a  lisping  'beading' 
note  or  a  'hushed  whistle.' " 

Habitat:  During  the  nesting  season,  devoted  pairs  may  be  seen 
in  orchards,  in  red  cedars,  or  in  shrubbery  by  road- 
sides, preferably  near  trees  or  bushes  laden  with 
berries.  The  birds  are  rovers,  usually  flying  in 
large  flocks. 

Range:  North  America.  Breeds  from  south-central  Canada  to 
southern    Oregon,    northern    New    Mexico,   Kansas, 

[47] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

northern  Arkansas,  and  North  Carolina;  winters  ir- 
regularly throughout  nearly  all  the  United  States, 
and  south  to  Cuba,  Mexico,  and  Panama. 

CEDAR  WAXWINGS  are  among  our  most  exquisite 
birds  in  their  delicate  blending  of  color  and  in 
their  dainty  refinement.  They  seem  to  have  been  tinted 
by  a  water-color  artist,  or  an  expert  in  the  use  of  pastels. 
Their  proverbial  good  manners  seem  to  preclude  any  dis- 
turbance of  their  well-preened  feathers  by  undue  haste  of 
movement  or  quarrelsome  ruffling. 

My  earliest  recollections  of  diese  beautiful  but  rather 
uninteresting  birds  is  of  their  frequent  raids  upon  a  great 
mulberry  tree  in  my  grandparents'  garden.  They  gorged 
upon  the  dead-ripe  mulberries  with  the  quiet  enjoyment  of 
epicures  rather  than  the  greedy  haste  of  gourmands.  I 
remember,  also,  my  grandmother's  dismay  at  the  inroads 
which  the  "cherry-birds"  and  robins  made  upon  her  cherry 
crop,  and  my  bird-loving  grandfather's  command  that  no 
bird  should  be  molested. 

Cedar,  juniper,  sumac,  and  mountain  ash  berries,  form 
the  winter  diet  of  these  frugivorous  birds.  As  a  larder 
is  speedily  exhausted  by  a  flock  of  from  twenty  to  sixty 
hungry  fruit-eaters,  they  must  fly  to  "pastures  new." 
During  the  spring  and  summer  seasons,  diey  supplement 
their  diet  of  wild  fruit,  most  of  which  is  of  no  commer- 
cial value,  with  beetles  that  infest  potato-patches  and  elm 
trees,  and  cankerworms  that  prey  upon  apple  trees.  They 
are  very  valuable  to  man,  and  earn  their  dessert  of  culti- 
vated cherries.  Mr.  Forbush  says  that  they  deserve  the 
name  of  "cankerworm  birds." 

He  writes  as  follows:     "They  frequent  infested  or- 

[48] 


THE  CEDAR  WAXWING  OR  CEDAR-BIRD 

chards  in  large  flocks,  and  fill  themselves  with  the  worms 
until  they  can  eat  no  more.  Such  little  gluttons  rarely 
can  he  found  among  birds.  The  Cedar-bird  seems  to 
have  tlie  most  rapid  digestion  of  any  bird  with  which  ex- 
periments have  been  made.  Audubon  said  that  Cedar- 
birds  would  gorge  themselves  with  fruit  until  they  could 
be  taken  by  hand;  and  that  he  had  seen  wounded  birds, 
confined  in  a  cage,  eat  of  apples  until  suffocated.  They 
will  stuff"  themselves  to  the  very  throat.  So,  wherever 
they  feed,  their  appetites  produce  a  visible  eff'ect.  Pro- 
fessor Forbes  estimates  that  thirty  Cedar-birds  will  de- 
stroy ninety  thousand  cankenvorms  in  a  month.  This  cal- 
culation seems  to  be  far  within  bounds. 

"Cedar-birds  are  devoted  to  each  other  and  to  their 
young.  Sometimes  a  row  of  six  or  eight  may  be  seen, 
sitting  close  together  on  a  limb,  passing  and  repassing 
from  beak  to  beak  a  fat  caterpillar  or  juicy  cherry.  I 
have  seen  this  touching  courtesy  but  once,  and  believe  it 
was  done  not  so  much  from  politeness  as  from  the  fact 
that  most  of  the  birds  were  so  full  that  they  had  no  room 
for  more — a  condition  in  which  they  could  aff"ord  to  be 
generous.  Neveilheless,  the  manner  in  which  it  was  done, 
and  the  simulation  of  tender  regard  and  consideration 
for  each  other  exliibited,  rendered  it  a  sight  well  worth 
seeing.  They  also  have  a  habit  of  'billing'  or  saluting 
one  another  with  the  bill."  ^ 

A  flock  of  cedar-birds  "seep"  and  whisper  to  each  other 
like  over-fed  children.  Their  note  seems  to  be  an  expres- 
sion of  their  gentle,  aff"ectionate,  comfortable,  ease-loving 
natures.     There  appears  to  be  absence  of  aspiration  or 

1  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection"— E.  H.  Forbush,  page  210. 

[49] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

longing  in  their  bird-hearts,  which  seems  so  poignant  in 
thrushes  and  many  other  songsters. 

THE  BOHEMIAN  WAXWING 

The  Bohemian  Waxwing  is  very  similar  to  its  cousin, 
the  Cedar  Waxwing,  in  color  and  markings,  but  may  be 
distinguished  by  its  larger  size,  (8  inches),  by  reddish- 
brown  feathers  under  the  tail,  by  the  absence  of  yellow  on 
the  breast,  by  a  crown  that  is  reddish-brown  in  front,  and 
by  yellow  and  white  markings  on  the  wings.  In  note, 
feeding  habits,  and  other  characteristics,  it  resembles  the 
Cedar-bird. 

This  larger  species  of  waxwing  is  found  in  the  colder 
regions  of  the  whole  Northern  Hemisphere.  In  North 
America  it  breeds  from  northern  Alaska  and  northern 
Canada  to  southern  British  Columbia  and  Alberta;  win- 
ters east  to  Nova  Scotia  and  south  irregularly  to  eastern 
California,  Colorado,  Kansas,  southern  Illinois,  Indiana, 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  and  Connecticut.  It  is  a  rare  winter 
visitor  in  Massachusetts. 


[50] 


TUFTED    TITMOUSE 


THE  TUFTED  TITMOUSE  OR  TOMTIT 

Titmouse  Family — Paridcs 

Length:  About  6  inches;  a  little  smaller  than  the  English 
sparrow. 

General  Appearance:  A  slender,  active,  gray  and  white  bird, 
with  a  crest.  Its  reddish-brown  sides  are  not  visible 
at  a  distance.  The  titmouse  need  never  be  confused 
with  the  waxwing;  it  is  much  smaller,  and  lacks  the 
yellow  and  red  markings  on  tail  and  wings. 

Male  and  Female:  Head  conspicuously  crested;  crest  gray 
and  pointed;  forehead  black;  bill  short,  sharp, 
black;  back,  wings,  and  tail  gray;  under  parts 
whitish,  with  a  reddish-brown  wash  on  the  sides. 

Call-note:  De-de-de-de,  similar  to  one  of  the  chickadee's  notes, 
but  louder. 

Song:  A  loud,  sweet,  clear  whistle:  Pe'-to,  pe'-to,  pe'-to,  pe'-to, 
pe'-to,  frequently  repeated  five  times.  The  titmouse 
is  called  locally  the  "Peter-bird." 

Habitat:  Woodlands;  open  groves  of  hard-wood  trees  pre- 
ferred. 

Range :  Rare  in  New  England.  From  Nebraska,  Iowa,  Illinois, 
Indiana,  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  Jersey,  south 
to  central  Texas,  the  Gulf  Coast,  and  Florida;  occa- 
sional in  Wisconsin,  Michigan,  New  York,  and  Con- 
necticut. Common  permanent  resident  near  Wash- 
ington, especially  in  winter. 

NO  winter  bird  more  truly  exemplifies  protective  col- 
oring than  the  lively  crested  Tomtit,  unless  it  be 
his  little  cousin,  the  Black-capped  Chickadee.  This  so- 
ber-hued  titmouse  is  such  a  blending  of  the  grays  and 
blacks  of  tree-trunk  and  icy  brook,  of  the  dazzling  white  of 

[51] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

snow  and  the  soft  gray  shadows  that  lie  across  it,  of  red- 
dish-brown shrubs  and  weeds,  that  he  might  escape  notice 
except  for  his  conspicuous  crest.  He  can  be  distinguished 
from  the  cedar  waxwing  at  a  glance  by  his  reddish  sides, 
and  because  of  the  absence  of  a  yellow  band  across  the  tail 
and  of  conspicuous  black,  white,  and  red  patches  or  mark- 
ings. 

Few  more  active  birds  exist  than  titmice.  They  are  at 
once  the  envy  and  the  despair  of  aspiring  small  boys  who 
know  them,  because  of  their  extreme  agility — their  ability 
to  perform  acrobatic  feats.  They  swing  head  downward 
from  twigs  in  the  search  for  their  favorite  food  of  insect- 
eggs;  they  seem  strung  on  wires. 

In  the  woodlands  frequented  by  tufted  titmice,  they  are 
as  much  in  evidence  as  blue  jays,  because  of  their  loud, 
clear  peto-peto-peto-peto-peto,  a  welcome  and  pleasant 
sound  during  belated  spring  days  or  a  bleak  March  "sug- 
aring-off"  season. 

They  are  less  friendly  than  chickadees,  but  are  not  shy, 
so  they  can  be  observed  easily.  They  are  very  sociable 
with  their  kind,  and  are  found,  "playing  around"  with 
chickadees,  nuthatches,  and  downy  woodpeckers  in  the 
winter-time,  and  snuggling  close  together  in  old  nest-holes 
during  winter  weather.  In  the  spring,  titmice  use  hol- 
lowed trees  for  their  nesting  sites  and  have  been  known  to 
welcome  a  nesting-box. 

These  birds  do  enormous  good,  not  only  in  eating  insect- 
eggs,  but  in  destroying  caterpillars,  cutworms,  beetles, 
weevils,  flies,  wasps,  plant-lice,  and  scale-insects  in  their 
season.^  They  will  eat  berries,  nuts,  and  acorns  during 
the  winter  and  are  extremely  hardy. 

1  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

[52] 


■^ 


r,    — 


CHICKADEE 


THE  CHICKADEE  OR  BLACK-CAPPED  TITMOUSE 

Titmouse  Family — Paridce 

Length:     About  51/4  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  very  active  little  gray  and  white  bird, 
with  a  black  cap  and  throat  and  dull  yellowish  sides. 

Male  and  Female:  Head  and  throat  a  glistening  black;  sides 
of  head  white;  bill  small,  black,  sharp-pointed;  back 
a  soft  brownish-gray;  wings  and  tail  gray,  edged 
with  white;  breast  white,  becoming  yellowish  at  the 
sides  below  the  wings. 

Song:  Chick-a-dee-dee-dee,  uttered  with  gurgles  and  chuckles, 
and  with  variations. 

Call-notes:  Day -day,  and  a  whistle  that  resembles  the  word 
Pe-ivhee.  The  latter  note  is  often  called  the  "Phoebe 
note,"  and  sometimes  the  "Pewee  note."  To  me  it 
resembles  neither;  it  is  not  hoarse  and  wheezing  like 
the  phcebe's,  nor  plaintive  like  the  pewee's.  The 
last  syllable  has  a  descending  inflection. 

Flight:     Very  swift  and  jerky. 

Habitat:     Woodlands,    orchards,    and   groves. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America,  from  the  Hudson  Bay  region 
and  N.  F.,  south  to  central  Missouri,  Illinois,  north- 
ern Indiana,  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  northern  Now 
Jersey,  and  in  the  Alleghany  Mts.  to  North  Carolina; 
somewhat  farther  south  in  winter. 

The  CAROLINA  CHICKADEE,  a  smaller  species,  breeds 
from  central  Missouri,  Indiana,  central  Ohio,  Penn- 
sylvania (infrequently),  and  central  New  Jersey, 
south  to  southeastern  Louisiana,  the  Gulf  Coast  and 
northern  Florida.  In  southern  Florida,  are  found 
the  FLORIDA  CHICKADEES,  that  are  still  smaller  and 
browner. 

[53] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

In  the  White  Mts.,  the  Green  Mts.,  the  Adirondacks, 
and  southeastern  Canada  live  Acadian  chickadees, 
that  differ  from  the  preceding  species  in  having 
brownish-gray  crowns,  and  reddish-brown  sides.  A 
similarly  marked  species,  slightly  larger,  is  found 
from  Ontario  to  Alaska. 

DURING  tiresome  days  of  a  winter  convalescence, 
spent  largely  on  a  sleeping-porch  that  overlooked  a 
beautiful  hillside,  my  most  constant  and  cheering  compan- 
ions were  lively  little  chickadees.  Their  blending  with  the 
winter  landscape  was  perfect.  Whether  they  were  seen 
against  the  black  snow-laden  trunks  or  smooth  gray  boles 
of  beeches,  or  among  yellowish  willow-withes,  they  were 
bits  of  color  harmony. 

These  active  little  gymnasts,  performing  unexpected 
feats  in  their  swinging  from  horizontal  bars,  furnished 
pleasant  diversion,  while  their  friendly,  confiding  ways, 
their  undaunted  fearlessness,  and  their  optimism  cheered 
lonely  hours. 

An  ice-storm  necessitated  the  spreading  of  a  table  for 
our  brave  little  all-kinds-of-weather  friends.  They  came 
in  pairs,  grew  very  tame,  and  drew  near  to  us  like  confid- 
ing children  who  knew  that  no  harm  would  befall  them. 
They  acted  as  though  our  care  of  them  was  the  most  nat- 
ural thing  in  the  world.  Chickadees  have  never  seemed  to 
me  to  "grow  up,"  but  always  to  remain  the  trusting  little 
ones  of  the  bird-world,  too  small  to  be  out  alone,  and  yet, 
like  children,  to  fare  forth  with  confidence  that  their  needs 
would  be  supplied. 

They  repay  a  thousand-fold  any  care  bestowed  upon 
them.  Dr.  Judd  reported  finding  in  the  stomach  of  one 
black-capped  chickadee  between  200  and  300  eggs  of  the 

[54] 


THE  CHICKADEE  OR  BLACK-CAPPED  TITMOUSE 

fall  cankerworm  motli,  and  450  eggs  of  a  plant  louse  in 
another.  Mr.  C.  E.  Bailey  computed  that  one  chickadee 
alone  would  destroy  138,750  eggs  of  the  cankerworm 
moth  in  25  days,  while  Prof.  Sanderson  estimated  that 
8,000,000,000  insects  are  destroyed  yearly  in  Michigan 
by  these  invaluable  little  birds/ 

"Much  of  the  daylight  life  of  the  chickadee  is  spent  in  a 
busy,  active  pursuit  of,  or  search  for,  insects  and  their 
eggs.  This  is  particularly  the  case  in  winter,  when  hiber- 
nating insects  or  their  eggs  must  be  most  diligently  sought, 
for  then  starvation  always  threatens.  But  the  chickadee 
is  one  of  the  few  insectivorous  birds  that  is  keen-witted 
enough  to  find  abundant  food  and  safe  shelter  during  the 
inclement  northern  winter.  Nevertheless,  its  busy  search 
for  food  is  sometimes  interrupted  for  so  long  a  time  during 
severe  storms,  when  the  trees  are  encased  in  ice,  that  it  dies 
from  cold  and  hunger.  During  a  sleet  storm  Mr.  C.  E. 
Bailey  saw  two  chickadees  creep  under  the  loose  clapboards 
of  an  old  building  for  shelter.  Their  tails  were  so 
weighted  down  with  ice  that  they  could  hardly  fly,  and  had 
he  not  cared  for  them  they  might  have  perished. 

"The  chickadee,  notwithstanding  its  hardiness,  requires 
protection  from  cold  winds  and  storms  at  night.  It  finds 
such  shelter  either  in  some  hollow  tree  or  in  some  deserted 
bird  nest.  Late  one  cold  and  snowy  afternoon  Mr.  Bailey 
detected  a  movement  in  a  cavity  under  an  old  crow's  nest, 
and  on  climbing  the  tree  he  found  two  chickadees  nestling 
there.  They  remained  there  until  he  had  climbed  to  the 
nest  and  put  his  hand  on  one,  when  they  flew  out,  only  to 
return  before  he  reached  the  ground.     Minot  speaks  of  a 

1  Educational  Leaflet  No.  61,  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies, 

[55] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

chickadee  that  slept  alone  in  winter  in  a  phoebe's  nest  un- 
der his  veranda.  It  retires  to  its  refuge  rather  early  at 
night,  and  does  not  come  out  until  the  Tree  Sparrow,  Song 
Sparrow,  and  Junco  are  abroad.' 


"  2 


2  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  E.  H.  Forbush,  page  166. 


[56] 


THE  GOLDEN-CROWNED  KINGLET 

Old  World  Warbler  Family — Sylviidoe 

Length:     About  4  inches;  smaller  than  the  chickadee. 

Male:  Olive-green  above,  grayish-white  underneath;  crown 
with  a  bright  red  center,  bordered  on  each  side  by 
bright  yellcnv,  and  by  a  black  stripe  that  edges  the 
yellow;  a  light  line  over  the  eye;  wings  and  tail 
brown;  tail  forked. 

Female:  Like  male,  but  without  the  red  in  the  center  of  the 
yellow-and-black  crown. 

Call-note:     A  weak  tzee,  tzee,  highly  pitched. 

Song:  William  Brewster,  in  the  Auk  for  1888,  describes  the 
song  as  follows:  [It]  "begins  with  a  succession  of 
five  or  six  fine,  shrill,  high-pitched  somewhat  falter- 
ing notes,  and  ends  with  a  short,  rapid,  rather  ex- 
plosive warble.  The  opening  notes  are  given  in  a 
rising  key,  but  the  song  falls  rapidly  at  the  end. 
The  whole  may  be  expressed  as  follows:  tzee,  tzee, 
tzee,  tzee,  ti,  ti,  ter,  ti-ti-ti-ti." 

Habitat:  Woodlands,  where  kinglets  are  usually  found  near 
the  ends  of  branches,  of  coniferous  trees  especially. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  in  the  tree-regions  of 
central  Canada,  south  in  the  Rocky  Mts.  to  northern 
Arizona,  New  Mexico,  and  to  Michigan,  New  York, 
and  mountains  of  Massachusetts,  and  in  the  higher 
Alleghanies  south  to  North  Carolina;  winters  from 
Iowa,  Ontario,  New  Brunswick,  to  northern  Florida 
and  Mexico. 

THOUGH  the  Golden-crowned  Kinglet  is  one  of  our 
smallest  birds,  it  braves  the  rigors  of  winter  in  the 
United   States.     It    may   be   seen   from   the   latter   part 

[57] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

of  September  until  April  or  early  May,  when  it  goes  to 
its  more  northerly  nesting  ground. 

Kinglets  and  chickadees  are  industrious  searchers  for 
insects'  eggs.  Their  value  is  almost  inestimable.  Mr. 
Forbush  tells  of  watching  the  "Gold-crest"  hunt  for  its  food 
among  the  pines.  He  says:  "The  birds  were  fluttering 
about  among  the  trees.  Each  one  would  hover  for  a  mo- 
ment before  a  tuft  of  pine  *needles,'  and  then  either  alight 
upon  it  and  feed  or  pass  on  to  another.  I  examined  the 
'needles'  after  the  Kinglets  had  left  them,  and  could  find 
nothing  on  them;  but  when  a  bird  was  disturbed  before  it 
had  finished  feeding,  the  spray  from  which  it  had  been 
driven  was  invariably  found  to  be  infested  with  numerous 
black  specks,  the  eggs  of  plant  lice.  Evidently  the  birds 
were  cleaning  each  spray  thoroughly,  as  far  as  they 
went."  ^ 

Mr.  Forbush  tells  also  of  observing  the  work  of  seven 
kinglets  in  a  grove  of  white  pine  which  "must  have  been 
infested  with  countless  thousands  of  these  eggs,  for  the 
band  of  Kinglets  remained  there  until  March  25,  almost 
three  months  later,  apparently  feeding  most  of  the  time  on 
these  eggs.  When  they  had  cleared  the  branches,  the  little 
birds  fluttered  about  the  trunks,  hanging  poised  on  busy 
wing,  like  Hummingbirds  before  a  flower,  meanwhile  rap- 
idly pecking  the  clinging  eggs  from  the  bark.  In  those 
three  months  they  must  have  suppressed  hosts  of  little  tree 
pests,  for  I  have  never  seen  birds  more  industrious  and  as- 
siduous in  their  attentions  to  the  trees.  One  might  expect 
such  work  of  Creepers  or  of  Woodpeckers ;  but  the  Kinglets 

1  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  pages  161, 
162,  163. 

[58] 


THE  GOLDEN-CROWNED  KINGLET 

seemed  to  have  departed  from  their  usual  habits  of  glean- 
ing among  limbs  and  foliage,  to  take  the  place  of  the  mis- 
sing Creepers,  not  one  of  which  was  seen  in  the  grove  last 
winter."  ^ 

2  "Useful    Birds    and    Their    Protection,"    by    E.    H.    Forbush,    pages 
161,  162,  163. 


[59] 


THE  CAROLINA  WREN 


Wren  Family — Troglodytidce 

"Length:  About  5i/^  inches;  the  largest  of  the  six  more  com- 
mon eastern  wrens. 

Male  and  Female:  Reddish-brown  above;  no  bars  or  streaks, 
except  on  wings  and  tail,  and  occasionally  under- 
neath the  body,  near  the  tail;  a  long  light  line  over 
the  eye,  extending  to  the  shoulders;  under  parts  buff 
with  a  broAvnish  wash;  throat  white. 

Notes  I  "Wren-like  chucks  of  annoyance  or  interrogation,"  and 
"a  peculiar  fluttering  k-r-r-r-r-uck,  which  resembles 
the  bleating  call  of  a  tree-toad."  ^ 

Song:  A  loud  clear  whistle,  consisting  of  three  similar  sylla- 
bles, with  variations. 

Habitat:     Thickets,  vines,  and  undergrowth. 

Range:  Eastern  United  States.  Breeds  from  southeastern  Ne- 
braska, Iowa,  Ohio,  southern  Pennsylvania,  the  lower 
Hudson  and  Connecticut  valleys  south  to  central 
Texas,  Gulf  States,  and  northern  Florida;  casual 
north  to  Wisconsin,  Michigan,  Ontario,  Massachu- 
setts, New  Hampshire,  and  Maine. 

PROFESSOR  REAL  writes  of  this  interesting  wren  as 
follows:  "The  Carolina  wren  is  resident  from  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  north  to  the  southern  boundaries  of  Iowa, 
Illinois,  and  Connecticut  in  the  breeding  season,  but  in 
wifiter  it  withdraws  somewhat  farther  south.  It  is  a  bird 
of  the  thicket  and  undergrowth,  preferring  to  place  its 
nest  in  holes  and  crannies,  but  when  necessary,  will  build 

^From  Witmer  Stone  in  Educational  Leaflet  No.  50,  National  Associa- 
tion of  Audubon  Societies. 

[60] 


THE  CAROLINA  WREN 

a  bulky  structure  in  a  tangle  of  twigs  and  vines.  Unlike 
the  house  wren  it  does  not  ordinarily  use  the  structures  of 
man  for  nesting  sites. 

"It  is  one  of  the  few  American  birds  that  sing  through- 
out the  year.  Most  birds  sing,  or  try  to,  in  the  mating 
season,  but  the  Carolina  wren  may  be  heard  pouring  forth 
his  melody  of  song  every  month.  The  writer's  first  in- 
troduction to  this  bird  was  in  the  month  of  January  when 
he  heard  gushing  from  a  thicket  a  song  which  reminded 
him  of  June  instead  of  midwinter. 

"This  wren  keeps  up  the  reputation  of  the  family  as 
an  insect-eater,  as  over  nine-tenths  of  its  diet  consists 
of  insects  and  their  allies."  Stomach  analysis  shows  that 
the  vegetable  food  of  the  Carolina  wren  is  largely  seeds  of 
trees  and  shrubs  and  some  wild  berries.  He  concludes: 
"From  this  analysis  of  the  food  of  the  Carolina  wren,  it  is 
evident  that  the  farmer  and  fruit-grower  have  not  the  slight- 
est cause  for  complaint  against  the  bird.  It  eats  neither 
cultivated  fruit  nor  grain,  and  does  not  even  nest  in  an  or- 
chard tree;  but  it  does  feed  on  numerous  injurious  insects 
and  enlivens  the  tangled  thickets  with  its  cheerful  songs 
for  twelve  months  of  the  year."  ^ 

Dr.  Witmer  Stone  writes  of  the  song  of  the  Carolina  wren 
as  follows:  "His  most  characteristic  song  has  been  lik- 
ened by  Mr,  Chapman  to  tea-kettle,  tea-kettle,  tea-kettle, 
and  to  whee-udle,  whee-udle,  whee-udle.  Wilson  wrote  it 
sweet-william,  sweet-william,  sweet-william;  and  to  Audu- 
bon it  seemed  to  say  come-to-me,  come-to-me,  come-to-me. 
It  has  variations  recalling  forms  in  the  Cardinal's  song, 
and  also  that  of  the  Tufted  Titmouse;  and  the  Wren  after 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[61] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

repeating  one  form  for  some  time,  often  changes  suddenly 
to  another  producing  a  rather  startling  effect,  as  if  another 
bird  has  taken  its  place."  ^ 


8  From  Witmer  Stone,  in  Educational  Leaflet  No.  50,  National  Associa- 
t'on  of  Audubon  Societies. 


[62] 


THE  WINTER  WREN 

Wren  Family — Troglodytidoe 

Length:  About  4  inches;  the  same  size  as  the  golden-crowned 
kinglet. 

Male  and  Female:  Similar  in  appearance  to  the  house  wren, 
but  smaller  and  with  a  shorter  tail;  body  brown, 
mostly  barred  with  fine,  black  lines;  light  line  over 
the  eye;  under  parts  darker  than  those  of  the  house 
wren,  with  a  buff  wash  across  throat  and  breast. 

Song:  A  very  beautiful  song,  unusually  loud  for  so  small  a 
bird.  Those  fortunate  enough  to  hear  it  are  extrav- 
agant in  their  praise.  Mr.  Eaton  calls  it  the  sweet- 
est melody  that  he  and  his  associates  heard  in  the 
Adirondacks,  excelling  even  the  thrushes. 

Habitat:  Brush  heaps,  thickets  in  woods,  along  streams,  and 
in  wild  rocky  places. 

Range:  Breeds  from  southern  Canada  to  Minnesota,  Wiscon- 
sin, Michigan,  New  York,  and  Massachusetts,  through 
the  Alleghanies  to  North  Carolina;  winters  from 
about  its  southern  breeding  limit  to  Texas  and  north- 
ern Florida. 

EATON  says:  "During  the  migration,  this  little 
wren  is  commonly  observed  about  the  shrubbery  of 
our  lawns,  parks,  and  the  edges  of  woods,  when  disturbed 
retreating  to  the  recesses  of  some  brush  pile  or  under  the 
damp  edges  of  the  stream  bank.  A  few  remain  through- 
out the  winter  in  western  and  central  New  York,  and  it  is 
fairly  common  as  a  winter  resident  in  the  southeastern 
portion  of  the  State,  but  in  the  principal  breeding  range 

[63] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

of  the  Adirondacks  and  Catskills  it  is  only  a  summer  resi- 
dent." ^  It  is  a  rather  common  winter  visitor  near  Wash- 
ington, and  rare  in  New  England. 

1  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York." 


[64] 


DOWNY  AND    HAIRY  WOODPECKERS 


THE  DOWNY  WOODPECKER 

Woodpecker  Family — Picidce 

Length:  A  little  over  6^^  inches;  the  smallest  of  our  wood- 
peckers. 

General  Appearance:  A  small  black  and  white  bird,  with  a 
white  stripe  extending  down  the  middle  of  its  back; 
a  red  patch  on  back  of  male's  head.  The  tail  is  used 
for  a  prop  as  the  woodpecker  climbs  tree-trunks. 

Male:  Upper  parts  black  and  white;  crown  of  head  black  with 
red  patch  at  nape;  two  broad  white  stripes  above  and 
below  eye;  a  broad  white  stripe  down  the  center  of 
back;  wings  spotted  and  barred  with  white;  tail 
sharply  pointed;  the  long  tail-feathers,  black;  the 
short  outer  tail-feathers,  white  barred  with  black; 
bill  long,  strong,  with  a  tuft  of  feathers  at  its  base. 

Female :  •  Like  male,  except  for  the  absence  of  a  red  patch  on 
the  head. 

Notes:  A  call-note  Peek-peek.  A  metallic  Tut-tut-tut' -tut-tut- 
tut-tut  might  be  considered  the  Downy's  song,  but  he 
belongs  really  to  the  group  of  songless  birds.  He 
beats  loud  tattoos  on  the  boughs  of  trees,  especially 
at  mating  time. 

Flight:  Labored,  jerky,  with  a  characteristic  shutting  of  the 
wings  against  the  sides. 

Habitat:  Tree-trunks  in  woods  and  orchards,  and  on  lawns. 
The  Downy  is  our  most  common  woodpecker,  and  a 
permanent  resident. 

Range:  Northern  and  central  parts  of  eastern  North  America, 
from  Alberta,  Manitoba,  and  Ungava,  south  to  east- 
ern Nebraska,  Kansas,  the  Potomac  Valley,  and  in 
the  mountains  to  North  Carolina. 

[65] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

The  SOUTHERN  DOWNY  WOODPECKER  of  the  South 
Atlantic  and  Gulf  States  is  smaller  and  browner  than 
its  northern  relative. 

THE  Downy  Woodpecker  is  a  member  of  a  family  of 
birds  that  has  attracted  man's  attention  since  the  old 
days  of  superstition.  Various  myths  have  grown  up 
around  these  birds;  those  of  the  American  Indians  are 
possibly  the  most  interesting.  Until  recently,  woodpeck- 
ers have  been  persecuted  by  the  white  man,  because  of 
tlieir  habit  of  pecking  at  trees  whicb  they  were  thought  to 
kill.     Many  have  been  unjustly  slain. 

While  one  branch  of  the  family,  the  Sapsuckers,  have 
done  a  great  deal  of  harm  to  forests  where  they  breed,  and 
other  woodpeckers  have  done  occasional  damage,  it  is  now 
known  that  they  are  invaluable  as  preservers  of  our  trees. 
Entomologists  and  foresters  consider  them  the  greatest 
enemies  known  of  spruce-bark  beetles  and  sap-wood  bor- 
ers. As  borers  are  found  near  the  surface  in  living  trees, 
the  holes  made  by  woodpeckers  while  extracting  them  soon 
heals  and  leaves  little  mark. 

An  examination  of  the  structure  of  woodpeckers  shows 
the  admirable  way  in  which  they  are  fitted  for  their  work. 
They  have  short,  stout  legs;  strong  feet,  usually  with  two 
toes  in  front  and  two  in  the  back;  large  claws,  and  stiff 
tails  tipped  with  sharp  spines,  to  aid  them  in  supporting 
themselves  firmly  against  tree-trunks  and  branches.  Mr. 
Forbush  says:  "The  bird  is  thus  more  fully  equipped 
for  climbing  than  a  telegraph  lineman.  The  claws  and 
tail  take  the  place  of  the  man's  hand  and  spurs."  ^ 

Professor  Beal  writes  the  following:     "As  much  of  the 

1  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush. 

[66] 


THE  DOWNY  WOODPECKER 

food  of  woodpeckers  is  obtained  from  solid  wood,  Nature 
has  provided  most  of  them  with  a  stout  beak  having  a 
chisel-shaped  point  which  forms  an  exceedingly  effective 
instrument.  But  the  most  peculiar  and  interesting  point 
in  the  anatomy  of  these  birds  is  the  tongue.  This  is  more 
or  less  cylindrical  in  form  and  usually  very  long.  At 
the  anterior  end  it  generally  terminates  in  a  hard  point, 
with  more  or  less  barbs  upon  the  sides.  Posteriorly  the 
typical  woodpecker  tongue  is  extended  in  two  long, 
slender  filaments  of  the  hyoid  bone  which  curl  up  around 
the  back  of  the  skull  and,  while  they  commonly  stop  be- 
tween the  eyes,  in  some  species  they  pass  around  the  eye, 
but  in  others  enter  the  right  nasal  opening  and  extend  to 
the  end  of  the  beak.  In  this  last  case  the  tongue  is  prac- 
tically twice  the  length  of  the  head.  Posteriorly  this  organ 
is  inclosed  in  a  muscular  sheath  by  means  of  which  it  can 
be  extruded  from  the  mouth  to  a  considerable  length,  and 
used  as  a  most  effective  instrument  for  dislodging  grubs  or 
ants  from  their  burrows  in  wood  or  bark.  Hence,  while 
most  birds  have  to  be  content  with  such  insects  as  they 
find  on  the  surface  or  in  open  crevices,  the  woodpeckers 
devote  their  energies  to  those  larvae  or  grubs  which  are 
beneath  the  bark  or  even  in  the  heart  of  the  tree.  They 
locate  their  hidden  prey  with  great  accuracy,  and  often  cut 
small  holes  directly  to  the  burrows  of  the  grubs."  ^ 

Mr.  Forbush  calls  attention  to  the  wonderfully  con- 
structed bead  of  a  woodpecker  "which  is  built  so  that  it 
can  withstand  hard  and  continuous  hammering.  The  skull 
is  very  thick  and  hard.  Its  connection  with  the  beak  is 
strong,  but  at  the  same  time  springy,  and  somewhat  jar- 

2  Bulletin  No.  37,  U,  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[67] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

deadening.  The  membrane  which  surrounds  the  brain 
is  very  thick  and  strong."  ^ 

The  Downy  is  the  smallest  member  of  the  woodpecker 
family  in  North  America,  and  is  one  of  the  most  useful. 
He  is  especially  fond  of  orchards  and  shade  trees, 
and  not  only  devours  insects  that  infest  them  during  the 
spring  and  summer,  but  eats  the  eggs  they  laid  in  the 
crevices  of  the  bark  during  the  winter.  One  Downy  alone 
is  of  inestimable  value  in  an  orchard  or  a  grove.  Mr. 
Forbush  writes  as  follows:  "When  the  Metropolitan 
Park  Commission  first  began  to  set  out  young  trees  along 
the  parkways  of  Boston,  some  species  of  trees  were  at- 
tacked by  borers;  but  the  Downy  Woodpeckers  found  them 
out  and  extracted  the  grubs,  saving  most  of  the  tre^. 

"The  untiring  industry  of  this  bird  and  the  perfection 
of  its  perceptive  powers  may  be  shown  by  the  experience 
of  Mr.  Bailey.  On  March  28,  1899,  a  Downy  Woodpecker 
that  he  watched  climbed  over  and  inspected  one  hundred 
and  eighty-one  woodland  trees  between  9:40  A.  m.  and 
12:15  P.M.,  and  made  twenty-six  excavations  for  food. 
Most  of  these  holes  exposed  galleries  in  the  trunks  in  high 
branches  where  wood-boring  ants  were  hiding.  .  .  .  These 
ants  often  gain  an  entrance  at  some  unprotected  spot  on  a 
living  tree,  and  so  excavate  the  wood  of  the  trunk  that  the 
tree  is  blown  down  by  the  wind.  This  woodpecker  acts  as 
a  continual  check  on  the  increase  of  such  ants."  ^ 

The  Downy  may  easily  be  attracted  to  our  yards  by  a 
piece  of  suet  fastened  securely  to  a  tree.  During  the  past 
winter,  one  has  sought  my  suet-cage,  in  company  with 
chickadees  and  nuthatches.     This  spring  he  brought  his 

3&4From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush, 
pages    245,    246,    252,    253. 

[68] 


THE  DOWNY  WOODPECKER 

mate  to  a  maple  in  front  of  the  house.  He  has  seemed 
excited  and  happy,  and  has  drummed  persistently  on  a 
certain  broken  limb  of  the  tree.  He  has  indulged  in  nu- 
merous rapid  flights  and  his  metallic,  ringing  call. 


[69] 


THE  HAIRY  WOODPECKER 
Woodpecker  Family — Picidoe 

Length:  About  9^  inches;  nearly  ^  larger  than  the  Downy, 
whom  he  resembles  almost  identically  as  to  general 
appearance,  except  in  size. 

Male:  Black  and  white  above;  white  underneath;  broad  white 
stripe  down  the  middle  of  the  back;  head  with  black 
and  white  stripes,  a  red  patch  at  the  back,  and  bris- 
tles at  the  bill;  wings  black,  with  white  stripes  and 
bars;  tail  black,  with  white  outside  feathers;  the  ab- 
sence of  black  flecks  on  the  tail-feathers  and  the 
larger  size  of  the  bird  distinguishes  the  Hairy  from 
the  Downy. 

Female:  Like  male,  except  for  the  absence  of  a  red  patch  on 
the  head. 

Note:  A  loud,  shrill  call,  difficult  to  imitate  or  to  reproduce 
on  paper  for  identification.  The  Hairy  also  "drums" 
on  the  boughs  of  trees;  it  has  no  real  song. 

Habitat:  Tree-trunks  in  woodlands,  rather  than  in  orchards  or 
gardens,  though  I  have  noticed  these  woodpeckers  in 
winter  frequenting  the  trees  of  village  streets  with- 
out shyness  or  fear.  During  the  breeding  season, 
they  remain  in  secluded  spots  in  the  woods. 

Range:  Three  species  of  the  Hairy  Woodpecker  may  be  found 
in   Canada   and   the   United    States;    the   northern 

HAIRY  WOODPECKER,  the  HAIRY  WOODPECKER,  and  the 

SOUTHERN  HAIRY  WOODPECKER.  The  northern  species 
lives  in  the  tree-zone  of  Canada,  and  is  the  largest  of 
the  three;  the  Hairy,  next  in  size,  may  be  found  in 
the  United  States  from  Colorado,  Nebraska,  and 
Oklahoma,  to  the  middle  and  northern  parts  of  the 
Eastern  States.  The  Southern  Hairy,  the  smallest  of 
the  three,  is  a  resident  of  our  southern  section. 
[70] 


THE  HAIRY  WOODPECKER 

THE  Hairy  Woodpecker  is  so  like  his  small  Downy 
relative  in  appearance  and  habits  that  his  character- 
istics are  not  usually  dwelt  upon;  he  is  like  an  older  neg- 
lected cousin  of  a  baby  upon  whom  much  attention  is 
lavished. 

But  he  is  very  worth  while  attracting.  He  is  as  untiring 
as  the  Downy  in  his  quest  for  beetles,  his  favorite  kind  of 
tree-food;  he  is  also  a  lover  of  ants  and  other  "borers." 
His  longer  bill  enables  him  ta  reach  many  that  the  Downy 
cannot.  One  Hairy  Woodpecker  alone  saved  an  entire 
orchard  that  had  become  infested  with  "borers."  One 
tree  had  died  before  he  began  his  rescue-work,  but  he 
saved  all  the  others.^ 

He  likes  the  caterpillars  of  the  cecropia  and  gypsy 
moths.  He  eats  much  vegetable  food,  especially  during 
the  winter;  he  has  been  known  to  take  an  occasional  bite 
of  the  soft  inner  bark  of  trees  and  a  drink  of  sap  which  he 
has  well  earned.  Like  the  Downy,  he  will  eat  suet  in  the 
winter  season. 

Mr.  Forbush  writes:  "While  this  bird  often  excavates 
a  hole  for  winter  shelter,  it  sometimes  sleeps  exposed  on 
a  tree-trunk.  Mr.  Bailey  and  I  once  watched  one  that 
slept  for  many  winter  nights  on  the  north  side  of  a  tree 
trunk  in  a  thick  grove.  It  attached  its  claws  to  the  bark 
and  went  to  sleep  in  much  the  same  position  in  which  it 
ordinarily  climbed  the  tree.  It  invariably  went  to  the 
same  tree  at  night,  and  was  found  in  the  same  place  at 
daylight  every  morning."  ^ 

1  &  2  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection"— E.  H.  Forbush,  pages  259  & 
260. 


[71] 


THE  WHITE-BREASTED  NUTHATCH 

Nuthatch  Family — Sittidce 

Length:     About  6  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  short,  thickset  bird,  blue-gray,  black, 
and  white.     Bill  long;  tail  short  and  square. 

Male:  Mostly  bluish-gray  above;  white  underneath,  shading  to 
reddish-brown  at  sides  and  under  tail;  top  of  head 
and  nape  a  shining  blue-black;  sides  of  head 
and  throat  white;  wings  gray  shading  to  brown, 
edged  and  tipped  with  light  gray  or  white;  shoulders 
gray  and  black;  bill  large  and  strong,  (%  of  an 
inch  in  length) ;  tail  short  and  square-cut;  middle 
feathers  bluish-gray;  outer  ones  black,  with  large 
white  patches  near  tips;  legs  short;  feet  large  and 
strong;  hind  toe  unusually  long,  with  a  long,  sharp 
nail. 

Female:     Head  a  dull  grayish-black;  otherwise  like  male. 

Notes:  A  nasal  crank-crank,  which,  though  not  melodious,  is 
not  unpleasant  to  hear.  Dr.  Chapman  says:  "There 
is  such  a  lack  of  sentiment  in  the  Nuthatch's  char- 
acter, he  seems  so  matter-of-fact  in  all  his  ways,  that 
it  is  difficult  to  imagine  him  indulging  in  anything 
like  song.  But  even  he  cannot  withstand  the  con- 
quering influences  of  spring,  and  at  that  season  he 
raises  his  voice  in  a  peculiar  monotone — a  tenor 
hah-hah-hah-hah-hah — sounding  strangely  like  mirth- 
less laughter."  ^ 

Flight:     Undulating. 

Habitat:     Trunks    of  trees,   which   he   ascends  and   descends. 

^  From  "BirHs  of  Eastern  North  America,"  by  Frank  M.  Chapman. 

[72] 


NUTHATCH 


THE  WHITE-BREASTED  NUTHATCH 

The  other  tree-trunk  birds,  except  the  black  and 
white  warbler,  usually  ascend  trees. 
Range:  North  America,  east  of  the  Plains.  A  permanent  resi- 
dent, though  irregularly  distributed.  Breeds  from 
central  Canada  to  the  northern  parts  of  the  Gulf 
States. 

OF  the  so-called  tree-trunk  birds,  none  are  easier  to 
identify  than  nuthatches,  because  of  their  habit 
of  descending  trees.  Woodpeckers  jerk  themselves  up  a 
tree  somewhat  as  men  might  ascend  telegraph-poles  or 
smooth  slippery  palm  trees.  Creepers  wind  spirally  about 
trunks  in  a  gentle,  unobtrusive  manner.  Both  wood- 
peckers and  creepers  use  their  sharply-pointed  tails  as 
props.  Not  so  the  nuthatches.  They  care  not  how  they 
go — "uphill  or  down  dale" — all  is  one  to  them.  They  are 
as  sure-footed  as  burros  descending  the  Grand  Canyon. 
If  they  depart  from  their  trail,  and  decide  to  leap  from 
crag  to  crag  of  their  arboreal  cliffs,  they  alight  on  their 
strong  feet  with  something  of  the  assurance  of  a  cat. 
Their  tails  are  not  necessary  to  them  as  supports. 

It  is  interesting  to  inquire  into  the  reasons  for  curious 
habits  of  birds.  In  the  economy  of  Nature  one  finds  mar- 
velous adaptations  and  harmonies.  Mr.  Francis  H. 
Allen,  in  his  delightful  sketch  written  for  the  National  As- 
sociation of  Audubon  Societies,  speaks  of  the  nuthatch  as 
"filling  a  gap  in  nature"  by  approaching  his  prey  from  an 
angle  not  possible  to  woodpeckers  and  creepers.  Mr. 
Allen  says:  "He  would  not  have  adopted  so  unusual  a 
method  of  feeding  if  it  had  not  stood  him  in  good  stead. 
I  suspect  that  by  approaching  his  prey  from  above  he  de- 
tects insects  and  insect-eggs  in  the  crevices  of  the  bark 
which  would  be  hidden  from  another  point  of  view.     The 

[73] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

woodpeckers  and  the  creepers  can  take  care  of  the  rest. 
Of  course  these  other  birds  get  something  of  a  downward 
view  as  they  bend  their  heads  forward,  but  the  Nuthatch 
has  the  advantage  of  seeing,  before  he  gets  to  them,  some 
insects  which  even  a  Brown  Creeper's  gentle  approach 
would  scare  into  closer  hiding  in  their  holes  and  cran- 
nies." 2 

In  addition  to  beetles,  moths,  caterpillars,  ants,  and 
wasps,  the  nuthatch  eats  seeds,  waste  grain,  and  nuts  such 
as  acorns,  beechnuts,  and  chestnuts.^  His  habit  of  wedg- 
ing nuts  into  some  crevice  that  will  hold  them  securely,  and 
then  using  his  strong  bill  as  a  hatchet  to  "hatch"  open  the 
nuts  is  well-known.  From  that  habit  he  derives  his  name, 
which  Mr.  Forbush  says  originated  probably  from  nuthack 
or  nuthacker.  The  bird  does  much  good,  and  no  harm 
that  is  known. 

He  is  active  and  cheerful,  inquisitive,  and  intelligent. 
He  makes  an  interesting  winter  companion.  During  an 
ice-storm  in  Asheville,  N.  C,  a  nuthatch  was  attracted  by 
fragments  of  bread  scattered  for  the  hungry  winter  birds 
during  their  famine  time.  This  nuthatch  pounced  on 
large  crumbs  so  greedily  and  purloined  them  so  rapidly 
that  my  sisters  feared  he  would  die  of  acute  indigestion! 
They  finally  discovered  that  he  had  wedged  the  crumbs 
into  large  crevices  in  the  bark  of  a  tree  near  by,  and  had 
stowed  one  good-sized  crust  in  a  hole  in  a  telegraph-pole. 
When  he  had  appropriated  most  of  the  bread,  he  spent  the 
day  feasting,  going  from  one  store  house  to  another. 

A  nuthatch  in  Massachusetts  frequently  sought  an  im- 

2  Educational  Leaflet  No.  59. 

3  Farmers'  Bulletin  513 — Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

[74] 


THE  WHITEBREASTED  NUTHATCH 

provised  feeding-table  made  from  a  bluebird's  nesting- 
box.  One  cold  morning  the  owner  saw  him  emerging  from 
the  box,  where  he  had  evidently  "spent  the  night  sitting  on 
his  breakfast,"  literally  seated  in  the  lap  of  luxury.  He 
reminded  me  of  that  delicious  tale  I  loved  to  read  and  con- 
template during  childhood, — of  the  children  who  lived  in 
a  candy  house  and  ate  their  way  out  of  it! 

Another  New  England  nuthatch,  one  that  I  watched  at 
my  feeding-table,  at  first  made  rapid  inroads  upon  the  suet- 
cage,  storing  pieces  in  the  cracks  of  a  tree  near  by.  I  saw 
him  tuck  one  large  crumb  beneath  a  warped  shingle  of  the 
chicken-house,  evidently  laying  it  up  for  an  icy  day,  in- 
stead of  the  proverbial  rainy  one.  When  an  unusually  se- 
vere ice-storm  occurred,  he  returned  to  his  store  house 
and  the  crumb  disappeared.  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  hav- 
ing assisted  him  in  his  dire  need. 


[75] 


THE  RED-BREASTED  NUTHATCH 

Nuthatch  Family — Sittidce 

THE  Red-breasted  Nuthatch  is  very  similar  to  its 
white-breasted  cousin  except  that  it  is  smaller, 
(4/4  to  5  inches),  and  is  yellowish  or  ^'rusty^*  underneath, 
(except  for  a  white  throat),  has  a  white  stripe  on  each  side 
of  its  black  crown,  and  a  black  stripe  extending  through 
the  eye.  The  head  of  the  female  is  gray,  with  white  and 
gray  stripes. 

This  species  is  not  so  well  known  as  the  white-breasted 
nuthatch,  because  it  frequents  coniferous  forests  or  woods 
that  contain  evergreens.  It  breeds  from  the  Upper  Yukon 
Valley,  central  Canada,  and  northern  United  States,  and 
winters  as  far  south  as  lower  California,  New  Mexico, 
Arizona,  and  the  Gulf  Coast. 

Mr.  Allen  says  of  this  bird:  "To  those  who  know  it  the 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch  is  dear  out  of  all  proportion  to  its 
size  and  its  musical  attainments.  It  is  livelier  than  its  big 
cousin,  and  prettier  in  its  markings,  and  there  is  something 
particularly  fetching  about  its  quaint  little  form.  It  is 
even  less  of  a  songster  than  the  white-breasted  species,  for 
prolongations  and  repetitions  of  its  call-note  seem  to  be 
all  it  has  that  can  pass  for  a  song.  This  call-note  can  be 
rendered  as  aap.  It  is  nasal,  like  that  of  the  White- 
breasted  Nuthatch,  but  much  higher  in  pitch,  more  drawl- 
ing, and  lacks  the  r.  It  has  been  happily  likened  to  the 
sound  of  a  tiny  trumpet  or  tin  horn. 

[76] 


THE  RED-BREASTED  NUTHATCH 

"The  habits  of  the  Red-breasted  Nuthatch  are  so  like 
those  of  the  White-breasted  that  much  that  I  have  said 
about  that  species  is  applicable  to  this.  The  most  striking 
difference  is  in  the  favorite  haunts  of  the  two  birds,  the 
Red-breasted  preferring  the  coniferous  woods,  or  mixed 
woods  tliat  contain  a  large  proportion  of  evergreens.  In 
those  winters  when  they  are  found  in  southern  New  Eng- 
land, they  come  freely  to  the  neighborhood  of  man's  dwell- 
ings and  feed  familiarly  on  the  supplies  provided  for  the 
winter  birds,  but  even  there  they  show  their  partiality  for 
coniferous  trees.  They  are  particularly  fond  of  the  seeds 
of  pines  and  spruces,  so  that  they  are  much  more  vegetar- 
ian than  their  white-breasted  cousins.  They  have  the 
same  habit  of  hiding  their  savings  in  cracks  and  crev- 
ices." ^ 

1  Educational  Leaflet  No.  59,  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies. 


[77] 


THE  BROWN  CREEPER 

Creeper  Family— Certhiidce 

Length:     About  5^  inches. 

Male  and  Female;  Brown  above,  mottled  with  gray,  buff,  and 
white;  under  parts  white.  A  whitish  line  aver  eye; 
bill  long,  curved;  a  bar  of  buff  across  wings;  tail- 
feathers  long,  sharply  pointed;  upper  tail-coverts 
bright  reddish-brown. 

Note:     A  faint,  monotonous,  skreek-skreek,  skreek-skreek. 

Song:  According  to  Brewster,  the  brown  creeper  sings  an  un- 
usually sweet  song  during  the  nesting  season. 

Habitat:  Tree-trunks,  which  are  carefully  inspected  by  these 
industrious  birds. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  Nebraska,  In- 
diana, the  mountains  of  North  Carolina  «nd  Massa- 
chusetts north  to  southern  Canada;  also  in  the 
mountains  of  western  North  America  from  Alaska  to 
Nicaragua;  winters  over  most  of  its  range. 

THE  Brown  Creeper  should  inherit  the  earth,  for  he 
is  one  of  the  -most  perfect  examples  of  meekness 
that  may  be  found.  Small,  slight,  self-effacing,  untiring 
in  his  work,  he  reminds  one  of  a  quiet  industrious  person 
who  performs  unremittingly  small  tasks  that  amount  to  a 
large  total. 

He  is  a  searcher  for  insect-eggs,  and  for  insects  so  small 
that  they  might  escape  the  notice  of  eyes  not  peculiarly 
fitted  to  espy  them.  His  long  bill  is  slender  enough  to 
slip  into  -crevices  which  neither  nuthatches  nor  woodpeck- 
ers investigate.     Possibly  it  is  because  he  selects  such  tiny 

[78] 


HROWN    CREKPEK 


THE  BROWN  CREEPER 

particles  of  food  that  he  must  work  so  industriously  in  or- 
der to  get  enough  to  eat.  He  seems  always  in  a  hurry. 
Mr.  Frank  Chapman  has  humorously  described  the  brown 
creeper  as  follows: 

"After  watching  him  for  several  minutes,  one  becomes 
impressed  with  the  fact  that  he  has  lost  the  only  thing  in 
the  world  he  ever  cared  for,  and  that  his  one  object  in  life 
is  to  find  it.  Ignoring  you  completely,  with  scarcely  a 
pause,  he  winds  his  way  in  a  preoccupied,  near-sighted 
manner  up  a  tree-trunk.  Having  finally  reached  the  top 
of  his  spiral  staircase,  one  might  suppose  he  would  rest 
long  enough  to  survey  his  surroundings,  but  like  a  bit  of 
loosened  bark  he  drops  off  to  the  base  of  the  nearest  tree 
and  resumes  his  never-ending  task."  * 

The  creeper  is  not  easy  to  find.  He  is  so  wonderfully 
protected  by  his  dull  brown  feathers  that  he  looks  more 
like  an  animated  lichen  than  a  bird.  His  nest  is  a  clev- 
erly camouflaged  affair,  tucked  behind  loose  bark  and 
often  containing  eight  whitish  eggs  about  the  size  of 
beans. 

We  are  surprised  to  learn  that  this  patient,  hard-working 
little  creature  has  the  soul  of  a  poet.  His  sweet  nesting 
song,  reserved  for  his  mate  brooding  in  the  woods, 
breathes  exquisite  tenderness  and  beauty. 

^  From  "Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,"  by  Frank  M.  Giapman. 


[79] 


THE  STARLING 

Starling  Family — Sturnidce 

Length:     About  S^/.  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  short-tailed,  long-billed  black  bird 
with  flecks  of  brown  that  look  like  freckles. 

Male  and  Female:  Head  purple,  flecked  with  light  brown 
spots;  body  purple  and  green,  the  purple  predom- 
inating on  back  and  sides,  the  green  on  the  breast. 
In  summer,  the  upper  parts  and  sides  are  speckled, 
the  breast  and  belly  dark,  and  the  bill  yellow.  In 
winter,  the  upper  parts  are  spotted  with  light  brown, 
the  under  parts  with  white;  the  bill  is  brown  until 
January,  when  it  begins  to  turn  yellow. 

Notes:  Squeaks  and  gurgles,  interspersed  with  pleasant  musi- 
cal notes.  A  flock  of  starlings  make  a  great  deal 
of  noise. 

Range:  Numerous  starlings  live  in  the  Eastern  Hemisphere. 
A  number  of  them  were  brought  to  America  in  1890 
and  released  in  Central  Park,  New  York  City.  They 
have  increased  in  number  and  enlarged  their  range 
greatly.  They  have  spread  northward  and  south- 
ward; they  are  now  reasonably  common  near  Boston 
and  Washington,  as  well  as  New  York  and  other 
places  In  the  East. 

IN  the  winter,  starlings  are  easily  identified,  because 
they  are  the  only  black  birds  smaller  than  crows  to  be 
found  in  some  localities.  In  the  springs  they  may  be 
readily  distinguished  from  grackles  because  they  have 
yellow  bills,  dark  eyes,  and  short,  square  tails,  while 

[80] 


THE  STARLING 

grackles  have  dark  bills,  yellow  eyes,  and  long  tails. 
Both  starlings  and  grackles  are  iridescent;  a  near  view  re- 
veals the  spotted  plumage  of  the  starlings  and  the  irides- 
cent bars  on  the  backs  of  the  purple  grackles. 

Major  Bendire  says  that  starlings  possess  unusual  adapt- 
ability and  can  make  their  nests  in  a  great  variety  of 
places.  Accusations  are  brought  against  them  for  driving 
away  bluebirds  and  even  flickers.  It  remains  to  be 
seen  how  much  harm  is  done  to  our  native  birds  in  this 
way. 

There  are  different  opinions  regarding  the  economic 
value  of  Old  World  starlings.  Mr.  Forbush  tells  of  an 
Australian  locust  invasion  near  Ballarat,  Victoria,  which 
made  terrible  havoc  with  crops.  "It  was  feared  that  all 
the  sheep  would  have  to  be  sold  for  want  of  grass,  when 
flocks  of  Starlings,  Spoon-bills,  and  Cranes  made  their  ap- 
pearance and  in  a  few  days  made  so  complete  a  destruc- 
tion of  the  locusts  that  only  about  forty  acres  of  grass  were 
lost."  Mr.  Forbush  gives  also  "the  experience  of  the  for- 
est authorities  in  Bavaria  during  the  great  and  destructive 
outbreak  of  the  nun  moth  which  occurred  there  from  1889 
to  1891.  The  flight  of  Starlings  collected  in  one  locality 
alone  was  creditably  estimated  at  ten  thousand,  all  busily 
feeding  on  the  caterpillars,  pupae  and  moths.  The  attrac- 
tion of  Starlings  to  such  centers  became  so  great  that 
market-gardeners  at  a  distance  felt  their  absence  seri- 
ously." ^ 

In  an  article  by  E.  R.  Kalmbach  of  the  Biological  Sur- 
vey, published  in  "The  Auk"  of  April,  1922,  and  entitled 
"A  Comparsion  of  the  Food  Habits  of  British  and  Amer- 

^  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  pp.  65 
and  17. 

[81] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

ican  Starlings,"  occur  the  following  statements  by  Dr. 
Walter  E.  Collinge,  the  eminent  Scotch  biologist: 

"The  Starling  offers  a  most  serious  menace  to  the  pro- 
duction of  home-grown  food,  and  any  further  increase  in 
its  numbers  can  only  be  fraught  with  the  most  serious  con- 
sequences." He  says  also,  "For  many  years  past  there 
has  been  taking  place  a  sure  but  gradual  change  of  opin- 
ion with  reference  to  the  economic  status  of  the  Starling, 
for  from  one  of  our  most  useful  wild  birds  it  has  become 
one  of  the  most  injurious.  Its  alarming  increase  through- 
out the  country  threatens  our  cereal  and  fruit  crops,  and 
the  magnitude  of  the  plague  is  now  fully  realized."  He 
states  further,  "There  is  fairly  reasonable  evidence  to  show 
that  in  the  past  the  bulk  of  the  food  consisted  of  insects 
and  insect  larvae,  slugs,  snails,  earthworms,  millepeds, 
weed  seeds,  and  wild  fruits;  in  more  recent  years,  this  has 
been  supplemented  by  cereals  and  cultivated  fruits  and 
roots." 

Mr.  Kalmbach  reports  a  better  record  for  the  starling 
in  America,  and  refers  to  the  decision  made  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  reported  in  Bulletin  868: 

"Most  of  the  Starling's  food-habits  have  been  demon- 
strated to  be  either  beneficial  to  man  or  of  a  neutral  char- 
acter. Furthermore,  it  has  been  found  that  the  time  the 
bird  spends  in  destroying  crops  or  in  molesting  other  birds 
is  extremely  short  compared  with  the  endless  hours  it 
spends  searching  for  insects  or  feeding  on  wild  fruits. 
Nevertheless,  no  policy  would  be  sound  which  would  give 
the  bird  absolute  protection  and  afford  no  relief  to  the 
farmer  whose  crops  are  threatened  by  a  local  overabun- 
dance of  the  species.  .  .  .  The  individual  farmer  will  be 

[82] 


THE  STARLING 

well  rewarded  by  allowing  a  reasonable  number  of  Star- 
lings to  conduct  their  nesting  operations  on  the  farm. 
Later  in  the  season  a  little  vigilance  will  prevent  these 
easily  frightened  birds  from  exacting  an  unfair  toll  for 
services  rendered." 


[83] 


THE  NORTHERN  SHRIKE  OR  BUTCHER-BIRD 

Shrike  Family — Laniidos 

Length:     A  little  over  10  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Gray  above,  lighter  underneath;  forehead, 
rump,  and  uppef  tail-coverts  white;  wings  black, 
irregularly  marked  with  white;  tail  black,  bordered 
with  whitp;  a  heavy  black  streak  extendin,g  from  the 
bill  beyond  the  eye;  bill  hooked  and  blackish. 

Notes:     A  call-note  and  a  sweet  song. 

Habitat:  Fields  or  roadsides  where  it  can  find  insects,  small 
rodents,  and  little  birds  for  its  prey. 

Range:  Northern  North  America.  Breeds  from  northwestern 
Alaska  and  northern  Canada  to  the  base  of  the 
Alaskan  Peninsula,  Saskatchewan,  Ontario,  and  Que- 
bec; winters  south  to  central  California,  Arizona, 
New  Mexico,  Texas,  Kentucky,  and  Virginia. 

The  LOGGERHEAD  SHRIKE,  a  resident  of  the  South- 
ern States,  is  similar  to  the  Northern  Shrike  but 
smaller.  It  is  found  from  southern  Florida  to  North 
Carolina  and  west  to  Louisiana.  Northward  this 
species  is  represented  by  the  migrant  shrike,  nest- 
ing locally  from  Virginia  and"  eastern  Kansas  to  the 
southern  border  of  Canada. 

SHRIKES  or  Butcher-Birds  are  attractive  to  look  at,  but 
have  a  habit  which  renders  them  extremely  unpop- 
ular. They  pursue  small  rodents  and  little  birds  and  im- 
pale them  upon  sharp  twigs,  thorns,  or  barbed  wire  fences. 
In  excuse  for  these  cruel  acts,  it  must  be  said  that  they 
have  not  strong,  sharp  talons  like  hawks  and  owls;  in  order 
to  tear  their  prey  to  pieces,  there  must  be  a  way  of  holding 

[84] 


THE  NORTHERN  SHRIKE  OR  BUTCHER-BIRD 

it  firmly.  ^  One  agrees  with  Mr.  Forbush,  however,  in  his 
estimate  of  the  habit.     He  says: 

"The  Shrike  or  Butcher-Bird  is  regarded  as  beneficial; 
but  our  winter  visitor,  the  Northern  Shrike,  kills  many 
small  birds.  It  pursues  Tree  Sparrows,  Juncos,  Song 
Sparrows,  and  Chickadees,  overtakes  and  strikes  them 
while  they  are  in  flight,  sometimes  eating  them,  but  oftener 
leaving  them  to  hang  on  trees,  where  they  furnish  food 
for  other  birds.  When  one  sees  the  little  Butcher  killing 
Chickadees  and  hanging  them  up,  his  faith  in  its  useful- 
ness receives  a  great  shock.  Shrikes  are  probably  of  less 
value  here  than  in  their  northern  homes,  where  in  summer 
they  feed  much  on  insects.  Their  chief  utility  while  here 
[in  Massachusetts]  consists  in  their  mouse-hunting  pro- 
clivities." ^ 

Their  habit  of  killing  English  sparrows  and  thus  getting 
rid  of  a  nuisance  has  been  commended.  Shrikes  are  like- 
wise destroyers  of  grasshoppers,  crickets,  beetles,  and 
other  insects. 

"Like  birds  of  prey  and  some  other  birds,  the  Butcher- 
Bird  habitually  disgorges  the  indigestible  part  of  its  food 
after  digesting  the  nutritive  portion.  The  bones  and  hair 
of  mice  are  rolled  into  compact  pellets  in  the  stomach 
before  being  disgorged."  * 

1  &  2  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  page 
370. 
8  Farmers'  Bulletin  506,  U.  S.  Dept,  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 


[85] 


DESCRIPTIONS  AND  BIOGRAPHIES 

OF 
OUR  EARLY  SPRING  BIRDS 

PART  THREE 


EARLY  SPRING  BIRDS 

ON  a  mild  day  late  in  February  or  early  in  March, 
before  winter  is  really  over  and  snow  has  entirely 
disappeared,  one  may  hear  the  cheerful  voice  of  the  song 
sparrow,  the  welcome  chirp  of  the  robin,  or  the  sweet  note 
of  the  bluebird.  Even  though  ice  and  snow  return,  cour- 
age is  renewed  with  the  advent  of  winged  messengers  who 
presage  the  ever  fresh  miracle  of  spring,  and  who  hold 
home-love  in  their  hearts  so  strong  that  they  brave  cold 
and  distance  to  return  to  the  "Land  of  Their  Hearts'  De- 
sire. 

As  the  season  advances,  other  birds  arrive.  A  "dusky 
line"  of  wild  geese  "honk"  noisily;  flocks  of  grackles 
"creak"  from  the  pines;  red-winged  blackbirds  join  the 
hylas  in  awakening  the  marshes;  phoebes  call  disconso- 
lately for  their  mates;  fox  sparrows,  chewinks,  and  white- 
throats  sing  melodiously  from  thickets;  cowbirds  appear 
in  fields,  which  ring  with  the  clear  songs  of  meadowlarks 
and  the  tender  notes  of  field  and  vesper  sparrows. 
Mourning  doves  coo  gently  to  each  other;  chipping  spar- 
rows make  their  homes  in  our  gardens;  kingfishers  sound 
their  rattles;  flickers  and  red-headed  woodpeckers  raise 
their  loud  voices.  The  hills  "clap  their  hands  with  joy"; 
the  earth  shows  a  flush  of  green  and  gold ;  trees  and  shrubs 
are  touched  with  colors  more  exquisite  than  in  autumn; 
wild-flowers  carpet  the  woods  and  fields,  and  brooks  join 
in  the  chorus  of  bird-song. 

As  the  birds  appear,  it  is  not  difficult  to  distinguish 

[89] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

them,  if  one  begins  before  the  great  migration  of  late 
April  or  early  May,  and  goes  forth  with  alert  senses  and 
infinite  patience  and  perseverance.  With  a  reliable  guide- 
book, a  learner  may  be  reasonably  sure  of  the  early 
migrants,  because  only  certain  species  of  large  and  con- 
fusing families  are  to  be  found  during  March  and  early 
April. 

In  watching  birds,  a  student  learns  to  observe  with  light- 
ning speed;  to  note  color  and  comparative  size;  distin- 
guishing marks  such  as  crests  or  striped  crowns,  spots  on 
breast  or  throat,  bars  on  wings  or  tail;  the  length  and 
shape  of  bill,  wings,  tail,  and  legs.  He  learns  also  to 
notice  whether  the  bird  walks,  runs,  hops,  or  "teeters"; 
whether  its  flight  is  swift  or  slow,  direct  like  a  robin's,  un- 
dulating like  a  goldfinch's,  soaring  like  that  of  hawks 
and  eagles,  labored  or  jerky  like  woodpeckers',  or  graceful 
and  "skimming"  like  that  of  swallows. 

A  careful  observer  notices  also  whether  the  bird  was 
seen  in  a  plowed  field  or  a  grassy  pasture;  by  a  roadside 
or  in  a  thicket;  in  an  orchard  or  an  open  grove;  in  deep 
woods  or  coniferous  forests;  in  a  treetop,  on  a  tree-trunk, 
on  the  ground;  near  a  stream,  a  pond,  or  a  marsh;  near  a 
sandy  or  a  rocky  shore;  in  an  arid  region,  or  among  moun- 
tains. 

A  sure  means  of  identification  for  many  species  is  the 
song  or  the  call-note.  The  songs  of  some  birds  are  similar 
to  those  of  others,  but  there  is  usually  a  characteristic  note 
or  strain.  When  beginning  my  study  of  birds,  I  traced 
every  sound  I  could  to  its  source,  waited  till  I  saw  the 
author  of  the  note  or  song,  listened  till  I  learned  it,  could 
reproduce  it,  or  at  least  be  sure  of  future  recognition.  I 
found  that  the  training  of  my  sense  of  hearing  opened  an 

[90] 


EARLY  SPRING  BIRDS 

avenue  of  enjoyment  of  which  I  had  been  utterly  uncon- 
scious; many  others  testify  to  a  similar  pleasure.  Tho- 
reau  speaks  repeatedly  of  his  joy  in  sound  and  even  in 
silence.  Truly  the  voice  of  God  may  thus  be  heard  and 
His  infinite  power  further  revealed. 


MIGRATION  LISTS 


Dates  of  Arrival  of  "Summer  Visitants'* 
Near  New  York  City 


February  15  to  28 
Purple  Grackle 
Rusty  Blackbird 
Red-winged  Blackbird 
Robin 
Winter  Residents  and  Visitants 

BIRDS   SEEN   IN   MARCH 


March  10  to  20 
Phoebe 
Meadowlark 
Cowbird 
Fox  Sparrow 
Woodcock 

March  20  to  31 


Kingfisher 
Winter  Residents  Leaving  For     ^ouming  Dove 

The  North 
Snowflake 
Northern  Shrike 
Horned  Lark 
Redpoll 
Migrants   Arriving   From   The 

South 


Swamp  Sparrow 
White-throated  'Sparrow 
Wilson's  Snipe 

BIRDS    SEEN    IN    APRIL 


Canada  Goose 

Loon 

4  species  of  Ducks 

March  1  to  10 
Purple  Grackle 
Red-winged  Blackbird 
Rusty  Blackbird 
Robin 


Winter  Residents  Leaving  For 

The  North 
Junco 

Tree  Sparrow 
Winter  Wren 
Brown  Creeper 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet 
Migrants   Arriwng   From   The 

South 

[91] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 


April  1  to  10 
Great  Blue  Heron 
Black-crowned  Night  Heron 
Osprey 

Vesper  Sparrow 
Field  Sparrow 
Chipping  Sparrow 
Tree  Swallow 
Myrtle  Warbler 
Hermit  Thrush 

April  10  to  20 
Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker 
Barn  Swallow 
Yellow  Palm  Warbler 
Pine  Warbler 
Louisiana  Water-thrush 
Ruby-crowned  Kinglet 
Green  Heron 

April  20  to  30 
Whip-poor-will 
Chimney  Swift 
Least  Flycatcher 
Towhee 
Purple  Martin 
Cliff  Swallow 
Bank  Swallow 
Rough-winged  Swallow 
Black  and  White  Warbler 
Black-throated  Green  Warbler 
Brown  Thrasher 
Spotted  Sandpiper 

BIRDS  ARRIVING  IN  MAY 

May  1  to  10 
Yellow-billed  Cuckoo 
Black-billed  Cuckoo 


Nighthawk 

Ruby-throated  Hummingbird 

Crested  Flycatcher 

Kingbird 

Baltimore  Oriole 

Bobolink 

Indigo  Bunting 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeak 

Scarlet  Tanager 

Red-eyed  Vireo 

Warbling  Vireo 

Yellow-throated  Vireo 

White-eyed  Vireo 

Blue-winged  Warbler 

Parula  Warbler 

Black-throated  Blue  Warbler 

Magnolia  Warbler 

Yellow-breasted  Chat 

Chestnut-sided  Warbler 

Hooded  Warbler 

Yellow  Warbler 

Maryland  Yellow-throat 

Oven-bird 

Redstart 

House  Wren 

Catbird 

Wood  Thrush 

Veery 

May  10  to  20 
Wood  Pewee 
White-crowned  Sparrow 
Golden-winged  Warbler 
Worm-eating  Warbler 
Blackburnian  Warbler 
Bay-breasted  Warbler 
Black-poll  Warbler 
Wilson's  Warbler 

[92] 


EARLY  SPRING  BIRDS 


Canadian  Warbler 
Marsh  Wrens 
Olive-backed  Thrush 
Gray-cheeked  Thrush 
Bicknell's  Thrush 

SUMMER  VISITORS  THAT 
BREED  FARTHER  SOUTH  AND  ARE 
OCCASIONALLY  SEEN  NEAR 
NEW  YORK 

Red-bellied  Woodpecker 
Summer  Tanager 
Carolina  Chickadee 
Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher 
Mockingbird 

Numerous  Water-birds  that  nest 
in  the  Antarctic  regions  visit 
our  shores  during  the  summer. 

FALL  MIGRATION 

Summer  Residents  Leaving  For 
The  South 
September  1  to  10 
Orchard  Oriole 
Rough-winged  Swallow 
Worm-eating  Warbler 
Blue-winged  Warbler 

September  10  to  20 
Baltimore  Oriole 
Purple  Martin 
Yellow  Warbler 
Yellow-breasted  Chat 

September  20  to  30 
Green  Heron 
Hummingbird 
Kingbird 


Crested  Flycatcher 
Wood  Pewee 
Rose-breasted  Grosbeak 
Yellow-throated  Vireo 
Warbling  Vireo 
Hooded  Warbler 
Louisiana  Water-thrush 
Veery 

Migrants   Arriving  From    Tlie 
North 
September  1  to  10 
Black-poll   Warbler 
Connecticut  Warbler 

September  10  to  20 
Wilson's  Snipe 

Olive-backed  Thrush  ^ 

Bicknell's  Thrush 

September  20  to  30 
Herring  Gull 
Junco 

White-throated  Sparrow 
White-crowned  Sparrow 
Myrtle  Warbler 
Yellow  Palm  Warbler 
Brown  Creeper 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet 
Ruby-crowned  Kinglet 
Winter  Wren 
Gray-cheeked  Thrush 

October  1  to  10 
Black-crowned  Night  Heron 
Yellow-billed  Cuckoo 
Black-billed  Cuckoo 
Chimney   Swift 
Least  Flycatcher 
Bobolink 
Indigo  Bunting 
Scarlet  Tanager 


[93] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 


Cliff  Swallow 

Barn  Swallow 

Bank  Swallow 

White-eyed  Vireo 

Black  and  White  Warbler 

Oven-bird 

Redstart 

Wood  Thrush 

October  10  to  20 
Spotted  Sandpiper 
Whip-poor-will 
Nighthawk 
Red-eyed  Vireo 
Maryland  Yellow-throat 
Catbird 

Brown  Thrasher 
House  Wren 
Marsh  Wren 

October  20  to  31 
Phoebe 
Towhee 
Tree  Swallow 

Migrants   Arriving   From   The 
North 

October  1  to  10 
Bronzed  Crackle 
Rusty  Blackbird 
Hermit  Thrush 


Canada  Goose 

Loon 

Pintail  and  Mallard  Ducks 

October  10  to  20 
Fox  Sparrow 

October  20  to  31 
Horned  Lark 
Tree  Sparrow 
Snowflake 
Redpoll 
Northern  Shrike 

NOVEMBER 

Migrants     Leaving     For     The 

South 
Mourning  Dove 
Belted  Kingfisher 
Cowbird 

Red-winged  Blackbird 
Purple  Crackle 
Vesper  Sparrow 
Chipping  Sparrow 
Field  Sparrow 

BIRDS  SEEN  IN  DECEMBER 

Permanent  Residents 

Winter  Residents  and  Visitants 


It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  earliest  arrivals  in  the 
spring  are  the  last  to  migrate  in  the  fall.  The  reason  is 
the  food-supply.  The  insectivorous  birds  arrive  later  and 
leave  earlier  than  those  that  have  a  more  varied  diet.  An 
unusually  severe  winter  sends  birds  south  of  their  usual 
winter  range. 

The  dates  of  migration  must  necessarily  vary  with  lati- 

[94] 


EARLY  SPRING  BIRDS 

tude.  Migrants  arrive  near  Washington  a  week  or  two 
earlier  than  near  New  York  City,  and  near  Boston  a  few 
days  later.  The  lateness  of  the  spring  sometimes  causes 
a  delay  of  a  week  or  two.  The  May  arrivals  appear  more 
nearly  on  schedule.  After  May  15  birds  begin  to  de- 
crease in  number,  the  "Transient  Visitors"  passing  farther 
north;  by  June  5  we  have  with  us  our  "Permanent  Resi- 
dents" and  "Summer  Residents." 

In  the  fall  the  mildness  of  a  season  may  cause  Novem- 
ber migrants  to  remain  into  December,  or  an  open  winter 
may  tempt  those  that  habitually  migrate  only  a  short  dis- 
tance to  remain  north  of  their  usual  winter  range. 


[95] 


THE  AMERICAN  ROBIN 

Thrush  Family — TurdidcB 

Length:     10  inches. 

Male:  Head  black;  bill  yellow;  a  white  spot  above  and  below 
eye;  throat  white,  streaked  with  black;  back  and 
wings  gray;  tail  black,  with  white  spots  near  tips  of 
outer  feathers;  white  beneath  tail;  entire  breast  and 
sides  reddish-brown;  color  less  brilliant  in  autumn 
and  winter,  and  bill  darker. 

Young  Female:     Paler  than  male. 

Young:  Similar  to  female,  except  for  speckled  breasts  and 
backs. 

Call-note:  A  sharp  tut,  used  to  express  anger  or  alarm;  also 
a  sweet  tender  note,  with  which  it  encourages  its 
young  or  converses  with  its  mate. 

Song:  A  loud,  clear  morning  song,  Cheer-up,  cheer-up,  cheer- 
up,  cheer-up,  sweeter  and  more  subdued  toward 
evening.  The  song  varies  decidedly  with  different 
individuals.  Many  robins  seem  to  enjoy  improvi- 
sations; we  may  hear  them  sing  their  somewhat  mo- 
notonous strain  with  pleasing  variations.  During 
their  sojourn  in  the  South  they  sing  but  little,  and 
live  in  flocks  remote  from  human  habitations;  con- 
sequently they  are  not  loved  as  they  are  in  the 
North. 

Range:  North  America,  breeding  from  the  tree-limit  south  to 
the  northern  part  of  the  Gulf  States  and  Mexican 
tableland;  in  winter,  to  Florida  and  the  highlands 
of  Guatemala. 

NONE  of  our  birds  is  so  well-known  and  so  univer- 
sally beloved  as  the  robin.     He,  together  with  the 
song  sparrow  and  the  bluebird,  arrives  at  a  time  when  we 

[96] 


ROBIN 


THE  AMERICAN  ROBIN 

are  weary  of  winter  and  yearning  for  spring.  He  seems 
to  show  so  much  eagerness  to  return  to  us  that  he  receives 
a  hearty  welcome.  He  is  the  first  bird  that  we  knew  in 
childhood,  unless  it  be  the  English  sparrow;  our  earliest 
books  were  filled  with  tales  and  poems  concerning  him. 
Most  of  us  have  a  fund  of  anecdotes  that  we  could  relate. 

A  robin  has  distinct  individuality.  His  is  a  many-sided 
nature.  He  is  cheerful  and  optimistic,  aggressive  and 
fearless,  pugnacious  and  ardent — like  the  brave  Lochin- 
var,  "so  daring  in  love  and  so  dauntless  in  war," — yet 
withal  tender,  joyous,  and  lovable.  He  is  a  fighter  at 
mating  time,  but  a  gentle  husband. 

There  are  few  bird-choruses  as  sweet  as  robins'  rain- 
song  or  even-song.  I  recall  a  flock  of  these  happy  birds 
singing  from  maple-tops  in  a  little  village  nestled  beside 
a  brawling  river,  when  patches  of  brown  earth  showed  be- 
neath melting  snow,  and  heavy  rain-clouds  broke  away 
to  reveal  a  golden  western  sky.  The  robins  sang  with  the 
joy  that  my  own  heart  felt  at  the  renewal  of  life  on  the 
earth.  I  once  heard  their  even-song  in  an  elm-shaded  col- 
lege-town of  Massachusetts  during  a  lovely  Sunday  eve- 
ning in  June,  when  church-bells  rang  and  robins  held  a 
vesper  service  all  their  own.  My  sister  and  I  walked  be- 
neath the  great  arched  trees  and  found  ourselves  speaking 
in  whispers,  as  was  our  habit  in  the  cathedrals  of  the  Old 
World. 

The  robin's  tut-tut,  or  tut-tut-tut' -tut-tut-tut-tut, — his 
scolding  note, — is  very  similar  to  the  exclamation  of  re- 
proof our  grandfather  used  to  administer  to  us  for  child- 
ish misdemeanors.  It  is  amusing  to  see  how  robins  use 
this  form  of  remonstrance  to  humans.  John  Burroughs 
wrote  that  he  was  kept  out  of  his  own  summer-house  by  a 

[97] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

female  robin  that  was  nesting  there.  She  scolded  him  so 
soundly  for  trespassing  upon  his  own  property,  which  she 
had  appropriated,  that  he  could  have  no  peace.  He 
finally  left  her  in  possession  till  her  young  had  flown.* 
I  had  a  similar  experience  when  picking  cherries  in  a 
friend's  garden.  A  robin  had  preceded  me  and  resented 
my  intrusion  in  no  uncertain  manner.  No  angry  fish- 
monger of  Billingsgate  ever  hurled  more  noisy  vitupera- 
tion at  a  thief  than  did  that  robin  fling  at  me,  especially 
when  I  coolly  refused  to  heed  his  commands  to  "Keep 
Off"." 

I  recall  an  amusing  experience  with  a  robin  family  one 
summer.  The  second  brood  of  hungry  babies  were  clam- 
oring for  "More,"  and  following  their  overworked  father 
about  as  I  have  seen  human  babies  tease  their  mothers. 
He  was  decidedly  "frayed"  as  to  temper,  but  he  chose  to 
assume  the  entire  parental  responsibility.  His  faded,  be- 
draggled spouse,  perched  disconsolately  upon  the  roof  of 
the  chicken-house,  flew  down  two  or  three  times  into  the 
bosom  of  the  family  and  endeavored  to  "do  her  bit";  but 
her  testy  husband  drove  her  off"  each  time  with  a  sharp 
tut-tut,  until  in  despair  she  remained  upon  the  ridge-pole 
peeping  forlornly.  The  father  proceeded  to  pull  up 
worms  for  his  gaping  brood  in  a  manner  so  irritated  and 
strenuous  that  I  wondered  whether  he  had  had  a  "family 
jar,"  or  was  only  worn  out  with  anxiety  and  overwork.  It 
is  a  huge  task  to  feed  one  baby  robin  alone,  who  can  eat 
sixty-eight  angleworms  a  day,  ^  or  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  cutworms.* 

1  From  "Under  the  Maples,"  by  John  Burroughs,  p.  55. 

2  Prof.  D.  Treadwell. 

3  Mr.  Chas.  W.  Nash. 

[98] 


THE  AMERICAN  ROBIN 

Robins  do  good  to  the  soil  by  dragging  forth  earthworms 
and  preventing  their  too  rapid  increase.  Mr.  Forbush 
calls  attention  to  the  value  of  these  birds  in  devouring 
"dormant  cutworms  and  caterpillars  even  in  February," 
also  quantities  of  the  larvae  of  March  flies  and  white  grubs 
that  injure  grass.  The  robin  is  an  enemy  of  caterpillars, 
especially  those  that  live  near  the  ground;  his  destruction 
of  cutworms  and  white  grubs  alone  entitles  him  to  our 
gratitude.  He  does  eat  early  cherries,  and  has  been  bit- 
terly arraigned  for  so  doing.  When  later  cherries,  ap- 
ples, peaches,  pears,  and  grapes  are  ripe,  wild  fruits  and 
mulberries  which  he  eats  by  preference,  have  also  ma- 
tured; so  on  the  whole,  he  does  little  harm.*  He  is  now 
protected  in  most  of  our  states. 

A  Maine  robin  that  had  an  inordinate  love  for  cher- 
ries and  garden-raspberries  was  at  first  intimidated  by  a 
most  lifelike,  well-set-up  scarecrow  placed  in  the  garden 
for  his  benefit.  But  he  grew  wiser  as  the  days  passed: 
he  approached  the  fearful  creature  and  received  no  harm. 
Familiarity  finally  bred  contempt,  for  one  day  he  was 
discovered  perched  upon  the  scarecrow's  shoulder  eating 
a  raspberry! 

Robins  become  very  tame.  I  once  had  the  pleasure 
of  the  companionship  of  a  dear,  gentle,  little  English  robin 
— a  bird  very  diff"erent  in  size  and  manner  from  his 
American  cousin — who  would  come  out  of  the  shrubbery 
whenever  I  called  him.  He  would  approach  within  two 
or  three  feet  of  my  chair,  to  snatch  the  soft  crumbs  that 
I  placed  on  the  ground  to  lure  him.  He  rewarded  me 
frequently  with  his  delightful  little  bubbling  song. 

An  American  robin  during  a  March  ice-storm  learned 

♦Farmers'  Bulletin  630. 

[99] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

that  bread  crumbs  were  to  be  found  upon  the  window-sill 
of  a  house  in  Cleveland.  He  flew  to  the  sill  frequently. 
When  he  found  no  crumb  awaiting  him,  he  would  tap 
on  the  pane,  then  fly  away  a  short  distance  and  remain 
until  a  fresh  supply  appeared.  He  and  his  mate  nested 
in  an  apple-tree  near  by.  They  and  their  brood  were 
fed  in  this  way  the  entire  season  by  their  bird-loving 
friends,  until  they  were  in  danger  of  becoming  pauper- 
ized! One  morning  the  following  March  while  the  Cleve- 
land family  were  breakfasting,  they  heard  the  familiar 
tap  upon  the  pane!  There  was  Robin  back  again — you 
may  imagine  his  welcome!  For  four  years,  he  continued 
to  announce  his  arrival  in  the  same  manner,  and  to  build 
in  the  same  yard;  each  year  he  and  his  family  were  sup- 
plied with  part  of  their  food  by  their  devoted  friends. 
Then  ill  must  have  befallen  him,  for  he  never  returned. 

To  another  Ohio  woman  came  the  joy  of  having  a  robin 
enter  her  room  frequently.  She  had  tempted  him  with 
crumbs  inside  a  window-sill.  One  day  he  perched  upon 
the  sewing-machine  where  she  was  at  work,  and  sang 
his  sweet  song  to  her,  as  the  busy  machine  hummed  its 
tune. 

A  robin's  nest  is  an  untidy  affair,  but  it  is  something 
that  we  should  miss  were  it  not  a  part  of  our  environment. 
Few  birds'  eggs  are  more  lovely  in  color  than  those  of 
the  familiar  robins'-egg  blue,  nestled  in  their  grass-lined 
cup  of  clay.  Olive  Thorne  Miller  wrote  of  a  clever  robin 
that  wished  to  build  her  nest  during  an  almost  rainless 
spring.  She  could  find  no  mud,  so  she  waded  about  in 
her  drinking-dish  to  wet  her  legs;  she  then  hopped  into 
the  dust,  and  with  her  bill  scraped  the  mud  off  her  legs. 

[100] 


THE  AMERICAN  ROBIN 

This   she   did   repeatedly,   until   she   had   the   necessary 
amount.^ 

I  once  saw  a  mother-robin  sheltering  her  brood  during 
a  rainstorm  of  great  violence.  Her  soft  body  and  out- 
spread wings  were  pelted  by  the  rain,  but  she  seemed 
quite  oblivious  to  everything  except  to  keep  harm  from 
her  young.  Her  protecting  attitude  and  the  look  in  her 
bright  eyes  made  as  beautiful  an  expression  of  mother- 
love  as  I  ever  witnessed. 

BFrom  Olive  Thome  Miller's  "First  Book  of  Birds." 


[101] 


THE  BLUEBIRD 

Thrush  Family — Turdidce 

Length :     About  6^  to  7  inches. 

General  Appearance:  Upper  parts  bright  blue;  under  parts 
reddish-brown;  no  crest. 

Male:  Head,  back,  and  tail  bright  blue;  wings  blue,  edged 
with  black;  in  the  fall,  edged  with  reddish-brown; 
throat,  breast,  and  sides  reddish-brown;  white  from 
center  of  breast  to  tail. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  paler;  wings  and  tail  brightest 
in  flight. 

Young:  Grayish-blue,  speckled  with  whitish;  wings  and  tail 
bluish. 

Call-note:  An  indescribably  sweet  rendering  of  the  syllables, 
ChecT-e-o,  given  usually  while  the  bird  is  on  the 
wing. 

Song:  A  gentle  warble  of  exceptional  sweetness — whew'- 
ee,  wheu/-ee,  whew'-ee,  uttered  tenderly  and  pen- 
sively. 

Habitat:  Orchards  and  gardens.  The  birds  are  usually  seen 
in  pairs,  and  like  rather  conspicuous  perches,  such 
as  fence-posts  and  telegraph  wires. 

Nest:  Made  of  grasses  and  placed  in  old  hollow  trees,  pref- 
erably apple-trees.  One  objection  raised  against 
tree-surgery  is  that  it  deprives  bluebirds  of  nesting- 
sites,  but  that  objection  may  be  removed  by  furnish- 
ing nesting-boxes, 

Bange:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  southern  Can- 
ada and  Newfoundland  to  the  Gulf  Coast  and  Florida, 
west  to  the  Rockies;  winters  in  the  southern  half  of 
the  eastern  U.  S.,  south  to  Guatemala. 

[102] 


BLUEBIRD 


THE  BLUEBIRD 

AS  spring  approaches,  I  invariably  "go  a-hunting," 
not  for  "rabbit-skins,"  but  for  song  sparrows  and 
bluebirds.  Robins  usually  seek  us,  and  sometimes  their 
blue-winged  cousins  call  Cheer-e-o  as  they  fly  swiftly  over 
our  housetops;  but  I  am  never  happy  until  I  have  visited 
an  orchard  or  pasture  frequented  by  these  heaven-sent 
birds.  "My  heart  leaps  up  when  I  behold"  once  more 
their  exquisite  blue  and  hear  their  soft,  delightful  warble. 
Then  I  know  that  spring  is  really  on  her  way,  and  I 
am  again  eager  and  expectant. 

Bluebirds  have  always  been  much  beloved,  especially 
in  New  England.  Florence  Merriam  writes:  "Although 
the  Bluebird  did  not  come  over  in  the  Mayflower,  it  is 
said  that  when  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  came  to  New  England 
this  bird  was  one  of  the  first  whose  gentle  warblings  at- 
tracted their  notice,  and,  from  its  resemblance  to  the  be- 
loved Robin  Redbreast  of  their  native  land,  they  called 
it  the  Blue  Robin."  ^ 

The  bluebird  has  always  been  a  favorite  theme  for  poets 
and  nature-writers,  especially  in  New  England,  where  the 
beauty  and  warm  coloring  of  this  sweet  bird  seem  excep- 
tionally welcome  after  a  long,  severe  winter.  In  Tho- 
reau's  diary,  "Early  Spring  in  Massachusetts,"  he  refers 
to  the  bluebird  thirteen  times  and  writes:  "The  bluebird 
— angel  of  the  spring!  Fair  and  innocent,  yet  the  off"- 
spring  of  the  earth.  The  color  of  the  sky,  above,  and  of 
the  subsoil  beneath,  suggesting  what  sweet  and  innocent 
melody,  terrestrial  melody,  may  have  its  birthplace  be- 
tween the  sky  and  the  ground."  ^ 

Burroughs,  too,  makes  frequent  mention  of  the  blue- 

^  From   "Birds  of  Village  and  Field,"  by  Florence  Merriam. 
2  Used   with   permission  of   the   Houghton   Miffin   Q>.,   the   authorized 
publishers. 

[103] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

bird.  In  "Under  The  Maples"  he  says:  "None  of  our 
familiar  birds  endear  themselves  to  us  more  than  does 
the  bluebird.  The  first  bluebird  in  the  spring  is  as  wel- 
come as  the  blue  sky  itself.  The  season  seems  softened 
and  tempered  as  soon  as  we  hear  his  note  and  see  his 
warm  breast  and  azure  wing.  His  gentle  manners,  his 
soft,  appealing  voice,  not  less  than  his  pleasing  hues, 
seem  born  of  the  bright  and  genial  skies.  He  is  the  spirit 
of  April  days  incarnated  in  a  bird.  Not  strictly  a  song- 
ster, yet  his  every  note  and  call  is  from  out  the  soul  of 
harmony."  ^ 

Bluebirds  are  of  economic  as  well  as  aesthetic  value. 
They  devour  cutworms  and  other  kinds  of  caterpillars, 
grasshoppers,  crickets,  katydids,  and  beetles.  They  eat 
fruit  in  the  winter;  they  prefer  that  taken  from  pastures, 
swamps,  and  hedgerows,  rather  than  from  gardens  or  or- 
chards. They  never  destroy  cultivated  crops;  on  the  con- 
trary, benefit  them.* 

These  birds  are  such  devoted  lovers  that  one  is  rarely 
seen  far  from  its  mate.  The  female  is  very  gentle  and 
timid;  she  seems  to  need  reassurance  and  protection. 
There  are  times,  however,  when  she  knows  her  own  mind 
and  shows  firmness  of  character.  A  male  bluebird  in 
Asheville,  N.  C,  intoxicated  by  the  warmth  of  a  sunshiny 
January  day,  wooed  a  female  ardently.  She  was  very 
distant  and  finally  dismissed  him.  She  evidently  had  suf- 
ficient foresight  to  realize  that  it  would  be  disastrous  to 
go  to  housekeeping  so  early  and  therefore  withheld  her 
consent. 

8  Used  with  permission  of  the  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  the  authorized  pub- 
lishers. 

4  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

[104] 


THE  BLUEBIRD 

Numerous  instances  have  been  recorded  of  bluebirds 
that  have  lost  their  mates  by  accident  and  have  mourned 
so  deeply  as  to  touch  the  heart  of  any  one  who  saw  the 
tragedy  or  heard  the  cries  of  sorrow. 


[105] 


THE  SONG  SPARROW 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:  A  little  over  6  inches;  about  the  size  of  the  English 
sparrow. 

General  Appearance:  A  small  brown  bird  with  a  grayish 
breast,  a  body  heavily  streaked  with  black,  a  black 
spot  in  the  center  of  breast,  and  at  each  side  of  the 
throat. 

Male  and  Female:  Brown  head  with  black  streaks,  a  grayish 
line  in  center  and  over  eye;  brown  line  back  of  eye; 
back  brown  and  gray,  streaked  with  black;  wings 
brown,  with  black  spots, — no  white  bars;  throat 
grayish-white;  a  dark  patch  on  each  side  of  throat; 
a  conspicuous  black  spot  in  center  of  breast;  belly 
white;  sides  whitish,  streaked  with  brown  and  black; 
tail  long,  brown,  darkest  in  center. 

Call-note:     Chip,  chip — sharp  and  metallic. 

Song:  A  sweet  cheerful  strain,  with  considerable  variety  in 
different  individuals.  It  usually  consists  of  three 
notes  that  sound  like  "See?  See?  See?"  fol- 
lowed by  a  short  trill.  Henry  van  Dyke  inter- 
prets the  song  as  Sweet,  sweet,  sweet,  very  merry 
cheer. 

Habitat:     Bushes;  near  water,  preferably. 

Range:  North  America,  east  of  the  Rocky  Mts.  Breeds  in 
Canada  from  Great  Slave  Lake  to  Cape  Breton  Is- 
land, south  to  southern  Nebraska,  central  Missouri, 
Kentucky,  southern  Virginia,  the  mountains  of  North 
Carolina.  Winters  from  Nebraska,  Illinois,  Massa- 
chusetts (locally)  and  New  Jersey,  south  to  the  Gulf 
Coast.  « 

[106] 


SONG   SPARROW 


THE  SONG  SPARROW 

THE  Song  Sparrow,  like  air  and  sunshine,  is  a  part 
of  our  daily  lives  after  we  have  once  become  ac- 
quainted with  him.  In  some  localities  he  takes  up  his 
abode  permanently;  in  others,  he  arrives  in  late  February 
or  early  March  and  remains  until  November.  Joy  in  life 
and  deep  contentment  abide  with  him.  He  is  the  most 
incurable  optimist  of  my  acquaintance.  I  have  heard 
him  sing  beside  a  brook  that  has  just  broken  its  icy  fetters, 
while  patches  of  snow  still  remained  on  the  ground;  dur- 
ing days  of  rain  which  silenced  most  songsters;  through 
hot  summer  noons  and  during  the  almost  songless  molt- 
ing-season, — nothing  seems  to  daunt  him,  from  early 
morning  until  sunset.  Occasionally  during  the  night  is 
heard  his  simple  strain,  as  though  he  needs  must  sing  in 
his  sleep. 

His  song  is  pleasing,  but  in  no  way  remarkable.  It  is 
in  a  major  key  and  lacks  the  ecstasy  and  piercing  sweet- 
ness of  the  fox  sparrow's,  and  the  exquisite  tenderness  of 
the  field  and  the  vesper  sparrow's,  but  it  possesses  a 
charm  all  its  own.  It  breathes  a  joy  in  simple  things — 
a  steadfast  and  cheerful  courage  that  makes  us  say,  "He, 
too,  is  no  mean  preacher." 

Song  sparrows,  like  other  members  of  the  Finch  family, 
are  of  great  service  in  their  destruction  of  insects  and 
weed  seeds,  of  which  they  consume  enormous  quantities. 
They  eat  wild  berries  and  fruits  only  when  their  favorite 
food  is  not  obtainable.  They  possess  no  bad  ha'bits  and 
are  desirable  "bird-neighbors"  to  cultivate.  Water  al- 
ways attracts  them;  one  is  most  likely  to  find  them  near 
streams,  in  which  they  love  to  bathe. 

Their  nests  are  made  largely  of  grasses,  dead  leaves, 
and  root-fibres,  and  are  lined  with  soft  grasses.     They 

[107] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

are  placed  in  bushes  or  on  the  ground.  The  eggs,  pale 
in  color  and  flecked  with  brown,  are  well  concealed  by 
their  markings.  Song  sparrows,  usually  serene,  grow  in- 
tensely nervous  when  the  nest  is  approached,  and  betray 
its  whereabouts  by  their  incessant  Chip,  chip. 

THE  SONG  SPARROW 

"See?     See?     See?     The  herald  of  spring  you  see! 
What  matters  if  winds  blow  piercingly! 
The  brook,  long  ice-bound,  struggles  through 
Its  glistening  fetters,  and  murmurs  anew 
With  joy  at  the  freedom  the  days  will  bring 
When  the  snow  has  gone!     And  I,  too,  sing! 

"See?     See?     See?     A  flush  of  color  you  see! 

The  tassels  are  hung  on  the  budding  tree. 

Before  it  has  drawn  its  curtain  of  leaves 

To  shade  the  homes  of  the  birds.     Now  weaves 

The  silent  spring  a  carpet  fair. 

With  wind-flower  and  hepatica  there. 

"See?     See?     See?     You  are  glad  to  welcome  me. 
You  will  hear  my  voice  ring  cheerfully 
Through  Summer's  heat  or  days  of  rain 
Until  the  winter  has  come  again. 
From  dawn  till  dusk,  my  heart  is  gay. 
And  I  sing  my  happy  life  away. 
See?     See?     See?" 


[108] 


THE  FOX  SPARROW 
Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:  A  little  over  7  inches;  about  an  inch  longer  than  the 
English  sparrow,  and  nearly  as  large  as  a  hermit 
thrush. 

Male  and  Female:  Upper  parts  reddish-brown,  brightest  on 
lower  back  and  tail.  (The  red-brown  tail  is  a  dis- 
tinguishing mark  of  the  fox  sparrow  as  it  is  of  the 
hermit  thrush.)  Under  parts  grayish- white;  throat, 
breast,  belly,  and  sides  heavily  and  irregularly 
streaked  with  reddish-brown  and  black,  except  the 
middle  of  the  belly,  which  is  white. 

Note:     A  faint  seep  or  cheep. 

Song:  The  most  beautiful  of  all  the  sparrows' — a  burst  of 
melody  possessing  sweetness  and  power;  joyous,  yet 
with  a  minor  strain. 

Habitat:     Tall  thickets  or  clumps  of  weeds. 

Range:  North  America.  Breeds  in  the  forest-regions  of  Can- 
ada and  Alaska;  winters  from  the  lower  Ohio  and 
Potomac  Valleys  to  central  Texas  and  northern 
Florida. 

NEVER  shall  I  forget  the  thrill  of  surprise  and  ec- 
stasy which  my  first  fox  sparrow  brought  to  me! 
My  sister  and  I  were  on  eager  quest  for  early  migrants 
in  open  woods  and  overgrown  pastures,  when  from  a 
thicket  of  tall  shrubs  there  burst  so  marvelous  a  "concord 
of  sweet  sounds"  that  we  were  spell-bound.  No  words 
can  describe  the  tenderness,  the  joyous  abandon,  yet  withal 
the  strain  of  sadness  in  the  song,  as  though  the  choristers 
had  drunk  deep  of  life,  had  visioned  clearly  its  secrets, 

[109] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

and  transmuted  its  experiences.  When  the  music  had  be- 
come a  soft  cadence,  we  sought  the  singers,  and  found  a 
band  of  thrush  like  sparrows  scratching  in  the  old  brown 
leaves  like  bantam  hens.  They  remained  in  the  thicket 
for  several  days,  singing  most  rapturously  toward  sunset. 

Though  shy  birds  and  seen  infrequently,  fox  sparrows 
occasionally  approach  houses.  During  a  deep  spring 
snow  that  covered  the  birds'  natural  food-supply,  several 
of  these  north-bound  migrants  came  three  times  a  day 
with  a  flock  of  juncos  to  feed  on  bread-crumbs  in  our 
back  yard.  Like  Tommy  Tucker,  they  "sang  for  their 
supper."  Twice  they  arrived  before  a  fresh  supply  of 
crumbs  had  been  scattered;  their  songs  announced  their 
presence  and  were  accompanied  by  the  gentle  trill  of  the 
juncos.  A  large  flock  remained  in  Middlesex  Fells  for 
several  days. 

Most  bird-lovers  consider  an  experience  with  fox  spar- 
rows as  out  of  the  ordinary.  Thoreau  wrote:  "Is  not 
the  coming  of  the  fox-colored  sparrow  something  more 
earnest  and  significant  than  I  have  dreamed  of?  These 
migrating  sparrows  bear  all  messages  that  concern  my 
life."  ^ 

1  "Notes  on  New  England  Birds" — Thoreau,  p.  311. 


[110] 


PHOEBE 


THE  PHCEBE 

Flycatclier  Family — Tyrranidcs 

Length:  About  7  inches;  a  little  larger  than  the  English  spar- 
row. 

Male  and  Female:  Grayish-brown  above;  under  parts  light 
gray  with  yellowish  wash;  breast  darker  than  throat, 
sides  grayish-brown;  head  dark  brown,  somewhat 
crested;  bill  black,  slightly  hooked  at  tip,  with  bris- 
tles rt  base;  wings  dark  brown,  with  inconspicuous 
whitish  i&ing-bars;  tail  dark  brown;  edge  of  two 
outer  tail-feathers  yellowish-white. 

Song:  No  real  song.  Flycatchers  are  songless  birds.  The 
note  is  a  hoarse  Phoebe,  sometimes  Pe-wit-Phoebe, 
It  is  usually  uttered  mournfully  and  monotonously; 
occasionally  the  male  gives  numerous  Phcebes  rap- 
idly while  on  the  wing. 

Habitat:  Near  streams  preferably.  A  favorite  nesting  site  i* 
underneath  a  bridge;  eaves  of  barns  or  beams  ol 
piazzas  are  also  used. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  north-central 
Canada  south  to  northeastern  New  Mexico,  central 
Texas,  northern  Mississippi  and  highlands  of 
Georgia;  winters  south  of  latitude  37°  to  southern 
Mexico. 

WHEN  March  has  lost  some  of  its  bluster  and  gen- 
tler weather  prevails,  there  arrives  from  the 
land  of  sunshine  and  teeming  insect  life,  a  small  brown 
and  gray  bird — the  Phoebe,  first  of  the  Flycatcher  family 
to  come  North.  Like  many  of  the  early  migrants,  he 
travels  without  his  beloved  little  mate,  whom  he  seems  to 

[111] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

miss  sadly;  for  he  sits  disconsolately  on  a  bare  twig  and 
calls  her  name  in  hoarse,  wheezy  tones.  After  she  ap- 
pears, it  is  pleasant  to  see  their  devotion,  not  only  to  each 
other,  but  to  the  nesting  site.  How  they  journey  apart 
the  great  distance  from  South  to  North  and  find  their  own 
especial  bridge  or  barn  year  after  year,  is  one  of  the  great 
mysteries. 

Their  large,  loosely-constructed  nest  is  made  of  moss 
and  mud,  lined  with  soft  grass,  hair,  or  feathers.  It  is 
usually  infested  with  bird-lice,  as  I  discovered,  to  my 
dismay.  It  is  well  not  to  allow  phcebes  to  build  where 
the  lice  may  become  a  nuisance. 

Like  all  the  soberly-dressed  flycatchers,  phoebes  seek 
conspicuous  perches  such  as  posts  or  dead  branches. 
They  have  the  family  habit  of  ruffling  up  their  head- 
feathers  into  a  sort  of  crest,  and  of  jerking  their  tails  fre- 
quently, especially  when  uttering  their  note.  They  make 
unexpected  sallies  after  insects,  which  their  unusually 
keen  eyes  can  see  from  dawn  until  dark. 

Phoebes  are  among  our  most  useful  birds,  for  they  de- 
stroy injurious  beetles,  weevils,  flies  that  annoy  cattle  and 
horses,  house  flies,  ants,  mosquitoes,  wasps,  spiders,  grass- 
hoppers, and  numerous  other  harmful  insects.^  Their 
soft  brown  and  gray  plumage  blends  with  dull  March 
meadows,  with  the  silver  sheen  of  the  brooks  they  love, 
and  with  silken  pussy-willows  and  brown  willow-boughs. 

THE    BLACK    PHCEBE 

The  Black  Phoebe  is  found  from  Texas  west  to  the  Pa- 
cific coast.  It  catches  flies  persistently  and  well  deserves 
its  family  name.     In  appearance  it  resembles  the  slate- 

*■  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[112] 


THE  PHCEBE 

colored  junco,  for  it  has  a  dusky  head,  back,  wings,  tail, 
and  breast,  with  a  white  belly.  Professor  Beal  writes 
of  this  bird  as  follows:  "The  black  phoebe  has  the  same 
habits  as  its  eastern  relative,  both  as  to  selection  of  food 
and  nesting  sites,  preferring  for  the  latter  purpose  some 
structure  of  man,  as  a  shed,  or,  better  still  a  bridge  over 
a  stream  of  water,  and  the  preference  of  the  black  phoebe 
for  the  vicinity  of  water  is  very  pronounced.  One  may 
always  be  found  at  a  stream  or  pool  and  often  at  a 
watering-trough  by  the  roadside. 

"Careful  study  of  the  habits  of  the  bird  shows  that  it  ob- 
tains a  large  portion  of  its  food  about  wet  places.  While 
camping  beside  a  stream  in  California  the  writer  took 
some  pains  to  observe  the  habits  of  the  black  phoebe.  The 
nesting  season  was  over,  and  the  birds  had  nothing  to  do 
but  eat.  This  they  appeared  to  be  doing  all  the  time. 
When  first  obsei-ved  in  the  morning,  at  the  first  glimmer 
of  daylight,  a  phoebe  was  always  found  flitting  from  rock 
to  rock,  although  it  was  so  dusky  that  the  bird  could  hardly 
be  seen.  This  a'ctivity  was  kept  up  all  day.  Even  in 
the  evening,  when  it  was  so  dark  that  notes  were  written 
by  the  aid  of  the  camp  fire,  the  phoebe  was  still  engaged 
in  its  work  of  collecting,  though  it  was  difficult  to  under- 
stand how  it  could  catch  insects  when  there  was  scarcely 
light  enough  to  see  the  bird.  Exploration  of  the  stream 
showed  that  every  portion  of  it  was  patrolled  by  a  phoebe, 
that  each  one  apparently  did  not  range  over  more  than 
twelve  or  thirteen  rods  of  water,  and  that  sometimes  two 
or  three  were  in  close  proximity.' 


"  2 


2  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  U.  S.  Dept,  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 


[113] 


THE  CROW  BLACKBIRD  OR  PURPLE 
CRACKLE 

American  Blackbird  Family — Icteridce 

Length:  12  to  13^  inches.  Tail  about  5  inches  long,  nearly 
the  length  of  that  of  the  blue  jay. 

General  Appearance:  A  glossy  black  bird  with  yellow  eyes, 
and  a  long  tail  that  in  flight  resembles  a  pointed  fan 
curving  toward  the  midrib.  Blackbirds  walk  in- 
stead of  hopping. 

Male:  Black  with  beautiful  iridescence;  head,  neck,  throat,  and 
breast  with  green,  blue,  and  purple  reflections;  back 
and  rump  purple  and  green,  with  iridescent  bars; 
wings  and  tail  purplish;  under  parts  duller. 

Female:     Duller  than  male,  with  less  iridescence. 

Call-note:     A  hoarse,  loud  Chack. 

Song:  A  disagreeable  grating  noise  that  Mr.  Forbush  likens 
to  the  "rather  musical  creaking  of  a  rusty  hinge." 
I  once  noticed  the  strong  resemblance  of  the  sound 
to  the  squeaking  wheels  of  farm-wagons  that  passed 
near  a  noisy  flock  of  grackles.  Blackbirds  always 
look  unhappy  and  uncomfortable  when  making  their 
attempt  at  singing,  as  though  they  emitted  the  sound 
with  great  difiBculty. 

Habitat:  Groves  of  pine  and  spruce,  as  dark  and  gloomy  as 
the  birds  themselves.  They  are  found  in  parks  and 
meadows,  on  lawns  and  near  buildings.  They  live 
in  large  flocks  except  at  nesting  time. 

Range:  Middle  Atlantic  coast-region  of  the  United  States. 
Breed  from  north  shore  of  Long  Island  Sound  (rarely 
in  Massachusetts),  the  middle  Hudson  Valley  west  to 
the  Alleghanies,  and  south  to  the  uplands  of  Georgia, 
Alabama,    and    eastern    Tennessee;    winter    mainly 

[114] 


PURPLE  CRACKLE 


THE  CROW  BLACKBIRD  OR  PURPLE  CRACKLE 

south  of  the  Delaware  Valley.  The  Bronzed  and 
Florida  grackles  extend  the  range  over  the  whole  of 
eastern  North  America,  to  Great  Slave  Lake,  New- 
foundland, Colorado,  and  Florida. 

IT  seems  irrcredible  that  blackbirds  should  belong  to 
the  same  family  as  sweet-voiced  meadowlarks,  gay 
bobolinks,  and  musical  orioles.  They  are  literally  the 
"black  sheep"  of  the  family,  with  a  plumage  in  keeping 
with  their  dark  deeds,  and  a  sinister  expression  that 
arouse's  suspicion  and  wins  them  few  friends.  Their 
habit  of  destroying  birds'  eggs  and  young  birds  makes 
them  a  terror  to  their  neighbors.  Dr.  Frank  Chapman 
humorously  says  that  he  "can  imagine  bird-mothers  fright- 
ening their  young  into  obedience  by  threatened  visits  from 
that  ogre,  the  Crackle."  ^  I  saw  a  flock  of  them  invading 
the  seclusion  of  Wade  Park,  Cleveland,  one  spring  morn- 
ing. Two  irate  robins  drove  three  bandit  blackbirds  away 
from  their  nest  with  loud  cries  and  swift  pursuit.  A  few 
minutes  later,  I  saw  a  wood  thrush  attack  a  grackle.  She 
administered  a  severe  blow  upon  his  shoulder,  which  dis- 
arranged his  feathers  and  left  him  in  such  evident  pain 
as  to  be  quite  oblivious  of  my  proximity.  This  habit  of 
devastating  nests  is  not,  however,  so  general  as  has  been 
supposed,  for  Professor  Real  reports  that  "remains  of 
birds  and  birds'  eggs  amount  to  less  than  half  of  one  per 
cent,  of  his  diet."  ^ 

During  the  breeding  season,  grackles  do  much  good 
by  their  destruction  of  insects  upon  which  their  young 
are  almost  wholly  fed.     They  devour  beetles,  the  cater- 

1  From  "Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,"  by  Frank  M.  Chapman. 

2  Farmers'   Bulletin    630,    U.    S.    Department   of   Agriculture,    Biological 
Survey. 

[115] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

pillars  of  gypsy  and  brown-tail  moths,  cutworms,  grass- 
hoppers, and  locusts  in  great  numbers.  They  "follow 
the  plow"  in  search  of  the  grubs  and  worms  to  be  found 
in  the  up-turned  earth. 

Crackles  are  in  great  disfavor,  however,  because  of 
the  grain  they  consume.  Professor  Beal  states  that  grain 
is  eaten  during  the  entire  year  except  for  a  short  time  in 
the  summer.  Waste  kernels  are  consumed  during  win- 
ter and  early  spring,  but  that  eaten  in  July  and  August 
is  probably  standing  grain.  Middle-western  farmers  suf- 
fer considerably.^ 

It  is  interesting  to  see  blackbirds  migrate.  They  fly 
in  flocks  thousands  strong.  Mr.  Forbush  tells  of  a 
flock  which  formed  a  black  "rainbow  of  birds"  that 
stretched  from  one  side  of  the  horizon  to  the  other.  There 
seemed  to  be  "millions"  of  them. 

They  fly  with  wonderful  precision,  like  a  well-trained 
army  bent  on  destruction.  They  are  truly  "Birds  of  a 
feather"  that  "flock  together"  with  a  kind  of  joyless 
loyalty,  disliked  by  most  of  the  world. 

THE   BRONZED    CRACKLE 

The  Bronzed  Crackle,  like  the  Purple  Crackle,  has  a 
purple  head,  but  has  a  bronzed  hack  without  iridescent 
bars.  It  is  found  in  central  and  eastern  North  America 
from  Creat  Slave  Lake  to  Newfoundland  in  Canada,  south 
to  Montana  and  Colorado,  (east  of  the  Rockies),  and  south- 
east to  the  northern  part  of  the  Culf  States,  western  Penn- 
sylvania, New  York,  and  Massachusetts.  It  winters 
mainly  from  the  Ohio  Valley  to  southern  Texas. 

3  Farmers'    Bulletin  630,   U.   S.   Department  of   Agriculture,   Biological 
Survey. 

[116] 


THE  BLACKBIRDS  OR  CRACKLES 

THE    FLORIDA   CRACKLE 

The  Florida  Crackle  is  abundant  from  South  Carolina 
to  Florida,  and  west  along  the  Culf  Coast  to  southeastern 
Texas.  It  is  similar  to  the  Purple  Crackle  in  appearance, 
but  is  smaller  in  size.  Flocks  of  these  grackles  frequent 
groves  of  palmettoes  and  live-oaks. 

THE   BOAT-TAILED    CRACKLE 

The  Boat-tailed  Crackle,  the  largest  member  of  the 
blackbird  family,  (16  inches  long),  has  wonderful  violet 
reflections  on  head  and  neck.  The  female  is  much 
smaller  and  is  brownish.  This  grackle  is  found  in  the 
South  Atlantic  and  Culf  States  from  Chesapeake  Bay  to 
Florida  and  west  to  the  eastern  coast  of  Texas,  and  like 
the  red-winged  blackbird  seems  to  prefer  the  vicinity  of 
water. 


[117] 


THE  RED-WINGED  BLACKBIRD 

American  Blackbird  Family — Icteridce 

"Length:     About   9^    inches;    length   varies   in   different   indi- 
viduals. 
Male:     Jet  black,   except   shoulders,   which   are  scarlet  edged 
with  yellow;  plumage  mottled  in  winter — upper  parts 
edged   with   rusty   brown;    bill    long,   sharp-pointed, 
black;  legs  and  feet  black;  eyes  dark. 
Female:     Head    and    back    blackish,    rusty    brown,    and    buff. 
Light  streak  over  and  under  eye;  throat  yellowish; 
under  parts  streaked   with  black  and  white;    wings 
brown,  edged  with  buff;  tail  brown.     Plumage  incon- 
spicuous, but  attractive  on  close  inspection. 
Young  Males:     Similar  to  females,  but  with  red  and  black 

shoulders. 
Call-Note:     A  hoarse  chuck  resembling  that   of  the   grackle. 
Song:     A  liquid,  pleasant  o-ka-ree. 
Habitat:         In  meadows  where  a  streamlet  flows 
Or  sedges  rim  a  pool, 
There  swings  upon  a  blade  of  green 

Beside  the  waters  cool, 
A  bird  of  black,  with  "epaulets" 

Of  red  and  gold.     With  glee 
He  plays  upon  his  "Magic  Flute'*: 
"0-o-ka-ree?     O-o-ka-ree?" 
Nest:     A  beautiful  structure,  long  and  deep,  fastened  to  reeds; 

a  "hanging"  nest. 
Eggs:     Pale  bluish,  with  inky  scrawls  and  spots. 
Bange:     North  America,  east  of  the  Great  Plains,  except  the 
Gulf  Coast  and  Florida;   abundant  where  there  are 
marshes  and  ponds;   winters  mainly  south  of  Ohio 
and  Delaware  Valleys. 

[118] 


RED-WINGED    BLACKBIRD 


THE  RED-WINGED  BLACKBIRD 

WHEN  tlie  hylas  begin  to  pipe  in  the  spring,  they 
are  joined  by  the  musical  Redwings.  The 
voices  of  these  birds  have  been  likened  to  flutes,  also  to 
violincellos  in  an  orchestra.  Their  song  is  pleasant  to 
hear,  but  seems  to  require  considerable  eff^ort  on  the  part 
of  the  performers — they  lift  their  shoulders  and  spread 
their  tails  into  broad  fans  when  singing. 

Redwings  are  noisy  chatterers;  they  are  intensely  social 
in  their  nature.  It  is  thought  that  some  males  have  sev- 
eral wives  at  a  time — one  marvels  at  their  courage!  Dur- 
ing the  winter  the  females  flock  by  themselves,  and  in  the 
spring  migrate  about  two  weeks  after  their  venturesome, 
prospective  husbands  have  come  northward.  When  they 
arrive,  there  is  great  "Confusion  of  Tongues" — the  marsh 
is  transformed  into  a  Babel.  Then  sites  for  homes  are 
selected,  and  house-building  begins  in  earnest.  Black- 
birds make  devoted  parents. 

They  are  much  more  popular  than  their  cousins,  the 
grackles,  though  in  some  localities  where  they  are  very 
abundant,  as  in  the  Upper  Mississippi  Valley,  they  are 
in  disfavor  because  of  the  grain  they  devour.  They  eat 
oats,  corn,  and  wheat,  but  only  one-third  as  much  as  do 
the  grackles;  they  eat  the  seeds  of  smartweed  and  barn- 
yard grass  in  preference.  Grasshoppers  they  consider 
great  delicacies,  also  many  other  harmful  insects.^  Pro- 
fessor Beal  states  that  nearly  seven-eighths  of  their  food 
consists  of  weed  seed  and  insects  injurious  to  agriculture. 
He  pleads  for  their  protection  as  does  Mr.  Forbush,  who 
says:  "Should  there  be  an  outbreak  of  cankerworms  in 
an  orchard,  the  blackbirds  will  fly  at  least  half  a  mile  to 

1  Farmers'   Bulletin   630,   U.    S.    Department   of   Agriculture,    Biological 
Survey. 

[119] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

get  them  for  their  young."  ^  They  eat  little  fruit  and  do 
slight  harm  to  garden  or  orchard.  On  the  whole,  they 
are  beneficial  to  mankind. 

The  RUSTY  BLACKBIRD  and  the  yellow-headed  black- 
bird are  two  other  species  of  blackbirds. 

The  RUSTY  BLACKBIRD  resembles  both  the  purple 
grackle  and  the  redwing.  It  is  more  nearly  uniformly 
glossy  black  in  summer  than  the  former;  it  is  rusty  in 
winter  like  the  latter.  It  is  about  the  size  of  the  redwing 
and  has  a  sweeter  voice.  It  is  sometimes  mistaken  for 
the  grackle;  but  its  smaller  size,  its  shorter,  rounder  tail, 
and  more  musical  voice  differentiate  it. 

The  YELLOW-HEADED  BLACKBIRD,  our  westem  species, 
is  easy  to  identify  because  of  his  yellow  head,  neck, 
throat,  and  breast,  and  his  black  body,  with  white  wing- 
patches.  The  female  has  a  paler  yellow  head,  which, 
with  the  breast,  is  marked  with  white. 

The  Yellowhead  lives  in  swamps  of  the  Mississippi  Val- 
ley from  Indiana  westward  to  California.  He  is  attrac- 
tive to  see,  but  not  pleasant  to  hear.  He,  too,  is  a  grain- 
thief  and  therefore  unpopular. 

2  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  page  320. 


[120] 


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COWBIRD 


THE  COWBIRD 

American  Blackbird  Family — Icteridoe 

Length:     About  8  inches. 

Male:  Glossy  black,  with  a  brown  head,  neck,  and  breast; 
some  metallic  reflections  on  body,  tail,  and  upper 
wing-feathers.  Smaller  than  the  grackle,  with  a 
shorter  tail,  less  iridescence,  and  dark  eyes.  Like  the 
grackle,  the  cowbird  is  a  walker. 

Female:  Dark  brown,  with  a  grayish  tinge;  under  parts 
lighter,  especially  the  throat,  which  has  two  dark 
streaks  outlining  the  light  patch. 

Call-note:    A  loud  chuck. 

Song:  No  real  song,  only  a  disagreeable  gurgle,  that  is  emit- 
ted with  great  efifort. 

Habitat:  Pastures  and  open  woodlands;  usually  seen  on  the 
ground,  but  sometimes  in  trees. 

Range:  North  America.  Breeds  in  central  Canada,  south  to 
northern  California,  Nevada,  northern  New  Mexico, 
Texas,  Louisiana,  and  North  Carolina;  winters  from 
southeast  California  and  the  Ohio  and  Potomac  Val- 
leys to  the  Gulf  Coast  and  Central  Mexico. 

THE  four  common  black  birds — crows,  grackles,  red- 
wings, and  cowbirds — all  have  sins  laid  at  their 
doors.  Crows  and  blackbirds  are  grain-thieves  and  de- 
stroyers of  the  eggs  and  young  of  other  birds;  redwings 
have  been  accused  of  polygamy  and  tlieft;  but  if  judged 
by  human  standards,  none  compare  with  cowbirds  in  what 
might  be  called  moral  degeneracy.  Cowbirds  not  only 
mate  promiscuously,  but  unlike  blackbirds,  have  no  re- 

[121] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

gard  for  their  own  young.  They  are  like  the  human 
mothers  who  lay  their  babies  on  doorsteps,  depart,  and 
let  others  rear  them. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  female  cowbird  always 
selects  the  nest  of  a  bird  smaller  and  weaker  than  herself 
in  which  to  deposit  her  egg.  Major  Bendire  lists  ninety- 
one  varieties  of  birds  that  have  been  thus  outraged,  fre- 
quent victims  being  the  song  sparrow,  indigo  bunting,  par- 
ula  wa,rbler,  yellow  warbler,  vireo,  chipping  sparrow*, 
towhee,  oven-bird,  yellow-breasted  chat,  and  even  the  tiny 
blue-gray  gnatcatcher.  From  one  to  seven  cowbirds'  eggs 
have  been  found  at  a  time  in  other  birds'  nests,  often  in 
the  warm  center  of  the  nest.  Unless  the  little  bird  should 
build  a  new  floor,  or  abandon  her  nest  entirely,  the  cow- 
bird  egg  will  hatch  first,  and  the  lusty  changeling  will  de- 
mand the  lion's  share  of  food  and  attention.  Frequently 
the  other  eggs  do  not  hatch;  if  they  do,  the  young  birds 
often  perish  with  hunger  and  cold.  When  young  cowbirds 
have  been  reared  by  their  patient  little  foster-parents,  they 
leave  their  benefactors  and  join  flocks  of  their  disrepu- 
table relatives. 

In  justice  it  must  be  said  that  cowbirds,  like  all  villains, 
have  a  redeeming  trait — they  are  great  destroyers  of  weed 
seeds  and  insects.  Like  Cadmus  and  his  band,  they  "Fol- 
low the  Cow,"  and  enjoy  the  insects  that  she  arouses  as 
she  walks  about  in  pastures.  When  the  cow  lies  down, 
they,  too,  pause;  they  have  been  known  to  hop  upon  her 
back  in  friendly  fashion.  Self-interest  prompts  them, 
however,  for  they  know  that  they  may  find  there  a  harvest 
of  insects. 


[122] 


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MEADOWLARK 


THE  MEADOWLARK 

Called  also  Field  Lark  and  Old  Field  Lark 

American  Blackbird  Family — Icteridce 

Length:     About    10%   inches,   a  little   larger  than  the  robin; 

bill  l|o  inches. 
General  Appearance:     A  large  brown  bird,  with  a  short  tail 
that  shows  conspicuous  white  feathers  at  each  side 
in    flight.     The   bright   yellow   breast   crossed  by   a 
black  crescent  is  less  frequently  seen. 
Male  and   Female:     Upper  parts  dark  brown,  mottled  with 
black    and    buff;    head    striped,    with    a    light    line 
through  the  center  and  a  yellow  line  over  each  eye, 
alternating    with    two    dark    stripes;    cheeks    gray; 
throat,  breast,  and  belly  yellow;    a  V-shaped  band 
on   breast;   sides   and   lower  part   of  belly  whitish, 
streaked  with  black;  bill  long  and  sharp;  tail  short, 
(about  3  inches) ;  outer  tail-feathers  almost  entirely 
white;  middle  feathers  brown,  barred  with  black. 
Call-note:     A  sharp  nasal  Yerk,  and  a  twitter  that  sounds  like 

a  succession  of  rapid  sneezes. 
Song:     A   loud,   clear,  sweet  refrain   that  usually   consists   of 
four  syllables,  but  sometimes  of  five  or  six.     It  has 
been  interpreted  in  various  ways  as  follows: 

Spring' -of — the-y^e'-a-r  ! 

I  love — you  d-e-a-r. 

I'm  Mead'-ow-lar'-rk. 

Mr.  T.  Gilbert  Pearson  tells  of  a  lazy  darky  down 
South  who  interpreted  the  lark's  song  as 

"Laziness-will  kill'  you."  ^ 

1  From   Educational   Leaflet   No.    3 — National   Association   of   Audubon 
Societies. 

[123] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Flight:  Direct,  yet  fluttering;  usually  away  from  the  observer, 
showing  the  brown  back  and  white  tail-feathers,  as 
though  the  bird  was  conscious  of  its  bright  yellow 
breast. 

Habitat:  Cultivated  meadows,  and  grassgrown  fields,  espe- 
cially one  containing  a  running  brook  for  drinking 
and  bathing.  Its  fondness  for  unmown  fields  has 
given  it  the  name  of  "Old  Field  Lark."  ^ 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  eastern  Minne- 
sota and  southern  Canada,  south  to  northern  Texas, 
Missouri,  and  North  Carolina,  and  west  to  western 
Iowa,  eastern  Kansas,  and  northwestern  Texas; 
winters  regularly  from  southern  New  England 
and  Ohio  valley  south  to  the  Gulf  States,  and 
north  locally  to  the  Great  Lakes  and  southern 
Maine. 

In  the  South,  from  southern  Illinois,  southwestern 
Indiana  and  North  Carolina  to  the  coast  of  Texas, 
Louisiana,  and  southern  Florida  is  found  the  south- 
ern MEADOWLARK,  smaller  and  darker  than  the 
northern  species,  and  with  a  different  song. 

In  the  West,  from  British  Columbia  to  Manitoba 
and  south  to  southern  California,  northern  Mexico, 
and  Texas  is  the  v^estern  meadowlark,  similar  to 
its  eastern  relative  in  habits  and  plumage,  but  very 
different  as  to  song.  Its  pure,  sweet,  liquid  notes 
are  among  my  most  delightful  memories  of  western 
birds. 

IT  is  fortunate  that  no  human  being  or  bird  is  pos- 
sessed of  all  the  virtues  and  charms,  and  that  every 
individual  may  hold  his  own  place  in  our  interest  and 
affections.  As  the  spring  migrants  arrive,  each  receives 
a  welcome  peculiarly  his  own. 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  Biological  Survey,  U.   S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 

[124] 


THE  MEADOWLARK 

"The  lark  is  so  brimful  of  gladness  and  love — 
The  green  fields  below  him,  the  blue  sky  above, 
That  he  sings  and  he  sings  and  forever  sings  he, 
'I  love  my  love,  and  my  love  loves  me.'  "  ^ 

His  voice,  clear  and  sweet,  rings  out  joyously  across 
the  fields,  fragrant  with  up-turned  earth  and  bright  with 
sunshine.  He  is  the  delight  of  spring  meadows  as  Bob 
White  is  of  summer  fields. 

The  meadowlark  has  many  friends:  those  who  love  him 
for  his  winning  ways — his  brightness,  cheerfulness,  and 
devotion  to  his  family;  epicures,  ignorant  of  his  value 
or  fond  only  of  their  own  pleasure;  and  people  who  realize 
that  he  is  of  enormous  economic  importance. 

He  was  formerly  believed  to  be  a  destroyer  of  grain. 
He  was  accused  of  pulling  up  as  much  com  and  oats  as 
crows,  and  of  eating  clover  seed ;  but  he  is  now  recognized 
as  "one  of  the  most  useful  allies  of  agriculture,  standing 
almost  without  a  peer  as  a  destroyer  of  noxious  insects."  ^ 

So  untiring  is  he  in  his  search,  that  he  uses  his  long 
sharp  bill,  even  while  snow  is  on  the  ground,  to  probe  the 
earth  for  larvae.  He  rids  the  fields  of  grasshoppers, 
crickets,  beetles,  caterpillars,  flies,  spiders,  and  "thousand- 
legs."  Grasshoppers  are  his  favorite  delicacy.  Profes- 
sor Beal  states  that  these  insects  form  three-fourths  of  the 
meadowlark's  food  during  August.  He  eats  also  large 
numbers  of  the  white  grubs  of  beetles  "which  are  among 
the  worst  enemies  of  many  cultivated  crops,  notably 
grasses  and  grains,  and  to  a  less  extent  of  strawberries 
and  garden  vegetables."  ^ 

*  Written  by  Coleridge  about   the   European  skylark,  but  applicable  to 
our  meadowlark. 

*  &  "^  Farmers'  Bulletin  630  and  755,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Biological  Survey. 

[125] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Like  the  quail,  meadowlarks  destroy  weed  seeds,  which 
are  eaten  mostly  in  winter.  When  insects  are  obtainable, 
they  are  greatly  preferred. 

A  search  for  a  meadowlark's  nest  is  an  exciting  adven- 
ture that  keeps  one  alert.  It  is  usually  found  by  accident, 
perhaps  after  the  wary  builder  has  ceased  trying  to  de- 
ceive the  searcher.  A  sight  of  the  speckled  eggs  or  young 
fledglings  in  their  cozy  home  with  a  grass-arched  doorway 
is  not  soon  forgotten. 

Unlike  quail,  baby  meadowlarks  are  unable  to  run 
about  as  soon  as  they  are  out  of  the  egg,  but  remain 
for  two  weeks  in  their  cleverly  camouflaged  home,  where 
they  are  often  the  prey  of  snakes  a  d  other  enemies. 
Meadowlarks  are  now  being  widely  protected,  for  many 
farmers  regard  them  as  one  of  their  greatest  assets. 


[126] 


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FLICKER 


THE  NORTHERN  FLICKER  OR 
GOLDEN-WINGED  WOODPECKER 

Woodpecker  Family — Picidce 

Length:     About  12  inches;   one  of  our  largest  common  birds. 

General  Appearance:  A  large  brown  bird  with  a  red  patch 
on  the  back  of  the  head,  conspicuous  white  rump 
and  yellow  lining  of  wings,  which  distinguish  it  from 
the  brown  meadowlark  with  its  white  tail-feathers. 

Male:  Top  of  head  and  neck  gray;  a  crescent  of  red  across 
nape;  cheeks  and  throat  pinkish-brown,  separated 
by  black  patches;  strong  bill  1^  inches  long;  under 
parts  pinkish-brown  and  white,  heavily  spotted 
with  black;  a  black  crescent  separates  throat  and 
breast.  Back  and  upper  wing-feathers  a  grayish- 
brown,  barred  with  black;  large  white  patch  at  rump 
very  conspicuous  in  flight;  upper  tail-coverts  black 
and  white;  tail  black  above,  yellow  underneath. 

Female:  Like  male,  except  for  the  absence  of  black  patches  at 
the  sides  of  the  throat. 

Notes:  A  loud  che-ack';  also  a  note  which  Mr.  Frank  M.  Chap- 
man says  "can  be  closely  imitated  by  the  swishing 
of  a  willow-wand:  weechew,  weechew,  weechew^  ^ 
Flickers  drum  frequently  on  boughs,  also,  and  give 
a  loud,  rapid  flick,  flick,  flick,  flick,  flick,  flick, 
flick,  flick,  flicker, — which  may  be  called,  by  cour- 
tesy, their  song. 

Habitat:  Open  woods,  fields,  orchards,  and  gardens,  where 
trees  or  ant-hills  are  to  be  found. 

Kange:  Northern  and  eastern  North  America.  Breeds  in  the 
forested  regions  of  Alaska  and  Canada;  in  the  United 

1  From  "Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,"  by  Frank  M.  Chapman. 

[127] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

States  east  of  the  Rockies  and  southward  to  the  Gulf 
Coast  and  Texas  in  the  winter.  Resident  in  the  U.  S. 
except  in  the  more  northern  parts. 

The  SOUTHERN  FLICKER,  a  resident  as  far  south  as 
southern  Florida  and  central  Texas,  is  smaller  and 
darker  than  the  Northern  Flicker. 

The  RED-SHAFTED  FLICKER,  a  wcstern  species,  has 
red  cheek-patches  instead  of  black,  red  wing  and  tail 
feathers,  instead  of  yellow;  it  lacks  the  red  band  on 
the  head.  It  is  found  in  the  Rocky  Mt.  and  Pacific 
Coast  regions  from  British  Columbia  to  Mexico,  and 
east  to  western  Texas,  Nebraska,  and  South  Dakota. 
In  regions  where  the  northern  flicker  also  is  found, 
these  two  species  have  hybridized.  In  the  National 
Museum  of  Washington  there  are  numerous  speci- 
mens of  these  hybrids,  where  the  red  and  black 
cheek-patches,  the  red  and  yellow  wing-feathers  and 
red  band  on  the  head  appear  in  various  unusual  com- 
binations. 

THE  Flicker  is  a  bird  of  distinction.  A  glimpse  of 
him  at  once  arouses  interest,  curiosity,  and  a  de- 
sire for  further  acquaintance.  He  is  handsome,  well  set 
up,  full  of  vitality  and  power — the  personification  of  ef- 
ficiency. 

We  like  his  cheerful  voice — a  trifle  too  loud  for  a  gen- 
tleman of  refinement,  but  a  welcome  sound  in  the  season 
when  the  whole  world  wishes  to  shout  with  joy  at  the  re- 
lease from  winter's  confinement.  Thoreau  wrote:  "Ah, 
there  is  the  note  of  the  first  flicker,  a  prolonged,  monoto- 
nous wick-wick-wick-ivick-wick-wick,  etc.,  or,  if  you  please, 
quick,  quick,  quick,  heard  far  over  and  through  the  dry 
leaves.  But  how  that  single  sound  peoples  and  enriches 
all  the  woods  and  fields.  They  are  no  longer  the  same 
woods  and  fields  that  they  were.     This  note  really  quickens 

[128] 


THE  NORTHERN  FLICKER 

what  was  dead.  It  seems  to  put  life  into  the  withered 
grass  and  leaves  and  bare  twigs,  and  henceforth  the  days 
shall  not  be  as  they  have  been.  It  is  as  when  a  family, 
your  neighbors,  return  to  an  empty  house  after  a  long 
absence,  and  you  hear  the  cheerful  hum  of  voices  and 
the  laughter  of  children.  ...  So  the  flicker  makes  his 
voice  ring.  ...  It  is  as  good  as  a  house-warming  to  all 
nature."  ^ 

We  cannot  repress  a  smile  as  we  watch  this  golden- 
winged  woodpecker  striving  to  make  a  favorable  impres- 
sion upon  Miss  Flicker.  He  and  a  group  of  rivals  take 
amusing,  awkward  attitudes,  make  a  variety  of  noisy  but 
pleasant  calls,  and  without  any  ill-tempered  quarreling, 
select  their  mates  and  "live  happily  ever  after." 

Though  a  woodpecker,  the  flicker  departs  from  family 
habits  and  traditions  by  seeking  his  livelihood  on  the 
ground  in  preference  to  tree-trunks.  He  is  a  foe  to  the 
industrious  ant  that  we  were  taught  to  admire  along  with 
the  "busy  bee."  But  ants  destroy  timber,  infest  houses, 
and  cause  the  spread  of  aphids  that  are  enemies  of  garden 
plants;  therefore  the  ant's  destroyei,  the  flicker,  is  a  neigh- 
borhood benefactor  and  deserves  our  heartfelt  protection. 
Professor  Beal  reports  finding  3,000  ants  in  the  stomach 
of  each  of  two  flickers  and  fully  5,000  in  that  of  another.^ 
These  insects  form  almost  half  of  this  bird's  food.  His 
long,  sticky  tongue  is  especially  adapted  to  their  capture. 
He  likes  grasshoppers,  crickets,  beetles,  and  caterpillars, 
and  while  he  enjoys  fruit,  he  takes  little  that  is  of  any 
value  to  man. 

2  From  "Early  Spring  in  Massachusetts,"  by  H.  D.  Thoreau,  pages  160 
and  161. 

3  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey, 

[129] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Most  northern  flickers  migrate.  They  remain  during 
the  winter  in  some  localities,  as  Cape  Cod,  where  food  is 
sufficiently  abundant.  Mr.  Forbush  tells  of  flickers  that 
have  bored  holes  in  summer  cottages  on  the  Cape,  and 
spent  the  winters  in  rooms  which  they  damaged  by  their 
habit  of  "pecking."  He  states  that  bird-boxes  contain- 
ing large  entrances  placed  on  the  outside  of  the  houses 
or  on  the  trees  near  by,  would  have  prevented  those  flickers 
from  forming  the  "criminal  habit  of  breaking  and  enter- 
ing." ^  Red-Shafted  Flickers  have  also  been  found  guilty 
of  the  same  crime,  and  have  entered  not  only  dwellings, 
but  school-houses  and  church  steeples.^ 

Though  rather  shy  birds,  they  often  approach  inhabited 
houses  and  frequently  cause  amusing  situations  because 
of  their  regular  drumming  on  roof  or  wall.  In  Florida, 
a  young  -woman  whom  I  know  was  once  aroused  from  her 
early  morning's  sleep  by  a  flicker's  knock,  and  drowsily 
responded  with  a  "Come  in."  A  friend  and  I,  spending 
a  week-end  in  an  Ohio  summer  cottage  that  possessed  no 
alarm-clock,  asked  to  be  called  in  time  for  a  very  early 
boat.  We  heard  a  knocking,  arose,  dressed  quietly  to 
avoid  disturbing  the  household,  and  then  found  that  our 
summons  had  come  from  flickers  on  the  roof,  and  that 
we  had  lost  about  two  hours  of  precious  morning's  sleep. 

Flickers  have  more  local  names  than  almost  any  other 
bird.  Over  one  hundred  names  have  been  recorded,  of 
which  "Yellowhammer,"  and  "Golden-winged  Wood- 
pecker," are  perhaps  most  common. 

*  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  pages 
261  and  262. 

s  Farmers'  Bulletin  513,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Biological 
Survey,  H.  W.  Henshaw. 

[130] 


RED-HEADED    WOODPECKER 


THE  RED-HEADED  WOODPECKER 

Woodpecker  Family — Picidce 

Length:     About  9-)4  inches;  nearly  as  large  as  a  robin. 

General  Appearance :  A  black  and  white  bird  with  entire  head 
arul  neck  bright  red. 

Male  and  Female:  Head,  neck,  throat,  and  upper  part  of  the 
breast  brilliant  red;  upper  part  of  back  and  wings 
black;  longer  wing-feathers  or  primaries  also  black; 
lower  back  and  secondary  wing-feathers  white;  un- 
der parts  white;  tail  pointed,  black,  margined  with 
white.  In  flight,  the  areas  of  red,  black,  and  white 
are  very  distinct. 

Young:  Brown  heads  and  necks,  mottled  with  black;  upper 
parts  of  backs  barred  with  light  brown.  The  other 
parts  of  their  bodies  resemble  those  of  their  parents. 

Note:  No  song,  but  a  loud,  cheerful  Quir-r-r-k?  Quir-r-r-k? 
and  a  drumming  sound,  similar  to  that  made  by 
other  woodpeckers. 

Habitat:     Open  woods,  groves  of  beeches  preferred. 

Nest:     In  hollow  tree-trunks  or  telegraph-poles. 

Range:  From  southeastern  British  Columbia,  to  Ontario,  south 
to  the  Gulf  Coast,  and  from  central  Montana,  Col- 
orado, and  Texas  east  to  the  valleys  of  the  Hudson 
and  Delaware;  rare  in  New  England.  Irregularly 
migratory  in  the  northern  parts  of  its  range. 

THIS  conspicuous  bird  is  one  of  the  handsomest 
members  of  the  Woodpecker  family.  He  is  the 
only  one  really  entitled  to  the  name  of  Red-Headed  Wood- 
pecker. His  male  relatives  wear  only  small  skull-caps 
placed  on  their  crowns  at  various  angles;  he  possesses 

[131] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

a  sort  of  toboggan-cap  pulled  down  over  his  head  and 
tucked  into  his  black  coat  and  white  vest-front. 

Many  stories  and  legends  are  told  of  this  woodpecker. 
He  is  the  delight  of  children  in  localities  where  he  is  to 
be  found.  I  remember  how  I  used  to  look  for  the  red 
hood  and  the  black  shawl  worn  over  a  white  dress,  espe- 
cially noticeable  in  flight.  I  never  tired  of  watching  one 
of  these  birds  approach  his  nest  in  a  tall  dead  tree  with 
food  in  his  mouth.  At  a  signal  from  him,  his  wife's  red 
head  would  appear  in  the  doorway.  She  would  emerge; 
he  would  then  enter  and  remain  with  the  children  until 
her  return. 

Redheads  have  not  been  popular  with  farmers,  who 
have  accused  them  of  various  crimes.  They  have  been 
caught  eating  small  fruit  and  corn  on  the  ear,  destroying 
both  the  eggs  and  young  of  other  birds,  and  boring  holes 
in  telegraph-poles  in  which  to  build  their  nests.  While 
individuals  may  be  guilty  of  such  misdemeanors,  the  red- 
heads are  probably  neither  so  black  nor  so  gory,  except 
in  plumage,  as  they  are  painted. 

These  woodpeckers  are  not  such  persistent  destroyers 
of  insects  as  others  of  their  family.  They  have  a  decided 
preference  for  beetles,  but  eat  fewer  ants  and  larvae  than 
do  the  Downy  and  Hairy  woodpeckers.  They  are  excep- 
tionally fond  of  vegetable  food;  their  preference  for  beech- 
nuts is  very  great.  Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam  states  that  in 
northern  New  York,  where  the  redhead  is  one  of  the  com- 
monest woodpeckers,  it  subsists  almost  exclusively  on 
beechnuts  during  the  fall  and  winter,  even  pecking  the 
green  nuts  before  they  are  ripe  and  while  the  trees  are 
still  covered  with  leaves.  He  has  shown  that  these  wood- 
peckers  invariably   remain  throughout  the  winter  after 

[132] 


THE  RED-HEADED  WOODPECKER 

good  nut-yields  and  migrate  whenever  the  nut-crop  fails.* 
"In  central  Indiana  during  a  good  beechnut  year,  from 
the  time  the  nuts  began  to  ripen,  the  redheads  were  al- 
most constantly  on  the  wing;  passing  from  the  beeches 
to  some  place  of  deposit.  They  hid  the  nuts  in  almost 
every  conceivable  situation.  Many  were  placed  in  cav- 
ities in  partly  decayed  trees;  and  the  felling  of  an  old 
beech  was  certain  to  provide  a  feast  for  the  children. 
Large  handfuls  were  taken  from  a  single  knot  hole.  They 
were  often  found  under  a  patch  of  raised  bark,  and  single 
nuts  were  driven  into  cracks  in  the  bark.  Others  were 
thrust  into  cracks  in  gate-posts;  and  a  favorite  place  of 
deposit  was  behind  long  slivers  on  fence-posts.  In  a  few 
cases  grains  of  corn  were  mixed  with  beechnuts.  Nuts 
were  often  driven  into  cracks  in  the  end  of  railroad  ties, 
and  the  birds  were  often  seen  on  the  roofs  of  houses 
pounding  nuts  into  crevices  between  the  shingles.  In  sev- 
eral instances  the  space  formed  by  a  board  springing  away 
from  a  fence  was  nearly  filled  with  nuts,  and  afterwards 
pieces  of  bark  and  wood  were  brought  and  driven  over 
the  nuts  as  if  to  hide  them  from  poachers."  ^ 

In  summer,  Dr.  Merriam  has  seen  the  redheads  "make 
frequent  sallies  into  the  air  after  passing  insects,  which 
were  almost  invariably  secured."  He  has  also  seen  them 
catch  grasshoppers  on  the  ground  in  a  pasture. 

They  are  cheerful,  active  birds,  with  a  call  like  that  of 
a  giant  tree-toad.  Their  brilliant  plumage  has  unfortu- 
nately made  them  a  good  target  for  sportsmen. 

^  Bulletin  No.  37,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 
=  The  Auk,  IV,  194,  195,  1887.    0.  P.   Hay. 


[133] 


THE  REDBELLIED  WOODPECKER 

Woodpecker  Family — Picidce 

Length:     About  9^4  inches. 

Male:  Crown  of  head  and  back  of  neck  bright  red,  resembling 
slightly  that  of  the  red-headed  woodpecker,  but 
throat  and  cheeks  gray;  back  and  wings  barred  with 
white,  the  barring  reminding  one  of  the  flicker. 
Under  parts  gray  washed  with  red;  tail  black  and 
white;  upper  tail-coverts  white,  streaked  with  black. 

Female:     Crown  gray,  nostrils  and  neck  bright  red. 

Kotes:  Mr.  Frank  Chapman  writes  of  this  woodpecker:  "It 
ascends  a  tree  in  a  curious,  jerky  fashion,  accom- 
panying each  upward  move  by  a  hoarse  chu-chu.  It 
also  utters  k-r-r-r-ring  roll  and,  when  mating,  a 
whicker  call  like  that  of  the  Flicker."  ^ 

Habitat:  Open  woods  of  deciduous  trees  and  conifers;  also 
groves  of  live-oak,  palmettoes,  and  other  southern 
trees,  where  these  birds  may  be  seen  in  company 
with  flickers. 

IRange:  From  southern  Canada  and  eastern  United  States 
southward;  abundant  in  the  Southern  States;  rare  in 
New  England;  is  found  in  western  New  York  and 
south-western  Pennsylvania,  and  Delaware,  south  to 
central  Texas  and  the  Gulf  States. 

PROFESSOR  DEAL  made  the  following  report  re- 
garding this  woodpecker:  "The  red-bellied  wood- 
pecker ranges  over  the  eastern  United  States  as  far  west 
as  central  Texas  and  eastern  Colorado  and  as  far  north  as 

1  From  "Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,"  by  Frank  M.  Chapman,  used 
with  permission  of  D.  Appleton  &  Co. 

[134] 


Female 

JMalo 

VKIJ.OW-BIOLLIKI)  SAPSr(M<i:iJ 


Female 
Male 

RKD-HKLLIKD  W(K)DPTX-KKR 


THE  RED-BELLIED  WOODPECKER 

New  York,  southern  Ontario,  Michigan,  and  southern 
Minnesota.  It  breeds  throughout  this  range  and  appears 
to  be  irregularly  migratory.  It  appears  to  go  north  of 
its  breeding  range  sometimes  to  spend  the  winter.  Four 
stomachs,  collected  in  November  and  December,  were  re- 
ceived from  Canada,  and  in  eight  years'  residence  in  cen- 
tral Iowa  die  writer  found  the  species  abundant  every  win- 
ter, but  never  saw  one  in  the  breeding  season.  It  is  rather 
more  of  a  forest  bird  than  some  of  the  other  woodpeckers, 
but  is  frequently  seen  in  open  or  thinly  timbered  country. 
In  die  northern  part  of  its  range  it  appears  to  prefer  de- 
ciduous growth,  but  in  die  South  is  very  common  in  pine 
forests. 

"Ants  are  a  fairly  constant  article  of  diet.  The  most 
are  taken  during  the  warmer  months.  Evidently  this  bird 
does  not  dig  all  the  ants  which  it  eats  from  decaying  wood, 
like  the  downy  woodpecker,  but,  like  the  flickers,  collects 
them  from  the  ground  and  the  bark  of  trees. 

"In  Florida,  the  bird  has  been  observed  to  eat  oranges 
to  an  injurious  extent.  It  attacks  the  over-ripe  fruit  and 
pecks  holes  in  it  and  sometimes  completely  devours  it. 
The  fruit  selected  is  that  which  is  dead  ripe  or  partly  de- 
cayed, so  it  is  not  often  that  the  damage  is  serious.  The 
bird  sometimes  attacks  the  trunks  of  the  orange  trees  as 
well  as  others  and  does  some  harm.  The  contents  of  the 
stomachs,  however,  show  that  wild  fruits  are  preferred, 
and  probably  only  when  these  have  been  replaced  by  cul- 
tivated varieties  is  any  mischief  done."  ^ 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  506,  U.  S.  Dcpt.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 


[135] 


THE  YELLOW-BELLIED  SAPSUCKER 

Woodpecker  Family — Picidos 

Length:  About  8^/2  inches,  larger  than  the  Downy,  and  smaller 
than  the  Red-headed  woodpecker. 

General  Appearance:  A  medium-sized  bird,  with  bars,  stripes, 
and  patches  of  black  and  white.  The  scarlet  crown, 
the  black  band  across  the  breast,  and  the  scarlet 
throat  of  the  males  are  distinguishing  marks. 

Male:  Crown  and  throat  bright  red;  bill  long;  head  with 
broad  black  and  white  stripes,  extending  to  neck. 
The  black  stripe  beginning  at  bill  unites  with  a 
black  crescent  that  encloses  red  throat.  Breast  and 
belly  light  yellow;  sides  gray,  streaked  with  black; 
back  black,  barred  with  white;  wings  black,  with 
large  white  patches,  white  bars,  and  spots;  middle 
tail-feathers,  white  and  black;  outer  tail-feathers 
mostly  black. 

Female:  Resembles  male,  but  throat  is  usually  white  instead 
of  scarlet. 

Young:  Similar  to  parents,  but  with  dull  blackish  crowns, 
whitish  throats,  and  brownish-gray  breasts. 

Notes:  A  faint  call-note;  a  ringing  call,  consisting  of  several 
similar  notes. 

Habitat:  Tree-trunks,  into  which  these  birds  drill  holes  and 
thus  kill  the  trees. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  the  tree-belt  of 
Canada  to  northern  Missouri,  Indiana,  Ohio,  moun- 
tains of  Massachusetts  and  North  Carolina;  winters 
from  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Valley  to  the  Gulf 
Coast,  Bahamas,  Cuba,  and  Costa  Rica. 


T 


HE   Yellow-bellied   Sapsucker   is   the   renegade   of 
the  woodpecker  family — the  transgressor  that  has 

[136] 


THE  YELLOW-BELLIED  SAPSUCKER 

called  down  anathemas  upon  all  his  tribe.  He  does  more 
damage  in  some  localities  than  others.  Mr.  Forbush  re- 
ports tliat  while  the  sapsucker  has  undoubtedly  killed  trees 
in  northern  New  England  where  he  breeds,  yet  in  thirty 
years  he  has  done  no  appreciable  harm  in  Massachusetts. 

Dr.  Henry  Henshaw,  formerly  Qiief  of  the  Biological 
Survey,  writes:  "The  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker,  unlike 
other  woodpeckers,  does  comparatively  little  good  and 
much  harm."  Mr.  Henshaw  reports  250  kinds  of  trees 
known  to  have  been  attacked  by  sapsuckers  and  left  with 
"girdles  of  holes"  or  "blemishes  known  as  bird-pecks, 
especially  numerous  in  hickory,  oak,  cypress,  and  yellow 
poplar."  * 

The  experience  of  Dr.  Sylvester  Judd  at  Marshall  Hall, 
Maryland,  was  as  follows:  "In  the  summer  of  1895 
there  was  on  the  Bryan  farm  a  little  orchard  of  nine  ap- 
ple trees,  about  twelve  years  old,  tliat  appeared  perfectly 
healthy.  In  the  fall  sapsuckers  tapped  them  in  many 
places,  and  during  spring  and  fall  of  the  next  four  years 
they  resorted  to  them  regularly  for  supplies  of  sap.  Ob- 
servations were  made  (October  15,  1896)  of  two  sap- 
suckers in  adjoining  trees  of  the  orchard.  From  a  point 
twenty  feet  distant  they  were  watched  for  three  hours  with 
powerful  glasses  to  see  whether  they  fed  to  any  consider- 
able extent  on  ants  or  other  insects  that  were  running  over 
the  tree-trunks.  In  that  time  one  bird  seized  an  ant  and 
the  other  snapped  at  some  flying  insect.  One  drank  sap 
from  the  holes  thirty  and  the  other  forty-one  times.  Later 
in  the  day,  one  drilled  two  new  holes  and  the  other  five. 
The  holes  were  made  in  more  or  less  regular  rings  about 
the  trunk,  one  ring  close  above  another,  for  a  distance  of 

1  Farmers'  Bulletin  513,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[137] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

six  to  eight  inches.  The  drills  were  about  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  deep,  and  penetrated  the  bark  and  the  outer  part 
of  the  wood. 

"In  November,  1900,  seven  of  the  nine  trees  were  dead 
and  the  others  were  dying.  The  loss  of  sap  must  have 
been  an  exhausting  drain,  but  it  was  not  the  sole  cause 
of  death.  Beetles  of  the  flat-headed  apple-borer,  attracted 
by  the  exuding  sap,  had  oviposited  in  the  holes,  and  the 
next  generation,  having  thus  gained  an  entrance,  had  fin- 
ished the  deadly  work  begun  by  the  sapsuckers."  ^ 

Mr.  W.  L.  McAtee,  of  the  Biological  Survey,  made  the 
following  report  on  sapsuckers:  "These  birds  have  short, 
brushy  tongues  not  adapted  to  the  capture  of  insects,  while 
the  other  woodpeckers  have  tongues  with  barbed  tips  which 
can  be  extended  to  spear  luckless  borers  or  other  insects 
whose  burrows  in  the  wood  have  been  reached  by  their 
powerful  beaks.  The  sapsuckers  practically  do  not  feed 
on  wood-borers  or  other  forest  enemies.  Their  chief  in- 
sect food  is  ants.  About  15  per  cent,  of  their  diet  con- 
sists of  cambium  and  the  inner  bark  of  trees,  and  they 
drink  a  great  deal  of  sap. 

"The  parts  of  the  tree  injured  by  sapsuckers  are  those 
that  carry  the  rich  sap  which  nourishes  the  growing  wood 
and  bark.  Sapsucker  pecking  disfigures  ornamental  trees, 
giving  rise  to  pitch  streams,  gummy  excrescences,  and  de- 
formities of  the  trunks.  Small  fruit  trees,  especially  the 
apple,  are  often  killed,  and  whole  young  orchards  have 
been  destroyed. 

"These  birds  inflict  much  greater  financial  loss  by  pro- 
ducing defects  in  the  wood  of  the  far  larger  number  of 

2  "Birds   of   a   Maryland   Farm,"   by   Sylvester   D.    Judd— Bulletin    17, 
Biological  Survey. 

[138] 


THE  YELLOW-BELLIED  SAPSUCKER 

trees  which  they  work  upon  but  do  not  kilL  Blemishes 
frequently  render  the  trees  unfit  for  anything  except 
coarse  construction  and  fuel. 

"Hickory  trees  are  favorites  of  sapsuckers.  It  is  es- 
timated that  about  10  per  cent,  of  the  merchantable  ma- 
terial is  left  in  the  woods  on  account  of  bird  pecks.  On 
this  basis  the  annual  loss  on  hickory  is  about  $600,000. 
To  this  must  be  added  the  loss  on  timber  by  the 
manufacturer."  ^ 

It  is  no  wonder  that  war  has  been  declared  upon  sap- 
suckers;  but  it  is  very  sad  that  because  of  a  lack  of  care- 
ful observation  of  the  distinctive  markings  of  tree-trunk 
birds,  many  useful  woodpeckers,  especially  the  Downy 
and  Hairy,  have  been  sacrificed. 

Downy  and  Hairy  Woodpeckers  may  be  readily  iden- 
tified by  a  broad  white  stripe  extending  down  the  center 
of  the  back,  a  small  patch  of  red  on  the  back  of  the  head, 
pure  white  throats  and  breasts,  and  wings  barred  with 
white.  A  red  forehead  and  crown  (and  red  throat  of 
males),  a  black  crescent  across  the  breast,  large  white 
patches  on  the  wings,  a  back  with  black  and  white  bars  in- 
stead of  a  white  streak,  differentiate  this  sapsucker  from 
the  Downy  and  Hairy  woodpeckers.  The  yellow  belly  is 
not  a  conspicuous  "field-mark." 

There  are  several  species  of  sapsucker  in  the  West. 
The  YELLOW-BELLIED  is  found  in  western  Texas;  the  RED- 
NAPED  SAPSUCKER  in  the  Rocky  Mt.  region,  from  British 
Columbia  to  northwestern  Mexico,  and  from  Colorado  and 
Montana  to  the  Cascade  and  Sierra  Nevada  Mts.;  the  RED- 
EREASTED  SAPSUCKER  in  Uie  Canadian  forests  of  the  Pa- 
cific Coast  region,  from  Alaska  to  Lower  California,  east 

3  Farmers'  Bulletin  506,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[1391 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

to  the  Cascades  and  Sierra  Nevadas;  and  the  willumson 
SAPSUCKER,  from  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Rocky  Mts. 
westward  to  the  Pacific,  and  from  Arizona  and  New  Mex- 
ico to  British  Columbia.*  The  last-named  species  is  a 
great  devourer  of  ants. 

*  Bulletin  No.  37,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 


[140] 


MOURNING   DOVE 


THE  MOURNING  DOVE 
Pigeon  Family — Columbidce 

Length:     Nearly  12  inches;  tail  5^  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  large,  plump,  grayish-brown  bird, 
with  a  small  head,  a  black  mark  below  the  ear,  and 
a  long  pointed  tail,  in  contrast  to  the  round,  fan- 
shaped  tail  of  tame  pigeons. 

Male:  Upper  parts  a  soft  grayish-brown,  except  the  head, 
which  is  bluish-gray  on  the  crown,  with  a  pinkish- 
buff  forehead,  and  the  wings,  which  have  long,  gray 
primaries.  Sides  of  neck  beautifully  iridescent,  with 
a  small  black  spot  below  the  ear,  an  identification- 
mark;  black  spots  on  the  lower  part  of  breast  and 
wings;  breast  with  a  pinkish  tinge,  and  underneath 
the  tail  pale  yellow;  tail  long  and  sharply  pointed 
when  the  bird  is  at  rest.  In  flight,  it  resembles  the 
jay's  in  shape;  the  middle  feathers  are  brown,  like 
the  back;  outer  feathers  largely  white;  others  brown, 
tipped  with  white  and  banded  with  black;  feet  and 
legs  red. 

Female:     Duller  than  male,  with  less  iridescence  on  neck. 

Note:  A  soft,  monotonous  coo-oo-a-coo-o-o,  uttered  mourn- 
fully and  with  great  tenderness.  The  sound  is 
pleasing  to  some  people,  but  unendurable  to 
others. 

Habitat:     Open  woodltuids,  or  fields  bordered  with  trees. 

Range:  North  America.  Breeds  chiefly  from  southern  Can- 
ada throughout  the  United  States  and  Mexico; 
winters  from  southern  Oregon,  Colorado,  the  Ohio 
Valley,  and  North  Carolina  to  Panama;  casual  in 
winter  in  the  Middle  States. 

[141] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

MOURNING  doves,  whose  "billing  and  cooing" 
have  become  proverbial,  are  as  devoted  pairs  of 
lovers  as  may  be  found  in  the  bird-world.  The  ardent 
male  appears  to  seek  the  society  of  none  except  his  lovmg 
mate.  She  seems  perfectly  satisfied  with  his  attentions 
and  evidently  gives  him  her  whole  heart. 

Madame  Dove  is  a  very  inefficient  housekeeper.  Her 
nest,  built  of  rough  sticks,  and  notoriously  ill-constructed 
— is  a  sort  of  platform  on  which  two  white  eggs  are  laid. 
It  is  a  wonder  that  they  remain  in  safety  long  enough  to  be 
hatched,  for  the  nests  are  often  not  more  than  ten  feet 
from  the  ground.  Were  not  her  twin-babies  as  phleg- 
matic as  their  parents,  they  might  roll  out  of  bed  and  come 
to  an  untimely  end. 

It  is  fortunate  that  the  easy-going  mother  does  not  need 
to  prepare  the  bountiful  repasts  her  family  demand.  She 
and  her  husband  select  a  home-site  near  fields  where  weeds 
abound  and  where  grain  is  raised.  The  family  gorge 
themselves  upon  seeds  until  they  almost  burst.  Mr. 
Charles  Nash  says  that  "these  birds  are  often  so  full  of 
seeds  that,  if  a  bird  is  shot,  the  crop  bursts  open  when  it 
strikes  the  ground."  ^ 

They  are  of  enormous  economic  value.  Their  food  is 
almost  entirely  vegetable,  and  consists  largely  of  the  seeds 
of  weeds  that  a  farmer  must  pay  to  have  destroyed  or 
work  hard  to  eradicate.  Doves  frequent  fields  of  wheat, 
corn,  buckwheat,  rye,  oats,  and  barley,  but  the  grain  they 
destroy  is  only  a  third  of  their  food,  and  consists  largely 
of  waste  kernels,  according  to  the  reports  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.^     They  like  many  varieties  of  in- 

1  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection"— E.  H.  Forbush,  page  324. 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  513,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[142] 


iTHE  MOURNING  DOVE 

finitesimal  seeds  that  are  eschewed  by  other  birds;  as 
many  as  9200  seeds  have  been  found  in  the  stomach  of 
one  dove. 

These  birds  have  an  unerring  instinct  for  fresh  water. 
With  a  peculiar,  whistling  sound,  they  fly  at  nightfall  to 
a  spring  or  pool  for  a  cool  drink  before  retiring.  Hun- 
ters are  said  to  have  watched  them  and  thus  found  springs 
for  their  needs.' 

Doves  eat  quantities  of  gravel  to  aid  in  the  digestion  of 
their  epicurean  feasts.  They  are  fond  of  dust-baths. 
They  also  indulge  in  queer,  senseless-looking  acrobatic 
performances,  which  appear  like  attempts  at  gymnastics. 

3  "Life  Histories  of  North  American  Birds," — Maj.  Chas.  Bendire. 


[143] 


THE  BELTED  KINGFISHER 

Kingfisher  Family — Alcedinidce 

Length:     About  13  inches — a  rather  large,  stocky  bird. 

General  Appearance:  A  large  bluish-gray  and  white  bird, 
with  a  very  large  crested  head,  a  long  bill,  and  a 
short  tail. 

Male:  Bluish-gray  above,  becoming  darker  on  the  wings;  a 
ragged-looking  crest  on  an  unusually  large  head;  a 
white  spot  in  front  of  each  large  dark  eye;  small 
flecks  on  the  wings;  tail  bluish-gray,  flecked  and 
barred  with  white;  throat  white,  a  band  of  white  ex- 
tending nearly  around  the  neck;  a  broad  band  of 
bluish-gray  extending  across  the  breast;  under  parts 
white,  except  the  sides,  which  are  bluish-gray;  feet 
relatively  small,  but  with  long,  strong  nails. 

Female:  Similar  to  the  male,  except  for  a  band  of  reddish- 
brown  across  the  breast,  extending  to  the  sides,  and 
forming  a  fourth  belt;  a  white  belt  at  the  throat, 
then  gray,  white,  and  reddish-brown  belts.  Unlike 
most  birds,  the  female  kingfisher  is  more  highly 
colored  than  the  male. 

Note:  A  long  harsh  rattle,  similar  to  the  sound  made  by  two 
bones  or  smooth  sticks  in  the  hands  of  a  boy,  or 
to  the  noise  of  a  policeman's  rattle. 

Habitat:  "By  a  wooded  stream  or  a  clear  cool  pond. 

Or  the  shores  of  a  shining  lake." 

Range:  North  America,  and  northern  South  America.  Breeds 
from  Alaska  and  northern  Canada  to  the  southern 
border  of  the  United  States;  winters  from  British 
Columbia,  central  United  States  to  the  West  Indies, 
Colombia,  and  Guiana,  irregularly  to  Massachusetts, 
New  Hampshire,  and  Ontario. 
[144] 


KINGFISHER 


THE  BELTED  KINGFISHER 

THIS  self-appointed  guardian  of  our  streams  and 
lakes  is  clad  in  a  suit  of  gendarme  blue.  He  wears 
a  sharp  two-edged  sword  in  his  cap,  and  carries  a  rattle 
in  his  throat. 

He  is  a  perfect  example  of  "Watchful  Waiting,"  as  he 
sits  motionless  on  a  bough  overhanging  a  stream,  with 
his  fierce  eyes  fixed  intently  upon  the  waters  beneath  him. 
When  an  unwary  fish  swims  by,  this  blue-coat  plunges 
after  it  and  spears  it  with  deadly  accuracy.  If  small, 
the  fish  is  swallowed  whole;  if  large,  it  is  beaten  to  death 
against  a  tree,  and  devoured  with  difficulty.  When  fish 
are  not  obtainable,  the  kingfisher  will  eat  frogs  and  crus- 
taceans, and  sometimes  grasshoppers,  crickets,  and  beetles. 
Fish,  however,  are  his  favorite  food.^ 

The  nest  is  as  unusual  and  interesting  as  the  bird  him- 
self. It  consists  of  a  tunnel  excavated  in  a  bank  by  the 
long  knife-shaped  bills  of  the  kingfisher  and  his  mate. 
A  cavity  of  good  size  must  be  hollowed  out  to  accommo- 
date so  large  a  bird  and  a  family  of  from  five  to  eight 
lusty  youngsters.  They  are  lively  and  quarrelsome;  they 
set  up  a  great  clamor  when  Father  or  Mother  arrives 
with  an  already-prepared  fish-dinner.  Dr.  Francis  H. 
Herrick,  in  his  delightful  book,  "The  Home  Life  of  Wild 
Birds,"  tells  of  his  observations  of  a  kingfisher's  nest  and 
nesting  habits  as  follows:  "The  nest  had  a  4  inch  bore; 
4  feet  from  the  opening  was  a  vaulted  chamber  6  inches 
high  and  10  inches  across.  .  .  ." 

A  series  of  rattles  announced  the  approach  of  the  parent 
bird  "who  came  at  full  tilt  with  a  fish  in  her  bill,  making 
the  earth  resound."     In  response  came  "muffled  rattles  of 

1  Educational  Leaflet  No.  19,  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies. 

[145] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

five  young  kingfishers,  who  issued  from  their  subterranean 
abode.  .  .  .  With  a  rattle  in  shrillest  crescendo,  she 
bolted  right  into  the  hole,  delivered  the  fish,  remained  for 
half  a  minute,  then  came  out  backwards,  turning  in  the 
air  as  she  dropped  from  the  entrance,  and  with  a  parting 
rattle  was  off  to  the  river." 

There  were  five  babies  in  what  Dr.  Herrick  called  the 
"King  Row."  They  were  amusing  to  look  at  as  they 
sat  back  on  their  legs;  the  bill  of  one  nestling  protruded 
above  the  shoulder  of  the  bird  in  front  of  it.  They  never 
seized  their  food  (fish)  of  their  own  accord.  "It  was 
necessary  to  open  their  bills  and  press  the  food  well  down 
into  the  distensible  throats."  Raw  meat  was  rejected,  but 
they  throve  on  fish.  "Kingfishers'  throats  are  lined  with 
inwardly  projecting  papillae  s-o  that  when  a  fish  is  once 
taken  in  its  throat,  it  is  impossible  for  it  to  e^ape."  ^ 

The  young  kingfishers  that  Dr.  Herrick  observed  be- 
came very  tame.  He  is  pictured  with  them  on  his  hand, 
his  shoulder,  and  on  both  knees. 

While  kingfishers  do  less  good  than  most  of  our  feath- 
ered benefactors,  they  do  not  destr-oy  enough  fish  to  be 
a  detriment  to  the  fishing  interests  of  lakes  and  streams. 
They  are  true  sportsmen,  whose  presence  we  should  miss 
when  we  followed  the  rod  and  creel.  We  are  forced  to 
respect  their  prowess,  and  we  may  apostrophize  them  in 
the  words  of  Izaac  Walton:  "Angling  is  an  Art,  and  you 
know  that  Art  better  than  others ;  and  that  this  is  the  truth 
is  demonstrated  by  the  fruits  of  that  pleasant  labor  which 
you  enjoy." 

2  From  "Tlie  Home  Life  of  Wild  Birds,"  by  Francis  H.  Herrick.  Used 
with  the  permission  of  the  author,  and  of  his  publishers,  G.  P.  Putnam 
&  G). 

[146] 


^r^-:  tS^I^JNMr 

^P^'V'    '^.■^'wm^ 

FIELD    SPARROW 

THE  FIELD  SPARROW 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:     About  S^/o  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  small  brown  bird  with  a  reddish  back 
and  bill,  and  a  buff  breast  without  spots  or  streaks. 

Male  and  Female:  Top  of  head  reddish-brown;  sides  of  head, 
nape  of  neck,  and  line  over  eye  gray ;  bill  reddish- 
brown;  back  reddish-brown,  streaked  with  black  and 
gray;  rump  brownish-gray;  wings  and  tail  brown, 
some  wing-feathers  edged  with  gray;  sides  and  breast 
washed  with  buff. 

Song:  A  sweet  trill,  consisting  of  the  syllable  dee  repeated 
a  number  of  times.  It  varies  with  diflferent  individ- 
uals, but  is  phrased  somewhat  as  follows:  Dee' -dee'- 
dee',  de'-de,  de'-de,  de'-de,  de'-d&,  de'-de,  de'-d^. 

Habitat:  Old  overgrown  pastures  containing  clumps  of  bushes, 
preferred  to  cultivated  fields.  This  sparrow  is  not 
accurately  named,  for  it  is  not  strictly  a  bird  of  the 
fields. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  southern  Min- 
nesota, Michigan,  Quebec,  and  Maine  to  central 
Texas,  Louisiana,  and  northern  Florida;  winters 
from  Missouri,  Illinois,  southern  Pennsylvania,  and 
New  Jersey  to  the  Gulf  Coast. 

SOME  gorgeous  but  noisy  birds,  like  blue  jays,  pea- 
cocks, and  parrots,  please  only  the  eye;  many  quietly- 
dressed  but  sweet-voiced  songsters  are  a  delight  to  the 
ear.  To  the  latter  class  belongs  the  Field  Sparrow,  a 
gentle  little  bird,  so  rarely  seen  as  to  recall  to  our  minds 
the  lines: 

[147] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

"Shall  I  call  thee  Bird 
Or  but  a  wandering  Voice? 

•  ••••• 

Even  yet  thou  art  to  me 
No  bird,  but  an  invisible  thing, 
A  voice,  a  mystery." 

It  was  several  years  after  I  had  learned  to  love  the 

sweet,  tender  song  of  the  field  sparrow  that  I  had  my  first 

glimpse  of  the  singer.     He  is  a  very  real  and  delightful 

part  of  our  April  meadows,  where  he  lives  his  serene  life. 


[14S] 


^i 


'*^:\  #i^>f^ 


■i*--?'  " 


7 


VESPER    SPARROW 


THE  VESPER  SPARROW 

Finch  Family — Fringillidcs 

Length:  A  little  over  6  inches;  slightly  larger  than  the  field 
sparrow. 

Male  and  Female:  Brownish-gray  above,  with  faint  streaks  of 
black  and  buff;  wings  brownish,  with  bright  reddish- 
brown  shoulders,  giving  this  sparrow  the  name  of 
Bay-Winged  Bunting.  Under  parts  white,  the  sides 
and  breast  streaked  with  black  and  buff;  tail  brown- 
ish, with  outer  tail-featliers  mostly  white,  and  con- 
spicuous in  flight. 

Song:  A  plaintive  minor  strain,  usually  consisting  of  two 
notes  followed  by  a  trill.  The  syllables  sound  like 
Sweet' -heart,  I  love  you-you-you-you-you. 

Habitat:  Grassy  pastures  and  plowed  fields,  usually  in  the 
open,  away  from  farmhouses  and  out-buildings. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  central  Canada 
south  to  eastern  Nebraska,  central  Missouri,  Ken- 
tucky, Virginia,  and  North  Carolina,  west  to  western 
Minnesota;  winters  from  the  southern  part  of  its 
breeding  range  to  the  Gulf  Coast,  west  to  central 
Texas. 

THE  Vesper  Sparrow  is  very  easy  to  identify  because 
of  its  white  tail-feathers.  They  show  conspicuously 
as  the  bird  flutters  beside  hedges  that  border  fields,  fre- 
quently keeping  just  ahead  of  the  observer. 

The  bird  is  less  attractive  in  appearance  than  the  other 
familiar  sparrows,  but  has  to  my  mind  the  sweetest  voice 
of  all  the  sparrows  that  I  know  except  the  fox  sparrow. 
Its  song  is  pensive  and  tender,  with  a  spiritual  quality 

[149] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

that  gives  it  a  high  rank.  The  song  sparrow's  lay  usually 
consists  of  three  similar  notes  sung  in  a  major  key  with 
a  rising  inflection,  and  followed  by  a  cheerful  trill;  the 
vesper  sparrow's  song  generally  has  two  plaintive  notes 
preceding  a  trill,  sung  in  a  minor  key.  It  is  particularly 
beautiful  and  uplifting  when  several  vesper  sparrows  are 
singing  at  sunset. 

THE  VESPER  SPARROW 

When  the  meadows  are  brown  or  flushed  with  greens 

And  the  lark's  glad  note  rings  clear, — 
When  the  field  sparrow's  voice  like  a  silver  bell 

Chimes  a  melody  sweet  to  hear, — 
A  small  brown  bird  with  bay-capped  wings 

And  feathers  white  in  his  tail, 
Flutters  along  by  a  roadside  hedge 

And  alights  on  a  zigzag  rail, 
And  breathes  forth  a  song  entrancing, 

Of  a  beauty  surpassed  by  few — 
A  wistful,  plaintive,  minor  strain — 

"0  Sweetheart,  I  love  you!" 

When  a  mist  of  green  o'erspreads  the  trees, 

And  corals  and  rubies  gay 
Are  hung  on  the  maple  and  red-bud  boughs, 

And  the  brooks  are  babbling  away, — 
When  the  setting  sun  goes  down  in  a  glow 

Of  the  purest  primrose  gold, 
And  the  pearly  east  reflects  a  flush 

From  the  glories  the  west  doth  hold, — 
This  brown  bird  then,  with  a  soul  in  his  voice, 

Sings  to  his  mate  so  true 
The  tenderest  song  of  the  April  choir — 

''O  Sweetheart,  I  love  you!" 

[150] 


^-  -.A 


CHIPPING    SPARROW 


THE  CHIPPING  SPARROW 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:  A  little  over  5  inches;  the  smallest  of  our  common 
sparrows. 

Male  and  Female:  Crown  reddish-brown,  bill  black;  a  black 
line  extending  through  the  eye;  a  gray  line  above 
the  eye;  back,  wings,  and  tail  brown;  tail  forked; 
rump  gray;  breast  pale  gray  without  streaks  or  spots. 
In  the  fall,  the  reddish  crown  becomes  brown, 
streaked  with  black. 

Call-note :    Chip-chip. 

Song:  A  monotonous  trill.  Chippy-chip  py-chip  py-chippy- 
chippy-chippy-chippy,  more  like  the  metallic  sound 
made  by  a  locust  than  the  song  of  a  bird. 

Habitat :  A  "doorstep"  bird  that  loves  to  spend  the  spring  and 
summer  near  man.  It  is  found  in  gardens,  orchards, 
and  plowed  fields. 

Nest:  An  unusually  dainty  nest  made  of  grass  and  fine  root- 
fibers,  lined  with  horsehair,  which  has  given  to  the 
chipping  sparrow  the  name  of  "hair-bird."  The 
nest  is  built  in  trees  or  low  bushes,  sometimes  very 
near  the  ground. 

Eggs:  Four  or  five  pale-green  eggs,  mottled  with  dark  mark- 
ings. 

Range:  North  America,  from  central  Canada  to  Central  Amer- 
ica; commonest  in  the  east. 

THIS  gentle,  trustful  sparrow  is  a  general  favorite. 
He  is  an  unobtrusive  little  bird,  seemingly  con- 
tented to  occupy  his  place  in  the  world  near  to  the  haunts 
of  man,  unconsciously  doing  his  important  work  without 

[151] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

noisy  demonstration.  Like  the  brown  creeper  and  the 
phoebe,  he  is  of  great  economic  value;  like  them,  he  is  not 
particularly  interesting,  and  he  is  without  skill  as  a  song- 
ster. But  his  monotonous  trill  is  a  pleasant  part  of  the 
spring  chorus,  and  his  presence  in  our  yards  we  should 
sorely  miss. 

Mr.  Forbush  speaks  in  high  praise  of  this  bird's  use- 
fulness. He  claims  that  the  chippy  is  "the  most  destruc- 
tive of  all  birds  to  the  injurious  pea-louse,  which  caused 
a  loss  of  three  million  dollars  to  the  pea-crop  of  a  single 
state  in  one  year."  ^  This  sparrow  eats  the  grubs  that 
feed  on  beet-leaves,  cabbages,  and  other  vegetables;  he 
devours  cankerworms  and  currant  worms,  besides  gypsy, 
brown-tail,  and  tent  caterpillars,  any  one  of  which  would 
entitle  him  to  our  protection.  In  the  fall,  with  the  de- 
crease of  life  in  the  garden,  he  takes  to  the  fields,  where 
like  other  sparrows  he  feasts  on  seeds. 

If  it  were  more  generally  known  how  invaluable  chip- 
ping sparrows  are,  people  would  guard  them  more  care- 
fully from  marauding  cats.  I  wish  it  might  become  as 
unlawful  to  let  cats  stalk  abroad  during  the  nesting  season 
as  it  is  to  allow  unmuzzled  dogs  to  go  about  freely  during 
dog-days.  I  know  of  a  bird-lover  near  Painesville,  Ohio, 
who  never  during  nesting-time  allowed  her  pet  cat  to  stir 
outside  of  a  good-sized  enclosure  without  a  weight  attached 
to  his  collar.  Some  people  have  put  bells  on  their  cats' 
necks,  but  while  that  is  efficacious  in  alarming  parent- 
birds,  it  is  of  no  value  in  preventing  the  slaughter  of 
young  birds  that  have  just  left  the  nest.  Mr.  Forbush 
has  written  an  appeal,  which  I  wish  was  more  widely 
known  and  heeded.     It  is  called  "The  Domestic  Cat"  and 

iFrom  "Useful  Birds  and  their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush. 

[152] 


THE  CHIPPING  SPARROW 

was  published  under  the  direction  of  the  Massachusetts 
State  Board  of  Agricuhure. 

Mr.  Forbush  wrote  to  such  eminent  experts  and  author- 
ities on  bird-life  as  Robert  Ridgway,  Dr.  Frank  M.  Chap- 
man, Dr.  Witmer  Stone,  Dr.  Henry  W.  Henshaw,  Dr. 
William  T.  Hornaday,  John  Burroughs,  William  Dutcher, 
T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  Dr.  George  W.  Field,  Dr.  C.  F.  Hodge, 
Ernest  Harold  Baynes,  Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood  Weight,  and 
others,  for  their  opinions  regarding  the  relative  destruc- 
tiveness  of  cats  to  the  bird-life  of  the  country.  They  were 
unanimous  in  their  denunciation  of  cats  as  the  "greatest 
destructive  agency  to  our  smaller  song  and  insectivorous 
birds." 

Mrs.  Wright  says:  "If  the  people  of  the  country  insist 
upon  keeping  cats  in  the  same  number  as  at  present,  all 
the  splendid  work  of  Federal  and  State  legislation,  all 
the  labors  of  game-  and  song-bird  protective  associations, 
all  the  loving  care  of  individuals  in  watching  and  feeding, 
will  not  be  able  to  save  our  birds  in  many  localities." 

Young  chipping  sparrows  are  spoiled  bird-babies. 
They  "tag"  their  gentle  little  parents  about  with  unusual 
persistence,  knowing  that  they  will  get  what  they  demand. 
They  frequently  look  as  if  they  might  not  turn  out  to  be 
excellent  bird-citizens  like  their  ancestors.  When  a  noted 
ornithologist  first  saw  Mr.  HorsfalFs  original  drawing 
of  the  accompanying  family  of  chipping  sparrows  he  re- 
marked, "That  baby  looks  a  million  years  old  and  steeped 
in  sin!"  But  the  duties  of  parenthood  sober  the  young- 
sters, and  the  following  year,  they  become  in  turn  pleasant, 
docile,  lovable  little  "Bird  Neighbors." 


[153] 


THE  WHITE-THROATED  SPARROW 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:     About  6%  inches. 

General  Appearance:  One  of  the  larger  sparrows,  with  a 
black  and  white  striped  crown,  a  white  throat,  and 
a  yellow  spot  before  the  eye. 

Male  and  Female:  Striped  crown,  with  a  narrow  white  line 
in  the  center,  a  broad  black  stripe  on  each  side  of 
the  white;  a  broad  white  stripe  over  the  eye  edged 
with  a  narrow  black  line;  a  yellow  spot  in  front  of 
the  eye,  and  at  the  outer  curve  of  the  wing.  Back 
brown,  streaked  with  black;  rump  and  tail  grayish- 
brown;  wings  with  two  white  bars;  breast  gray,  be- 
coming whitish  on  the  belly;  sides  brownish. 

Notes:  A  sharp  chip  for  the  alarm-note;  low,  pleasant  twitter- 
ings. 

Song:  A  sweet  whistle,  usually  pitched  high.  It  consists  of 
two  or  three  notes  that  vary  considerably.  Some- 
times the  first  note  is  an  octave  below  the  second; 
at  other  times  it  is  a  few  tones  higher  than  the  sec- 
ond. I  heard  one  recently  that  sang  a  perfect  mono- 
tone as  follows:  Dee,  dee,  de'-de-de,  de'-de-de,  de'- 
de-de.  The  song  has  been  interpreted  in  Massachu- 
setts as 

Sam,  Peabody,  Peabody,  Peabody 

and  the  bird  is  known  as  the  "Peabody  Bird." 
Habitat:     Hedgerows   and  thickets  along  roadsides,  in   parks, 

on  estates,  and  in  woods. 
Bange:     Eastern    and    central    North    America.     Breeds    from 

north-central   Canada  to  southern  Montana,  central 

[154] 


THE  WHITE-THROATED  SPARROW 

Minnesota  and  Wisconsin,  and  mountains  of  north- 
ern Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and  Massachusetts; 
winters  from  Missouri,  the  Ohio  Valley,  southern 
Pennsylvania,  Massachusetts,  (casually  in  Maine), 
south  to  northeastern  Mexico  and  Florida. 


[155] 


THE  WHITE-CROWNED  SPARROW 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:  Nearly  7  inches;  a  little  larger  than  the  white- 
throated  sparrow. 

Male  and  Female:  Crown  white,  bordered  on  each  side  by  a 
broad  black  stripe  that  extends  from  bill  in  front 
of  the  eye;  a  broad  white  stripe  borders  each  black 
stripe;  a  narrow  line  of  black  borders  the  white. 
No  yellow  on  head  or  wing  like  that  of  the  white- 
throated  sparrow.  Cheeks,  neck,  throat,  and  under 
parts  gray;  belly  white,  sides  buff;  back,  wings,  and 
tail  brown;  back  streaked;  wings  with  two  white 
bars. 

Song:     A  sweet  whistled  strain. 

Habitat:     Thickets,  woods,  and  fields. 

Bange:  Breeds  in  Canada,  the  mountains  of  New  Mexico,  Col- 
orado, Wyoming,  and  Montana,  and  thence  to  the 
Pacific  Coast;  winters  in  the  southern  half  of  the 
United  States  and  in  northern  Mexico. 

THE  White-crowned  Sparrow  is  considered  by  some 
admirers  to  be  the  handsomest  member  of  the  spar- 
row tribe.  It  is  not  widely  known  in  the  East,  and  is 
sometimes  confused  with  the  white-throat.  The  gray 
throat  of  the  white-crown  and  the  absence  of  yellow  on  the 
wing  and  near  the  eye,  distinguish  it  from  the  white-throat. 
In  Bulletin  513  of  the  Biological  Survey  occurs  this 
description  of  the  white-crown:  "This  beautiful  sparrow 
is  much  more  numerous  in  the  western  than  in  the  eastern 
States,  where  indeed  it  is  rather  rare.     In  the  East  it  is 

[156] 


THE  WHITE-CROWNED  SPARROW 

shy  and  retiring,  but  it  is  much  bolder  and  more  conspicu- 
ous in  the  far  West  and  often  frequents  gardens  and  parks. 
Like  most  of  its  family  it  is  a  seed-eater  by  preference, 
and  insects  comprise  very  little  more  than  7  per  cent, 
of  its  diet.  Caterpillars  are  the  largest  item,  with  some 
beetles,  a  few  ants  and  wasps,  and  some  bugs,  among 
which  are  black  olive  scales.  The  great  bulk  of  food, 
however,  consists  of  weed  seeds,  which  amount  to  74  per 
cent,  of  the  whole.  In  California  this  bird  is  accused 
of  eating  the  buds  and  blossoms  of  fruit  trees,  but  buds 
or  blossoms  were  found  in  only  30  out  of  516  stomachs, 
and  probably  it  is  only  under  exceptional  circumstances 
that  it  does  any  damage  in  this  way.  Evidently  neither 
the  farmer  nor  the  fruit-grower  has  much  to  fear  from 
the  -vvhite-crowned  sparrow.  The  little  fruit  it  eats  is 
mostly  wild,  and  the  grain  eaten  is  waste." 


[157] 


THE  PURPLE  FINCH 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:  About  63^4  inches;  a  little  smaller  than  the  English 
sparrow. 

Adult  Male:  Body  largely  raspberry-  or  rose-red,  streaked 
with  brown.  For  two  seasons  the  male  is  a  brown 
sparrowlike  bird,  with  a  yellowish-olive  chin  and 
rump;  the  third  season  his  body  seems  to  have  been 
washed  with  a  beautiful  red,  not  purple,  the  color 
richest  on  his  head,  breast,  and  rump.  Head  slightly 
crested;  bill  thick,  with  bristles  at  nostrils;  cheeks 
and  back  brownish;  under  parts  grayish-white;  wings 
and  tail  brownish,  edged  with  red;  tail  forked. 

Female:  Decidedly  sparrowlike;  body  grayish-brown,  heavily 
streaked,  lighter  underneath;  patch  of  light  gray  ex- 
tending from  eye,  another  from  beak;  wings  dark 
grayish-brown,  with  indistinct  gray  bands.  She  is 
not  unlike  the  song  sparrow,  except  for  the  ab- 
sence of  the  three  black  spots  on  breast  and 
throat. 

Call-note:     A  sharp,  metallic  chip. 

Song:     A  clear,  sweet,  joyous  warble. 

Habitat:     Woods,  orchards,  and  gardens. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  in  central  and  south- 
ern Canada,  and  northern  United  States,  in  North 
Dakota,  central  Minnesota,  northern  Illinois,  and 
New  Jersey,  Maine,  Massachusetts,  the  Pennsylvania 
mountains,  and  Long  Island;  winters  from  consider- 
ably north  of  the  southern  boundary  of  its  breed- 
ing-range to  the  Gulf  Coast,  from  Texas  to  Flor- 
ida. 

[158] 


THE  PURPLE  FINCH 

NONE  of  our  smaller  finches,  except  the  goldfinch 
and  indigo  bunting  are  more  beautiful  in  color 
tlian  tlie  purple  finch  which  wears  a  Tyrian  purple, 
rather  than  the  shade  we  commonly  know. 

Few  members  of  the  family  sing  more  sweetly  and 
joyously  than  this  songster  of  the  treetops.  His  delight- 
ful warble  resembles  somewhat  the  song  of  the  rose- 
breasted  grosbeak,  and  attracts  attention  wherever  the 
bird  is  to  be  found.  Several  purple  finches  singing  from 
neighboring  elm  trees  at  once,  makes  a  May  or  June  con- 
cert not  easily  excelled.  Mr.  Forbush  says:  "The  song 
of  the  male  is  a  sudden,  joyous  burst  of  melody,  vigorous, 
but  clear  and  pure,  which  no  mere  words  can  do  justice. 
When,  filled  with  ecstasy,  he  mounts  in  air  and  hangs  with 
fluttering  wings  above  the  trees  where  sits  the  one  who 
holds  his  aflfections,  his  efforts  far  transcend  his  ordinary 
tones,  and  a  continuous  melody  flows  forth,  until,  ex- 
hausted with  his  vocal  eff^orts,  he  sinks  to  the  level  of  his 
spouse  in  the  treetop.  This  is  a  musical  species,  for  some 
females  sing,  though  not  so  well  as  the  males."  ^ 

The  bird  has  been  accused  of  eating  the  buds  of  fruit 
and  shade  trees,  especially  elms,  and  while  he  is  at  times 
guilty,  he  is  not  condemned  by  those  who  know  his  food- 
habits  best,  but  commended  for  his  fondness  for  weed 
seeds,  especially  ragweed,  and  for  destroying  plant-lice, 
cankerworms,  cutworms,  and  ground  beetles." 

His  cousin,  the  house  finch,  or  linnet  of  California, 
who  is  brighter  in  color,  is  more  beloved  by  tourists  and 
more  hated  by  fruit-growers  than  almost  any  bird  in  the 
state.     Professor  Beal  writes:     "This  bird,  like  the  other 

1  &  2  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush. 

[159] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

members  of  its  family,  is  by  nature  a  seed-eater,  and  be- 
fore the  beginning  of  fruit-growing  in  California  prob- 
ably subsisted  upon  the  seeds  of  weeds,  with  an  occasional 
wild  berry.  Now,  however,  when  orchards  have  extended 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  state  and  every 
month  from  May  to  December  sees  some  ripening  fruit, 
the  linnets  take  their  share.  As  their  name  is  legion,  the 
sum  total  of  the  fruit  that  they  destroy  is  more  than  the 
fruit-raiser  can  well  spare.  As  the  bird  has  a  stout  beak, 
it  has  no  difficulty  in  breaking  the  skin  of  the  hardest  f  i-uit 
and  feasting  upon  the  pulp,  thereby  spoiling  the  fruit  and 
giving  weaker-billed  birds  a  chance  to  sample  and  acquire 
a  taste  for  what  they  might  not  otherwise  have  molested. 
Complaints  against  this  bird  have  been  many  and  loud. 
.  .  .  Whatever  the  linnet's  sins  may  be,  grain-eating  is  not 
one  of  them.  In  view  of  the  great  complaint  made 
against  their  fruit-eating  habit,  the  small  quantity  found 
in  the  stomachs  taken  is  somewhat  of  a  surprise.  When 
a  bird  takes  a  single  peck  from  a  cherry  or  an  apricot,  it 
spoils  the  whole  fruit,  and  in  this  way  may  ruin  half  a 
dozen  in  taking  a  single  meal.  That  the  damage  is  often 
serious  no  one  will  deny.  It  is  noticeable,  however,  that 
the  earliest  varieties  are  the  ones  most  affected;  also,  that 
in  large  orchards  the  damage  is  not  perceptible,  while  in 
small  plantations  the  whole  crop  is  frequently  de- 
stroyed." ^ 

In  spite  of  this  troublesome  habit,  the  linnet  is  a  most 
engaging  little  bird.  Its  sweet  bubbling  song,  not  unlike 
that  of  the  purple  finch,  adds  much  to  the  charm  of  Cali- 
fornia. 

3  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[160] 


TOWHEE 


THE  TOWHEE  OR  CHEWINK 
CALLED  ALSO  GROUND  ROBIN  AND  CHAREE 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:  About  8|(.  inches;  smaller  than  the  robin  and  larger 
than  the  oriole. 

General  Appearance:  A  black  bird  with  reddish-browa  sides, 
black  breast,  and  white  belly;  outer  tail-feathers 
tipped  with  white. 

Male:  Head,  back,  throat,  and  breast,  a  glossy  black;  wings 
black,  outer  feathers  edged  with  white;  tail  black, 
outer  edge  of  outer  feather  white;  three  other  feath- 
ers partly  white,  decreasing  in  size  toward  middle  of 
tail;  belly  white;  eyes  dark  red. 

Female:  Brownish,  where  male  is  black.  The  young  are 
streaked  with  black. 

Call-note:  A  cheerful  cha-ree,  uttered  with  a  rising  inflection. 
The  note  is  also  interpreted  as  tow  hee'?  chewink'? 
jaree'?  An  engaging  trait  of  this  bird  is  his  al- 
most invariable  response  to  one  imitating  his  note. 

Song:  Two  notes,  followed  by  a  trill.  The  song  may  be  trans- 
lated into  chip-chur,  pussy- pussy-willow . 

Habitat:  Woodlands,  where  he  is  first  found  in  April  scratch- 
ing among  old  leaves  like  fox  sparrows,  white- 
throats,  and  other  members  of  his  family. 

Range:  Eastern  North  Am.erica.  Breeds  from  southern  Can- 
ada and  Maine  to  central  Kansas  and  northern 
Georgia;  winters  from  southeastern  Nebraska,  the 
Ohio  and  Potomac  Valleys  to  central  Texas,  the 
Gulf  Coast,  and  southern  Florida. 

The  WHITE-EYED  TOWHEE  is  found  on  the  Atlantic 
Coast  region  from  about  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 

[161] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

to    southern    Florida.     He    resembles    his    northern 
I  cousin    except    that    his    eyes    are    white,    and    that 

his  wings  and  tail  have  less  white  on  them.  There 
are  several  species  of  towhee  in  our  western 
states. 

BEFORE  the  trees  are  in  leaf,  there  appears  in  our 
April  woods  a  lively,  trim,  and  attractive  bird  who 
makes  himself  known  in  no  uncertain  manner.  So  bus- 
tling and  energetic  is  he,  so  cheerful  and  self-confident, 
without  unpleasant  aggressiveness,  that  he  always  attracts 
attention.  The  uninitiated  frequently  call  him  an  oriole, 
whom  he  does  resemble  in  having  a  glossy  black  head, 
throat,  back,  and  tail,  and  white  markings  on  his  wings, 
with  reddish-brown  like  that  of  the  orchard  oriole  on  his 
sides;  but  there  the  resemblance  ceases,  for  the  oriole  has 
in  addition  a  reddish-brown  breast,  belly,  and  rump. 
Then,  too,  the  towhee  arrives  early,  before  larvae  have 
hatched;  the  oriole  arrives  in  May,  when  swarms  of  in- 
sects have  begun  their  work  of  fertilizing  blossoms  of  fruit 
trees. 

Professor  Beal  writes  of  the  towhee  as  follows:  "After 
snow  has  disappeared  in  early  spring,  an  investigation  of 
the  rustling  so  often  heard  among  the  leaves  near  a  fence 
or  in  a  thicket  will  frequently  disclose  a  towhee  at  work 
scratching  for  his  dinner  after  the  manner  of  a  hen;  and 
in  these  places  and  along  the  sunny  border  of  woods,  old 
leaves  will  be  found  overturned  where  the  bird  has  been 
searching  for  hibernating  beetles  and  larvae.  The  good 
which  the  towhee  does  in  this  way  can  hardly  be  overesti- 
mated, since  the  death  of  a  single  insect  at  this  time,  be- 
fore it  has  had  an  opportunity  to  deposit  its  egg,  is  equiv- 

[162] 


THE  TOWHEE  OR  CHEWINK 


»» 1 


alent  to  the  destruction  of  a  host  later  in  the  year. 

While  attending  to  business,  this  ground  robin  seems 
most  materialistic  and  worldly-minded;  but  when  satis- 
fied with  his  quest  for  food,  "a  change  comes  over  the 
spirit  of  his  dreams."  He  perches  upon  a  low  bough; 
in  a  sweet  and  joyous  song  he  reveals  his  passionate  de- 
votion to  his  mate,  and  brings  pleasure  to  listeners  whose 
ears  are  attuned  to  the  sounds  of  Nature. 

1  Farmers'    Bulletin    630,   U.   S.    Department    of   Agriculture,    Biological 
Survey. 


[163] 


DESCRIPTIONS  AND  BIOGRAPHIES 

OF 
OUR  LATER  SPRING  BIRDS 

PART  FOUR 


LATER  SPRING  BIRDS 

SPRING  comes  with  a  rush  in  some  parts  of  our 
country  and  remains  but  a  short  time,  so  closely  does 
Summer  follow  in  her  footsteps.  But  in  New  England, 
New  York,  northern  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  neighbor- 
ing states,  her  approach  is  more  gradual  and  restrained. 

When  maple  and  red-bud  have  laid  aside  their  corals 
and  fruit-trees  have  donned  their  robes  of  white  and  shell- 
pink;  when  the  woods  show  again  a  flush  of  tender  green, 
Spring  arrives.  She  has  long  been  heralded  by  early 
choristers;  she  is  now  accompanied  by  a  host  more  won- 
derful than  retinue  of  kings,  so  varied  is  their  dress  and 
so  sweet  their  triumphal  music.  Grove  and  orchard  are 
alive  with  happy-hearted  birds,  who  help  to  make  May 
the  loveliest  month  of  the  year. 

First  come  the  swallows,  skimming  over  pools  and  cir- 
cling above  meadows — embodiment  of  grace,  gladdening 
the  world  with  their  joyous  twitterings.  Swifts,  night- 
hawks,  and  whip-poor-wills  make  nightfall  vocal.  Little 
house  wrens,  each  a  fountain  of  bubbling  music,  take  up 
their  abode  near  our  homes. 

Cuckoos  slip  quietly  from  tree  to  tree;  thrashers  and 
catbirds  seek  thickets  or  perch  on  treetops,  to  sing  like 
their  celebrated  cousins,  the  mockingbirds.  Shy  oven- 
birds  and  lustrous-eyed  thrushes  return  to  live  in  the 
woods,  or  pass  through  them  as  they  journey  to  their  north- 
em  homes.  The  advent  of  the  tanager  in  his  flashing 
scarlet,  and  the  grosbeak  with  his  glowing  rose  bring  to 

[167] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

every  bird-lover  "a  most  pointed  pleasure."  With  Steven- 
son he  may  say,  [They]  "stab  my  spirit  broad  awake." 
Vireos  and  wood  pewees  appear  in  the  groves;  warblers 
flit  from  treetop  to  treetop,  many  of  them  on  their  way  to 
northern  woods.  Orioles  in  the  elms  and  orchards  shout 
with  joy;  bobolinks  bubble  and  tinkle  in  the  meadows; 
indigo  buntings  and  kingbirds  greet  us  from  roadsides, 
and  Maryland  yellow-throats  from  thickets.  Goldfinches 
hold  their  May  festival,  and  choose  their  mates  as  they 
sing  with  joyous  abandon.  The  earth  is  fresh  and  beauti- 
ful, with  promise  of  a  glad  fulfillment  near  at  hand. 


[168] 


'  >  >>^// 


^ 


TREE    SWALLOW 


THE  TREE  SWALLOW 
Sivallow  Family — Hirundinidce 

Length:     About  6  inches. 

General  Appearance:  Bluish-green  above;  pure  white  under- 
neath, from  beak  to  tail;  tail  not  deeply  forked; 
wings  very  long. 

Male  and  Female:  Back,  a  dark,  glistening  green,  giving  this 
swallow  the  name  of  "The  Green-backed  Swallow"; 
the  snowy  white  under  parts  give  it  the  names  of 
"White-breasted  Swallow"  and  "White-bellied  Swal- 
low." The  green  and  white  are  about  equally  dis- 
tributed; the  green  on  the  head  resembles  a  close- 
fitting  skull-cap,  pulled  down  below  the  eyes. 
Wings,  very  long  and  powerful  (nearly  4% 
inches),  extending  beyond  the  ends  of  the  forked 
tail.  Bill  short,  very  wide  at  base.  Feet  small  and 
weak — used  only  when  resting,  as  swallows  are  gen- 
erally on  the  wing. 

Young:     Brownish-gray,   white   beneath. 

Note:     A  pleasant  twitter. 

Flight:     Swift,  in  great  circles. 

Habitat:  Tree  swallows  are  seen  along  roadsides,  and  near 
swamps  and  thickets.  They  formerly  nested  in  dead 
trees,  in  woodpeckers'  holes,  or  any  available  hollow. 
They  now  take  kindly  to  nesting-boxes.  They  have 
"roosts"  at  night  where  they  resort  in  great  numbers, 
especially  on  their  way  south  in  the  late  summer. 
They  have  a  great  fondness  for  telegraph-wires. 
During  the  fall  migration,  long  chains  of  these  swal- 
lows are  festooned  on  the  wires  during  the  daytime. 
At  night  they  disappear  to  their  roosts,  preferably 
near  marshes.  They  are  a  sight  to  be  remembered 
[169] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

in  the  Jersey  marshes,  which  Mr.  HorsfalFs  accom- 
panying drawing  depicts. 
Range:  North  America  from  Alaska  and  northern  Canada  to 
southern  California,  Colorado,  Kansas,  Missouri,  and 
Virginia.  They  winter  from  central  California, 
southern  Texas,  southern  parts  of  the  Gulf  States 
and  southeastern  North  Carolina,  south  over  Mexico, 
Guatemala,  and  Cuba;  sometimes  in  New  Jersey. 
They  eat  bayberries  that  grow  along  the  coast,  and 
thus  are  able  to  remain  farther  north  in  winter  than 
their  relatives. 

FIRST  of  the  swallow  host  to  speed  northward  is  the 
Tree  Swallow,  that  migrates  in  April,  as  soon  as  a 
sufficient  number  of  insects  have  hatched  to  furnish  a  liv- 
ing for  these  almost  wholly  insectivorous  birds.  Their 
cheerful  twitter  and  beautiful  circling  flight  make  them 
very  welcome. 

Swallows  have  always  been  regarded  with  favor.  They 
were  formerly  considered  a  good  omen,  and  were  thought 
to  bring  fair  weather  and  prosperity.  I  shall  always  re- 
member the  welcoming  swallow  that  met  our  ship  near  the 
Scilly  Islands  one  June  day,  and  preceded  us  without 
resting  for  long  hours  as  we  voyaged  close  to  the  shore 
of  England.  It  seemed  to  presage  the  good  fortune  that 
followed  us. 

Swallows  fly  with  their  broad  beaks  ready  to  open,  and 
catch  unwary  insects  with  great  ease.  They  rise  early 
and  continue  their  ceaseless  quest  for  small  beetles,  flies, 
mosquitoes,  and  other  insects.  Professor  Beal  says: 
"Most  of  these  are  either  injurious  or  annoying,  and  the 
numbers  destroyed  by  swallows  are  not  only  beyond  cal- 

[170] 


THE  TREE  SWALLOW 

culation  but  almost  beyond  imagination."  ^  He  pleads 
for  the  protection  of  all  swallows  and  suggests  that  the 
"white-bellied  swallows"  be  supplied  with  boxes  similar 
to  those  constructed  for  bluebirds,  only  placed  at  a  greater 
elevation  and  protected  from  cats. 

Tree  swallows  are  the  first  to  come  and  first  to  go.  Be- 
fore the  summer  has  really  arrived,  as  early  as  July  first, 
they  begin  to  flock  and  form  great  colonies  that  may  be 
seen  migrating  during  the  daytime. 

1  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  U.  S.  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agri- 
culture. 


[171] 


THE  BARN  SWALLOW 

Swallow  Family — Hirundinidce 

Length:  About  7  inches;  an  inch  longer  than  the  tree  swal- 
low because  of  longer  tail;  body  nearly  the  same 
size. 

General  Appearance:  Upper  parts  a  glossy  bluish-black; 
under  parts  reddish-brown  and  buff;  tail  deeply 
forked. 

Male:  Forehead  and  throat  bright  reddish-brown;  breast,  belly, 
and  feathers  under  wings  a  light  brown,  becoming 
buffy;  breast  and  throat  separated  by  an  indistinct 
dark  band;  upper  parts  a  shimmering  bluish-black; 
tail  very  deeply  forked — the  proverbial  "swallow- 
tail"; rounded  white  spots  on  the  inner  web  of  all 
except  the  middle  tail-feathers. 

Female:  Resembles  male,  though  paler  in  color;  outer  tail- 
feathers  a  little  shorter. 

Young:  Backs  duller,  breasts  paler,  tail-feathers  shorter  than 
those  of  adult  male. 

Notes:  A  clear,  sweet  call,  and  a  joyous,  musical  twitter — 
weet-weet,  or  twit-twit. 

Flight:  Long,  sweeping  curves  that  are  beautiful  to  see.  The 
bird  shows  first  his  blue  back,  then  his  soft  brown 
breast.  He  flies  nearer  the  ground  than  other  swal- 
lows, and  surpasses  them  all  in  his  power  of  flight. 
Imagine  the  number  of  miles  he  travels  in  a  day! 

Habitat:  Fields  and  farm-lands;  also  the  vicinity  of  ponds 
or  other  breeding-places  of  insects.  The  nest  of 
mud  is  usually  fastened  to  a  rafter  of  a  barn.  These 
swallows  often  nest  in  colonies. 

Range:  North  America,  from  northwestern  Alaska  and  Can- 
ada, to  southern  California  and  southwestern  Texas, 
[172] 


F,-jjKwft    H»Sif  Ai  I    ^ 


^ 


BARN  SWALLOW 


THE  BARN  SWALLOW 

northern  Arkansas  and  North  Carolina.  They  do 
not  breed  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  United 
States.     They  winter  in  South  America. 

MOST  beautiful  of  all  the  swallows  is  this  bluebird 
fleet  of  the  summer  time.  It  is  associated  in 
my  mind  with  shining  pools  rimmed  with  iris;  with  fra- 
grant lilac-bushes,  blossoming  apple-trees,  and  waving 
fields  of  grain  near  farm-buildings.  Its  sweet  voice  and 
marvelous  flight  bring  poetry  into  the  prosaic  life  of  the 
farm. 

Burroughs  characterizes  the  swallow  delightfully  in 
"Under  the  Maples."  He  says:  "Is  not  the  swallow  one 
of  the  oldest  and  dearest  of  birds?  Known  to  the  poets 
and  sages  and  prophets  of  all  peoples!  So  infantile,  so 
helpless  and  awkward  upon  the  earth,  so  graceful  and 
masterful  on  the  wing,  the  child  and  darling  of  the  sum- 
mer air,  reaping  its  invisible  harvest  in  the  fields  of  space 
as  if  it  dined  on  sunbeams,  touching  no  earthly  food, 
drinking  and  bathing  and  mating  on  the  wing,  swiftly, 
tirelessly  coursing  the  long  day  through,  a  thought  on 
wings,  a  lyric  in  the  shape  of  a  bird!  Only  in  the  free 
fields  of  the  summer  air  could  it  have  got  that  steel-blue 
of  the  wings  and  that  warm  tan  of  the  breast.  Of  course 
I  refer  to  the  bam  swallow.  The  cliff  swallow  seems  less 
a  child  of  the  sky  and  sun,  probably  because  its  sheen 
and  glow  are  less,  and  its  shape  and  motions  less  arrowy. 
More  varied  in  color,  its  hues  yet  lack  the  intensity,  and 
its  flight  the  swiftness,  of  those  of  its  brother  of  the  hay- 
lofts. The  tree  swallows  and  the  bank  swallows  are  pleas- 
ing, but  they  are  much  more  local  and  restricted  in  their 
ranges  than  the  barn-frequenters.  As  a  farm  boy  I  did 
not  know  them  at  all,  but  the  barn  swallows  the  summer 

[173] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

always  brought.     After  all,  there  is  but  one  swallow;  the 
others  are  particular  kinds  that  we  specify."  ^ 

^  Used   with   permission   of   the    Houghton   Mifflin    Co.,   the   authorized 
publishers. 


[174] 


PURPLE   MARTIN 


THE  PURPLE  MARTIN 

Swallow  Family — Hirundinidce 

Length:  About  8  inches,  the  largest  of  the  six  common  species 
of  swallow.  Wings  nearly  6  inches  long — very 
large   when   spread. 

Male:  Glossy  purplish-black  Iiead,  body,  and  shoulders;  wings 
and  tail  duller.  No  reddish-brown  or  white.  Tail 
forked. 

Female:  Bluish-black  head  and  back;  black  wings  and  tail; 
brownish-gray  throat,  neck,  and  sides,  mottled  with 
white-tipped  feathers;  belly,  grayish-white. 

Young":     Similar  to  female. 

Note:  A  sweet,  rich,  joyous  warble.  Mr.  Forbush  describes 
it  as  "a  full-toned  chirruping  carol,  musical  and 
clear,  beginning  peuo-peuo-peuo."  ^ 

Habitat:  Farm-lands  and  the  vicinity  of  dwellings  shaded  by 
trees.  These  birds  were  formerly  more  numerous 
in  the  North  than  at  present.  They  are  more  abun- 
dant in  the  South  than  in  the  North. 

Nests:  Made  of  twigs,  grass,  straw,  or  leaves,  placed  in  gourds 
or  maftin-houses.  Martins  are  very  social  and 
seem  to  revel  in  large  "bird-apartment-houses." 
They  formerly  nested  in  hollow  trees  or  caves. 

Hange;  North  and  South  America,  except  Pacific  Coast  region. 
They  breed  in  southern  Canada,  east  of  the  Rockies; 
in  the  United  States  from  Montana  and  Idaho,  south 
to  the  Gulf  Coast,  Florida,  and  Mexico.  They  win- 
ter in  Brazil.  A  western  martin  is  found  on  the 
Pacific  Coast. 


P 


URPLE  MARTINS  have  long  been  favorites.     Mr. 
Dutcher  tells  us  that  Indians,  keen  observers   of 


1  From    "Useful    Birds    and    Tlieir    Protection,"    by    E.    H.    Forbush, 
page  318. 

[175] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

nature,  realized  that  it  was  beneficial  to  have  them  near 
their  long-houses.  They  therefore  hung  hollowed  gourds 
to  entice  them.  Southern  negroes  have  done  likewise. 
They  sometimes  suspend  a  number  of  gourds  from  cross- 
bars surmounting  a  pole,  to  form  nesting-sites  for  a  small 
colony. 

Martins  form  an  ideal  community — busy,  happy,  har- 
monious— unless  English  sparrows  attempt  to  evict  them 
and  appropriate  their  homes.  Martin-houses  and  blue- 
bird nesting-boxes  seem  to  be  the  envy  of  these  pugnacious 
sparrows.  Martins  attack  crows  and  hawks  but  cannot 
endure  the  persecutions  of  the  English  sparrow. 

Martins  are  so  useful  that  they  should  be  protected 
and  encouraged  whenever  possible.  A  friend  of  mine 
told  me  that  she  was  never  obliged  to  have  her  trees 
sprayed  while  the  martins  remained.  They  feed  on 
wasps,  bugs,  and  beetles,  several  varieties  of  which  are 
harmful,  and  they  devour  many  flies  and  moths. 

Dr.  Dutcher  quotes  from  Audubon  regarding  the  flight 
of  martins  as  follows: 

"The  usual  flight  of  this  bird  .  .  .  although  graceful 
and  easy,  cannot  be  compared  in  swiftness  with  that  of 
the  Barn  Swallow.  Yet  the  martin  is  fully  able  to  dis- 
tance any  bird  not  of  its  own  genus.  They  are  very  ex- 
pert at  bathing  and  drinking  while  on  the  wing,  when 
over  a  large  lake  or  river,  giving  a  sudden  motion  to  the 
hind  part  of  the  body,  as  it  comes  in  contact  with  the 
water,  thus  dipping  themselves  in  it,  and  then  rising  and 
shaking  their  body,  like  a  water  spaniel,  to  throw  off  the 
water."  ^ 

2  Educational  Leaflet  No.  13,  of  the  National  Association  of  Audubon 
Societies. 

[176] 


THE  CLIFF  OR  EAVE  SWALLOW 

Swallow  Family — Hirundinidce 

Length:  About  6  inches;  one  inch  smaller  than  the  barn  swal- 
low, and  two  inches  smaller  than  the  martin. 

General  Appearance:  A  multi-colored  swallow — a  sort  of 
combination  of  barn  swallow  and  martin,  with  areas 
and  patches  of  dark  blue,  chestnut,  gray,  and  white, 
and  bright  reddish-brawn  upper  tail-coverts,  that  dif- 
ferentiate it  from  the  other  swallows. 

Male  and  Female:  Forehead  creamy  white,  head  bluish-black; 
throat  and  cheeks  reddish-brown;  a  brownish  ring 
about  the  neck  shading  to  gray;  back  bluish-black 
streaked  with  white;  breast  gray  with  a  wash  of 
brown,  and  a  blue-black  patch  where  the  throat  joins 
the  breast;  wings  and  tail  brownish;  tail  only  slightly 
forked. 

Note :  A  harsher,  less  musical  note  than  that  of  the  bam  swal- 
low and  martin. 

Habitat:  Meadows  and  marshes.  These  swallows  formerly 
nested  in  cliffs;  now  they  build  under  eaves  of  build- 
ings. 

Nests:  Curiously  shaped  pouches  of  mud  that  make  one  think 
of  protuberant  knot-holes,  or  of  flasks  made  of  skin. 
The  nests  vary  with  the  shape  of  the  places  to  which 
they  are  fastened.  Eave  swallows  also  nest  in  col- 
onies. 

Range:  North  America.  Breed  from  central  Alaska  and  north- 
central  Canada  over  nearly  all  the  United  States  ex- 
cept Florida  and  the  Rio  Grande  Valley.  They 
probably  winter  in  Brazil  and  Argentina. 

MR.  FORBUSH  writes  about  the  Cliff  or  Eave  Swal- 
low as  follows: 

[177] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

"When  the  first  explorers  reached  the  Yellowstone  and 
other  western  rivers,  swallows  were  found  breeding  on 
the  precipitous  banks.  As  settlers  gradually  worked 
their  way  westward,  the  swallows  found  nesting-places 
under  the  eaves  of  their  rough  buildings.  In  these  new 
breeding-places  they  were  better  protected  from  the  ele- 
ments and  their  enemies  than  on  their  native  cliffs  and 
so  the  Cliff  Swallow  became  the  Eave  Swallow,  and,  fol- 
lowing the  settlements,  rapidly  increased  in  numbers  and 
worked  eastward."  ^  These  swallows  were  very  numer- 
ous fifty  years  ago.  It  is  now  generally  conceded  that 
English  sparrows  are  largely  responsible  for  their  de- 
crease. It  is  greatly  to  be  deplored,  for  swallows  add 
much  to  the  charm  of  out-door  life,  and  subtract  many 
annoyances  in  the  form  of  insect  pests,  especially  flies 
and  mosquitoes. 


THE  BANK  SWALLOW 

Swallow  Family — Hirundinidce 

Length:     A  little  over  5  inches;  the  smallest  of  the  six  common 

swallows. 
General   Appearance:     Brownish-gray  above;    band   of   same 

color  across  breast;  throat  and  under  parts  white. 

The  gray  head  and  white  throat  form  a  cap  similar 

in  effect  to  that  of  the  tree  swallow. 
Note:     A  twitter,  less  pleasing  than  that  of  the  martin  and  the 

barn  swallow. 
Habitat:     Sandy  banks  of  rivers,  and  shores  of  lakes. 
Nests:     In  holes  made  in  sand-banks. 

iFrom  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  page 

[178] 


THE  BANK  SWALLOW 

Range:  North  and  South  America.  Breeds  from  the  tree- 
regions  of  Alaska  and  Canada  to  southern  California, 
Arizona,  Texas,  Louisiana,  and  Virginia.  It  mi- 
grates through  Mexico  and  Central  America  and 
probably  winters  in  northern  South  America  to 
Brazil  and  Peru. 

THE  ROUGH-WINGED  SWALLOW  resembles  the  bank 
swallow  so  closely  that  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish 
tliem,  unless  one  can  see  the  darker  breast  and  throat  of 
the  rough-wing  and  the  absence  of  a  dark  band  across  the 
breast.  Upon  careful  examination  of  the  latter  species, 
each  long  outer  wing-feather  is  discovered  to  have  a  rough 
saw-tooth  edge. 

The  habits  of  the  birds  are  similar,  though  the  rough- 
wings,  like  phoebes,  nest  not  only  in  banks,  but  against 
stone  walls  and  stone  bridges.  They  have  a  more  re- 
stricted range  than  barn  swallows.  They  breed  from 
southern  Canada  to  northern  Florida  and  southern  Cali- 
fornia, and  winter  in  Mexico  and  Central  America. 


[179] 


THE  CHIMNEY  SWIFT 

Swift  Family — Micropodidce 

Length:     About  5^  inches;  wings  nearly  5  inches  long. 

General  Appearance:  In  the  sky,  the  swift  looks  unlike  any 
other  bird.  The  wings  are  long  and  flap  like  those 
of  a  mechanical  toy-bird.  The  tail  appears  rounded, 
not  forked,  like  those  of  swallows. 

Male  and  Female:  Brownish-gray,  lighter  gray  on  throat;  a 
black  spot  before  each  eye;  wings  longer  than  tail; 
tail  short,  with  ribs  of  the  feathers  extending  beyond 
the  vanes,  giving  the  effect  of  sharp  needle-  or  pin- 
points.    The  bird  has  a  sooty  appearance. 

Note:     A  noisy,  incessant  twitter. 

Flight:  Rapid,  and  seemingly  erratic  and  aimless.  Swifts' 
wings  appear  to  beat  the  air  alternately.  The  birds 
move  in  great  curves,  seldom  alight,  and  drop  sud- 
denly into  chimneys  at  night  or  when  they  wish  to 
enter  their  nests. 

Nest:  A  wall-pocket,  built  of  sticks  glued  together  and  to  the 
wall  by  a  sticky  saliva  secreted  by  the  swifts.  Dur- 
ing rainy  weather  the  nest  is  sometimes  loosened,  and 
falls. 

Eggs:  White,  like  those  of  woodpeckers  and  some  others  laid 
in  dark  places. 

Habitat:  As  swifts  secure  all  of  their  food  while  on  the  wing 
and  seldom  alight,  they  have  no  habitat  except  the 
atmosphere  and  the  hollow  trees  or  chimneys  in 
which  they  congregate  at  night,  and  where  they  nest. 
They  do  not  perch  on  telegraph  wires  as  swallows 
like  to  do. 

Range:     Breed   in  eastern  North   America,  from  southcentral 

[180] 


CHIMN'KY    SWIFT 


THE  CHIMNEY  SWIFT 

Canada  to  the  Gulf,  and   westward  to  the  Plains; 
winter  south  of  the  United  States. 

SWIFTS  have  often  been  called  "Chimney  Swallows," 
but  the  name  is  a  misnomer;  they  belong  to  an  en- 
tirely different  family.  The  breadth  of  wing  and  rapid 
flight,  the  weak  feet  and  broad  bills  are,  however,  points 
of  resemblance;  the  sooty  appearance  and  lack  of  beauti- 
ful luster  of  plumage  are  points  of  difference.  Then,  too, 
swifts'  tails  are  less  like  swallows'  tails  than  they  are  like 
those  of  woodpeckers  and  creepers;  the  spiny  tips  are  used 
as  props  against  a  perpendicular  surface. 

The  following  facts  concerning  swifts  are  taken  from 
Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York": 

"Nearly  every  village  or  city  [in  New  York  State]  can 
boast  at  least  one  large  chimney  or  church  or  schoolhouse 
that  harbors  multitudes  of  swifts  every  night  late  in  sum- 
mer. It  is  an  interesting  sight  to  watch  these  swifts  as 
they  wheel  about  such  a  chimney  in  the  August  and  Sep- 
tember evenings  and,  when  the  magic  moment  arrives, 
pour  down  its  capacious  mouth  in  a  living  cascade.  It 
seems  impossible  for  this  species  to  perch,  but  it  always 
alights  on  some  perpendicular  surface  like  the  inside  of 
a  large  hollow  tree  or  the  inner  surface  of  a  chimney  or 
the  perpendicular  boards  at  the  gable  end  of  a  barn  or 
shed.  In  this  position  it  sleeps,  clinging  with  its  sharp 
claws  to  the  irregular  surface  and  using  its  spiny  tail  as  a 
support.  The  swift  is  seen  abroad  early  in  the  morning 
and  late  in  the  afternoon,  but  in  cloudy  weather  comes  out 
at  any  time  of  day  and  evidently  can  see  well  in  the  bright 
sunlight,  for  it  frequently  hunts  material  for  its  nest  dur- 
ing the  brightest  weather.     They  begin  to  construct  the  nest 

[181] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

in  May  or  early  June,  the  small  twigs  of  which  it  is  formed 
being  broken  from  dead  branches  of  some  shade  tree  by 
the  bird  flying  directly  against  the  tip  of  the  twig  and  snap- 
ping it  off^.  The  twigs  are  carried  into  the  chimney  and 
are  cemented  to  the  wall  and  to  each  other  by  a  gelatinous 
substance  secreted  by  the  salivary  glands  of  the  bird  itself. 
When  completed,  the  nest  is  like  a  little  semi-circular 
bracket  slightly  hollowed  downward.  The  eggs  are  placed 
on  this  framework  of  twigs  without  lining. 

"In  food  the  swift  is  wholly  insectivorous,  and  does  an 
immense  amount  of  good  destroying  beetles,  flies,  and 
gnats,  which  he  devours  in  countless  multitudes.  The 
chimney  swift,  as  he  darts  by,  frequently  utters  a  rapid 
chipper  something  like  the  syllable  chip,  chip,  chip,  rap- 
idly repeated,  and  I  have  heard  a  loud  cheeping  in  the 
chimney,  evidently  uttered  by  the  young  birds.  One  of  the 
earliest  impressions  of  my  boyhood  was  the  curious  roar- 
ing caused  by  the  wings  of  parent  swifts  as  they  came  and 
went  from  their  nests  at  daybreak.  This  unfortunate 
habit  of  early  rising  has  brought  the  chimney  swift  into 
bad  repute  in  many  civilized  communities,  .  .  .  closing 
chimneys  against  this  beneficial  bird." 

In  Major  Charles  Bendire's  "Life  Histories  of  Ameri- 
can Birds"  occur  the  following  statements  from  Mr.  Otto 
Widman  regarding  the  nests  and  young  of  chimney  swifts: 
"The  setting  parent  shields  the  structure  by  habitually 
covering  its  base  with  the  breast  and  pressing  its  head 
against  the  wall  above.  When  disturbed,  it  hides  below 
the  nest,  as  do  the  young  birds.  They  make  a  hissing  noise, 
and  always  remain  2  or  3  feet  below  the  mouth  of  the 
chimney  [shaft],  where  they  are  fed  by  the  parents  until 
they  are  four  weeks  old. 

[182] 


THE  CHIMNEY  SWIFT 

Few  birds  are  more  devoted  to  their  young  than  the 
Chimney  Swift,  and  instances  are  recorded  where  the  par- 
ent was  seen  to  enter  chimneys  in  burning  houses,  even 
after  the  entire  roof  was  a  mass  of  flames,  preferring  to 
perish  with  its  offspring  rather  than  to  forsake  them." 


[183] 


THE  WHIP-POOR-WILL 

Goatsucker  Family — Caprimulgidce 

Length:     Nearly  10  inches;  wings  7  inches  long. 

General  Appearance:  A  mottled  brown  bird  with  a  narrow 
white  band  around  throat,  and  white  outer  tail- 
feathers. 

"He  seems  a  lichen  on  a  log, 
A  dead  leaf  on  the  ground." 

Male  and  Female:  Soft  brown,  irregularly  mottled  and  barred 
with  black,  buff,  and  white.  Throat  dark  with  a 
narrow  curve  of  white  in  the  male,  and  one  of  bufj 
in  the  female.  Beak  short,  slightly  hooked,  and  very 
wide  (1^  inches),  with  long  bristles  at  the  sides. 
Breast  dark,  belly  white.  Middle  tail-feathers  mot- 
tled brown;  half  of  six  other  tail-feathers  white, 
which  are  visible  in  flight.  Female  has  narrower 
white  tips  to  outer  tail-feathers. 

Note:  Whip'-poor-ivill,  ivhip' -poor-will,  whip' -poor-ivill,  ut- 
tered rapidly,  monotonously,  lugubriously,  continu- 
ously. My  sister  counted  275  repetitions  of  his  note 
given  without  a  pause.  To  some  people  the  sound 
is  unendurable.  When  near  the  bird,  I  have  heard 
him  give  a  soft  chuck  between  the  repetition  of  the 
word  whip-poor-will.  He  is  associated  in  my  mind 
with  bright  moonlight  evenings,  for  it  is  then  he  is 
most  vociferous.  He  sings,  also,  early  in  the  morn- 
ing. 

Flight:     Swift,  yet  noiseless;  almost  as  uncanny  as  his  note. 

Habitat:  In  woods  and  open  groves,  where  one  may  come 
upon  him  both  at  night  and  during  the  daytime  sit- 
ting lengthwise  on  a  log  or  branch  instead  of  cross- 
wise. 

[184] 


WHIP-POOK-WILL 


THE  WHIP-POOR-WILL 

Nest:  No  nest  is  made,  but  two  dull-colored,  mottled  eggs  are 
laid  on  the  ground  or  on  dead  leaves. 

Bange:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  southern  Can- 
ada to  the  northern  parts  of  Louisiana,  Mississippi, 
and  Georgia,  and  from  the  Plains  eastward;  winters 
from  eastern  South  Carolina  and  the  southern  Gulf 
States  to  Central  America.  The  chuck-will's-widow 
is  a  resident  of  our  southeastern  states;  the  POOR- 
WILL  of  our  western  states. 

THE  whip-poor-will  is  too  interesting  and  useful  a  bird 
to  be  disregarded.  He  has  been  widely  disliked  and 
even  superstitiously  dreaded  because  of  his  weird  notes. 
He  is,  however,  of  especial  interest  to  scientists  because  of 
his  nocturnal  habits  and  his  value  as  a  destroyer  of  in- 
sects. Mr.  Forbush  calls  him  "an  animated  insect  trap," 
with  an  "enormous  mouth  surrounded  by  long  bristles 
which  form  a  wide  fringe  about  the  yawning  cavity."  * 
The  whip-poor-will  is  believed  to  be  the  greatest  enemy  of 
night-moths;  he  eats  other  insects,  also,  in  great  quanti- 
ties. 

The  chuck-will's-widow  is  even  more  interesting  than 
the  whip-poor-will.  Mr.  W.  L.  McAtee  writes  of  the 
bird  as  follows: 

"Like  other  species  of  its  family,  it  lays  only  two  eggs, 
which  may  be  deposited  almost  anywhere  on  the  forest 
floor,  there  being  no  nest.  Intrusion  on  this  spot  usually 
results  in  the  bird  moving  the  eggs,  which  it  carries  in  its 
mouth.  Although  the  bird  is  only  12  inches  long,  the 
mouth  fully  extended  forms  an  opening  at  least  2  by  SV2 
inches  in  size.  It  is  but  natural,  therefore,  that  the  bird 
should  prey  upon  some  of  the  largest  insects.     Not  only 

1  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  E.  H.  Forbush,  page  343. 

[185] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

are  large  insects  captured  and  swallowed,  but  even  small 
birds,  in  two  cases  warblers. 

"Despite  the  fact  that  the  chuck-will's-widow  occasion- 
ally devours  small  insectivorous  birds,  it  must  be  reckoned 
a  useful  species.  It  is  probable  that  birds  are  not  de- 
liberately sought,  but  that  they  are  taken  instinctively, 
as  would  be  a  moth  or  other  large  insect  coming  within 
reach  of  that  capacious  mouth."  ^ 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture. 


[186] 


NIGHTHAWK 


THE  NIGHTHAWK 

Goatsucker  Family — Caprimulgidce 

Length:     10  inches;  wings  7%  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  large  dark  bird,  with  a  white  throat, 
a  white  band  across  the  tail,  and  very  long  wings, 
on  each  of  which  is  a  large  white  spot  or  bulVs-eye, 
unfortunately  a  target,  like  the  white  rump  of  the 
flicker. 

Male:  Black  above,  mottled  with  buff  emd  white;  under  parts 
lighter  (becoming  whitish),  barred  with  black; 
throat  with  a  tent-shaped  white  patch  below  the  very 
wide  bill;  upper  breast  black;  tail  notched,  a  white 
band  extending  across  it  near  the  end  except  on  the 
middle  tail-feathers;  wing  with  a  conspicuous  area 
of  white  about  half-way  between  the  curve  and  tip, 
when  outspread. 

Female:     Throat  buff;  under  parts  buflfy;  no  white  on  the  tail. 

Note:  A  loud  peeng-peeng;  uttered  at  frequent  intervals  while 
on  the  wing. 

Flight:  Very  swift,  with  numerous  and  rapid  changes  of  di- 
rection. The  bird  is  very  active  at  nightfall.  It 
makes  rapid  descents  not  unlike  those  made  by  an 
airplane;  it  has  a  habit  of  dropping  "like  a  bolt 
from  the  blue." 

Habitat:  The  nighthawk  is  a  "bird  of  the  air"  rather  than  of 
treetops  or  ground.  It  may  be  seen  in  cities  flying 
above  houses  in  search  of  its  insect  prey  at  sunset 
and  during  the  night. 

Nest:  No  nest,  but  two  speckled  eggs  are  laid  on  the  ground 
or  on  a  roof  where  they  are  not  easily  discovered. 
Mr.  Forbush  says,  "The  nighthawk  has  deposited  its 
[187] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

eggs  on  gravel  roofs  in  cities  for  at  least  forty  years 
and  probably  longer." 

Young:  Dr.  F.  H.  Herrick  tells  us  that  the  nestlings  are 
"clothed  in  down"  and  "look  like  two  little  flattened 
balls  of  fluffy  worsted  of  a  dark  cream-color  mottled 
with  brown." 

Hange:  Eastern  and  central  North  America.  Breeds  from 
Manitoba,  southern  Quebec,  New  Brunswick,  and 
Nova  Scotia  south  to  northern  Louisiana,  Mississippi, 
and  Georgia,  and  from  eastern  North  Dakota,  Ne- 
braska, and  Kansas  eastward;  winters  from  the  low- 
lands of  South  Carolina  and  southern  parts  of  the 
Gulf  States  to  British  Honduras  and  Salvador. 

THE  nighthav^k  is  a  remarkable  bird.  Because  of 
its  nocturnal  habits,  it  has  been  regarded  writh 
superstitious  awe.  Erroneous  ideas  of  it  have  been  en- 
tertained, and  it  has  received  a  name  that  belies  it.  It 
is  not  a  hawk  at  all;  it  preys  only  on  insects,  not  on 
chickens  or  small  rodents. 

Mr.  W.  L.  McAtee  writes:  "Nighthawks  are  so  expert 
in  flight  that  no  insects  can  escape  them.  They  sweep  up 
in  their  capacious  mouths  everything  from  the  largest 
moths  and  dragon  flies  to  the  tiniest  ants  and  gnats,  and 
in  this  way  sometimes  gather  most  remarkable  collec- 
tions of  insects.  Several  stomachs  have  contained  fifty 
or  more  different  kinds,  and  the  numbers  of  individuals 
may  run  into  the  thousands.  Nearly  a  fourth  of  the 
bird's  total  food  consists  of  ants."  *  Professor  Beal  es- 
timated that  the  stomachs  of  eighty-seven  nighthawks  which 
he  examined  "contained  not  less  than  twenty  thousand 
ants,  and  these  were  not  half  of  the  insect  contents."  ^ 

1  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture. 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  Biological  Survey. 

[188] 


THE  NIGHTHAWK 

Mr.  Forbush  claims  that  the  nighthawk  "ranks  next  to  the 
flicker  in  the  destruction  of  ants,  and  it  takes  them  when 
they  are  flying  and  about  to  propagate."  ^ 

It  has  a  fondness  for  fireflies,  also.  Dr.  Herrick  made 
careful  observation  of  the  habits  of  nighthawks,  and  the 
manner  of  feeding  their  young.  He  writes  of  seeing  a 
mother-bird  "loaded  with  fireflies."  He  says:  "As  her 
great  mouth  opened  you  beheld  wide  jaws  and  throat 
brilliantly  illuminated  like  a  spacious  apartment  all  aglow 
with  electricity.  She  made  an  electrical  display  at  every 
utterance  of  her  harsh  ke-ark.  Then  standing  over  her 
young,  with  raised  and  quivering  wings,  she  put  her  bill 
down  into  his  throat  and  pumped  him  full.  She  then 
tucked  the  little  one  under  her  breast  and  began  to  brood. 
She  repeated  the  performance,  after  which  she  settled 
down  to  brood  as  if  for  the  night.  "This  young  bird 
was  fed  but  twice  each  evening  between  the  hours  of 
eight  and  nine  o'clock,  and  always,  as  I  believe,  by  the 
female.  It  is  quite  probable  that  another  feeding  occurs 
also  at  dawn.  The  male  would  sometimes  swoop  down 
and  once  he  sat  by  the  chick  for  ten  minutes  after  dusk. 
The  task  of  feeding  was  borne  by  the  mother.' 


9>    4 


8  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  E.  H.  Forbush,  page  342. 

*From  "The  Home  Life  of  Wild  Birds,"  by  Francis  H.  Herrick;  used 
with  the  permission  of  the  author  and  his  publisher,  the  G.  P.  Putnam's 
Sons. 


[189] 


THE  HOUSE  WREN 

Wren  Family — Troglodytidce 

Lengfth:     About  4%  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Cinnamon-brown  above,  reddish-brown  on 
the  rump  and  tail.  Back  with  fine  indistinct  bars; 
wings  and  tail  with  heavier  bars;  under  parts  gray- 
ish-white washed  with  brown,  lighter  on  throat  and 
breast;  sides,  and  feathers  under  tail,  barred  with 
black;  tail  frequently  held  upright. 

Notes:     Sharp  scolding  notes. 

Song:  A  sweet  bubbling  song.  The  notes  are  poured  forth 
with  joyous  abandon  and  tireless  energy. 

Habitat:  Near  the  homes  of  man  preferably,  though  in  the 
winter  many  house  wrens  are  found  in  southern 
woods.  They  dart  in  and  out  of  wood-piles  and 
brush-heaps,  run  along  walls  and  fences,  and  seek 
shrubbery,  vines,   and   orchards. 

Nest:  Of  small  sticks,  lined  with  root-fibers  or  grasses,  placed 
in  a  hollow  of  a  tree,  in  a  nesting-box,  or  some  out- 
of-the-way  place,  such  as  a  flower-pot,  tin-can,  dis- 
carded shoe,  old  hat,  etc. 

Bange:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  southeastern 
Canada,  eastern  Wisconsin  and  Michigan,  southward 
to  Kentucky  and  Virginia;  winters  in  eastern  Texas, 
and  in  the  South  Atlantic  and  Gulf  States. 

LITTLE  "Jenny  Wren"  figured  in  our  nursery  tales 
and  was  one  of  the  delights  of  our  childhood,  be- 
cause of  its  diminutive  size,  its  pert,  cocked  tail,  its  inces- 
sant activity,  and  its  continuous  chatter.  No  dull  moments 
when  a  wren  was  near  by! 

Its  nesting-habits  make  it  interesting  to  young  and  old. 
Though  loyal  to  a  nesting-locality,  it  will  make  its  neat 

[190] 


HOUSE  WREN 


THE  HOUSE  WREN 

nest  in  a  great  variety  of  places,  such  as  boxes,  empty 
jars,  small  pails,  or  gourds,  if  placed  conveniently,  or 
in  wren-houses. 

Wrens  are  valiant  defenders  of  their  nests,  but  have 
been  driven  away  from  favorite  nesting-places  by  quarrel- 
some English  sparrows;  consequently  wrens  are  decreasing 
in  number.  Wren-houses  with  openings  about  an  inch  in 
diameter,  too  small  for  sparrows  to  enter,  may  help 
somewhat  to  check  the  decrease  of  these  valuable  insect- 
eating  birds. 

They  are  noisy  little  neighbors,  a  curious  combina- 
tion of  joyousness  and  irritability.  A  pair  of  wrens  that 
built  a  nest  on  the  piazza  of  my  brother's  home  spent  so 
much  time  in  scolding  and  quarreling  that  they  were  al- 
most unendurable.  One  morning  they  disappeared;  a 
few  hours  later  my  brother  found  the  drowned  body  of 
the  female  in  a  rain-barrel.  Whether  it  was  accident, 
murder,  or  suicide,  no  one  knew,  but  within  twenty-four 
hours  a  pleasanter-tempered  Lady  Wren  appeared,  swept 
and  garnished  the  home  of  her  predecessor,  and  set  up 
house-keeping.  A  larger  measure  of  peace  reigned  there- 
after. 

As  songsters,  wrens  are  very  remarkable  for  volume  of 
sound,  for  sweetness  of  tone,  and  for  extreme  ecstasy.  I 
remember  wakening  about  sunrise  one  morning  in  early 
June,  when  the  spring  chorus  was  at  its  climax.  For 
about  an  hour,  I  had  the  joy  of  listening  to  a  bird-con- 
cert more  wonderful  than  any  I  had  ever  heard.  After  a 
time  I  distinguished  the  voices  of  the  various  familiar 
birds.  Loudest,  clearest,  and  sweetest  of  all  rang  the  voice 
of  the  smallest  member  of  the  choir — that  of  the  tiny 
house  wren. 

[191] 


THE  RUBY-THROATED  HUMMINGBIRD 

Hummingbird  Family — Trochilidcs 

Length:     About  3%  inches;  bill  over  34  inch. 

Male:  Iridescent  green  above;  gray  below,  with  a  glint  of 
green,  especially  on  the  sides;  wings  and  tail  brown, 
with  slight  iridescence;  throat  brilliant  ruby, — 
brownish  in  some  lights;  tail  forked. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  without  ruby  on  throat,  which 
is  flecked  with  minute  brownish  spots;  tail-feathers 
of  nearly  even  length,  outer  feathers  with  white  tips. 

Note:     No  song — only  a  faint  squeak. 

Habitat:  Open  country;  cultivated  tracts  of  land,  especially 
those  overrun  with  vines;  gardens,  particularly  those 
that  contain  trumpet-creepers  and  honey-suckles. 

Nest:  One  of  the  most  exquisite  nests  made.  It  is  in  the 
shape  of  a  tiny  cup,  covered  with  lichens  and  lined 
with  soft  materials.  It  is  frequently  placed  so  high 
on  a  branch  as  to  be  difficult  to  distinguish  from  an 
excrescence  on  the  bough.  The  eggs  look  like  white 
beans. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  central  Canada 
to  the  Gulf  Coast  and  Florida;  winters  from  central 
Florida  and  Louisiana  through  Southern  Mexico  and 
Central  America  to  Panama. 

HUMMINGBIRDS  are  rightly  in  a  family  by  them- 
selves — they  are  unique.  They  are  the  smallest 
of  our  birds,  and  yet  they  possess  a  power  of  flight  unsur- 
passed. Mr.  Forbush  says:  "The  little  body,  divested 
of  its  feathers,  is  no  larger  than  the  end  of  one's  finger, 
but  the  breast  muscles  which  move  the  wings  are  enor- 

[192] 


RUBY-THROATED    HUMMING-BIRD 


THE  RUBY-THROATED  HUMMINGBIRD 

mous  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird.  They  form 
a  large  part  of  the  entire  trunk,  and  their  power  is  such 
that  they  can  vibrate  the  inch-long  feathers  of  those  little 
wings  with  such  rapidity  that  the  human  eye  can  scarcely 
follow  the  bird  when  it  is  moved  to  rapid  flight  by  fear 
or  passion."  ^ 

The  wings  do  not  seem  to  be  made  of  feathers,  but  of 
gauze,  like  those  of  insects.  I  never  really  saw  the 
feathers  until  I  held  a  dead  hummingbird  in  my  hand. 
Its  iridescent  body  seems  made  of  burnished  metal. 

It  is  wonderful  that  so  tiny  a  creature  can  wing  its  way 
from  Central  America  to  the  heart  of  Canada.  It  seems 
to  know  no  fear;  it  is  quite  able  to  defend  itself  with  its 
long  sharp  bill.  Mr.  Forbush  says:  "The  males  fight 
with  one  another,  and,  secure  in  their  unequalled  powers 
of  flight,  they  attack  other  and  larger  birds.  When  the 
Hummingbird  says  'Go!'  other  birds  stand  not  upon  the 
order  of  their  going,  but  go  at  once;  while  the  little  warrior 
sometimes  accelerates  their  flight,  for  his  sharp  beak  is  a 
weapon  not  to  be  despised.  Even  the  Kingbird  goes  when 
the  war-like  Hummer  comes;  the  English  Sparrow  flees 
in  terror;  only  the  Woodpeckers  stand  their  ground."^ 

Hummingbirds  are  not  only  fearless  and  pugnacious, 
but  they  are  very  inquisitive.  Major  Bendire  says:  "I 
once  occupied  quarters  that  were  completely  covered  with 
trumpet-vines,  and  when  these  were  in  bloom  the  place 
fairly  swarmed  with  Ruby-throats.  They  were  exceed- 
ingly inquisitive,  and  often  poised  themselves  before  an 
open  window  and  looked  in  my  rooms,  full  of  curiosity, 
their  bright  little  eyes  sparkling  like  black  beads.  I 
caught  several — by  simply  putting  my  hand  over  them, 

1  &  2  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  p.  241. 

[193] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

and  while  so  imprisoned  they  never  moved,  and  feigned 
death,  but  as  soon  as  I  opened  my  hand  they  were  off  like 
a  flash.  They  seem  to  be  especially  partial  to  anything 
red."  ' 

Their  fondness  for  honey-producing  flowers  has  caused 
many  people  to  believe  that  they  live  upon  nectar  and 
ambrosia,  like  the  gods  of  the  Greeks,  but  the  Biological 
Survey,  has,  by  close  observation,  discovered  that  they  do 
not  visit  flowers  wholly  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  honey, 
but  for  obtaining  also  small  insects  that  have  been 
drowned  in  a  welter  of  sweetness.  Professor  Beal  has 
observed  them  "hovering  in  front  of  a  cobweb,  picking 
off  insects  and  perhaps  spiders  entangled  in  the  net. 
They  have  also  been  observed  to  capture  their  food  on  the 
wing,  like  flycatchers.  Stomach  examination  shows  that 
a  considerable  portion  of  their  food  consists  of  insects  and 
spiders."  Professor  Beal  continues:  "Although  hum- 
mingbirds are  the  smallest  of  the  avian  race,  their 
stomachs  are  much  smaller  in  proportion  to  their  bodies 
than  those  of  other  birds,  while  their  livers  are  much 
larger.  This  would  indicate  that  these  birds  live  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  upon  concentrated  sweets,  as  stated  above, 
and  that  the  insects,  spiders,  etc.,  found  in  the  stomachs 
do  not  represent  by  any  means  all  their  food."  * 

A  physician  of  my  acquaintance  owns  a  camp  in  the 
New  Hampshire  woods.  A  birch  near  his  house  was  at- 
tacked by  sapsuckers.  Sap  exuded  plentifully  and  was 
eagerly  sought  by  two  red  squirrels,  a  small  swarm  of 
bees,  two  sapsuckers,  and  seven  hummingbirds.     With  his 

3  "Life  Histories  of  North  American  Birds,"  Maj.  Chas.  Bendire. 

■*  Farmers'  Bulletin   506,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Dept,  of  Agriculture. 

[194] 


THE  RUBY-THROATED  HUMMINGBIRD 

glasses,  the  doctor  observed  the  birds  eating  insects  served 
in  birch  syrup. 

Professor  Beal  reports  having  seen  as  many  as  one  hun- 
dred hummingbirds  "hovering  about  the  flowers  of  a 
buckeye  tree,  and  this  number  was  maintained  all  day  and 
for  many  days,  though  the  individuals  were  going  and 
coming  all  the  time."  Burroughs  once  saw  a  humming- 
bird take  his  morning  bath  in  dewdrops. 

There  are  about  five  hundred  known  species  of  hum- 
mingbird. They  may  be  found  in  North  and  South 
America  from  Alaska  to  Patagonia.  They  are  most 
numerous  in  northern  South  America,  in  Colombia  and 
Ecuador.  Seventeen  species  are  found  in  our  western 
and  southwestern  states,  but  only  one,  the  Ruby-throat, 
lives  in  the  East. 


[195] 


THE  INDIGO-BIRD  OR  INDIGO  BUNTING 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

"Length:     About  5y>  inches. 

Male:  Head  and  throat  deep,  purplish  blue,  becoming  lighter 
on  back  and  above  tail;  wings  and  tail  a  brownish 
black,  edged  with  blue.  Winter  plumage,  brownish 
like  the  female,  mottled  with  blue. 

Female:  Brown  above,  darker  on  wings  and  tail;  no  streaks 
on  back;  breast  grayish,  washed  and  faintly  streaked 
with  brown;  belly  lighter.  The  female  resembles 
her  sparrow  relatives,  but  may  be  distinguished  by 
a  glint  of  blue  in  her  tail  and  wings. 

Call-note:    A  sharp  chip. 

Song:  A  burst  of  melody,  somewhat  like  that  of  a  canary, 
loud,  clear,  and  sweet.  It  is  not  remarkable  except 
that  it  may  be  heard  during  the  middle  of  the  day 
and  during  the  heat  of  midsummer.  The  bird  sings 
frequently  from  treetops. 

Habitat:  In  "scrubby"  pastures,  along  roadsides — in  trees  and 
bushes. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  east  of  the  Great 
Plains  from  North  Dakota  to  New  Brunswick,  south 
from  central  Texas  to  Georgia;  winters  from  south- 
ern Mexico  to  Panama. 

THE  Indigo  Bunting  possesses  a  brilliant  beauty  and 
a  sweet  voice.  A  sight  of  him  and  his  pretty 
brown  mate  brings  a  thrill  of  pleasure,  but  he  holds  no 
such  place  in  our  affections  as  does  the  true  bluebird. 
He  does  not  choose  to  nest  close  to  human  dwellings,  but 
prefers   overgrown   pastures,   not  too   much   frequented, 

[196] 


>.' 


INDIGO-BIRD 


THE  INDIGO-BIRD  OR  INDIGO  BUNTING 

where  he  performs  his  good  office  of  caterpillar-,  canker 
worm-,  and  grasshopper-hunting,  varying  his  diet  with  an 
abundance  of  weed  seeds. 

The  indigo-bird,  the  scarlet  tanager,  the  goldfinch-,  and 
the  Baltimore  oriole  are  our  most  brilliant  summer  birds. 
Thoreau,  in  his  "Notes  on  New  England  Birds"  makes 
the  following  comment: 

"This  is  a  splendid  and  marked  bird,  high-colored  as 
is  the  tanager,  looking  strange  in  this  latitude.  Glowing 
indigo.  It  flits  from  the  top  of  one  bush  to  another, 
chirping  as  if  anxious.  Wilson  says  it  sings,  not  like 
most  other  birds  in  the  morning  and  evening  chiefly,  but 
also  in  the  middle  of  the  day.  In  this  I  notice  it  is  like 
the  tanager,  the  other  fiery-plumaged  bird.  They  seem 
to  love  the  heat." 

During  August,  the  songs  of  the  indigo-bird  and  red- 
eyed  vireo  may  be  heard  along  wooded  roadsides,  and 
are  especially  welcome  because  most  birds  are  silent  at 
that  time. 


[197] 


THE  BALTIMORE  ORIOLE 

A merican-Blackbird  Family — Icteridce 

Length:     About  7>^  inches. 

Male:  Head,  throat,  neck,  and  upper  half  of  back  black; 
breast,  belly,  shoulders,  lower  half  of  back  and  outer 
tail-feathers  brilliant  orange;  wings  black,  many 
feathers  edged  with  white;  half  of  middle  tail- 
feathers  black;  others  largely  orange;  bill  long, 
slender,  sharp. 

Female:  Upper  parts  grayish-olive,  washed  with  yellow  and 
mottled  with  black  on  head  and  back;  under  parts, 
tail,  and  rump  dull  orange,  paler  at  throat,  which 
is  sometimes  marked  with  black;  wings  brown,  barred 
with  white. 

Notes:  A  loud  whew-y,  or  whew,  uttered  frequently  and  insist- 
ently, with  a  falling  inflection.  Orioles  chatter 
noisily,  also. 

Song:  A  rich,  melodious  strain,  very  different  in  individuals, 
but  alike  in  a  liquid  quality,  and  in  frequency  of 
utterance.  For  several  successive  years,  two  orioles 
returned  to  our  elms  and  apple-trees  in  Cleveland. 
Their  songs  differed  as  decidedly  from  each  other 
and  from  those  of  other  orioles  as  the  voices  and 
enunciation  of  people  vary. 

Habitat:  Elm  and  maple-shaded  streets  and  orchards  preferred 
in  the  springtime.  After  the  nestlings  are  grown, 
orioles  may  be  found  in  thickets  or  in  the  woods. 

Nest:  A  hanging  nest  in  the  shape  of  a  bag,  usually  suspended 
near  the  end  of  a  bough.  The  female  weaves  the 
nest. 

Bange:     Breeds  from   southern  Canada   and  northern  United 

[198] 


BALTIMORE    ORIOLE 


THE  BALTIMORE  ORIOLE 

States  to  the  northern  part  of  Texas,  Louisiana,  and 
Georgia,  west  to  the  Rocky  Mts.;  winters  from  south- 
ern Mexico  to  Colombia. 

ORIOLES,  with  their  brilliant  plumage  and  beauti- 
ful song,  belong  to  the  somber-hued,  unmusical 
blackbird  family.  They  are  truly  "the  flower  of  the 
flock," — gorgeous  tropical  flowers,  too.  They  invariably 
arouse  interest  and  almost  always  great  admiration.  So 
dashing  are  they  that  they  do  not  remain  long  enough  near 
us  to  let  us  know  them  well  or  love  them.  >  They  remind 
me  of  brilliant  opera-singers,  elegantly  attired,  who  are 
followed  by  the  eager  eyes  of  a  host  of  people. 

So  many  poets  and  writers  of  prose  have  sung  the  praise 
of  orioles  that  it  surprised  me  to  learn  that  neither  Thoreau 
nor  Burroughs  admired  them.  Thoreau  wrote:  "Two 
gold  robins;  they  chatter  like  blackbirds;  the  fire  bursts 
forth  on  their  backs  when  they  lift  their  wings.  .  .  .  But 
the  note  is  not  melodious  and  rich.  It  is  at  most  a  clear 
tone."  ^  Burroughs  said:  "I  have  no  use  for  the  oriole. 
He  has  not  one  musical  note,  and  in  grape  time  his  bill 
is  red,  or  purple,  with  the  blood  of  our  grapes."  ^ 

A  grape-eating  propensity  is  not  a  trait  common  to 
orioles,  according  to  Professor  Beal's  report  of  their  food 
habits.  He  says:  "Brilliancy  of  plumage,  sweetness  of 
song,  and  food  habits  to  which  no  exception  can  be  taken 
are  characteristics  of  the  Baltimore  oriole.  During  the 
stay  of  the  oriole  in  the  United  States,  vegetable  matter 
amounts  to  only  a  little  more  than  16  per  cent,  of  its  food, 
so  that  the  possibility  of  its  doing  much  d-iimage  to  crops 
is  very  limited.     The  bird  is  accused  of  eating  peas  to  a 

1  From  "Notes  on  New  England  Birds,"  by  H.  D.  Thoreau. 

2  From  "Under  The  Maples,"   by  John    Burrouglis. 

[199] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

considerable  extent,  but  remains  of  such  were  found  in 
only  two  cases.  One  writer  says  that  it  damages  grapes, 
but  none  were  found  in  the  stomachs."  ^  Professor  Beal 
lists  caterpillars,  beetles,  bugs,  ants,  wasps,  grasshoppers, 
and  some  spiders  as  the  "fare  of  the  oriole." 

The  nest  and  nesting  habits  of  these  birds  are  unusually 
interesting.  In  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York"  occurs  the 
following  description: 

"The  female  is  an  ideal  mother,  defending  her  young 
with  great  courage  and  caring  for  them  in  all  kinds  of 
weather.  The  young,  however,  are  not  such  ideal  off- 
spring as  she  ought  to  expect.  From  the  time  they  begin 
to  feather  out  until  several  days  after  they  have  left  the 
nest,  they  keep  up  a  continual  cry  for  food.  In  this  way 
they  are  unquestionably  located  by  many  predaceous  ani- 
mals and  thereby  destroyed.  The  young  orioles  are  usu- 
ally out  of  the  nest  from  the  20th  of  June  to  the  5th  of 
July  [in  New  York  State],  and  are  very  soon  led  away 
by  the  old  birds  into  the  woods,  groves,  and  dense  hedge- 
rows. Then  we  hear  no  more  of  the  oriole's  song  until 
the  latter  days  of  August  or  the  first  week  in  September, 
when,  after  the  autumn  molt  has  been  completed,  the 
males  frequently  burst  into  melody  for  a  few  days  before 
departing  for  their  winter  home. 

"As  every  one  knows,  the  oriole  builds  a  pensile  nest, 
usually  suspending  it  from  the  drooping  branches  of  an 
elm  tree,  soft  maple,  apple  tree,  or  in  fact,  any  tree,  though 
his  preference  seems  to  be  for  the  elm.  The  main  con- 
struction materials  used  by  the  oriole  are  gray  plant-fibers, 
especially  those  from  the  outside  of  milkweed  stalks, 
waste  packing-cord  and  horsehair;  sometimes  pieces  of 

3  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture. 

[200] 


THE  BALTIMORE  ORIOLE 

rags  and  paper  are  discovered  in  the  nest,  but  it  is  almost 
without  exception  a  grayish  bag  as  it  appears  from  the 
outside,  and  is  lined  principally  with  horsehairs  and  softer 
materials,  making  a  thick  felted  gourd-shaped  structure." 
One  morning  this  past  May  when  the  heat  was  unseason- 
able and  overpowering,  an  oriole  was  observed  fluttering 
anxiously  near  the  nest  where  his  mate  sat  on  her  eggs. 
The  foliage  had  not  developed  sufficiently  to  shade  her, 
so  he  alighted  on  the  nest,  a  claw  on  either  side  of  the 
cup-like  opening.  There  he  stood  astride  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  day  and  protected  her  devotedly,  like  a  chival- 
rous knight  of  old. 


[201] 


THE  ORCHARD  ORIOLE 
American  Blackbird  Family — Icteridoe 

Length:     About  7  inches. 

Adult  Male:  Head,  throat,  neck,  and  upper  half  of  back  black; 
breast,  belly,  shoulders,  lower  half  of  back  a  bright 

Breeding    chestnut  brown;   wings  and  tail  dark  brown;   wing- 

Plumage:  feathers  tipped  or  edged  with  white,  forming  a  bar 
across  wing.  The  winter  plumage  is  different  from 
the  breeding  plumage;  the  male  passes  through  sev- 
eral changes  as  he  matures. 

Female:  Olive-green  above,  darkest  on  head  and  back,  dull 
yellow  below;  wing-feathers  tipped  with  white,  form- 
ing two  bars  across  wing;  tail  olive-green. 

Immature  Male:  Like  female,  the  first  autumn;  the  next 
spring,  he  has  a  black  throat;  the  chestnut  plumage 
develops  later. 

Notes  and  Song:  Similar  to  those  of  the  Baltimore  oriole. 
Song  clear  and  melodious;  tones  possibly  not  quite 
so  mellow  as  those  of  its  relatives,  but  sweeter. 

Habitat:     Orchards  and  shade  trees. 

Nest:  A  pensile  nest,  but  shorter  and  more  firmly  attached 
than  that  of  the  Baltimore  oriole. 

Bange :  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  northern  United 
States,  southern  Canada,  and  central  New  York, 
south  to  northern  Florida  and  the  Gulf  Coast,  west 
to  Texas,  central  Nebraska,  and  western  Kansas; 
winters  from  southern  Mexico  to  northern  Colombia. 
Not  common  in  Massachusetts. 

THE  markings  of  the  Orchard  Oriole  are  similar  to 
those  of  the  more  brilliant  and  striking  Baltimore 
Oriole,  but  its  coloring  more  nearly  resembles  that  of  the 

[202] 


ORCHARD   ORIOLE 


THE  ORCHARD  ORIOLE 

towhee.     Like  its  cousin,  it  is  arboreal,  while  the  towhee 
is  a  ground  bird. 

The  orchard  oriole  is  more  shy  than  the  Baltimore 
oriole  and  is  less  well  -known.  It  is,  however,  very  active 
and  restless, — indefatigable  in  its  quest  for  insects.  It 
has  a  better  reputation  than  most  members  of  the  black- 
bird family.  Major  Bendire  says  that  it  would  be  dif- 
ficult to  find  a  bird  that  does  more  good  and  less  harm 
than  the  orchard  oriole,  and  that  it  should  be  fully  pro- 
tected. 


[203] 


THE  SCARLET  TANAGER 

Tanager  Family — Tangaridce 

Length:     About  7  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  bright  scarlet  body,  with  black  wings 
and  tail;  no  crest. 

Male:  Scarlet  and  black  in  breeding  plumage;  after  the  molt, 
olive  and  yellow,  with  black  wings  and  tail;  wings 
white  underneath.  The  male  does  not  acquire  red 
plumage  until  the  second  year.  While  molting,  the 
adult  male  has  irregular  patches  of  olive  and  yellow 
mixed  with  his  red  feathers,  giving  a  curious  effect. 

Female:  Olive-green  above;  yellowish-olive  below,  brightest 
on  throat;  wings  and  tail  dark  gray,  washed  with 
olive.  She  is  very  effectively  protected  by  her  color- 
ing. 

Note:     Call-note  chip-chur,  very  distinct  and  reasonably  loud. 

Song:  A  warble,  full,  rich,  and  pleasing,  but  not  varied;  suf- 
ficiently like  the  songs  of  the  robin  and  the  rose- 
breasted  grosbeak  to  make  identification  difficult  for  a 
beginner.  The  frequent  chip-chur  betrays  the 
tanager's  presence. 

Habitat:  Dense  groves  of  hard-wood  trees,  especially  those 
containing  oaks.  Mr.  Forbush  calls  the  tanager 
"the  appointed  guardian  of  the  oaks."  The  bird 
is  found  in  parks  and  on  well-wooded  estates,  as 
well  as  in  the  deep  woods. 

Bange:  Eastern  North  America  and  northern  South  America. 
Breeds  in  southern  Canada  as  far  west  as  the  Plains, 
and  in  the  United  States  to  southern  Kansas,  north- 
ern Arkansas,  Tennessee,  northern  Georgia,  and  the 
mountains  of  Virginia  and  South  Carolina;  winters 
from  Colombia  to  Bolivia  and  Perm 

[204] 


SCAI^LKT    TAXAOKK 


THE  SCARLET  TANAGER 

THESE  "black-winged  redbirds"  are  occasionally  mis- 
taken by  novices  for  cardinals,  but  the  dusky  wings 
and  tail,  and  the  absence  of  a  crest  differentiate  them. 
Then,  too,  the  scarlet  of  their  coats  is  of  a  different  shade 
of  red. 

Their  cousins,  the  summer  tanagers,  denizens  of 
southeastern  United  States  and  occasional  residents  of 
the  North,  resemble  cardinals  more  closely.  Both  have 
a  nearly  uniform  rose-red  plumage,  but  the  summer 
tanager  has  brownish  wings  edged  with  red,  and  no  crest. 

The  beauty  of  male  tanagers  has  caused  them  to  be 
eagerly  sought  in  the  past.  I  have  childish  memories  of 
their  scarlet  bodies  decorating  the  hats  of  thoughtless 
women,  and  I  blush  to  confess  a  feeling  of  envy  rather 
than  regret  at  the  wicked  slaughter.  Audubon  Societies 
have  done  much  to  change  public  sentiment  and  put  a 
stop  to  barbarous  practices. 

Never  shall  I  forget  the  breathless  joy  I  felt  when, 
grown  to  young  womanhood,  I  first  saw  a  tanager's  vivid 
beauty  gleaming  against  the  almost  black-green  foliage 
of  a  dense  grove.  I  think  that  I  remember  every  tanager 
which  I  have  since  seen,  as  well  as  each  lovely  setting  that 
enhanced  his  gorgeous  coloring.  A  glimpse  of  one  marks 
a  red-letter  day.  Twice  I  have  seen  two  males  at  once, 
in  company  with  a  rose-breasted  grosbeak — all  singing; 
memorable  experiences. 

The  WESTERN  TANAGER,  with  his  yellow  body  and 
crown,  his  red  "face,"  black  back  and  tail,  and  yellow 
and  black  wings,  appeared  before  me  one  day  in  the  noble 
woods  that  crown  Glacier  Point  in  the  Yosemite  Valley. 
I  felt  that  his  beauty,  like  that  of  his  eastern  relatives,  was 
his  "excuse  for  being."     He  does  not  enjoy  quite  so  good 

[205] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

a  reputation  as  do  other  tanagers,  because  he  has  a  taste 
for  fruit — almost  as  reprehensible  as  horse-  or  cattle-steal- 
ing in  the  west. 

Tanagers,  however,  are  valuable  insect-destroyers. 
Our  brilliant  species  deserves  our  whole-hearted  protec- 
tion, not  only  for  aesthetic,  but  also  for  economic  reasons. 


[206] 


ROSE-BREASTED    GROSBEAK 


THE  ROSE-BREASTED  GROSBEAK 

Finch  Family — Fringillidoe 

Length:     A  little  over  8  inches. 

General  Appearance:  A  black  and  white  bird,  with  a  rose- 
colored  breast  and  heavy,  flesh-colored  beak. 

Male:  Head,  throat,  and  back  black;  rump  and  under  parts 
white,  except  on  breast  and  under  wings,  which  are 
a  beautiful  rose-red;  wings  black,  with  bars  and 
patches  of  white;  tail  black;  outer  feathers  with 
white  tips  to  their  inner  webs.  The  winter  plumage 
is  slightly  different  from  the  summer  plumage. 

Female:  A  soft  grayish-brown,  streaked  with  white,  buff,  and 
gray;  under  parts  light  buff,  faintly  streaked  with 
brown;  head  brown;  a  buff  streak  through  center  of 
the  crown,  a  white  streak  over  the  eye;  wings  and 
tail  grayish-brown,  some  of  the  wing-feathers  tipped 
with  white;  yellow  under  wings  instead  of  rose. 

Note:     A  sharp  tsick,  tsick. 

Song:  A  rich,  beautiful  warble,  somewhat  like  that  of  the 
robin  and  tanager,  but  more  joyous  than  either.  It 
possesses  a  purer,  more  liquid  quality.  The  song 
is  remarkable,  also,  in  that  it  may  be  heard  at  night, 
and  at  midday. 

Habitat:  Woodlands  and  thickets,  fields  and  gardens.  This 
grosbeak  frequents  also  the  shade  trees  of  large  es- 
tates and  suburban  streets. 

Nest:  Large  and  loosely  constructed,  made  of  twigs,  grasses, 
and  root-fibers,  and  placed  from  five  to  twenty  feel 
from  the  ground. 

Eggs:  Pale  blue,  spotted  with  brown  or  purple.  The  male 
takes  his  turn  at  sitting  on  the  eggs. 

[207] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Range:  Eastern  North  America  and  northern  South  America. 
Breeds  from  southern  Canada  south  to  Kansas,  Mis- 
souri, Ohio,  New  Jersey,  and  in  the  mountains  of 
northern  Georgia;  winters  from  southern  Mexico  to 
Colombia  and  Ecuador. 

SO  beautiful  is  the  rose-breasted  grosbeak  and  so  melo- 
dious his  song  that  he  invariably  attracts  attention. 
Upon  clo'Se  acquaintance,  he  reveals  many  interesting 
habits  and  delightful  traits.  He  is  so  useful  that  he  re- 
minds one  of  the  occasional  rare  person  who  combines 
practical  qualities  with  beauty  of  form  and  face  and  un- 
usual gifts. 

He  is  one  of  our  most  beneficial  birds.  Occasionally 
he  partakes  of  cultivated  fruit  and  devours  green  peas, 
but  the  slight  mischief  he  is  guilty  of  is  greatly  over- 
balanced by  the  good  he  does.  So  fond  is  he  of  the  Colo- 
rado potato  beetle  that  in  some  localities  he  is  called  the 
"potato-bug  bird."  ^  Professor  Beal  tells  of  watching 
grosbeaks  near  a  potato-patch  that  was  nearly  riddled  by 
these  destructive  insects.  He  saw  the  parent-birds  visit 
the  field  repeatedly,  and  then  bring  their  young  when 
able  to  fly.  The  brood  perched  in  a  row  on  the  top  rail 
of  the  fence,  and  were  fed  so  frequently  that  in  a  few 
days  the  potato-bugs  had  entirely  disappeared.  The  crop 
was  saved. 

Grosbeaks  appear  to  lead  unusually  happy  domestic 
lives.  Though  the  males  fight  for  their  mates,  they  guard 
them  and  their  young  with  great  devotion.  They  not  only 
utter  low  sweet  notes  to  the  mother-bird  as  she  broods,  but 
quite  frequently  take  her  place  on  the  nest. 

My  sister  tells  of  hearing  a  rose-breast's  song  in  a  maple 

1  Fanners'  Bulletin  513,  Biological  Survey,  U,  S.  Dept.  of  Agricultiire. 

[208] 


THE  GROSBEAKS 

grove,  and  of  searching  diligently  for  the  singer.  She  lo- 
cated the  tree  from  which  the  sound  proceeded,  and  waited 
patiently  to  see  him  "gaily  flit  from  bough  to  bough"; 
but  no  bird  came  into  view.  She  went  around  the  tree 
until,  to  her  delight,  she  discovered  him  sitting  on  the  nest, 
only  a  few  feet  from  where  she  stood.  He  stopped  sing- 
ing when  he  saw  her,  but  showed  neither  surprise  nor  fear, 
and  resumed  his  song  after  she  went  away.  She  realized 
that  she  had  had  an  unusually  rare  privilege. 

To  hear  a  grosbeak's  song  at  night  is  an  experience 
similar  to  that  of  listening  to  a  nightingale  in  Europe,  or 
to  a  mockingbird  in  our  South  or  West,  singing  by  moon- 
light. 


THE  BLUE  GROSBEAK 
Finch  Family — Fringillidoe 

Length:     7  inches;  indigo  bunting,  5^2  inches. 

Male:  Body  a  deep  blue,  almost  black  on  the  back;  chin  and 
cheeks  black;  bill  heavy;  tail  black,  edged  with 
blue;  wings  black,  tipped  with  bright  brown,  giving 
the  effect  of  one  broad  and  one  narrow  wing-bar. 
Winter  plumage,  rusty  brown  mottled  with  blue. 

Female:  Grayish-brown  above,  more  or  less  washed  with  blue; 
wings  brown,  barred  with  buff;  under  parts  washed 
with  buff. 

Songf:     A  sweet  grosbeak  warble. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  Missouri, 
southern  Illinois  and  Maryland,  south  to  eastern 
Texas,  and  northern  Florida ;  accidental  in  Wiscon- 
sin, New  England,  the  Maritime  Provinces,  and 
Cuba;  winters  in  Yucatan  and  Honduras, 

[209] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

THE  Blue  Grosbeak  resembles  its  smaller  relative, 
the  indigo  bunting,  but  it  has  a  larger,  darker  body, 
a  heavier  bill,  and  brown-tipped  wing  feathers.  It  is 
more  nearly  the  size  of  a  cowbird  than  of  the  indigo-bird. 
It  may  be  found  in  thickets  similar  to  those  frequented  by 
its  small  blue  relative. 

It  is  a  bird  of  the  southeastern  part  of  the  United  States, 
but  occasionally  strays  northward. 


THE  EVENING  GROSBEAK 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:     8  inches;  3  inches  larger  than  the  goldfinch. 

Male:  Forehead  bright  yellow;  crown  of  head  black;  body 
olive-brown,  with  yellow  on  shoulders,  rump,  and 
belly;  wings  black  and  white;  tail  forked,  black; 
bill  heavy  and  yellowish. 

Female:  Brownish-gray,  tinged  with  yellow  underneath;  wings 
black  and  white;  forked  tail  black,  tipped  with 
white. 

Range:  Central  North  America.  Breeds  in  western  Alberta; 
winters  in  the  interior  of  North  America  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mts.,  more  or  less  irregularly  in  southern 
Missouri,  Kentucky,  Ohio,  eastern  Pennsylvania,  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  New  England,  and  Quebec. 

A  SIGHT  of  this  handsome  bird  is  an  event  in  the  East, 
and  arouses  great  interest  in  people  who  know  how 
rare  it  is.  Five  were  seen  near  Washington  in  early  April 
of  this  year,  and  were  hailed  with  enthusiasm.  It  is  a 
common  resident  of  our  Northwest,  though  it  wanders  in 
flocks  to  the  East  occasionally. 

[210] 


THE  GROSBEAKS 

It  looks  like  a  large  goldfinch,  though  it  is  a  less  bril- 
liant yellow,  has  larger  patches  of  white  on  its  wings  and 
wears  its  dark  cap  back  on  its  head,  above  its  yellow  fore- 
head, instead  of  pulled  down  to  its  eyes  and  bill.  It 
blends  perfectly  with  the  yellows  and  olive-browns  of  some 
of  our  western  landscapes. 

It  feeds  on  berries,  seeds,  and  insects.  It  becomes  very 
tame. 

THE  BLACK-HEADED  GROSBEAK 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

THE  Black-headed  Grosbeak  has  cinnamon-brown 
upper  parts,  breast,  band  about  the  neck,  and 
rump;  yellow  belly,  black  head,  wings,  and  tail;  wings 
with  two  white  bars  and  a  white  patch;  tail  with  while 
tips.  Female  brovmish-black  and  buff  above;  under  parts 
tawny  and  yellow,  streaked  with  dark;  chin,  sides  of 
throat,  and  line  over  eye  whitish. 

"The  Black-headed  Grosbeak  takes  the  place  in  the 
West  of  the  rosebreast  of  the  East,  and,  like  it,  is  a  line 
songster.  Like  it,  also,  the  blackhead  readily  resorts  to 
orchards  and  gardens  and  is  common  in  agricultural  dis- 
tricts. The  bird  has  a  very  powerful  bill  and  easily 
crushes  or  cuts  into  the  firmest  fruit.  It  feeds  upon 
cherries,  apricots,  and  other  fruits,  and  also  does  some 
damage  to  peas  and  beans,  but  it  is  so  active  a  foe  of 
certain  horticultural  pests  that  we  can  afford  to  overlook 
its  faults.  ...  It  eats  scale  insects,  cankerworms,  codling 
moths,  and  many  jflower  beetles,  which  do  incalculable 
damage  to  cultivated  flowers  and  to  ripe  fruit."  ^ 

1  Farmers'  Bulletin  513,  Biological  Survey,  Dr.  Henry  W.  Henshaw. 

[211] 


THE  BOBOLINK 


American  Blackbird  Family — Icteridce 

Length:     A  little  over  7  inches. 

Male:  Spring  or  Breeding  plumage:  Crown,  sides  of  head, 
throat,  and  other  under  parts  black;  back  of  head 
and  neck  light  yellow;  upper  half  of  back  black, 
streaked  with  creamy  white;  lower  half  of  back, 
rump,  and  shoulders  white;  wings  black,  some  of  the 
feathers  tipped  with  buff;  tail  black,  the  feathers 
pointed.  Many  birds  have  dark  upper  parts  and 
light  breasts;  the  bobolink  wears  his  bright  breast 
upon  his  back  during  the  summer.  In  the  fall,  he 
resembles  the  female. 

Female:  Olive-brown  and  light  yellow  above,  with  black 
streaks;  head  with  olive-brown  and  light  yellow 
stripes;  under  parts  pale  yellow;  wings  and  tail 
brown. 

Notes:  A  tinkling  ding-ding,  not  unlike  the  sound  of  a  bell; 
likewise  a  chirp. 

Song:  A  bubbling  song,  full  of  ecstasy  and  abandon.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  delightful  songs  of  the  teter  mi- 
grants. 

Habitat:  While  in  the  North,  the  bobolink  inhabits  our  fields 
and  meadows,  where  he  "swings  on  brier  and  weed." 
In  the  fall,  he  frequents  the  rice-fields  of  our  south- 
ern states  on  his  way  to  South  America,  and  does 
so  much  harm  that  he  is  dreaded  and  hated. 

Ilange:  North  and  South  America.  Breeds  mainly  from  the 
plains  of  south-central  Canada  to  Nevada,  Utah, 
northern  Missouri,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio,  West  Vir- 
ginia,  Pennsylvania,    and   New    Jersey;    winters   in 

[212] 


BOBOLINK 


THE  BOBOLINK 

South  America,  to  southern  Brazil,  Paraguay,  and 
Bolivia. 

HAD  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  written  the  biography 
of  a  bobolink,  he  might  have  given  him  the 
names  of  his  immortal  Dr.  Jekyll  and  Mr.  Hyde,  for  the 
bird  seems  to  possess  a  dual  nature,  and  to  bear  totally 
different  reputations  in  the  North  and  the  South.  When 
he  visits  Canada  and  northern  United  States  in  May, 
dressed  in  his  gay  wedding  finery,  he  is  greeted  with  joy. 
Few  more  delightful  birds  are  to  be  found  than  this  at- 
tractive, happy-hearted  singer  against  whom  no  reproaches 
are  registered  in  the  North. 

His  song  has  been  a  favorite  theme  for  poets  and  na- 
ture-writers. Thoreau  wrote:  "One  or  two  notes  globe 
themselves  and  fall  in  bubbles  from  his  teeming  throat. 
It  is  as  if  he  touched  his  harp  within  a  vase  of  liquid  mel- 
ody, and  when  he  lifted  it  out,  the  notes  fell  like  bubbles 
from  the  strings.  Methinks  they  are  the  most  liquidly 
sweet  and  melodious  sounds  I  ever  heard."  ^ 

The  bobolink's  habits  in  the  North  are  almost  beyond 
reproach.  Professor  Beal  writes:  "In  New  England  there 
are  few  birds  about  which  so  much  romance  clusters  as 
this  rollicking  songster,  naturally  associated  with  the  June 
meadows;  but  in  the  South  there  are  none  on  whose  head 
so  many  maledictions  have  been  heaped  on  account  of  its 
fondness  for  rice.  During  its  sojourn  in  the  Northern 
States  it  feeds  mainly  upon  insects  and  seeds  of  useless 
plants;  but  while  rearing  its  young,  insects  constitute  its 
chief  food,  and  almost  the  exclusive  diet  of  its  brood. 
After  the  young  are  able  to  fly,  the  whole  family  gathers 

1  From  "Notes  on  New  England  Birds,"  by  Thoreau,  page  246. 

[213] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

into  a  small  flock  and  begins  to  live  almost  entirely  upon 
vegetable  food.  This  consists  for  the  most  part  of  weed 
seeds,  since  in  the  North  these  birds  do  not  appear  to  at- 
tack grain  to  any  extent.     They  eat  a  few  oats."  ^ 

Dr.  Henshaw  adds:  "When  the  young  are  well  on  the 
wing,  they  gather  in  flocks  with  the  parent  birds  and  grad- 
ually move  southward,  being  then  generally  known  as  reed- 
birds.  They  reach  the  ricefields  of  the  Carolinas  about 
August  20,  when  the  rice  is  in  the  milk.  Then  until  the 
birds  depart  for  South  America,  planters  and  birds  fight 
for  the  crop,  and  in  spite  of  constant  watchfulness  and 
innumerable  devices  for  scaring  the  birds  a  loss  of  10 
per  cent,  of  the  rice  is  the  usual  result."  ^ 

Major  Bendire,  in  his  "Life  Histories  of  North  Ameri- 
can Birds,"  quotes  a  letter  from  Capt.  W.  M.  Hazzard,  a 
large  rice-grower  of  South  Carolina,  written  concerning 
the  warfare  waged  against  these  ricebirds: 

"The  Bobolinks  make  their  appearance  here  during  the 
latter  part  of  April.  At  that  season,  their  plumage  is 
white  and  black,  and  they  sing  merrily  when  at  rest. 
Their  flight  is  always  at  night.  In  the  evening  there  are 
none.  In  the  morning  their  appearance  is  heralded  by 
the  popping  of  whips  and  firing  of  musketry  by  the  bird- 
minders  in  their  eff'orts  to  keep  the  birds  from  pulling  up 
the  young  rice.  This  warfare  is  kept  up  incessantly  un- 
til about  the  25th  of  May,  when  they  suddenly  disappear 
at  night.  Their  next  appearance  is  in  a  dark  yellow 
plumage,  as  the  Ricebird.  There  is  no  song  at  this  time, 
but  instead  a  chirp  which  means  ruin  to  any  rice  found  in 
the  milk.     My  plantation  record  will  show  that  for  the 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,   U.  S.   Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

3  Farmers'  Bulletin  513,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological   Survey. 

[214] 


THE  BOBOLINK 

past  ten  years,  except  when  prevented  by  stormy  south 
or  southwest  winds,  the  Ricebirds  have  come  punctually 
on  the  night  of  the  21st  of  August,  apparently  coming 
from  seaward.  All  night  their  chirp  can  be  heard  pass- 
ing over  our  summer  homes  on  South  Island,  which  is 
situated  6  miles  to  the  east  of  our  rice  plantations,  in  full 
view  of  the  ocean.  Curious  to  say,  we  have  never  seen 
this  flight  during  the  day.  During  the  nights  of  August 
21,  22,  23,  and  24,  millions  of  these  birds  make  their  ap- 
pearance and  settle  in  the  ricefields.  From  the  21st  of 
August  to  the  25th  of  September  our  every  eff^ort  is  made 
to  save  the  crop.  Men,  boys,  and  women  with  guns  and 
ammunition,  are  posted.  .  .  .  The  firing  commences  at 
dawn  and  is  kept  up  till  sunset.  ...  If  from  any  cause 
there  is  a  check  to  the  crop  during  its  growth  which  pre- 
vents the  grain  from  being  hard,  but  in  milky  condition, 
the  destruction  of  such  fields  is  complete,  it  not  paying  to 
cut  and  bring  the  rice  out  of  the  field.  ...  I  consider 
these  birds  as  destructive  to  rice  as  the  caterpillar  is  to 
cotton,  with  this  difference,  that  these  Ricebirds  never  fail 
to  come." 


[215] 


THE  GOLDFINCH 

Finch  Family — Fringillidce 

Length:     About  5  inches, 

Male:  Spring  and  summer  plumage — body  and  shoulders 
bright  yellow;  crown  black;  wings  and  tail,  black 
and  white;  tail  forked;  feathers  above  tail,  gray. 
Winter  plumage — olive-brown  back;  throat,  breast, 
and  shoulders  yellow;  wings  black  and  white. 

Female:  Olive-brown  above;  dull  yellow  below;  wings  and 
tail  a  dull  black;  white  bars  on  wings,  tail  white- 
tipped;  shoulders  olive-green;  grayish  above  tail. 
No  black  on  crown. 

Notes:  An  unusually  sweet  chirp  or  call-note  like  that  of  a 
canary,  who-ee',  with  a  rising  inflectioi?;  a  flight -note, 
per -chick' ory,  given  as  the  goldfinch  bounds  through 
the  air;  a  number  of  gpntle  little  twittering  sounds, 
for  these  birds  are  very  social  and  communicative. 

Song:  A  rapid  outpouring  of  notes  in  a  wild,  sweet,  canary- 
like strain. 

Flight:     In  great  waves  or  undulations. 

Habitat:  Fields  and  gardens,  or  wherever  its  favorite  food 
may  be  obtained. 

Nest:  In  bushes  or  trees;  made  of  soft  grasses  or  fibers,  and 
lined   with   thistledown. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  south-central 
Canada  to  Oklahoma,  Arkansas,  and  northern  Geor- 
gia; winters  over  most  of  its  breeding  range  and 
south  to  the  Gulf  Coast. 

IN  winter,   the   goldfinch  may  be  distinguished   from 
others  of  the  finch  or  sparrow  family  by  its  undulat- 
ing flight,  its  flight-note,  per-chick'ory,  and  its  call-note. 

[216] 


CiULDiLNLll 


THE  GOLDFINCH 

Its  black  and  white  wings  and  tail  are  also  distinctive. 
It  is  found  in  flocks  during  the  winter  season. 

The  Goldfinch  or  "Wild  Canary"  is  one  of  our  best- 
loved  birds.  The  beauty  of  the  male's  coloring,  the  sweet- 
ness of  his  voice,  the  joyousness  of  his  nature  have  won 
him  many  friends. 

John  Burroughs  wrote:  "The  goldfinch  has  many 
pretty  ways.  So  far  as  my  knowledge  goes,  he  is  not  cap- 
able of  one  harsh  note.  His  tones  are  either  joyous  or 
plaintive.  In  his  spring  reunions  they  are  joyous.  In  the 
peculiar  flight  song  in  which  he  indulges  in  the  mating 
season,  beating  the  air  vertically  with  his  round  open 
wings,  his  tones  are  fairly  ecstatic.  His  call  to  his  mate 
when  she  is  brooding,  and  when  he  circles  ai)out  her  in  that 
long,  billowy  flight,  the  crests  of  his  airy  waves  being  thirty 
or  forty  feet  apart,  calling,  'Perchic-o-pee,  perchic-o-pee,' 
as  if  he  were  saying,  'For  love  of  thee,  for  love  of  thee,'  and 
she  calling  back,  'Yes,  dearie;  yes,  dearie' — his  tones  at 
such  times  express  contentment  and  reassurance. 

"When  any  of  his  natural  enemies  appear — a  hawk, 
a  cat,  a  jay, — his  tones  are  plaintive  in  sorrow  and  not 
in  anger. 

"When  with  his  mate  he  leads  their  brood  about  the 
August  thistles,  the  young  call  in  a  similar  tone.  When 
in  July  the  nesting  has  begun,  the  female  talks  the  pret- 
tiest 'baby  talk'  to  her  mate  as  he  feeds  her.  The  nest- 
building  rarely  begins  till  thistledown  can  be  had,  so  lit- 
erally are  all  the  ways  of  this  darling  bird  ways  of 
softness  and  gentleness.  The  nest  is  a  thick,  soft,  warm 
structure,  securely  fastened  in  the  fork  of  a  maple  or  an 
apple-tree. 


'» 1 


iFrom  "Under  The  Maples,"  by  John  Burroughs;  page  42. 

[217] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

The  fondness  of  goldfinches  for  the  seeds  of  thistles  has 
given  them  the  name  of  thistle-birds.  While  they  eat  in- 
sects during  the  summer,  they  are  especially  useful  as 
seed-destroyers.  At  Marshall  Hall,  Md.,  Dr.  Judd  ob- 
served them  eating  their  first  fresh  supply  in  the  spring 
from  dandelions;  in  June,  they  ate  the  seeds  of  the  field 
daisy;  in  July,  of  the  purple  aster  and  wild  carrot. 
Thistles  and  wild  lettuce  were  feasted  upon  during  August; 
while  in  September  the  troublesome  beggar-tick  and  rag- 
weed were  eagerly  sought.  At  one  time  Dr.  Judd  counted 
a  flock  of  three  hundred  goldfinches  busily  stripping 
seeds  from  a  rank  growth  of  the  latter  weed;  he  dis- 
covered them,  also,  devouring  seeds  of  the  trumpet-creeper. 
They  are  invaluable  aids  to  a  farmer;  the  only  fault  of 
which  they  can  be  accused  is  that  of  "pilfering"  sunflower 
seeds.  The  presence  of  sunflowers  in  a  garden  is  likely 
to  attract  goldfinches,  just  as  trumpet-creeper  blossoms 
lure  hummingbirds. 

I  recall  a  lovely  garden  in  which  I  spent  many  pleasant 
hours  one  summer,  happy  in  its  beauty  and  fragrance, 
and  in  the  companionship  of  bird  visitors.  Near  my  ac- 
customed seat  grew  a  clump  of  sunflowers,  often  sought 
by  goldfinches.  The  black  and  gold  of  their  plumage 
made  a  pretty  sight  against  the  yellow  petals  and  dark 
centers  of  the  great  flowers.  I  remember  one  little  bird 
that  fluttered  among  the  golden  petals,  too  busy  singing 
to  eat  for  a  time. 

Two  bird-hunting  cats  haunted  the  garden.  I  took  a 
malicious  pleasure  in  driving  them  away,  because  their 
ignorant,  parsimonious  owner  had  informed  me  that  she 
kept  them  locked  up  while  her  chickens  were  young,  so 
the  cats  wouldn't  catch  them.     She  didn't  care  how  many 

[218] 


THE  GOLDFINCH 

birds  were  killed,  for  then  she  wouldn't  be  obliged  to  feed 
the  prowlers.  The  goldfinches  soon  learned  that  when  I 
was  there  they  could  feast  in  safety.  More  than  once 
when  I  was  in  the  house  or  on  the  porch  I  would  hear  their 
alarm  cry  of  De-de?  de-de?  sound  from  a  maple  near  the 
piazza,  plainly  calling  for  my  aid.  When  I  went  out  to 
the  garden  and  drove  away  their  feline  foes,  the  cries 
would  cease.  The  angry  owner  of  the  cats,  who  dared 
not  remonstrate  further  with  me,  cut  down  the  sunflowers! 
My  most  beautiful  memory  of  goldfinches  is  associated 
with  one  of  their  spring  mating-festivals.  My  sister  and 
I  had  read  Burroughs's  description  of  these  love-feasts,  so 
we  were  prepared  to  understand  what  the  unusual  chorus 
meant.  The  sweet  call-notes  of  the  males,  interspersed 
with  rapturous  bursts  of  melody  and  frequent  flutterings 
met  with  quick  response  from  the  olive-and-gold  females, 
who  chirped  and  said  "Yes"  with  a  joy  pleasant  to  see! 
It  is  impossible  to  convey  adequately  any  idea  of  the  ex- 
quisite tenderness  of  their  voices,  of  the  absence  of  quar- 
reling and  jealousies, — of  the  perfect  harmony  of  the  pro- 
ceeding. I  can  only  wish  that  every  person  who  loves 
birds  might  some  time  have  the  pleasure  of  a  similar  ex- 
perience. 


[219] 


THE  CATBIRD 

Mockingbird  Family — Mimidce 

Length:     Nearly  9  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  A  slender,  long-tailed,  gray  bird,  with  a 
black  crown  and  tail,  and  chestnut-brown  feathers 
under  the  tail;  breast  somewhat  paler  than  back;  bill 
slightly  curved. 

Note:     A  soft  wd,  not  unlike  the  mew  of  a  kitten. 

Song:  A  delightful  warble — soft,  sweet,  and  musical,  though 
it  is  occasionally  interspersed  with  the  catlike  noise 
wd,  and  with  sounds  of  mimicry.  Catbirds  are 
sometimes  called  northern  mockingbirds. 

Habitat:  Tangled  thickets  preferred.  Fruit  trees,  berry- 
patches,  and  garden-shrubbery  are  also  sought. 

Nest:  A  veritable  scrap-basket  made  of  twigs,  leaves,  grasses, 
plant-fibers  and  rootlets,  with  paper  sometimes  inter- 
woven. One  nest  that  I  examined  contained  a  scrap 
from  a  torn  letter  and  a  fragment  of  a  sermon  from 
a  newspaper.  Several  tell-tale  cherry-stones  lay  on 
the  bottom,  circumstantial  evidence  of  theft. 

Eggs:     A  lovely  greenish-blue,  not  unlike  those  of  the  robin. 

(Range:  A  common  bird  of  eastern  North  America,  from  cen- 
tral Canada  to  the  Gulf  and  northern  Florida.  It 
is  found  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  U.  S.  and 
winters  in  our  southern  states  and  in  Central  Amer- 
ica. 

THE  catbird  is  well-named.  It  is  the  color  of  a  Mal- 
tese cat,  is  sleek  and  agile,  and  in  movement  quiet 
and  stealthy.  Its  mew  is  so  like  that  of  a  kitten  as  to  be 
confusing  to  the  uninitiated.     I  recall  the  frantic  barking 

[220] 


CATBIKD 


THE  CATBIRD 

of  our  small  dog  at  a  catbird  that  she  heard  in  the  shrub- 
bery one  day.  It  was  difficult  to  convince  her  that  one  of 
her  hated  foes,  a  cat,  was  not  the  author  of  the  sound  that 
always  infuriated  her. 

Though  catbirds  possess  little  claim  to  beauty,  they 
seem  to  be  vain  and  appear  always  to  be  doing  something 
to  attract  attention.  They  are  in  constant  motion — twitch- 
ing their  tails,  jerking  their  bodies,  and  making  their 
gentle,  inane  "cat-calls." 

I  once  had  an  amusing  experience  with  a  catbird.  I 
had  seated  myself  near  a  thicket  in  which  a  Maryland 
Yellow-throat  was  flitting.  Hoping  to  beguile  him  from 
the  shrubbery  and  thus  afford  myself  a  better  view  of  him, 
I  gave  his  song  repeatedly — "Witch-a-tee-o,  witch-a-tee-o." 
A  catbird  on  the  fence-rail  behind  the  thicket  was  flirting 
his  tail,  looking  knowingly  at  me,  and  giving  his  call  re- 
peatedly. I  paid  no  attention  to  him,  and  continued  to 
say  "Witch-a-tee-o."  It  was  not  long  before  he,  too,  war- 
bled "Witch-a-tee-o."  Whether  he  did  it  from  his  love  of 
mimicry  or  from  a  desire  to  be  noticed,  I  shall  never  know, 
but  his  bearing  was,  ^'Now  will  you  pay  some  attention 
to  me.'" 

Catbirds  are  in  disfavor  among  the  growers  of  cherries 
and  berries,  both  wild  and  cultivated;  they  make  havoc  in 
strawberry-beds.  Mr.  Forbush  reports  that  their  depre- 
dations vary  in  different  localities.  He  claims  that  in 
spite  of  their  fruit-stealing  propensities  they  deserve  pro- 
tection in  Massachusetts,  because  they  devour  locusts,  can- 
kerworms,  and  the  caterpillars  of  various  moths,  most  im- 
portant being  those  of  the  gypsy  and  brown-tail  moths. 

In  the  Biological  Survey  Bulletin  "Fifty  Common  Birds 
of  Farm  and  Orchard"  (No.  513)  the  following  statements 

[221] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

about  the  catbird  are  made:  "Half  of  its  food  consists  of 
fruit,  and  the  cultivated  crops  most  often  injured  are  cher- 
ries, strawberries,  raspberries,  and  blackberries.  Bee- 
tles, ants,  crickets,  and  grasshoppers  are  the  most  impor- 
tant element  of  its  animal  food.  The  bird  is  known  to 
attack  a  few  pests  such  as  cutworms,  leaf  beetles,  clover- 
root  curculio,  and  the  periodical  cicada,  but  the  good  it 
does  in  this  way  probably  does  not  pay  for  the  fruit  it 
steals.  The  extent  to  which  it  should  be  protected  may 
perhaps  be  left  to  the  individual  cultivator;  that  is,  it 
should  be  made  lawful  to  destroy  catbirds  that  are  doing 
manifest  damage  to  crops." 

Dr.  Judd  found  that  catbirds  fed  their  young  almost  en- 
tirely on  insects;  he  therefore  scored  a  point  in  their  favor. 
Their  bravery  in  defense  of  their  nest  and  their  young  is 
well  known. 

Burroughs  tells  an  unusual  anecdote  about  a  catbird  as 
follows : 

"A  friend  of  mine  who  had  a  summer  home  on  one  of 
the  trout-streams  of  the  Catskills  discovered  that  the  cat- 
bird was  fond  of  butter,  and  she  soon  had  one  of  the  birds 
coming  every  day  to  the  dining-room,  perching  on  the  back 
of  the  chair,  and  receiving  its  morsel  of  butter  from  a 
fork  held  in  the  mistress's  hand.  I  think  the  butter  was 
unsalted.  My  friend  was  convinced  after  three  years  that 
the  same  pair  of  birds  returned  to  her  each  year  because 
each  season  the  male  came  promptly  for  his  butter."  ^ 

Many  other  incidents  might  be  related  concerning  this 
interesting  bird, — of  its  unusual  intelligence  and  its  re- 
markable power  of  mimicry.  One  catbird  in  Tennessee 
learned  to  imitate  the  songs  of  all  the  birds  that  nested 

1  From  "Under  the  Maples"  by  John  Burroughs — page  66. 

[222] 


THE  CATBIRD 

near  him.  His  rendering  of  the  red-eyed  vireo's  song  was 
as  good  as  that  of  the  vireo  himself.  His  listeners  felt 
that  it  was  wearisome  enough  to  have  the  red-eye  preach- 
ing constantly,  but  to  have  the  catbird  reiterating  it  was 
more  than  they  could  endure. 


[223] 


THE  BROWN  THRASHER 

Mockingbird  Family — Mimidce 

Length:  About  11  inches,  larger  than  the  robin;  tail  5  inches 
long. 

General  Appearance:  A  large  bird  with  a  bright  brown  back, 
white  breast  streaked  with  brownish-black,  and  a 
very  long  tail  which  is  moved  or  "thrashed"  about 
incessantly. 

Male  and  Female:  Reddish-brown  above;  white  underneath, 
becoming  buff  after  the  August  molt;  throat  indis- 
tinctly marked  with  dark  streaks;  breast  and  sides 
heavily  streaked;  wings  with  two  indistinct  white 
bars;  tail  almost  half  the  length  of  the  bird;  bill 
long  (about  1  inch),  sharp  and  curving. 

Notes:     A  "smacking"  sound  and  a  sharp  whew. 

Song:  A  loud,  clear,  beautiful  song.  It  consists  of  several 
phrases,  each  composed  of  two  or  more  similar  notes. 
Thoreau  interpreted  it  as  follows:  "cherruit,  cher- 
ru.it,  cherruit;  go  ahead,  go  ahead;  give  it  to  him, 
give  it  to  him."  ^  The  song  is  generally  sung  from 
the  tops  of  trees  or  bushes. 

Habitat:  Like  the  catbird,  the  thrasher  is  found  frequently  in 
shrubbery,  where  it  scratches  among  dead  leaves  for 
its  food.     Its  brown  color  protects  it  admirably. 

Nest:  Made  of  twigs,  leaves,  and  root-fibers,  placed  in  thickets 
or  on  the  ground. 

Eggs:     White,  evenly  speckled  with  fine  brown  spots. 

Pood:  Wild  fruit  and  berries  (30  kinds),  and  insects,  espe- 
cially beetles  and  caterpillars.  Professor  Beal  says: 
"The  farmer  has  nothing  to  fear  from  depredations 

1  From  Notes  on  New  England  Birds,"  by  H.  D,  Thoreau,  p.  361. 

[224] 


BROWN   THRASHER 


THE  BROWN  THRASHER 

on  fruit  or  grain  by  the  brown  thrasher.  The  bird 
is  a  resident  of  groves  and  swamps  rather  than  of 
orchards  and  gardens."  ^ 
Range:  Eastern  United  States  and  southern  Canada,  westward 
to  tlie  Rocky  Mts.;  winters  in  south-eastern  United 
States. 

BECAUSE  of  his  brown  color  and  his  speckled 
breast,  the  Brown  Thrasher  has  often  been  er- 
roneously called  the  Brown  Thrush.  Careful  observation 
reveals  many  points  of  difference.  He  is  three  or  four 
inches  longer  than  our  common  thrushes — in  fact,  his  tail 
alone  is  only  about  2V2  inches  shorter  than  the  entire  body 
of  the  veery  or  the  hermit  thrush;  his  bill  is  almost  foul 
times  as  long  as  theirs  and  is  decidedly  curved.  Instead 
of  dark,  thrush-like  eyes,  he  has  pale  yelldw  ones  that  give 
him  an  uncanny  appearance. 

He  is  not  a  dweller  in  woods,  but,  like  the  catbird,  pre- 
fers thickets.  Burroughs  says:  *'The  furtive  and  stealthy 
manners  of  the  catbird  contrast  strongly  with  the  frank 
open  manners  of  the  thrushes.  Its  cousin  the  brown 
thrasher  goes  skulking  about  in  much  the  same  way,  flirt- 
ing from  bush  to  bush  like  a  culprit  escaping  from  justice. 
But  he  does  love  ta  sing  from  the  April  treetops  where  all 
the  world  may  see  and  hear,  if  said  world  does  not  come 
too  near."  ^ 

His  song  is  a  brilliant,  delightful  performance,  admir- 
able in  technique,  but  lacking  in  a  quality  of  tone  that 
moves  the  heart.  It  is  often  of  long  duration.  One  May 
afternoon,  I  heard  a  thrasher  singing  so  long  that  I  was 
moved  to  time  him.     He  sang  without  stopping  for  fifteen 

•  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture. 
3  From  "Under  the   Maples,"  bv  John   Burroughs,  p.  67. 

[225] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

minutes  by  my  watch,  and  his  entire  song  must  have  lasted 
nearly  half  an  hour. 

The  brown  thrasher,  like  the  other  members  of  his  fam- 
ily, has  power  of  mimicry.  In  the  north,  he  is  sometimes 
called  the  "Northern  Mocker";  in  some  regions  where  he 
and  the  mockingbird  both  live,  he  is  known  as  the  "Sandy 
Mocker."  There  is  sufficient  similarity  in  the  songs  of  the 
catbird,  the  thrasher,  and  the  mockingbird  to  make  a  lis- 
tener pause  a  moment  to  distinguish  them  when  in  a  lo- 
cality where  the  three  birds  are  to  be  found.  The  cat- 
bird's mew  betrays  him;  the  thrasher's  song  is  more  bril- 
liant and  sustained;  the  mocker's  more  varied.  Thoreau 
says,  "The  thrasher  has  a  sort  of  laugh  in  his  strain  that 
the  catbird  has  not."  '*  His  song  resembles  decidedly  that 
of  the  English  thrush,  famed  in  poetry.  Browning's  des- 
cription of  the  latter  is  equally  applicable  to  our  thrasher: 

"He  sings  each  song  twice  over, 

Lest  you  should  think  he  never  could  recapture 

That  first  fine  careless  rapture." 

*From  "Notes  on  New  England  Birds,"  Thoreau,  p.  361. 


[226] 


MOCKINGBIRD 


THE  MOCKINGBIRD 


Mockingbird  Family — Mimidce 

Length:  About  10  inches;  an  inch  longer  than  the  catbird 
and  an  inch  shorter  than  the  thrasher;  tail  about 
5  inches  long. 

Male  and  Female:  A  long,  slender,  brownish-gray  bird,  with 
grayish-white  under  parts;  wings  and  tail  dark 
brown ;  wings  with  two  white  bars  and  iiJiite  patches 
that  are  conspicuous  in  flight;  middle  tail-feathers 
brown,  outer  feathers  white,  others  partly  ivhite. 
The  female  frequently  has  less  white  than  the  male. 

Notes:  A  great  variety.  Some  mockingbirds  seem  to  possess 
unlimited  powers  of  mimicry;  others  have  far  less 
ability  to  reproduce  sounds. 

Song:  A  sweet,  delightful  melody,  sung  in  pure  liquid  tones 
and  with  ease  and  assurance,  as  though  the  birds 
were  conscious  of  their  power.  They  are  probably 
the  most  famous  songsters  of  America.  Sidney 
Lanier,  Walt  Whitman,  and  other  poets  have  written 
well-known  poems  in  their  praise,  while  Roosevelt 
and  many  other  prose-writers  have  added  their  en- 
comiums. 

Habitat:  Near  the  haunts  of  man,  in  gardens,  parks,  tree- 
shaded  streets,  and  groves. 

Kange:  Southeastern  United  States  chiefly  from*  eastern  Ne- 
braska, southern  Iowa,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio,  and 
Maryland,  south  to  eastern  Texas,  southern  Florida 
and  the  Bahamas;  occasional  in  New  York  and 
Massachusetts,  though  a  number  of  records  have  been 
made  near  Boston;  accidental  in  Wisconsin,  Ontario, 
Maine,  and  Nova  Scotia;  introduced  into  Bermuda. 

[227] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

The  WESTERN  MOCKINGBIRD  is  found  in  California, 
southern  Wyoming,  northwestern  Nebraska,  and  west- 
em  Kansas,  south  to  Mexico  and  Lower  California. 
It  has  a  longer  tail  and  wings  than  the  eastern  spe- 
cies, and  is  a  paler  gray. 

NUTTALL  called  the  Mockingbird  "the  unrivalled 
Orpheus  of  the  forest,  and  the  natural  wonder  of 
America."  His  voice  certainly  has  power  to  "soothe  the 
savage  breast,"  to  interest  the  mind  because  of  the  varied 
range  and  remarkable  technique,  and  to  uplift  the  soul, 
especially  when  heard  in  the  stillness  and  beauty  of  a 
moonlight  night. 

There  is  great  difference  of  opinion  regarding  the 
"mocker."  He  is  more  loved  and  admired  in  the  South 
than  in  the  West,  and  is  regarded  with  pride  as  worthy  to 
be  called  the  nightingale  of  America.  Most  writers  have 
sung  his  praises,  but  occasionally  some  one  regards  him 
with  disfavor  because  of  his  habit  of  interlarding  his  beau- 
tiful song  with  curious  and  disagreeable  sounds.  Wilson 
Flagg  says,  "He  often  brings  his  tiresome  extravaganzas 
to  a  magnificent  climax  of  melody  and  as  frequently  con- 
cludes an  inimitable  chant  with  a  most  contemptible  ba- 
thos." ^ 

The  power  of  mimicry  varies  with  different  individuals. 
In  a  brief  interval  of  time,  one  bird  may  imitate  a  wood- 
pecker, a  phoebe,  a  wren,  a  jay,  or  a  cardinal,  so  as  to 
deceive  most  listeners.  He  may  produce  the  sound  made 
by  the  popping  of  a  cork  or  the  buzzing  of  a  saw;  the  next 
moment  he  may  scream  like  a  hawk  to  frighten  chickens 
and  send  them  to  cover,  or  cluck  like  an  old  hen  and  bring 

iprom   "Birds   of   New    England,"   by   Wilson   Flagg,   used  by   special 
arrangement  with  the   Page  Co.,   Boston. 

[228] 


THE  MOCKINGBIRD 

young  chicks  from  their  hiding-places.  Some  mockers 
seem  to  be  able  to  reproduce  the  bird-songs  they  hear  more 
melodiously  than  the  singers  themselves  render  them. 

Mockingbirds'  bravery  in  defense  of  their  nests  and 
their  young  is  well  known.  They  have  an  especial  antip- 
athy to  dogs  and  cats,  and  are  merciless  in  tlieir  attacks 
on  those  animals  if  seen  near  the  vicinity  of  their  nests. 
A  friend  in  California  told  me  that  her  cat  was  in  abject 
terror  of  a  mockingbird.  Instead  of  considering  him 
tempting  prey,  she  invariably  fled  to  cover  when  he  ap- 
peared, and  remained  in  hiding  for  a  time.  The  fur  on 
her  sides  was  noticeably  thinned  where  the  angry  bird  had 
pulled  out  numerous  locks.  One  day,  while  my  family 
were  visiting  San  Francisco,  they  heard  a  dog  yelping  pit- 
eously  and  discovered  him  running  at  lightning  speed 
down  the  middle  of  the  street.  A  mockingbird  was 
perched  on  his  back  and  was  pulling  hairs  out  of  his  tail 
with  spiteful  tweaks.  Mockers  have  been  known  to  kill 
snakes  that  approached  their  nests,  and  to  attack  human 
beings  with  great  fury. 

They  like  to  live  near  people  and  seem  to  respond  to  the 
aff'ection  shown  them  in  the  South,  where  they  are  such 
favorites  that  they  are  seldom  molested.  Formerly  mock- 
ingbirds were  trapped  for  cage-birds,  as  were  cardinals, 
but  this  practice  is  largely  discontinued  now,  because  of 
protective  laws  and  aroused  public  sentiment. 

Dr.  Henry  W.  Henshaw  says:  "It  is  not  surprising  that 
the  mockingbird  should  receive  protection  principally  be- 
cause of  its  ability  as  a  songster  and  its  preference  for  the 
vicinity  of  dwellings.  Its  place  in  the  affections  of  the 
South  is  similar  to  that  occupied  by  the  robin  in  the 
North.     It  is  well  that  this  is  true,  for  the  bird  appears 

[229] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

not  to  earn  protection  from  a  strictly  economic  standpoint. 
About  half  of  its  diet  consists  of  fruit,  and  many  culti- 
vated varieties  are  attacked,  such  as  oranges,  grapes,  figs, 
strawberries,  blackberries,  and  raspberries.  Somewhat 
less  than  a  fourth  of  the  food  is  animal  matter,  of  which 
grasshoppers  are  the  largest  single  element.  The  bird  is 
fond  of  cottonworms,  and  is  known  to  feed  on  the  chinch 
bug,  rice  weevil,  and  boUworm.  It  is  unfortunate  that  it 
does  not  feed  on  injurious  insects  to  an  extent  to  offset  its 
depredations  on  fruit,"  ^ 

Professor  Beal  says,  however,  "The  mockingbird  will 
probably  do  little  harm  to  cultivated  fruits  so  long  as  wild 
varieties  are  accessible  and  abundant."  ^  Wise  cultivators 
of  fruit  take  this  into  consideration  and  plant  accordingly, 
to  keep  both  their  fruit  and  the  delightful,  amusing  mock- 
ingbirds. 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  513,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey, 

3  From  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,   U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Biological 
Survey. 


[230] 


YELLOW-BILLED    CUCKOO 


THE  YELLOW-BILLED  CUCKOO 

Cuckoo  Family — Cuculidce 


Length:     About  12  inches;  tail  over  6  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Brownish-gray  above  with  a  greenish  tinge; 
white  underneath;  reddish-brown  wings;  feathers 
brightest  on  inner  web;  middle  tail  feathers  brown- 
ish-gray; outer  ones  black,  broadly  tipped  with  ivhile, 
tips  decreasing  in  size  toward  center;  lower  mandible 
of  bill  yellow  except  at  the  end. 

Notes:  A  rapid,  guttural  utterance  of  the  words  cook-cook- 
cook-cook  and  cow-cow-cow-cow.  Our  cuckoos  some- 
times give  a  cooing  note,  but  do  not  say  cuck'-oo 
like  their  European  relatives. 

Flight:  Swift  and  difficult  to  observe,  as  the  cuckoo  glides 
rapidly  from  bough  to  bough,  under  cover  if  pos- 
sible. 

Nest:     A    loosely-constructed    platform    of   sticks. 

Habitat:  Orchards,  woodlands,  park-like  estates,  and  quiet 
shady  streets.  Cuckoos  are  occasionally  seen  in  ex- 
posed, sunny  places. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  southern  Can- 
ada and  northern  United  States  as  far  west  as  North 
Dakota  and  as  far  south  as  northern  Louisiana  and 
Florida;    winters   south   to    Argentina. 

The  BLACK-BiLLF.D  CUCKOO  is  similar  to  the  Yellow- 
bill  in  general  appearance,  but  has  several  marked 
differences.  Its  upper  parts  are  more  greenish;  its 
tail-feathers  have  smaller  white  tips;  its  wings  are 
gray,  not  reddish-brown;  its  bill  is  black,  not  yel- 
low; its  eye-ring  is  red. 
[231] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

CUCKOOS  seem  to  have  less  individuality  than  many 
of  our  birds;  they  resemble  several  of  them. 
They  are  not  unlike  catbirds  in  their  quiet,  stealthy  move- 
ments; they  are  slender,  gray-and-white,  and  long-tailed 
like  mockingbirds;  they  build  nests  somewhat  like  those 
of  mourning  doves. 

They  are  shy,  solitary  birds,  that  are  known  by  their 
note  rather  than  by  sight.  I  never  heard  of  any  one  but 
Wordsworth  and  Wilson  Flagg  who  loved  cuckoos  or  called 
them  "darlings  of  the  spring."  The  European  cuckoo  has, 
however,  a  very  different  nature  and  a  more  joyous  note. 

Burroughs  is  most  amusing  in  his  comments.  He  says: 
"We  cannot  hail  our  black-billed  as  'blithe  newcomer,'  as 
Wordsworth  does  his  cuckoo.  'Doleful  newcomer,'  would 
be  a  fitter  title.  There  is  nothing  cheery  or  animated  in 
his  note,  and  he  is  about  as  much  a  'wandering  voice'  as 
is  the  European  bird.  He  does  not  babble  of  sunshine 
and  of  flowers.  He  is  a  prophet  of  the  rain,  and  the 
country  people  call  him  the  rain  crow.  All  his  notes  are 
harsh  and  verge  on  the  weird."  ^ 

He  is,  however,  worthy  of  consideration.  He  is  of  great 
value  to  farmers  and  apple-growers  because  of  his  appe- 
tite for  caterpillars  and  grasshoppers.  Professor  Beal 
wrote  as  follows:  "The  common  observation  that  cuckoos 
feed  largely  on  caterpillars  has  been  confirmed  by  stom- 
ach examination.  Furthermore,  they  appear  to  prefer 
the  hairy  and  spiny  species,  which  are  supposed  to  be  pro- 
tected from  the  attacks  of  birds.  The  extent  to  which 
cuckoos  eat  hairy  caterpillars  is  shown  by  the  inner  coat- 
ings of  the  stomachs,  which  frequently  are  so  pierced  by 
these  hairs  and  spines  that  they  are  completely  furred. 

1  From  "Under  the  Maples,"  by  John  Burroughs,  pages  87  &  88. 

[232] 


THE  YELLOW-BILLED  CUCKOO 

The  apple-tree  tent-caterpillar  and  the  red-humped  apple- 
caterpillar  are  also  eaten.  In  all,  caterpillars  constitute 
two-thirds  of  the  total  food  of  the  yellow-billed  cuckoo  in 
the  South.  Few  birds  feed  so  exclusively  upon  any  one 
order  of  insects. 

"The  natural  food  for  cuckoos  would  seem  to  be  bugs 
and  caterpillars  which  feed  upon  leaves,  as  these  birds 
live  in  the  shade  among  the  leaves  of  trees  and  bushes. 
Not  so  with  grasshoppers,  whose  favorite  haunts  are  on  the 
ground  in  the  blazing  sunshine,  yet  these  creatures  are  the 
second  largest  item  in  the  cuckoo's  diet.  Grasshoppers 
are  so  agreeable  an  article  of  food  that  many  a  bird  ap- 
parently forsakes  its  usual  feeding  grounds  and  takes  to 
the  earth  for  them.  Thus  it  is  with  the  cuckoos;  they 
quit  their  cool,  shady  retreats  in  order  to  gratify  their 
taste  for  these  insects  of  the  hot  sunshine.  But  there  are 
some  members  of  the  grasshopper  order  that  live  in  the 
shade,  as  katydids,  tree  crickets,  and  ground  crickets,  and 
these  are  all  used  to  vary  the  cuckoo's  bill  of  fare."  ^  It 
eats,  also,  bugs  that  injure  oranges  and  melons,  and  the 
cotton-boll  weevil  in  large  numbers. 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  755,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agr'iculture. 


[233] 


THE  LEAST  FLYCATCHER  OR  CHEBEC 
Flycatcher  Family — Tyrannidcs 

IN  March,  there  comes  to  us  from  the  South  the  phoebe, 
inconspicuous  in  plumage,  yet  easy  to  identify  be- 
cause of  its  distinctive  caU.  About  a  month  later  there 
arrives  the  smallest  member  of  our  Flycatchers, — the  Che- 
bee  or  Least-Flycatcher.  Less  than  five  and  a  half  inches 
in  length,  slender,  olive-brown  above,  grayish-w^hite  be- 
neath with  an  indistinct  grayish  band  across  the  breast, 
this  little  bird  might  escape  our  notice  were  it  not  for  its 
oft  repeated  and  unmistakable  call-note.  It  announces  its 
presence  by  uttering  its  name  Chebec,  as  clearly  and  per- 
sistently as  its  cousins,  the  phoebe  and  pewee,  say  theirs. 

The  chebec  is  a  bird  to  be  found  in  orchards,  by  road- 
sides, and  in  trees  of  village  streets.  Like  other  mem- 
bers of  its  family  it  seeks  conspicuous  perches,  from  which 
it  dives  after  flies,  moths,  and  other  insects,  returning  to 
its  perch  to  wheeze  out  its  name,  with  jerks  and  twitches 
of  its  tail. 

It  breeds  from  central  Canada  to  central  United  States 
as  «far  south  as  Nebraska,  Iowa,  Indiana,  Pennsylvania, 
and  New  Jersey,  and  in  the  Alleghany  Mts.  to  North  Caro- 
lina; winters  from  Mexico  to  Panama  and  Peru. 


[234] 


?^\', 


^y  ■«*•' 


KINGBIRD 


THE  KINGBIRD 

Flycatcher  Family — Tyrannidos 

Length:     About  8i/^>  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Upper  parts  dark  gray;  under  parts  pure 
white,  with  an  indistinct  grayish  wash  at  the  sides  of 
the  breast;  head  grayish-black,  slightly  crested,  with 
a  concealed  orange  patch;  bill  with  bristles  at  the 
base;  wing-feathers  and  upper  tail-coverts  tipped  ol 
edged  with  white;  tail  fan-shaped  in  flight,  showing 
a  broad  white  band  at  the  end. 

Note:  An  unmusical,  rattling  Squeak-squeak?  squeak-squeak- 
squeak?  uttered  frequently,  and  apparently  in  an 
irritated  mood.  The  sharply  hooked  beak  and  fierce- 
looking  eye  also  give  the  appearance  of  pugnacity. 

Habitat:  Orchards,  trees  by  roadsides,  and  near  farm-build- 
ings. One  looks  for  the  kingbird  in  open  country, 
not  in  woodlands;  he  seeks  conspicuous  perches. 
The  nests  are  placed  in  trees — in  those  of  orchards 
preferably. 

Range :  North  and  South  America.  Breeds  from  South-central 
Canada  and  throughout  the  United  States  except  in 
the  south-west;  winters  from  Mexico  to  South 
America. 

NO  more  interesting  description  of  the  Kingbird  has 
come  to  my  attention  than  that  by  Major  Bendire. 
He  writes  as  follows: 

"Few  of  our  birds  are  better  known  throughout  the 
United  States  than  the  Kingbird.  Bold  and  fearless  in 
character,  yet  tame  and  confiding  in  man,  often  prefer- 
ring to  live  in  close  proximity  to  dwellings,  in  gardens 

[235] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

and  orchards,  they  are  prime  favorites  with  the  majority 
of  our  farming  population,  and  they  well  deserve  their 
fullest  protection.  Few  birds  are  more  useful  to  the  far- 
mer; their  reputation  for  pugnacity  and  reckless  courage 
is  so  well  established  that  it  is  almost  needless  to  dwell 
on  it,  as  it  is  well  known  that  they  will  boldly  attack  and 
drive  off  the  largest  of  our  Raptores,  should  one  venture 
too  near  to  their  chosen  nesting-sites. 

"Where  a  pair  or  more  of  these  birds  make  their  home 
in  the  vicinity  of  a  farmhouse,  the  poultry  yard  is  not 
likely  to  suffer  much  through  feathered  marauders  at  least; 
they  are  a  perfect  terror  to  all  hawks,  instantly  darting  at 
them  and  rising  above  them,  alighting  on  their  shoulders 
or  necks,  and  picking  away  at  them  most  unmercifully 
until  they  are  only  too  willing  to  beat  a  hasty  retreat. 
The  male  is  seemingly  always  on  the  lookout  from  his 
perch  on  the  top  branches  of  a  tree  or  post  for  such  enemies 
and  no  matter  how  large  they  may  be,  a  pair  of  Kingbirds 
is  more  than  a  match  for  any  of  them,  our  larger  Falcons 
and  Eagles  not  excepted.  Crows  and  Blue  Jays  seem  to 
be  especially  obnoxious  to  them,  and  instances  are  on  rec- 
ord where  they  have  done  them  material  injury.'* 

Major  Bendire  says  also  that  kingbirds  do  not  "bully" 
all  birds,  but  "as  a  rule  live  in  harmony  with  them,  pro- 
tecting not  only  their  own  nests  but  those  of  their  small 
neighbors  as  well,  who  frequently  place  their  nests  within 
a  few  feet  of  the  Kingbirds — the  Orchard  Oriole,  for  in- 
stance." He  tells  however,  of  the  kingbird's  dislike  of 
the  hummingbird — that  he  has  twice  seen  the  tiny  "aggres- 
sor" put  the  larger  bird  to  flight.^ 

1  From   "Life  Histories  of  North  American  Birds,"  by  Major   Charles 
Bendire. 

[236] 


THE  KINGBIRD 

Kingbirds  were  for  a  long  time  believed  to  eat  bees  and 
therefore  were  in  disfavor.  They  were  called  Bee-birds 
or  Bee-Martins  and  were  shot  by  bee-keepers  who  did  not 
understand  their  great  value.  Professor  Beal  and  other 
investigators  in  the  Biological  Department  at  Washington 
have  discovered  that  ninety  per  cent,  of  kingbirds'  food 
consists  of  insects,  mostly  injurious  beetles  that  prey  upon 
grain  and  fruit.  They  occasionally  eat  bees,  but  exam- 
ination of  many  stomachs  reveals  a  marked  preference  for 
drones  over  workers,  and  for  wasps,  wild  bees,  and  ants 
over  hive  bees."     So  kingbirds  have  been  exonerated. 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin  630,  Biological  Survey,  U.  S.  Dept,  of  Agriculture. 


THE  GRAY  KINGBIRD 

Flycatcher  Family — Tyrannidoe 

Length:     About  9  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Upper  parts  light  gray,  darker  about  the 
cheeks;  concealed  orange  patch  on  the  crown;  under 
parts  whitish,  washed  with  gray  on  the  breast;  wings 
and  tail  brownish;  no  white  band  on  the  tail,  like 
the  northern  kingbird;  hill  very  heavy — almost  an 
inch  long,  with  bristles  at  the  base. 

Note:  A  loud  call,  Pit-tear'-re,  "which  is  constant  and  is  at 
times  lengthened  and  softened  until  it  might  almost 
be  called  a  song."  ^  The  natives  of  Porto  Rico  call 
the   bird   "pitir're"   because   of  its   note. 

Range:  Breeds  from  Georgia,  southeastern  South  Carolina, 
Florida,  and  Yucatan,  through  the  Bahamas  and 
West    Indies    to    northern    South    America;    winters 

1  Biological  Survey  Bulletin,  No.  326,  "Birds  of  Porto  Rico,"  by  Alex. 
Wet  more. 


[237] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

from  the  Greater  Antilles  southward.     It  is  common 
in  our  southeastern  states. 

THE  following  is  an  extract  from  Dr.  Wetmore's  in- 
teresting description  of  the  Gray  Kingbird  in  the 
bulletin,  "Birds  of  Porto  Rico,"  used  with  the  permission 
of  the  author: 

"The  gray  kingbird  has  the  reputation  among  the  coun- 
try people  of  being  tiie  earliest  riser  among  birds.  In  the 
daytime  it  scatters  along  the  slopes  and  through  the  fields 
to  feed,  but  at  nightfall  gathers  in  small  parties  along 
streams  to  roost  in  the  bamboos  or  in  the  mangroves  sur- 
rounding the  lagoons.  The  nesting  season  extends  from 
April  to  July  and  during  the  latter  month  young  are  abun- 
dant. At  all  times  very  pugnacious,  pursuing  blackbirds, 
hawks,  and  other  birds,  they  now  become  doubly  so,  re- 
senting all  intrusions  in  thedr  neighborhood.  Occasionally 
they  were  seen  standing  on  open  perches  during  showers 
with  outspread  trembling  wings,  evidently  enjoying  the 
downpour. 

"A  few  facts  regarding  the  insect  food  of  this  king- 
bird were  learned  from  field  observation.  Birds  were 
twice  observed  eating  the  caterpillars  of  a  large  sphinx 
moth.  These  were  beaten  on  a  limb,  and  then  the  juices 
were  extracted  by  working  the  body  through  the  bill,  while 
only  the  skin  was  discarded.  Their  services  in  eating 
these  and  other  caterpillars  were  recognized." 


[238] 


THE  CRESTED  FLYCATCHER 
Flycatcher  Family — Tyrannidoe 

Length:     About  9  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Olive-gray  above;  throat  and  breast  light 
gray;  belly,  bright  yellow;  head  conspicuously 
crested;  bill,  long,  dark,  slightly  hooked,  with  bris- 
tles at  its  base;  wings  brown,  margined  with  white, 
pale  yellow,  and  reddbh-brown ;  middle  tail-feathers, 
dull  brown;  inner  web  of  other  tail-feathers  reddish- 
brown. 

Notes:  A  whistle  that  attracts  attention.  Major  Bendire  des- 
cribes the  "Great  Crest's"  notes  as  follows: 

"It  utters  a  variety  of  sounds;  the  most  common 
is  a  clear  whistle  like  e-whuit-huit,  or  wit-ivhit,  wit- 
whit,  repeated  five  or  six  times  in  a  somewhat  lower 
key,  and  varied  to  whuir,  ivhuree,  or  puree,  accom- 
panied by  various  turnings  and  twistings  of  the 
head.  Its  alarm-note  is  a  penetrating  and  far-reach- 
ing wheek,  wheek." 

Nest:  The  nest  of  the  crested  flycatcher  is  unique.  Major 
Bendire  says  that  it  "is  usually  placed  in  a  natural 
cavity  of  some  tree  or  dead  stump;  possibly  in  an 
abandoned  woodpecker  excavation,  though  a  nat- 
ural one  is  preferred."  He  says  also  that  "nests 
vary  in  bulk;  are  begun  with  a  base  of  coarse  trash 
and  finished  with  fine  twigs,  bunches  of  cattle  hair, 
pine  needles,  dry  leaves  and  grasses,  the  tail  of  a 
rabbit,  pieces  of  catbirds'  eggshells,  exuviae  of 
snakes,  owl  and  hawk  feathers,  tufts  of  woodchucks' 
hair  and  fine  grass  roots." 

Snake-skins  "seem  to  be  present  in  the  majority  of 

[239] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

the  nests  of  this  species;  sometimes  in  the  nest 
proper,  and  again  placed  around  the  sides  of  it,  in 
all  probability  for  protective  purposes,  and  changed 
and  rearranged  from  time  to  time"  .  .  .  probably 
hung  outside  to  "alarm  intruders."  ^ 

THE  Crested  Flycatcher  lives  in  eastern  North  Amer- 
ica; breeds  from  southern  Canada  to  Florida,  and 
winters  in  Mexico  and  northern  South  America.  He  is  a 
common  summer  resident  of  the  Middle  and  Southern 
States  especially.  Though  louder-voiced  than  his  rela- 
tives, the  kingbird,  phoebe,  and  wood  pewee,  he  is  not  so 
well  known  because  he  is  shyer.  He  is  not  so  pugnacious 
as  the  kingbird,  but  he  is  known  to  light  fiercely  for  a 
mate. 

THE  OLIVE-SIDED  FLYCATCHER 

Flycatcher  Family — Tyrannidce 

Length:     About  7V2  inches. 

Male  and  Female :  Upper  parts  and  sides  olive-gray,  the  gray 
extending  across  the  breast;  throat  and  belly  yel- 
lowish, the  yellow  extending  in  a  point  almost  to  the 
center  of  the  breast;  a  patch  of  whitish  feathers  on 
both  sides  of  the  back  near  the  rump;  head  slightly 
crested;  bill  long,  black  above,  yellow  below,  bris- 
tles at  the  base,  wings  and  tail  olive-brown. 

Notes:  A  monotonous  call-note.  Pit-pit-pit,  and  a  loud,  clear 
Peep-here  or  Peep-peep-here,  frequently  uttered  from 
the  top  of  a  tall  spruce. 

Habitat:     Groves  of  conifers. 

Range:     North    and    South    America.     Breeds    from    central 

iFrom  "Life  Histories  of  North  American  Birds,"  by  Major  Charles 
Bendire. 

[240] 


THE  OLIVE-SIDED  FLYCATCHER 

Alaska  and  Canada,  in  coniferous  forests  of  western 
United  States  to  northern  Michigan,  New  York,  and 
Maine,  south  to  the  mountains  of  North  Carolina; 
winters  in  South  America  from  Colombia  to  Peru. 


[241] 


THE  WOOD  PEWEE 

Flycatcher  Family — Tyrannidce 

Length :     From  6  to  6^  inches. 

Male  and  Female :  Dark  olive-gray  above,  darkest  -on  the  head, 
which  is  somewhat  crested;  the  slightly  hooked  bill 
has  bristles  at  its  base;  under  parts,  grayish-white, 
slightly  tinged  with  yellow;  breast  and  sides  a 
darker  gray;  brownish  wings  and  tail;  two  whitish 
wing-bars  that  are  more  conspicuous  than  those  of 
the   phoebe. 

Notes:  Pee-a-wee,  uttered  slowly  and  mournfully,  yet  with 
sweetness  and  tenderness.  Sometimes  the  phrase  is 
followed  by  an  abrupt  Peer,  given  with  a  falling  in- 
flection. At  times  pewees  sing  continuously.  My 
sister  timed  one  that  sang  for  an  hour  and  twenty 
minutes  at  daybreak. 

Nest:  One  of  the  most  beautiful  made.  It  is  rather  broad  and 
flat,  decorated  on  the  outside  with  lichens  similarly 
to  that  of  the  hummingbird.  The  nest  seems  to  grow 
out  of  the  branch  on  which  it  is  placed. 

Bange:  North  and  South  America.  Breeds  from  southern 
Canada  to  southern  Texas  and  central  Florida,  west- 
ward to  eastern  Nebraska;  winters  from  Nicaraugua 
to  Colombia  and  Peru. 

OF  all  the  flycatchers  of  my  acquaintance  the  Wood 
Pewee  is  the  most  lovable.  He  is  the  only  one 
that  possesses  a  sweet  voice;  but  his  note,  long-drawn  and 
sad,  seems  to  proceed  from  an  over-burdened  heart.  The 
appearance  of  the  little  bird  is  dejected,  as  with  drooping 
tail,  he  utters  the  plaintive  sound. 

[242] 


Ti'^nOcL  /YoT?vsrAi~»- 


«ifti>. 


K^- 


I 


WOOD    PEWEE 


THE  WOOD  PEWEE 

The  nature  of  the  pewee  is  sweet  and  trustful.  I  have 
always  found  him  responsive,  replying  almost  invariably 
as  I  have  imitated  his  note.  I  once  had  a  particularly 
pleasant  experience  and  succeeded  in  convincing  a  little 
pewee  of  my  friendly  attitude  toward  him.  One  summer 
I  was  obliged  to  spend  many  weary  days  in  a  hammock 
hung  in  a  grove;  I  beguiled  the  tedious  hours  by  endeavor- 
ing to  attract  birds  to  close  proximity.  A  pewee  came 
oftenest;  he  frequently  perched  on  a  bough  within  a  few 
feet  of  my  hammock,  and  "talked  back"  to  me  between 
dives  after  insects.  That  he  knew  me  and  was  unafraid 
was  proved,  for  when  relatives  and  friends  arrived  later 
in  the  summer,  he  would  fly  away  at  their  approach. 

I  saw  much  of  him,  even  when  parental  responsibilities 
claimed  him.  One  day,  after  the  young  had  flown,  I 
came  upon  him  calling  earnestly,  evidently  to  a  fledgling 
that  was  on  the  ground  at  my  feet.  I  picked  up  the  little 
thing;  it  cuddled  down  in  my  warm  hand  and  closed  its 
eyes.  Its  father  continued  to  call,  but  without  excitement 
at  such  a  proceeding;  he  seemed  to  know  that  I  would  not 
hurt  his  baby.  I  put  it  on  a  bough  near  him  and  left 
them  to  work  out  their  bird-problems  together. 

Not  many  days  later,  we  saw  four  young  pewees 
perched  in  a  row  on  a  wire  near  the  house,  with  their 
parents  in  attendance.  The  father  called  repeatedly  and 
the  little  ones  made  sweet  inarticulate  gurglings,  finding 
their  voices.  They  were  as  dear  a  bird-family  as  it  has 
ever  been  my  pleasure  to  see. 

Dallas  Lore  Sharp,  in  his  delightful  essay,  "A  Palace 
in  a  Pig-pen,"  thus  summarizes  the  flycatchers: 

"Not  much  can  be  said  of  this  flycatcher  family,  except 

[243] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

that  it  is  useful — a  kind  of  virtue  that  gets  its  chief  re- 
ward in  heaven.  I  am  acquainted  with  only  four  of  the 
odier  nine  eastern  members,  [besides  the  phoebe],  the 
great  crested  flycatcher,  kingbird,  wood  pewee,  and 
chebec, — and  each  of  these  has  some  redeeming  attribute 
besides  the  habit  of  catching  flies. 

"They  are  all  good  nest-builders,  good  parents,  and 
brave,  independent  birds;  but  aside  from  phoebe  and 
pewee — the  latter  in  his  small  way  the  sweetest  voice 
of  the  oak  woods — the  whole  family  is  an  odd  lot,  cross- 
grained,  cross-looking,  and  about  as  musical  as  a  family 
of  ducks.  A  duck  seems  to  know  that  he  cannot  sing. 
A  flycatcher  knows  nothing  of  his  shortcomings.  He  be- 
lieves that  he  can  sing,  and  in  time  he  will  prove  it. 
If  desire  and  eff"ort  count  for  anything,  he  certainly  must 
prove  it  in  time.  How  long  the  family  has  already  been 
training  no  one  knows.  Everybody  knows,  however,  the 
success  each  flycatcher  of  them  has  thus  far  attained. 
It  would  make  a  good  minstrel  show,  doubtless,  if  the 
family  would  appear  together.  In  chorus,  surely,  they 
would  be  far  from  a  tuneful  choir.  Yet  individually, 
in  the  wide  universal  chorus  of  the  out-of-doors,  how 
much  we  should  miss  the  kingbird's  metallic  twitter  and 
the  chebec's  insistent  call!"  ^ 

iFrom  "The   Whole  Year  Round,"  by  Dallas  Lore  Sharp. 


[244] 


THE  RUBY-CROWNED  KINGLET 

Old  World  Warbler  Family — Sylviidce 

Length:     A  little  over  4l/4  inches. 

Male:  Olive-green  above,  buff  underneath,  a  ruby-red  crown; 
wings  brown,  edged  with  olive-green;  two  light  wing- 
bars;  tail  brown,  forked. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  lacking  the  red  crown.  The  fe- 
males resemble  tiny  warblers  in  appearance. 

Note:     A  sharp  scolding-note. 

Song:  A  wonderful  song, — full,  loud,  and  indescribably  beau- 
tiful. It  is  hard  to  believe  that  so  finished  and  re- 
markable a  song  could  come  from  so  small  a  bird. 

Habitat:  Woods,  thickets,  and  orchards.  Kinglets  are  usually 
seen  near  the  ends  of  branches. 

Range:  Northern  North  America.  Breeds  in  the  tree-regions 
of  southern  Canada,  southern  Alaska,  and  the  higher 
mountains  of  the  western  United  States. 

LIKE  many  of  the  warblers,  the  Ruby-crowned  King- 
let is  a  spring  and  fall  migrant,  and  its  arrival 
is  therefore  of  especial  interest.  It  excels  most  of  the 
warblers  in  its  power  of  song,  and  is  even  more  agile 
than  they. 

In  Bulletin  513  of  the  Biological  Survey  is  the  follow- 
ing description  of  the  Ruby-crown:  "In  habits  and 
haunts  this  tiny  sprite  resembles  a  chickadee.  It  is  an 
active,  nervous  little  creature,  flitting  hither  and  yon  in 
search  of  food,  and  in  spring  stopping  only  long  enough 
to  utter  its  beautiful  song,  surprisingly  loud  for  the  size 
of  the  musician.     Three-fourths  of  its  food  consists  of 

[245] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

wasps,  bugs,  and  flies.  Beetles  are  the  only  other  item 
of  importance.  The  bugs  eaten  by  the  kinglet  are  mostly 
small,  but,  happily,  they  are  the  most  harmful  kinds. 
Treehoppers,  leafhoppers,  and  jumping  plant-lice  are 
pests  and  often  do  great  harm  to  trees  and  smaller  plants, 
while  plant-lice  and  scale  insects  are  the  worst  scourges 
of  the  fruit-grower — in  fact,  the  prevalence  of  the  latter 
has  almost  risen  to  the  magnitude  of  a  national  peril. 
It  is  these  small  and  seemingly  insignificant  birds  that 
most  successfully  attack  and  hold  in  check  these  insidious 
foes  of  horticulture.  The  vegetable  food  consists  of  seeds 
of  poison  ivy,  or  poison  oak,  a  few  weed  seeds,  and  a  few 
small  fruits,  mostly  elderberries." 


THE  BLUE-GRAY  GNATCATCHER 

Old  World  Warbler  Family — Sylviidce 

Length:     About  4I/2  inches. 

Male:  Bluish-gray  above;  grayish  white  below;  forehead  black, 
black  line  over  the  eye;  slender,  curving  bill;  wings 
dark  gray,  edged  with  grayish-white;  tail  long,  outer 
tail-feathers  nearly  all  white;  middle  tail-feathers 
black;  tail  elevated  and  lowered  frequently. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  without  the  black  forehead;  line 
over  eye  indistinct. 

Call-note:     A  nasal  tang. 

Song:     A  delightful  song, — sweet,  but  not  strong. 

Habitat:     Woodlands,  where  it  usually  frequents  treetops. 

Itange:  Southeastern  United  States.  Breeds  from  eastern  Ne- 
braska, southern  Wisconsin,  Michigan,  and  Ontario, 
southwestern  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  southern 
New  Jersey  to  southern  Texas  and  central  Florida; 
[246] 


THE  BLUE-GRAY  GNATCATCHER 

winters  from  northern  Florida  to  the  West  Indies  and 
central  America;  casual  in  Minnesota,  New  England, 
and  New  York. 

THIS  dainty  little  sprite  partakes  of  the  qualities  of 
a  number  of  birds.  Like  the  warblers,  it  is  in- 
sectivorous and  inhabits  treetops;  like  its  relative,  the 
ruby-crowned  kinglet,  it  has  a  finished  and  wonderful 
song;  like  the  wrens  it  has  a  habit  of  cocking  its  tail  nerv- 
ously; while  its  long  black  and  white  tail  reminds  one  of 
the  mockingbird.  It  is  an  especially  pretty  sight,  flutter- 
ing about  the  moss-hung  trees  of  Florida. 


[247] 


THE  RED-EYED  VIREO 
Vireo  Family — Vireonidce 

Length :     About  614  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Olive-green  above,  silvery  white  below; 
crown  gray,  bordered  with  a  narrow  black  line;  a 
broader  white  line  over  the  eye,  a  dark  streak  through 
the  eye;  iris  red  or  reddish-brown;  wings  and  tail 
grayish-green,    edged    with    olive. 

Habitat:     In  open  woodlands  and  along  well-shaded  roads. 

Range:  North  and  South  America.  Breeds  from  central 
Canada,  northwestern,  central,  and  eastern  United 
States,  to  central  Forida;  winters  in  South  America. 

Note:     A  nasal  whdh,  that  sounds  ill-natured  and  unpleasant. 

Song:  A  series  of  phrases — incessant,  monotonous, — that  con- 
tinue from  morning  until  night,  and  during  August, 
when  most  birds  are  quiet.  Wilson  Flagg  called 
the  Red-eye  the  "Preacher-bird"  and  wrote  of  him 
asi  follows: 

"The  Preacher  is  more  generally  known  by  his 
note,  because  he  is  incessant  in  his  song,  and  par- 
ticularly vocal  during  the  heat  of  our  long  summer 
days,  when  only  a  few  birds  are  singing.  His  style 
of  preaching  is  not  declamation.  Though  constantly 
talking,  he  takes  the  part  of  a  deliberative  orator, 
who  explains  his  subject  in  a  few  words  and  then 
makes  a  pause  for  his  hearers  to  reflect  upon  it. 
We  might  suppose  him  to  be  repeating  moderately, 
with  a  pause  between  each  sentence,  'You  see  it — you 
know  it — do  you  hear  me? — do  you  believe  it?' 
All  these  strains  are  delivered  with  a  rising  inflection 
at  the  close,  and  with  a  pause,  as  if  waiting  for  an 
answer. 

[248] 


RED-EYED    VIKEO 


THE  RED-EYED  VIREO 

"He  is  never  fervent,  rapid,  or  fluent,  but  like  a 
true  zealot,  he  is  apt  to  be  tiresome  from  the  long 
continuance  of  his  discourse.  When  nearly  all  other 
birds  have  become  silent,  the  little  preacher  still 
continues  his  earnest  harangue,  and  is  sure  of  an 
audience  at  this  late  period,  when  he  has  few 
rivals."  ^ 

Mr.  Forbush  discovered  that  this  preacher  "'prac- 
ticed as  he  preached,"  and  tells  us  of  his  own  obser- 
vations in  the  following  words: 

"One  sunny  day  in  early  boyhood  I  watched  a 
vireo  singing  in  a  swampy  thicket.  He  sang  a  few 
notes,  his  head  turning  meanwhile  from  side  to  side, 
his  eyes  scanning  closely  the  nearby  foliage.  Sud- 
denly his  song  ceased;  he  leaned  forward, — sprang 
to  another  twig,  snatched  a  green  caterpillar  from  the 
under  side  of  a  leaf,  swallowed  it,  and  resumed  his 
song.  Every  important  pause  in  his  dissertation 
signalized  the  capture  of  a  larva.  As  the  discourse 
was  punctuated,  a  worm  was  punctured.  It  seems  as 
if  the  preaching  were  a  serious  business  with  the 
bird;  but  this  seeming  is  deceptive,  for  the  song 
merely  masks  the  constant  vigilance  and  the  sleep- 
less eye  of  this  premium  caterpillar-hunter.  In  the 
discovery  of  this  kind  of  game  the  bird  has  few 
superiors."  ^ 

THIS  vireo  builds  a  very  attractive  nest  of  strips  of 
bark  and  fiber,  a  soft  basket  hung  at  the  fork  of  a 
branch.  I  recall  one  nest  suspended  only  a  few  feet  from 
the  ground  in  a  low  tree  on  Cape  Cod.  We  came  upon 
the  nest  so  suddenly  that  the  little  brooding  mother  looked 

1  From  Wilson  Flagg's  "Birds  of  New   England,"  used  with  permission 

of  The   Page  Co.,   Boston.  t^     ti     r    u    u 

2  From   "Useful    Birds   and   Their   Protection,"    by    E.    H.   Forbush,    p. 

205. 

[249] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

at  us  with  frightened  eyes,  but  she  remained  at  her  post, 
and  soon  learned  that  we  meant  no  harm.  Many  times 
a  day  we  went  by  her  precious  cradle.  At  night  we 
passed  quietly,  so  as  not  to  waken  the  faithful  little 
mother-bird  with  her  head  tucked  under  her  wing.  Ouf 
flashlight  never  once  disturbed  her.  Mr.  Forbush  says, 
"This  vireo  sleeps  very  soundly,  and  is  sometimes  so  ob- 
livious to  the  world  that  she  may  be  approached  and  taken 
in  the  hand."  ^ 

Burroughs  wrote:  "Who  does  not  feel  a  thrill  of 
pleasure  when,  in  sauntering  through  the  woods,  his  hat 
just  brushes  a  vireo's  nest?.  .  .  The  nest  was  like  a 
natural  growth,  hanging  there  like  a  fairy  basket  in  the 
fork  of  a  beech  twig,  woven  of  dry,  delicate,  papery, 
brown  and  gray  wood  products, — a  part  of  the  shadows 
and  the  green  and  brown  solitude.  The  weaver  had  bent 
down  one  of  the  green  leaves  and  made  it  a  part  of  the 
nest;  it  was  like  the  stroke  of  a  great  artist.  Then  the 
dabs  of  white  here  and  there,  given  by  the  fragments  of 
spider's  cocoons — all  helped  to  blend  it  with  the  flicker- 
ing light  and  shade.' 


"  4 


THE  WARBLING  VIREO 

Vireo  Family — Vireonidce 

Length:     About  5%  inches. 

Male    and    Female:     Grayish-olive    above;    indistinct    whitish 

line  over  eye;  under  parts  grayish-white  with  a  faint 

yellowish  tinge;  no  bars  on  wings;  iris  dark  brown, 

not  reddish. 
Note:     A  nasal  yah,  not  unlike  the  call-note  of  the  red-eyed 

vireo. 

3  From   "Useful   Birds   and   Their  Protection,"   by   E.   H.  Forbush,   p. 
205. 
*From  "Under  the  Maples,"  by  John  Burroughs,  p.  99. 

[250] 


THE  VIREOS 

Song:  A  sweet  continuous  warble,  with  a  rising  inflection  at 
the  end.  It  sounds  like  a  whistled  Whew-whew-whew 
whew -whew -whew -whee? 

Habitat:  Parks  and  shaded  village  streets.  Its  neutral  col- 
oring and  its  preference  for  treetops  make  it  difficult 
to  distinguish.  Its  cheerful,  pleasant  song  is  the 
surest  means  of  identification. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  south-central 
Canada  to  northwestern  Texas,  southern  Louisiana, 
North  Carolina,  and  Virginia;  winters  south  of  the 
United  States,  though  exact  locality  is  unknown. 
Not  nearly  so  widely  distributed  as  the  red-eyed  vireo. 

THIS  vireo,  like  other  members  of  its  family,  is  an 
indefatigable  devourer  of  insects.  Mr.  Forbush 
reports  that  it  feeds  on  flies,  mosquitoes,  and  grasshoppers, 
Lut  that  its  chief  food  consists  of  caterpillars  and  other 
leaf -eating  insects,  especially  the  elm-leaf  beetle;  conse- 
quently it  is  found  frequently  in  elm-shaded  streets  and 
yards. 


THE  WHITE-EYED  VIREO 

Vireo  Family — Vireonidce 

THE  White-Eyed  Vireo  differs  from  his  red-eyed 
cousin  in  being  slightly  smaller,  in  having  a  small 
patch  of  yellow  around  the  eye,  a  white  iris,  and  two 
wing-bars.  His  head  is  greener  and  his  breast  and  sides 
are  tinged  with  yellow. 

He  lives  in  thickets.  He  possesses  in  a  marked  degree 
the  vireo  habit  of  scolding.  He  has  more  power  as  a 
songster  than  his  better-known  relatives.     Mr.  Chapman 

[251] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

describes  him  most  delightfully  as  follows:  "If  birds 
are  ever  impertinent,  I  believe  this  term  might  with  truth 
be  applied  to  that  most  original,  independent  dweller  in 
thickety  under-growths,  the  white-eyed  vireo.  Both  his 
voice  and  manner  say  that  he  doesn't  in  the  least  care 
what  you  think  of  him;  and,  if  attracted  by  his  peculiar 
notes  or  actions,  you  pause  near  his  haunts,  he  jerks  out 
an  abrupt  'Who  are  you,  eh?'  in  a  way  which  plainly  in- 
dicates that  your  presence  can  be  dispensed  with.  If  this 
hint  is  insufficient,  he  follows  it  by  a  harsh  scolding,  and 
one  can  fancy  that  in  his  singular  white  eye  there  is  an 
unmistakable  gleam  of  disapproval. 

"I  have  always  regretted  that  the  manners  of  this  Vireo 
have  been  a  bar  to  our  better  acquaintance,  for  he  is  a 
bird  of  marked  character  and  with  unusual  vocal  talents. 
He  is  a  capital  mimic,  and  in  the  retirement  of  his  home 
sometimes  amuses  himself  by  combining  the  songs  of 
other  birds  in  an  intricate  pot-pourri."  ^ 


THE  YELLOW-THROATED  VIREO 

Vireo  Family — Vireonidce 

THE  Yellow-throated  Vireo  resembles  the  White-eye 
in  being  olive-green  above,  yellowish  underneath, 
and  in  having  two  distinct  white  wing-bars.  He  differs  in 
possessing  a  bright  yellow  throat,  breast,  and  ring  about 
a  dark  eye. 

Mr.  Forbush  says  of  this  bird;     'The  song  is  a  little 
louder  than  that  of  most  vireos,  and  may  be  easily  dis- 

s  From  "Birds  of  Eastern  North  America,"  by  Frank  M.  Chapman. 

[252] 


THE  YELLOW-THROATED  VIREO 

tinguished  from  all  others.  It  usually  consists  of  two  or 
three  rich  and  virile  notes,  uttered  interrogatively  or  ten- 
tatively, followed  immediately  by  a  few  similar  tones  ut- 
tered decisively.  The  bird  appears  to  ask  a  question, 
and  then  answer  it.  Its  alarm  notes  are  as  harsh  as  those 
of  an  oriole,  and  somewhat  similar  in  quality.' 


")■>  6 


From  "Useful   Birds  and  Their  Protection"— E.   H.  Forbush,  p.  208. 


[253] 


THE  WARBLERS 
Warbler  Family — Mniotiltidce 

NO  family  of  birds  is  more  difficult  for  a  begimier 
to  identify  than  the  warblers.  Reasons  for  this 
fact  are  various.  In  the  first  place,  warblers  are  small 
and  agile,  and  usually  inhabit  treetops,  where  it  is  hard 
to  see  their  plumage.  The  number  of  the  species  is  large, 
— 155  species  are  known,  74  of  which  are  found  in  North 
America,  and  55  in  the  United  States  alone.  Some  of 
the  males  wear  a  "Joseph's  coat  of  many  colors";  some 
of  the  females  are  so  different  from  their  mates  as  to 
puzzle  an  observer,  and  the  young  birds  frequently  differ 
from  both  parents.  Then,  too,  most  warblers  are  not 
gifted  songsters,  but  utter  only  a  weak  trill.  A  number 
of  them  are  seen  only  during  their  migration  to  northern 
woods;  they  linger  too  short  a  time  to  become  more  than 
passing  bird-acquaintances. 

Warblers  are  insectivorous  and  do  not  arrive  until  the 
earth  teems  with  insect  life.  Most  of  them  depart  for 
the  South  as  soon  as  insects  begin  to  decrease  in  number 
or  disappear.     They  are  very  shy  and  migrate  at  night. 

Many  are  the  disasters  that  befall  them  when  they 
journey  near  the  sea-coast.  In  Dr.  Wells  W.  Cooke's  ar- 
ticle entitled  "Our  Greatest  Travelers"  are  the  following 
statements:  "It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  these  long 
flights  over  the  waters  can  occur  without  many  casualties, 
and  not  the  smallest  of  the  perils  arises  from  the  beacons 

[254] 


THE  WARBLERS 

which  man  has  erected  along  the  coast  to  insure  his  own 
safety.  'Last  night  I  could  have  filled  a  mail-sack  with 
the  bodies  of  little  warblers  which  killed  themselves  strik- 
ing against  my  light,'  wrote  the  keeper  of  Fowey  Rocks 
lighthouse,  in  southern  Florida. 

"Nor  was  this  an  unusual  tragedy.  Every  spring  the 
lights  along  the  coast  lure  to  destruction  myriads  of  birds 
who  are  en  route  from  their  winter  homes  in  the  South 
to  their  summer  nesting-places  in  the  North.  Every  fall 
a  still  greater  death-toll  is  exacted  when  the  return  journey 
is  made.  A  red  light  or  a  rapidly  flashing  one  repels  the 
birds,  but  a  steady  white  light  piercing  the  fog  proves  ir- 
resistible." ^ 

Few  people  realize  the  great  good  done  by  warblers. 
Mr.  Forbush  says  that  in  migration  they  seem  to  possess 
enormous  appetites.  A  Hooded  Warbler  was  found  to 
catch  on  the  average  two  insects  a  minute  or  one  hundred 
and  twenty  an  hour.  At  this  rate  the  bird  would  kill  at 
least  nine  hundred  and  sixty  insects  a  day,  in  an  eight 
hour  working  day! 

Dr.  Judd  reported  a  Palm  Warbler  that  ate  from  forty 
to  sixty  insects  a  minute.  In  the  four  hours  he  was  under 
observation  he  must  have  eaten  nine  thousand,  five  hun- 
dred insects.  Mr.  Forbush  says  that  he  has  seen  warblers 
eating  from  masses  of  small  insects  at  such  a  rate  that  it 
was  impossible  for  him  to  count  them.^ 

iProm  "Our  Greatest  Travelers,"  by  Wells  W.  Cooke,  of  the  Biological 
Survey. 

-  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  pages 
185   and   186. 


[255] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 


IDENTIFICATION  OF  WARBLERS 

In  order  to  identify  warblers,  most  people  need  to 
group  them  in  some  way.  The  following  grouping  of  my 
own  has  helped  me  to  recognize  and  remember  the  more 
common  species: 

I    The  Ground  Warblers 

1  The  Ovenbird 

2  The  Water  Thrushes 

3  The  Worm-eating  Warbler 

4  The  Palm  Warblers. 

II    Black  and  White  Warblers 

1  The  Black  and  White  Creeping  Warbler 

2  The  Black-poll  Warbler 

III  Black,  White,  and  Yellow  Warblers 

1  The  Myrtle  or  Yellow-rumped  Warbler 

2  The  Magnolia  Warbler 

IV  Black  and  Orange  Warblers 

1  The  Redstart 

2  The  Blackburnian  Warbler 

V  Warblers  With  Yellow  or  Olive-green 

Predominating 

1  The  Yellow  Warbler 

2  The  Pine  Warbler 

3  The  Maryland  Yellow-throat 

4  The  Hooded  Warbler 

5  Wilson's  Warbler 

6  The  Black-throated  Green  Warbler 

7  The  Canadian  Warbler 

8  The   Yellow-breasted   Chat 

9  The  Yellow  Palm  Warbler 

VI  Warblers  With  Blue  or  Blue  and  Yellow 

Predominating 
1  The  Cerulean  Warbler 
[256] 


THE  WARBLERS 

2  The  Black-lhroated  Blue  Warbler 

3  The  Blue-winged  Warbler 

4  The  Golden-winged  Warbler 

5  The  Parula  Warbler 

VII    Warblers  With  Reddish-brown  Markings 

1  The  Bay-breasted  Warbler 

2  The  Chestnut-sided  Warbler 


GROUP  ONE— THE  GROUND  WARBLERS 

1.    THE  OVEN-BIRD 

Length:     A  little  over  6  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Olive-brown  above;  head  with  a  golden- 
brown  crown,  bordered  with  two  black  lines  that  ex- 
tend from  bill  to  neck;  under  parts  white;  a  brown 
streak  at  each  side  of  the  throat;  breast  and  sides 
heavily  streaked  with  black;  no  bars  on  wings,  or 
patches  on  tail. 

Note:  Mr.  Forbush  interprets  the  oven-bird's  note  as  "chick/ 
KERCHICK,'  KERCHICK,'  repeating  the  phrase  an 
indefinite  number  of  times."  ^  John  Burroughs  has 
rendered  it  as,  "teacher,  teacher,  teacher,  TEACHER, 
TEACHER."  The  bird  is  frequently  spoken  of  as 
the  "Teacher-bird." 

Song:  A  "flight  song"  which  Mr.  Forbush  describes  as  fol- 
lows: "When  I  lingered  in  the  woods  at  evening 
until  the  stars  came  out,  I  heard  a  burst  of  melody 
far  above  the  treetops,  and  saw  the  little  singer 
rising  against  the  western  sky,  simulating  the  Sky- 
lark, and  pouring  forth  its  melody,  not  to  the  orb  of 
day  but  to  the  slowly  rising  moon;  then,  when  the 
melody  came  nearer,  the  exhausted  singer  fell  from 
out  the  sky  and  shot  swiftly  downward,  alighting  at 
my  very  feet."  ^ 

1  &  2  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.   H.  Forbush. 

[257] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Habitat:  Woodlands,  where  the  oven-bird  spends  much  of  its 
time  on  the  ground. 

Range:  North  America.  Breeds  in  the  forests  of  Canada  and 
the  United  States  to  Kansas,  southern  Missouri,  Ohio 
Valley,  Virginia,  and  in  the  mountains  of  Georgia 
and  South  Carolina;  winters  from  central  Florida 
to  Colombia. 

THIS  shy  forest-dweller  is  little  seen  except  by  the 
tireless  haunter  of  woods.  I  well  remember  my 
first  quest  for  the  owner  of  a  voice  that  seemed  to  proceed 
fijom  every  part  of  the  small  grove  I  was  searching.  His 
ventriloquistic  power  led  me  on  until  I  was  about  to  give 
up  in  weariness  and  discouragement,  when  suddenly  I 
came  upon  this  golden-crowned  warbler  that  had  made 
the  woods  ring.  He  seemed  very  small  for  so  loud  a 
vocalization. 

Another  day,  quite  by  accident,  I  discovered  his  oven- 
shaped  nest: 

"Arched  and  framed  with  last  year's  oak-leaves, 
Roofed  and  walled  against  the  raindrops."  ^ 
Since  that  time  I  have  had  numerous  views  of  oven- 
birds.     One  in  particular,   seemed  quite  unafraid;   and 
several  times  approached  within  a  few  feet  of  where  I 
was  seated. 


2.    THE  WATER-THRUSHES 

Water-Thrushes:  The  Water-thrushes  resemble  the  oven- 
bird  in  size  and  general  appearance.  Their  crowns 
are  dark  instead  of  golden ;  the  northern  water- 
thrush  has  a  light  line  over  the  eye,  and  a  bright 

2  From  "The  Oven-Bird,"  by  Frank  BoUes. 

[258] 


OVEN-BIRD 


THE  WARBLERS 

yellow  streaked  breast;  the  Louisiana  water-thrush 
a  conspicuous  white  line  over  the  eye,  buff  sides,  and 
white  under  parts. 

Both  birds,  as  their  name  implies,  love  the  vi- 
cinity of  forest  brooks.  Both  walk  instead  of  hop, 
and  ^'tip-up"  when  they  alight.  They  are  wonderful 
songsters,  but  are  not  widely  known. 
Range:  Eastern  North  America.  The  Northern  Water-thrush 
breeds  in  east-central  Canada,  northwestern  New 
York,  northern  New  England,  and  in  mountains 
south  to  West  Virginia;  winters  in  the  West  Indies 
and  from  the  valley  of  Mexico  to  British  Guiana. 

The  Louisiana  Water-thrush  is  found  from  the 
northern  parts  of  the  United  States  south  to  Texas, 
Georgia,  and  South  Carolina;  winters  from  Mexico 
to  Colombia. 


3.    THE  WORM-EATING  WARBLER 

Length:     About  5^2  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Back,  wings,  and  tail  olive-green,  without 
white  markings;  head  with  two  narrow  and  two 
broad  black  stripes,  alternating  with  three  cream- 
colored  stripes;  under  parts  cream-colored,  lighter 
on  throat  and  belly. 

Song:     A  weak  trill. 

Habitat:  "The  Worm-eating  warbler  seems  to  prefer  dense 
undergrowth  in  swampy  thickets  and  wet  places, 
.  .  .  wooded  hillsides  and  ravines,  and  dense  un- 
dergrowths  of  woodland.  .  .  .  The  nesting  site  is 
on  the  ground."  ^ 
*  Range:  Eastern  North  America  from  southern  Iowa,  northern 
Illinois,  western  Pennsylvania,  and  the  lower  Hudson 
and  Connecticut  valleys,  south  to  Missouri,  Tennes- 
see, Virginia,  and  the  mountains  of  South  Carolina. 

iFrom  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York,"  page  383. 

[259] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

GROUP  TWO— THE  BLACK  AND  WHITE 
WARBLERS 

1.    THE  BLACK-AND-WHITE  WARBLER 

4 

Length:     About  514  inches. 

Male:     Black,  streaked  with  white — no  yellow;  head  with  broad 

black  and  white  stripes;  body  with  narrow  stripes; 

white  stripe  over  eye,  black  patch  back  of  eye;  striped 

throat   and   sides,   white  belly;   tail   grayish   black; 

outer  tail-feathers  with  white  patches  on  inner  web; 

wings  black,  with  two  distinct  white  bars. 
Female:     Similar,  but  with  gray  cheeks  and  whiter  under  parts, 

fainter  streaks,  and  broAvnish  sides. 
Song:     A  thin,  unmusical  5e-5e'-se-se'-5e-se'-5e-se'. 

THIS  Black-and-White  Warbler  is  as  easy  to  identify 
as  a  zebra,  because  of  its  conspicuous  black  and 
white  stripes.  As  it  is  found  on  tree-trunks,  it  is  some- 
times confused  with  the  brown  creeper.  Its  bill,  however, 
is  not  curved  like  the  creeper's,  nor  is  its  tail  used  as  a 
prop.  It  resembles  the  nuthatch  in  its  ability  to  descend 
as  well  as  ascend  tree-trunks. 

These  warblers,  though  they  obtain  their  food  from 
trees,  nest  on  the  ground  in  nests  not  unlike  those  of  the 
oven-bird. 

2.    THE  BLACK-POLL  WARBLER 

Length:     About  5  inches. 

Male:  A  black  crown  and  white  cheeks,  giving  the  effect  of  a 
black  cap  pulled  down  over  the  eyes;  throat  and 
belly  white;  back  and  sides  gray,  streaked  with 
black;  two  white  wing-bars;  two  outer  tail-feathers 
with  white  spot  near  tip. 
[260] 


THE  WARBLERS 

Female:  Olive-green  above,  streaked  with  black;  breast  and 
sides  with  yellowish  wash. 

Rang^e:  Widely  distributed;  common  in  the  East  during  mi- 
gration. Breeds  in  the  forests  of  Alaska  and  north- 
central  Canada,  in  Michigan,  northern  Maine,  and 
the  mountains  of  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont. 

BLACK-POLL  WARBLERS  are  similar  in  coloring 
to  the  black-and-white  warblers,  but  are  duller  and 
less  striking  in  appearance.  In  the  breeding  season, 
father,  mother,  and  young  differ  in  plumage,  though  a 
practiced  eye  may  see  resemblances,  but  in  the  fall  they 
don  coats  so  similar  that  they  seem  to  have  adopted  a 
family  costume. 

The  migration  of  black-poll  warblers  is  interesting. 
Dr.  Wells  W.  Cooke  says:  "All  black-poll  warblers  win- 
ter in  South  America.  Those  that  are  to  nest  in  Alaska 
strike  straight  across  the  Caribbean  Sea  to  Florida  and  go 
northwestward  to  the  Mississippi  River.  Then  the  direc- 
tion changes  and  a  course  is  laid  almost  due  north  to  north- 
em  Minnesota,  in  order  to  avoid  the  treeless  plains  of  North 
Dakota.  But  when  the  forests  of  the  Saskatchewan  are 
reached,  the  northwestern  course  is  resumed,  and,  with  a 
slight  verging  toward  the  west,  is  held  until  the  nesting 
site  in  Alaska  spruces  is  attained."  ^ 

1  "Our  Greatest  Travelers,"  by  Wells  W,  Cooke,  of  the  Biological  Sur- 
vey. 


[261] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 


GROUP  THREE— THE  BLACK,  WHITE,  AND 
YELLOW  WARBLERS 

1.     THE  MYRTLE  WARBLER 

OR 
YELLOW-RUMPED  WARBLER 

Length:     A  little  over  51/2  inches,  one  of  the  larger  warblers. 

Male:  The  grayish  upper  parts,  white  under  parts,  (both 
streaked  with  black),  and  the  black  cheeks  of  the 
Myrtle  Warbler  remind  one  of  the  Black  and  White 
Creeping  Warbler.  Its  four  patches  of  yellow, — on 
the  crown,  rump,  and  on  each  side  are  distinctive. 
The  wings  and  tail  are  brownish-gray;  wings,  with 
two  white  bars;  tail  with  graduated  patches  of  white 
near  end  of  outside  feathers;  white  throat  and  belly. 

Female:  Browner  above;  breast  less  heavily  streaked  with 
black. 

Notes:  The  notes  and  song  of  this  warbler  are  described  by 
Mr.  Forbush  as  follows:  "The  Myrtle  Warbler  has 
a  variety  of  notes,  but  the  one  usually  uttered  spring 
and  fall  is  a  soft  chirp  or  chup,  which,  at  a  little  dis- 
tance, exactly  resembles  the  sound  produced  by  a 
large  drop  of  water  as  it  strikes  the  ground  or  leaf- 
mold.  These  sounds  are  so  similar  that  after 
storms  in  the  woods  I  have  often  found  it  diflicult  to 
distinguish  the  note  of  this  warbler  from  the  splash 
of  the  large  drops  that  were  still  falling  from  the 
trees.  The  song  is  a  rather  weak  warble,  very 
sweet,  and  often  of  long  duration.  ...  It  has  quite 
as  many  variations  as  the  song  of  any  warbler  that  I 
now  recall."  ^ 

Range:  Breeds  in  the  forest-belt  of  Canada  and  Alaska,  south 
to    Minnesota,   Michigan,    New    Hampshire,   Maine, 

1  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  E.  H.  Forbush,  page  202. 

[262] 


THE  WARBLERS 

Vermont,  Massachusetts,  and  the  mountains  of  New 
York,  winters  from  Kansas,  New  Jersey,  southern 
New  England  to  West  Indies,  Mexico,  and  Panama, 
and  from  central  Oregon  to  southern  California. 

THE  Myrtle  or  Yellow-rumped  Warbler  is  found  in 
North  America  except  in  the  western  United  States. 
It  is  so  abundant  and  so  distinctly  marked  as  to  be  better 
known  than  many  warblers.  "Trim  of  form  and  grace- 
ful of  motion,  when  seeking  its  food  it  combines  the 
methods  of  the  wrens,  creepers,  and  flycatchers.  This  bird 
is  so  small  and  nimble  that  it  successfully  attacks  insects 
too  minute  to  be  prey  for  larger  birds.  Flies  are  the 
largest  item  of  food;  in  fact  only  a  few  flycatchers  and 
swallows  eat  as  many  flies  as  this  bird."  " 

The  Myrtle  Warbler  is  especially  fond  of  bayberries 
and  may  be  found,  even  in  winter,  where  these  berries 
are  to  be  obtained.  New  Jersey  and  Cape  Cod  are  favor- 
ite feeding  places. 

2.    THE  MAGNOLIA  WARBLER 

Length:     About  5  inches. 

Male:  Smaller  than  the  Myrtle  Warbler,  and  at  first  glance, 
not  unlike  it  in  appearance,  because  each  bird  has  a 
yellow  rump,  a  striped  breast,  dark  gray  upper  parts, 
and  back  and  breast  streaked  with  black.  The  head 
of  the  Magnolia  Warbler,  however,  has  no  yellow 
patch,  but  a  broad  white  line  over  the  eye,  black 
cheeks  and  forehead,  and  yellow  under  parts,  (instead 
of  white),  which  are  heavily  streaked  with  black. 
The  wings  have  large  white  patches  instead  of  bars; 
the  tail  is  black,  with  a  broad  white  band  extending 
across  the  middle, — a  distinguishing  mark. 

2  Farmers'  Bulletin,  Biological  Survey,  Henry  W.  Henshaw. 

[263] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Female:     Similar  to  male,  but  duller. 

Song:  "It  is  one  of  our  full-voiced  warblers,  the  song  resem- 
bling the  syllables  wee-to,  wee-to,  wee-a-tee  or  witchi, 
witchi,  witchi,  tit,  witchi-tit,  witchi-tit,  witchi-tit, 
the  first  four  words  deliberate  and  even,  the  last  three 
hurried  and  higher  pitched.  .  .  .  The  song  is  louder 
than  the  yellow  warbler's."  ^ 

Habitat:  "Throughout  the  migration  season,  the  Magnolia 
warbler  is  common  throughout  our  orchards  and 
shade  trees,  as  well  as  woodlands.  ...  In  its  nest- 
ing grounds,  this  warbler  prefers  coniferous  growth, 
especially  young  spruces."  ' 

Hange:  Breeds  from  southern  Mackenzie,  Keewatin,  northern 
Quebec,  and  Newfoundland  to  central  Alberta,  Sas- 
katchewan, Minnesota,  northern  Michigan,  and  north- 
ern Massachusetts;  in  the  mountains  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  New  York;  winters 
from  southern  Mexico  to  Panama. 

MR.  C.  F.  STONE  in  "Birds  of  New  York"  says: 
"Every  hemlock-clad  gully  or  hemlock  woods 
where  the  trees  are  close  and  limbs  intertwined  afford 
suitable  haunts  for  this  lively  and  emphatic  singer.  .  .  . 
Among  the  smaller  gullies  1  or  2  pairs  may  be  found,  and 
in  the  larger  gullies  it  is  not  unusual  to  locate  12  or  15 
pairs  during  the  nesting  period.  In  some  of  these  situa- 
tions the  Magnolia  does  not  seem  to  occur,  perhaps  be- 
cause it  is  so  persecuted  by  red  squirrels  and  cowbirds. 
The  latter  seems  to  make  a  specialty  of  presenting 
this  warbler  with  one  or  more  of  its  eggs,  generally 
puncturing  the  eggs  of  the  Magnolia  before  leaving  the 
nest."  ' 

1,  2,  &  3  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York,"  pages  408,  409,  410. 

[264] 


THE  WARBLERS 

GROUP  FOUR— THE  BLACK  AND  ORANGE 

WARBLERS 

1.  THE  REDSTART 

Length:     About  S^/o  inches. 

Male:  Body  glossy  black,  with  a  white  belly,  orange  patches 
at  the  sides  of  the  body  and  under  the  wings;  an  or- 
ange band  across  the  wings;  middle  tail-feathers 
black;  other  tail-feathers  broadly  tipped  with  black 
but  largely  orange,  conspicuous  in  flight;  bill  with 
bristles. 

Female:  Gray  and  olive-green  above,  white  underneath;  yellow 
instead  of  orange  on  sides,  wings,  tail,  and  under  tail. 

Young  Male:     Like  female  till  end  of  first  breeding  season. 

Nest:  A  beautiful  structure  made  of  strips  of  bark,  root-fibers, 
and  plant-down,  and  placed  in  the  fork  of  a  tree. 
If  built  in  a  birch  sapling  and  decorated  with  bits  of 
birch  bark,  it  seems  a  part  of  the  tree. 

Song":     A  cheerful  trill,  rather  weak  and  unmusical. 

Range:  North  America.  Breeds  from  Oklahoma,  Arkansas, 
and  North  Carolina  northward;  winters  in  the  West 
Indies,  central  Mexico,  and  northern  South  America. 

THE  Redstart  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  con- 
spicuous of  the  warblers.  Its  fan-shaped,  flame- 
colored  tail  tipped  with  black  is  its  most  distinctive  mark. 
It  is  in  almost  constant  motion,  fluttering  incessantly  in 
pursuit  of  its  insect  prey.  Mr.  Forbush  writes,  "In  all 
its  movements  its  wings  are  held  in  readiness  for  instant 
flight,  and  in  its  sinuous  twistings  and  turnings,  risings 
and  fallings,  its  colors  expand,  contract,  and  glow  amid 
the  sylvan  shades  like  a  dancing  torch."  ^ 

1  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  pages  196  and 
198. 

[265] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Like  flycatchers,  the  redstart  has  bristles  at  the  base  of 
its  bill,  which  makes  the  capture  of  a  great  variety  of  in- 
sects an  easy  matter.  It  has  been  named  the  "flycatcher 
of  the  inner  treetops,  but  it  is  a  flycatcher  of  the  bushtops 
as  well."  2 


2.    THE  BLACKBURNIAN  WARBLER 

Length:     A  little  over  5  inches. 

Male:  Black  crown,  with  bright  orange  patch  in  the  center;  ir- 
regular black  patch  extending  from  eye,  bordered 
with  orange;  throat  and  breast  orange,  becoming 
yellowish  on  belly;  back  black,  streaked  with  white; 
sides  streaked  with  black;  wings  black,  with  white 
edges  and  a  large  white  patch;  tail  black,  most  of  the 
feathers  nearly  all  white  on  inner  web.  Colors 
duller  in  the  fall. 

Female:  Upper  parts  grayish-olive,  streaked  with  white; 
orange  parts  paler,  less  white  on  wings  and  tail. 

Song:     A  "thin"  warbler-like  trill. 

Habitat:     Treetops  of  coniferous  forests  preferably. 

Range:  Breeds  from  central  Canada  to  northern  United  States, 
and  in  the  Alleghany  Mts.  from  Pennsylvania  to 
Georgia;   winters  in  Colombia  and  Peru. 

THIS  brilliant  warbler  flashes  flame  as  do  the  oriole 
and  the  redstart,  and  like  them,  always  brings  a 
thrill  of  pleasure.  It  remains  with  us  so  short  a  time 
that  its  appearance  is  an  event. 

Mr.  Forbush  tells  of  going  out  at  daybreak  May  11, 
1900,  at  Amesbury,  Mass.,  to  observe  the  migrant 
warblers.     He  says:     "As  we  walked  through  the  streets 

2  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  by  E.  H.  Forbush,  pages  1%  and 
198. 

[266] 


THE  WARBLERS 

of  the  village,  many  male  Blackburnian  Warblers  were 
seen  among  tlie  street  trees.  A  little  later  we  saw  them 
in  the  orchards,  their  brilliant  orange  breasts  flashing  in 
the  sunlight.  As  we  approached  the  woods  it  was  every- 
where the  same.  The  night  had  been  very  cold,  and  other 
insect-eating  birds  were  seeking  benumbed  insects  on  or 
near  the  ground.  There  were  four  bright  Redstarts  flit- 
ting about  on  the  upturned  sod  of  a  newly  plowed  garden. 
These  and  other  species  of  Warblers  were  to  be  seen  in 
every  orchard,  wood,  and  thicket.  The  Blackburnian 
Warblers  had  come  in  during  the  night,  and  were  busy 
hunting  for  their  breakfasts  until  7  o'clock,  when  we  went 
to  ours.  At  8  o'clock  not  a  single  Blackburnian  was  to 
be  seen.  I  scoured  the  country  till  nearly  noon,  finding 
all  the  other  Warblers  as  at  daybreak,  but  not  a  Black- 
burnian could  be  found.  They  had  done  their  share  of 
the  good  work  and  passed  on.  A  later  riser  would  have 
missed  them."  ^ 

Eaton  says:  "The  Blackburnian  warbler  during  the 
migration  season  associates  with  the  Magnolia,  Bay- 
breasted,  and  Chestnut-sided  warblers  among  the  blossom- 
ing fruit  trees  and  the  leaving  shrubbery  and  shade  trees 
of  our  lawns  and  parks.  During  the  nesting  season,  how- 
ever, it  is  almost  entirely  confined  to  mixed  and  evergreen 
forests,  being  especially  fond  of  hemlocks  and  spruces. 
.  .  .  The  old  name  of  Hemlock  warbler  is  perfectly  ap- 
propriate. The  Blackburnian  flutters  about  while  feed- 
ing almost  as  conspicuously  as  the  Redstart  and  Magnolia, 
displaying  its  brilliant  colors  and  pied  pattern  very  eff^ec- 
tively."  "• 

1  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection"— E.  H.  Forbush,  ppge  102. 

2  From  "Birds  of  New  York,"  page  421. 

[267] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

GROUP  FIVE— THE  YELLOW  AND  OLIVE- 
GREEN  WARBLERS 

1.    THE  YELLOW  WARBLER,  OR  SUMMER 
YELLOW-BIRD 

Length:     About  5  inches. 

Male:     Olive-green  above,  bright  yellow  below;  breast  streaked 

ivith    brown;    wings   edged   with    yellow;    tail    dark 

brown,  with  yellow  on  inner  web;  no  black  on  head, 

throat,  wings,  or  tail;  bill  slender. 
Female:     Similar;   with  fainter  streaks  on  breast,  or  an  un- 

streaked  breast. 
Song:     A  sweet  chee-chee-chee-chee-chee'-a-wee? 
Habitat:     Orchards,    gardens,    and    shade    trees,    rather    than 

woods. 
Nest:     A  beautiful  cup  lined  with  felt.     This  bird's  nest  has 

been  recorded  as  a  favorite  depository  for  cowbirds' 

eggs. 
Bange:     North    America.     Breeds    from     northern     Canadian 

and  Alaskan  tree-regions  to  southern  Missouri  and 

northern  South  Carolina;  winters  from  Yucatan  to 

Brazil    and    Peru. 

THE  Yellow  Warbler  is  one  of  the  best  known  of  its 
tribe.  It  is  an  attractive,  lovable  little  bird,  a  use- 
ful destroyer  of  small  insects  that  feed  upon  the  leaves 
of  trees,  and  a  charming  addition  to  any  orchard  or  gar- 
den, as  it  flits  among  the  trees  like  a  ray  of  sunshine. 

It  is  frequently  confused  with  the  goldfinch;  but  careful 
observation  of  markings,  of  flight,  and  of  song  will  show 
decided  differences.  The  goldfinch  has  a  black  crown, 
wings,  and  tail,  an  unstreaked  breast,  undulating  flight, 
and  a  sustained  song.     This  little  olive  and  yellow  bird 

[268] 


YELLOW  WARBLER 


THE  WAPxBLERS 

has  no  black  in  its  plumage;  it  makes  short  flights,  and 
sings  a  simple  strain.  It  is  not  a  seed-eater,  like  the 
finches,  but  is  insectivorous. 


2.    THE  PINE  WARBLER 

Length:     About  Sy^  inches. 

Male:  Upper  parts  olive-green  with  a  grayish  tinge;  throat  and 
breast  yellow;  sides  streaked  with  gray;  belly  white; 
wings  and  tail  brownish-gray;  wings  with  two  whit- 
ish bars;  outer  tail-feathers  tipped  with  white  on 
inner  web. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  browner  above  and  duller  under- 
neath. 

Notes :  "Its  alarm  note  is  a  sharp  chirp,  its  other  notes  are  few 
and  weak." 

Song:  "The  song  is  one  of  the  most  soothing  sounds  of  the 
pine -woods.  It  has  in  it  the  same  dreamy  drowsiness 
that  characterizes  the  note  of  the  Black-throated 
Green  Warbler,  but  is  otherwise  entirely  different  in 
tone  and  quality,  being  composed  of  a  series  of 
short,  soft,  whistling  notes,  run  together  in  a  con- 
tinuous trill.  It  resembles,  in  a  way,  the  song  of  the 
Chipping  Sparrow,  except  that  it  is  softer  and  more 
musical."  ^ 

Habitat:  "Pine  woods  and  groves;  it  seems  to  prefer  the  pitch 
pines,  and  is  one  of  the  few  birds  that  habitually  live 
and  breed  in  woods  of  this  character,  like  those  of 
Cape  Cod.  It  has  been  called  the  Pine-creeping 
Warbler,  from  its  habit  of  creeping  along  the 
branches,  and  occasionally  up  and  around  the  trunks 
pmes.    ^ 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  It  is  abundant  in  the  South 
where    pine    forests    are    common.     It    is    found   in 

1  &  2  From  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection,"  E.  H.  Forbush. 

[269] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

southern  Canada,  northern  and  eastern  United  States, 
in  such  pine-regions  as  Michigan  and  New  Jersey. 

3.    THE  MARYLAND  YELLOW-THROAT 

Length:     About  514  inches. 

Male:  Olive-green  above,  brightest  on  rump  and  tail;  yellow 
underneath,  with  gray  sides;  a  broad  band  of  black 
bordered  at  the  back  with  gray  extends  across  the 
face  in  the  form  of  a  mask.  The  young  males  lack 
the  conspicuous  mask. 

Female:     Similar  to  male,  but  without  a  mask. 

Note:     A  sharp  call-note  chick,  frequently  repeated. 

Song:  Witch'-e-tee'-o,  witch' -e-tee'-o.  Writers  interpret  the 
song  in  various  ways.  Mr.  Forbush's  sich'-a-wiggle, 
sich'-a-wiggle,  sich'-a-wiggle,  is  an  excellent  render- 
ing. The  song  varies  with  individuals,  but  is  phrased 
and  accented  similarly. 

Habitat:     Roadside    thickets,    especially    near    water. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  It  breeds  from  North  Da- 
kota eastward  to  southeastern  Canada,  and  south  to 
central  Texas,  the  northern  part  of  the  Gulf  States 
and  Virginia;  winters  from  North  Carolina  and 
Louisiana  to  Florida,  the  Bahamas,  Cuba,  Guatemala, 
and  Costa  Rica. 

THE  Maryland  Yellow-throat  is  a  delightful  sum- 
mer visitor.  Trim,  dainty,  exquisitely  colored, 
lithe,  and  full  of  song,  he  is  a  charming  part  of  the  thickets 
of  roadsides  and  streams. 

The  Maryland  Yellow-Throat 

A  host  of  warblers  northward  come  in  May, 
And  linger  with  us  only  one  brief  day; 
You,  yellow-throated  songster,  love  to  stay. 

[270] 


MARYLAND   YELLOW-THROAT 


THE  WARBLERS 

We  glimpse  your  dainty  coat  of  olive-green, 
Your  breast  and  throat  of  shimmering  yellow  sheen 
And  mask  of  black,  where  ferns  and  bushes  lean 

O'er  sparkling  streamlets,  rimmed  with  many  a  reed, 
And  hung  with  brilliant  golden  jewel-weed. 
Midst  feathery  spikes  of  meadow-sweet  you  speed. 

Your  brooding  mate  you  watch,  as  to  and  fro 
You  flit;  and  while  the  summer  breezes  blow 
You   sing   your    Witch-i-tee'-o,   witch-i-tee'-o. 

4.    THE  HOODED  WARBLER 

Length:     About  5Vi>  inches. 

Male:  Forehead,  cheeks,  breast,  and  belly  yellow;  back  of 
crown  and  throat  black,  the  two  dark  areas  united 
by  a  black  line;  mask  yellow;  back  and  rump  olive; 
wings  and  tail  a  dark  grayish-olive;  the  outer  tail- 
feathers  largely  white  on  their  inner  webs. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  without  the  black  hood;  dark 
edge  to  crown;  breast  faintly  washed  with  black. 

Song:  E.  H.  Eaton  in  his  ''Birds  of  New  York''  writes:  "The 
song  of  this  warbler  is  one  of  the  few  which  the  au- 
thor can  hear  with  perfect  distinctness  and  enjoy." 
He  adds  that  it  is  described  by  Langille  as  follows: 
che-reek,  che-reck,  che-reek,  chi-de-ee,  the  first  three 
with  a  loud,  bell-like  ring,  the  rest  much  accelerated 
with   a  falling  inflection." 

Habitat:     Trees  of  deep  woods. 

Range:  Eastern  United  States,  west  to  the  Plains,  north  and 
east  to  southern  Michigan  and  Ontario,  western  and 
southeastern  New  York,  and  southern  New  England: 
in  winter.  West  Indies,  eastern  Mexico,  Central 
America,  and  Pan-ama. 

[271] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

THIS  warbler  looks  as  though  it  had  nearly  divided 
a  large  hood, — had  slipped  one  half  of  it  back 
on  its  head  like  a  calash,  and  allowed  the  other  half  to 
remain  under  its  chin.  It  is  easy  to  identify  by  its  ap- 
pearance and  its  song,  and  its  habit  of  living  in  the  lower 
parts  of  trees. 

Eaton  says:  "The  nest  of  the  Hooded  Warbler  is  usu- 
ally placed  in  a  low  sapling  or  bush  from  1  to  3  feet  from 
the  ground.  In  my  experience  it  is  the  easiest  of  all  the 
warbler  nests  to  find.  Wherever  I  have  noticed  a  Hooded 
warbler  singing  in  a  patch  of  woodland,  I  have  been  very 
successful  in  locating  the  nest  by  placing  my  eye  close 
to  the  ground  and  looking  through  the  shrubbery  from  be- 
low the  cover  of  the  undergrowth.  Then  the  nest  will 
almost  surely  be  seen  if  one  is  within  a  few  rods,  appear- 
ing like  a  bunch  of  leaves  a  short  distance  above  the 
ground." 

5.    WILSON'S  WARBLER 

Length:     About  5  inches. 

Male:  Olive-green  above,  except  for  a  black  crown,  outlined 
with  yellow  in  front  and  at  the  sides  of  crown;  under 
parts  yellow,  except  for  a  grayish  tinge  at  the  sides; 
wings  and  tail  without  ivhite  bars  and  patches. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  without  a  clearly  defined  black 
cap. 

Song:     A   loud,  sweet  trill,   containing  variations. 

Habitat:  Low  thickets,  usually  at  the  edges  of  woods,  rather 
than  in  treetops. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  in  the  tree-regions  of 
northern  Canada  south  to  southern  Saskatchewan, 
northern  Minnesota,  central  Ontario,  New  Hamp- 
shire, Maine,  and  Nova  Scotia;  winters  in  eastern 
[272] 


THE  WARBLERS 

Central  America;  migrates  through  the  Alleghanies; 
practically  unknown  from  Virginia  to  Louisiana. 

THIS  attractive  little  warbler  with  its  black  cap  might 
easily  be  confused  with  the  goldfinch  by  a  begin- 
ner in  bird-study.  The  olive-green  back,  wings,  and  tail 
differentiate  it.  Unlike  the  goldfinch,  it  is  not  a  resident, 
but  a  traveler  to  northern  forests  where  it  breeds.  It 
journeys  enormous  distances. 

"It  appears  very  irregularly,  some  years  in  great  abun- 
dance and  some  seasons  not  at  all."  ^ 


6.    THE  BLACK-THROATED  GREEN  WARBLER 

Length:     About  5  inches. 

Male :  Olive-green  above ;  dull  black  patch  below  eye,  encircled 
with  a  broad  rim  of  yellow;  throat  and  breast  black, 
becoming  yellowish-white  on  the  belly;  sides  streaked 
with  black;  wings  with  two  whitish  bars;  tail  with 
outer  feathers   largely  white. 

Female:  Similar  to  male;  black  of  throat  and  breast  mottled 
with  yellow,  streaks  on  sides  less  conspicuous. 

Song":     An  insect-like  trill,  zee-zee?  ze-ze-zee? 

Habitat:     Coniferous  woods  preferably. 

Range:  North  America,  from  central  Canada  to  northern  Ohio 
and  Long  Island  and  in  the  Alleghany  Mts.,  to 
Georgia  and  South  Carolina;  winters  from  Mexico  to 
Panama. 

FOR  three  summers  I  heard  the  persistent  buzzing  of 
this  little  Black-throat  in  the  Maine  woods  before  I 
was  able  to  catch  more  than  a  fleeting  glimpse  of  him. 
He  is  very  shy  and  elusive.     An  opportunity  to  see  this 

1  "Birds  of  New  York"— Eaton. 

[273] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

beautiful  little  jeweled  bird  at  close  range  is  an  event  to 
bird-lovers.  He  is  an  industrious  gleaner  of  small  in- 
sects from  dark  pine  and  spruce  forests. 


7.  THE  CANADIAN  WARBLER 

Length:     About  5i/^  inches. 

Male:  Gray  above  without  white  wing-bars  or  spots  on  tail; 
crown  with  fine  black  spots;  eye-ring,  and  line  from 
bill  to  eye-ring  bright  yellow;  under  parts  bright 
yellow;  short  black  streaks  extending  across  the  en- 
tire breast;  white  under  tail. 

Female:     Similar  to  male,  with  fainter  streaks  on  breast. 

Song:  A  rapid  and  clear  warble,  more  easily  recognized  than 
that  of  some  warblers. 

Habitat:  "The  Canadian  Warbler  during  the  migration  season 
is  found  about  our  door-yard  shrubbery,  and  the 
thickets  on  the  edges  of  streams  and  woodland.  .  .  . 
In  the  nesting  season  we  must  seek  for  it  in  cooler 
gullies  or  in  damp,  cool  woodlands  of  deciduous  or 
mixed  growth."  ^ 

Bange:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  south-central 
Canada  to  central  Minnesota,  Michigan,  New  York, 
and  Massachusetts,  and  along  the  Alleghanies  to 
North  Carolina  and  Tennessee;  winters  in  Ecuador 
and  Peru. 


8.  THE  YELLOW-BREASTED  CHAT 

Length:     About  71^  inches;  the  largest  of  the  warblers. 

Male  and  Female:  Olive-green  above;  bright  yellow  throat 
and  breast;  belly  white;  broad  white  streak  extend- 
ing from  bill  above  eye;  white  crescent  beneath  eye; 

iFrom  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York." 

[274] 


THE  WARBLERS 

white  streak  at  each  side  of  throat,  separating  the 
olive-green    and   yellow   areas. 

Song:  A  medley  impossible  to  describe,  full  of  chucks  and  gur- 
gles— a  strange  mixture  of  sounds.  As  a  singer,  the 
chat  is  in  a  class  by  himself;  he  is  very  different 
from  the   other  warblers. 

Habitat:     Thickets  and   bushy   pastures. 

Range:  Eastern  United  States;  winters  from  Vera  Crux  to 
Panama. 

THE  following  statements  regarding  the  Chat  are 
taken  from  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York": 

"The  Chat  is  not  a  bird  of  the  dense  woodland  or  of 
open  situations,  but  is  confined  to  thick  coverts  of  shrubs, 
vines,  and  young  saplings,  preferring  a  denser  covert  than 
even  the  Chestnut-sided  warbler  and  the  Catbird.  It  is 
rarely  seen  far  from  such  situations.  .  .  . 

Though  the  Chat  is  so  averse  to  being  seen,  he  will  some- 
times be  found  even  within  the  limits  of  our  villages  and 
cities  where  suitable  thickets  of  considerable  extent  are 
found  and  his  loud  song  is  frequently  heard  from  village 
streets  and  sidewalks." 


9.  THE  YELLOW  PALM  WARBLER 

Length:     About  Sy^  inches. 

Male  and  Female:  Crown  chestnut;  line  over  the  eye  and  ring 
around  the  eye  yellow;  upper  parts  olive-green, 
browner  on  the  back;  under  parts  bright  yellow,  with 
streaks  of  brown  on  throat,  breast,  and  sides;  wings 
sometimes  edged  with  brown;  tail  edged  with  olive- 
green;  outer  tail-feathers  with  white  spots  on  inner 
webs  near  tips. 

Song:     Two  songs,  one  "thinner"  and  more  rapid  than  the  other, 

[275] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Habitat:  Fields  and  roadsides;  feeds  chiefly  on  the  ground 
and  among  low  bushes. 

Range:  Atlantic  Slope  of  North  America.  Breeds  in  south- 
eastern Canada  and  Maine;  winters  from  Louisiana 
to  northern  Florida;  casually  to  North  Carolina  and 
Pennsylvania.  The  palm  warbler  is  the  western 
species,  an  inhabitant  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  and 
the  region  eastward.  It  is  very  common  in  Florida, 
where  it  may  be  discovered  in  company  with  yellow 
Palm  Warblers. 

THIS  lively  little  warbler,  with  its  nervous  habit  of 
tipping  up  its  tail  incessantly  like  a  spotted  sand- 
piper, resembles  its  near  relative  the  yellow  warbler  in  a 
few  respects.  The  olive-green  upper  parts  and  yellow 
breast  streaked  with  brown  are  points  of  resemblances, 
but  the  chestnut  crown  and  yellow  line  over  the  eye  are 
differences.  Neither  yellow  warblers  nor  yellow  palm 
warblers  are  dwellers  in  the  woods,  but  prefer  to  live  near 
the  haunts  of  man.  Yellow  warblers  are  seen  in  trees 
and  bushes,  while  the  palm  warblers  are  found  by  road- 
sides, often  on  the  ground  in  the  stubble  of  pastures,  out  in 
the  open.  While  subdued  in  color  and  therefore  incon- 
spicuous, they  are  readily  identified  ;by  the  habit  of  mov- 
ing their  tails. 


GROUP  SIX— BLUE  OR  BLUE  AND  YELLOW 

WARBLERS 

1.  THE  CERULEAN  WARBLER 

Length:     About  4V2  inches;  one  of  the  smaller  warblers. 
Male:     Upper  parts  bright  blue;  head  and  back  streaked  with 
black;  light  streak  above  eye;  white  throat,  breast, 

[276] 


THE  WARBLERS 

and  belly,  with  a  bluish-black  line  that  extends  across 
the  breast  and  down  each  side;  wings  with  two  broad 
white  bars;  inner  webs  of  all  except  the  middle  tail- 
feathers  with  small  white  patches  near  tips. 

Female:  Bluish-olive  above,  under  parts  pale  yellow;  light 
streak  over  eye;  wings  with  white  bars;  tail-feathers 
with  white  tips. 

Song:  Mr.  Stone  describes  the  song  of  the  Cerulean  warbler 
as  "an  almost  continuous  'zwee-zwee,  zwee,  wee-ee' 
during  the  nesting  season."  ^ 

Habitat:  "They  are  numerous  in  the  maple  woods  on  the  hill- 
sides overlooking  the  swamp,  as  well  as  in  the  swamp 
itself,"  writes  Mr.  Stone.^ 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  mainly  from  south- 
eastern Nebraska,  Minnesota,  southern  Michigan  and 
Ontario,  western  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  West 
Virginia,  south  to  Texas,  Louisiana,  and  Alabama. 


2.  THE  BLACK-THROATED  BLUE! 
WARBLER 

Length:     About  5^4  inches. 

Male:  Upper  parts  a  dull  grayish-blue,  darker  on  the  back, 
black  bordering  crown  above  the  eye;  cheeks,  throat, 
and  upper  breast  black;  belly  white;  sides  black  and 
white;  wings  black,  edged  with  blue,  and  with  white 
next  to  body;  a  white  patch  on  wing;  tail  bluish- 
black,  outer  feathers  largely  white. 

Female:  Very  different  from  male;  olive-green  above,  yellow- 
ish-white underneath;  light  streak  over  eyes;  white 
patch  near  the  base  of  the  primary  quills;  tail  blu- 
ish, with  much  less  white  than  on  males. 

Song:  "His  song,  though  very  versatile,  is  among  the  thinnest 
and  most  non-melodious  of  the  family."  ' 

1,  2,  &  3  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York." 

[277] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

Habitat:  "Black-throated  blue  warblers  prefer  clearings 
amidst  hemlock  woods  or  along  hemlock-clad  gully 
banks  where  there  are  dense  underbrush,  bushes,  and 
stump  sprouts  bearing  multitudes  of  large  leaves."  ^ 

Pange:  Eastern  North  America  from  Hudson  Bay  and  New- 
foundland south  to  the  Northern  States,  and  in  the 
highlands  and  mountains  to  Massachusetts,  Connec- 
ticut, Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland. 

THE  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler,  though  not  so  bril- 
liantly colored  as  many  members  of  the  family,  is 
one  of  the  neatest  and  best-groomed  of  all  the  warblers. 
As  he  flies  from  bough  to  bough  or  bush  to  bush  he  dis- 
plays to  fine  advantage  the  clear  black  and  white  colora- 
tion, the  white  spots  on  the  wings  and  tail  flashing  like 
the  wings  of  a  butterfly.  He  carries  his  wings  and  tail 
partially  spread  somewhat  in  the  manner  of  the  Redstart. 
.  .  .  The  male  is  not  so  nervously  active  as  many  other 
warblers.  .  .  . 

"This  warbler's  nest  often  contains  an  egg  of  the  Cow- 
bird.  The  nests  are  variously  attached  to  slender  scrubby 
bushes,  8  to  30  inches  up,  usually  very  close  to  old  trails 
or  old  wood  roads.  ...  A  constant  characteristic  of  this 
warbler's  nest  is  the  decoration  of  decayed,  spongy  pieces 
of  light  colored  wood  fastened  to  the  outside."  ^ 


3.  THE  BLUE-WINGED  WARBLER 

Length:     About  5  inches. 

Male:  Crown  and  under  parts  bright  yellow;  a  black  line 
through  the  eye;  back  olive-green,  yellower  at  the 
rump;  wings  bluish-gray,  edged  with  olive  and  white; 

1  &  2  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York." 

[278] 


THE  WARBLERS 

two  broad  yellowish-while  wing-bars;  tail  bluish- 
gray,  with  white  patches  of  different  sizes  on  outer 
feathers. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  with  less  yellow  on  head, — on 
forehead  and  not  on  crown. 

Song':  "The  song  is  insignificant,  a  wheezy  performance  of 
notes  resembling  the  syllables  'swee-e-e-e-e,  chee-chee- 
chee-chee,"  the  first  inhaled,  the  second  exhaled."  ^ 

Habitat:  "The  Blue-winged  warbler  frequents  swampy  thickets 
but  is  sometimes  found  among  the  scrubby  second 
growth  of  the  hillsides  and  the  undergrowth  of  dense 
woods."  ^ 

Range:  Breeds  in  eastern  North  America  from  southeastern 
Minnesota,  southern  Michigan,  western  New  York, 
Connecticut,  and  Massachusetts,  southward  to  Mis- 
souri, Kentucky,  Maryland,  and  Delaware;  winters 
from  southern  Mexico  to  Colombia. 

THE  Blue-winged  Warbler  is  deliberate  in  its  move- 
ments  as   compared   with   other  warblers,   acting 
more  like  a  vireo  than  a  member  of  its  family. 

•  •  •  •  •  •  • 

The  nesting  site  of  this  warbler  is  on  the  ground  in  a 
bunch  of  herbs  or  at  the  foot  of  a  small  bush.  The  nest 
is  surrounded  by  grass,  weeds,  ferns,  or  vines,  which 
screen  it  effectively  from  view."  ^ 


4.  THE  GOLDEN-WINGED  WARBLER    . 

Length:     A  little  over  5  inches. 

Male:  Croivn  bright  yellow;  white  line  over  eye,  broad  black 
line  extending  through  eye;  black  throat  bordered 
with  ivhite;  wings  bluish-gray,  with  a  large,  bright 
yellow  patch;  upper  parts,  bluish-gray;  under  parts, 

S  2,  &  3^  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York." 

[279] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

except  throat,  grayish-white;  tail  bluish-gray,  with 
outer  feathers  nearly  all  white  on  their  inner  webs. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  but  duller;  cheeks  and  throat  dark 
gray  instead  of  black. 

Song:  "Its  song  is  a  'lazy  zee-zee-zee'  It  has  also  an  insect- 
like call-note,  and  a  sharp  chip  alarm-note  like  that 
of  the  chipping  sparrow.  .  .  .  The  song  when  near 
at  hand  sounds  like  the  syllables  zee-u-ee',  zee-u-ee', 
zee-u-ee'."  ^ 

Habitat:  The  beautiful  little  Golden-winged  Warbler  may  be 
found  in  deciduous  forests,  especially  among  elm 
and  birch  trees,  and  has  a  habit  of  seeking  the  ends 
of  branches  for  its  food. 

Jtange:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  from  central  Minne- 
sota, southern  Ontario,  and  Massachusetts,  to  south- 
ern Iowa,  northern  Illinois,  Indiana,  and  New  Jersey, 
and  northern  Georgia;  winters  from  Guatemala  to 
Colombia;  very  rare  in  Florida  and  southern  Geor- 
gia, and  west  of  the  Mississippi. 


5.  THE  NORTHERN  PARULA  WARBLER 

Length:     A  little  less  than  5  inches. 

Male:  Grayish-blue  above,  with  a  bright  olive-yellow  patch 
in  the  middle  of  the  back;  yellow  throat  and  breast, 
with  a  dark  bluish  or  reddish-brown  band  across  the 
breast;  belly  white;  sides  sometimes  reddish-brown; 
two  white  wing-bars;  tail  gray,  edged  with  blue,  with 
white  spots  near  tips  of  inner  webs. 

Female:  Similar  to  male,  except  that  the  reddish-brown  mark- 
ings and  band  across  the  breast  are  less  distinct  or 
wanting. 

Song:     A  "buzzing"  song  rather  evenly  accented. 

Habitat:  "During  the  migration  season,  the  Farula  Warbler 
may  be  found  among  the  foliage  of  our  shade  trees 

1  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York." 

[280] 


THE  WARBLERS 

and  orchards,  being  most  common  about  the  time 
of  the  apple-blossoms.  As  soon  as  he  reaches  his 
summer  home,  however,  he  is  practically  confined 
to  swamps  .  .  .  preferring,  during  the  nesting  sea- 
son evergreen  trees,  although  occasionally  found  in 
mixed  groves  where  deciduous  trees  predominate."  ^ 
He  lives  in  localities  where  he  can  find  the  Usnea 
moss,  in  which  he  loves  to  build  his  nest.  Look  for 
him  along  streams  or  near  swamps  where  this  moss 
hangs  from  the  trees. 
Range:  From  eastern  Nebraska  and  Minnesota,  central  On- 
tario, Anticosti  an^  Cape  Breton  Islands,  south  to 
Texas,  Louisiana,  Alabama,  Virginia,  and  Maryland; 
winters  probably  in  the  Bahamas  and  from  Vera 
Cruz  to  Nicaragua. 

The  southern  species  or  PARULa  warbler,  differs 
slightly  from  his  northern  relative;  his  throat  is  yel- 
lower and  his  breast-band  is  less  distinct.  He  lives 
in  the  southeastern  United  States,  and  is  common 
where  there  are  cypresses  hung  with  moss.  He  is 
very  active;  he  reminds  one  of  the  kinglet  and  the 
chickadee  as  he  hangs  head  downward  from  a  spray, 
seeking  the  tiny  insects  that  he  likes  to  eat. 


GROUP  SEVEN— WARBLERS  WITH  REDDISH- 
BROWN  MARKINGS 

1.  THE  BAY-BREASTED  WARBLER 

Length:     A  little  over  5^/4  inches. 

Male:  Forehead  and  cheeks  black,  giving  the  effect  of  a  black 
mask;  crown,  nape,  throat,  upper  breast,  and  sides 
a  beautiful  chestnut-red;  a  patch  of  bulT  at  each  side 
of  the  neck;  lower  breast  and  belly  buff;  back  brown- 

1  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York." 

[281] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

ish-gray,  with  black  streaks;  wings  and  tail  brownish- 
gray;  two  broad  white  wing-bars;  tail  with  white 
spots  near  tip  of  outer  feathers. 

Female:  Upper  parts  grayish-brown,  streaked  with  black;  un- 
der parts  buff,  breast  and  sides  washed  with  reddish- 
brown;  crown  brownish;  two  white  wing-bars. 

Song:  "A  monotonous,  lisping  song,  with  perhaps  a  few  more 
musical,  ringing  notes."  ^ 

Habitat:  "The  Bay-breasted  warbler  usually  frequents  the 
tops  of  trees  during  migration,  being  especially  fond 
of  chestnuts,  oaks,  and  hickories  just  as  the  leaves 
are  bursting.  It  is  also  found  in  orchards  and  about 
the  shade  trees  of  streets  and  parks  as  well  as  in 
the  midst  of  woodlands.  ...  It  prefers  the  upper 
portions  of  trees  except  in  cold  or  stormy  weather 
when  it  descends  and  feeds  among  the  underbrush."  ^ 
William  Brewster  says  that  they  live  in  dense  woods, 
especially  among  the  pines  and  other  cone-bearing 
trees. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America.  Breeds  in  north-central  and 
southern  Canada,  northern  Maine,  and  mountains  of 
New  Hampshire;  winters  in  Panama  and  Colombia; 
irregular  on  the  Atlantic  slope  and  south  of  Virginia. 
One  of  our  less  common  warblers. 


2.  THE  CHESTNUT-SIDED  WARBLER 

Lengfth:     About  5  inches. 

Male:  Crown  yellow,  bordered  with  black;  back  gray,  streaked 
with  black  and  yellow;  ear-patch  and  under  parts 
white;  black  line  extending  from  bill  meets  broad 
chestnut  streak  which  runs  down  the  side  of  the 
body;  wings  with  two  broad  yellowish-white  wing- 
bars;  tail  black,  outer  feathers  with  large  white 
spots  varying  in  size. 

1  James  P.  Chapin. 

2  From  Eaton's  "Birds  of  New  York." 

[282] 


THE  WARBLERS 

Female:  Somewhat  like  male,  but  duller;  the  colors  are  less 
sharply  contrasted. 

Song'!  In  the  spring  a  loud  warble,  not  unlike  that  of  the 
yellow  warbler;  in  the  summer,  a  weaker  trill. ^ 

Habitat:  Thickets,  bushy  roadsides,  edges  of  woods,  open 
woodlands. 

Range:  Eastern  North  America  from  central  Canada  to  east- 
ern Nebraska,  northern  Ohio,  New  Jersey,  Rhode  Is- 
land, and  Massachusetts,  and  in  the  Alleghany  Mts. 
to  Termessee  and  North  Carolina. 

THE  male  Chestnut-sided  Warbler  is  very  easily 
identified;  its  sharp  contrasts  in  coloring  make  it 
conspicuous.  While  the  bay-breasted  warbler  also  has 
chestnut  sides,  it  differs  in  having  the  color  extend  to  the 
breast  and  throat,  instead  of  bordering  the  white  under 
parts. 

The  dainty  little  chestnut-sided  warbler  is  rather  com- 
moner than  some  species.  Dr.  F.  H.  Herrick  in  his  book, 
"The  Home  Life  of  Wild  Birds,"  tells  of  taming  a  female. 
She  ate  from  his  hand  and  allowed  him  to  stroke  her  as 
she  sat  on  her  nest. 

1  "Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection" — E.  H.  Forbush,  page  193. 


[283] 


THE  THRUSHES 
Thrush  Family — Turdidce 

SIX  members  of  the  Thrush  Family  are  more  or  less 
common  in  the  eastern  United  States:  the  Robin,  the 
Bluebird,  the  Wood  Thrush,  the  Hermit  Thrush,  the  Olive- 
backed  Thrush,  and  the  Veery.  The  Gray-cheeked  and 
BicknelFs  thrushes  are  not  so  widely  known.  The  Rus- 
set-backed Thrush  is  the  western  representative  of  the 
Olive-back. 

The  Oven-bird,  or  Golden-crowned  Thrush,  and  the 
Water-thrushes  are  not  thrushes  at  all,  but  warblers, 
though  they  resemble  thrushes  in  having  brown  backs  and 
light  spotted  breasts,  and  in  being  dwellers  of  the  woods. 
The  Brown  Thrasher,  sometimes  wrongly  called  the 
Brown  Thrush,  also  has  points  of  resemblance — a  speckled 
breast  and  bright  brown  back — ^but  he  is  one  of  the  Mimidae 
or  Mockingbird  Family. 

The  breasts  of  young  robins  and  the  backs  of  baby 
bluebirds  are  spotted,  showing  their  family  relationship. 
Both  robins  and  bluebirds  have  voices  that  possess  a  qual- 
ity for  which  our  thrushes  are  noted.  I  have  heard  the 
English  thrush,  famed  in  poetry.  I  consider  its  song  in- 
ferior in  quality  of  tone  to  those  of  our  wood  and  hermit- 
thrushes,  and  veery;  it  strongly  resembles  that  of  our 
thrasher. 

The  true  thrushes  of  our  woods  have  backs  of  leaf- 
brown,  varying  in  hue  from  bright  russet  to  dull  olive. 

[284] 


WOOD   THRUSH 


THE  THRUSHES 

Their  breasts  are  white  or  buff,  streaked  or  spotted;  their 
tails  are  short;  their  eyes,  large  and  lustrous.  Their 
movements  are  quick,  yet  graceful.  Their  demeanor  is 
gentle,  though  I  have  seen  them  strongly  aroused  when 
nest  or  young  was  disturbed. 

THE  WOOD  THRUSH 

The  Wood  Thrush  is  the  best  known  of  these  thrushes. 
It  may  be  identified  by  its  large  size  (a  little  over  8 
inches) ;  by  its  bright  brown  head,  dull  brown  back,  wings, 
and  tail;  white  under  parts  that  are  heavily  spotted,  es- 
pecially on  the  breast  and  sides;  and  by  distinct  streaks 
below  the  eyes. 

Note:  Its  call-note  is  a  sharp  pit;  its  song  a  series  of  sweet 
Song:  cadences  beginning  with  the  liquid  syllables  ah-oh- 

ee?  Four  phrases  often  constitute  the  song,  be- 
tween which  a  soft  purring  sound  is  frequently 
heard,  if  one  is  ne£ir  the  singer. 
Habitat:  Wood  thrushes  may  be  found  in  open  groves,  parks, 
and  wooded  pastures,  on  large  estates,  emd  along 
secluded  roads.  They  are  rarely  found  near  farm- 
buildings,  but  occasionally  live  in  gardens  and  or- 
chards. 

A  pair  of  thrushes  once  nested  in  a  tree  on  a  slope 
just  back  of  a  house  where  I  chanced  to  be  a  guest.  The 
mother-bird  had  begun  her  brooding,  when  carpenters 
arrived  to  build  some  steps  near  her  chosen  home.  Fright- 
ened, she  fled,  and  remained  away  for  a  time.  Finally 
mother-love  overcame  her  fears  and  she  returned.  The 
workmen  were  asked  to  do  her  no  harm;  they  became  inter- 
ested in  her,  and  she  trustful  of  them.     She  let  them  ap- 

[285] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

proach  within  a  few  feet  of  her  nest.  We  saw  the  shy 
wood-bird,  serene  and  unafraid,  raise  her  brood  in  the 
midst  of  noisy  hammering,  with  friendly  companionship 
close  at  hand. 

THE   OUVE-BACKED   THRUSH 

THE  Olive-backed  Thrush  is  about  an  inch  smaller 
than  tlie  wood  thrush  (7  inches),  and  is  uniformly 
olive-brown  above.  Its  breast,  throat,  cheeks,  and  eye- 
ring  are  buff;  its  sides  gray.  The  breast,  sides  of  the 
throat,  and  cheeks  are  spotted  with  black. 

Note:     Its    call-note    is    puck;     its    song    pleasing,     with    a 

Song':  phrasing  that  reminds  one  of  the  hermit  thrush,  but 

it  is  louder  and  less  deliberate,  and  lacks,  also,  the 
hermit's  liquid  sweetness.  The  olive-back  has  a  habit 
of  singing  from  the  pointed  top  of  a  tall  spruce; 
near  by,  on  a  neighboring  treetop,  an  olive-sided 
flycatcher  may  utter  its  Peep  here,  or  a  hermit  may 
sing  in  the  grove  below. 

Habitat:  The  olive-back  lives  in  woods,  rather  than  close  to 
the  haunts  of  man;  it  prefers  to  be  near  streams  and 
swampy  places,  as  does  the  western  russet-back 
THRUSH,  a  bird  very  similar  in  appearance  and  hab- 
its. 

Range:  The  olive-back  breeds  in  Canada  and  northern  United 
States,  and  winters  from  Mexico  to  South  America. 


THE   GRAY-CHEEKED   THRUSH  AND   BICKNELL's 

THRUSHES 

Gray-Cheeked  Thrush:  "The  Gray-cheeked  Thrush  is  found 
in  migration  over  all  the  Eastern  States,  but  breeds 
farther  north,  beyond  our  limits. 

[286] 


THE  THRUSHES 

Bicknell's  Thrush:  "Bitknell's  Thrush,  a  closely  related 
form,  while  having  somewhat  the  same  general 
range,  breeds  farther  south  and  nests  in  the  moun- 
tains of  northern  New  York  and  New  England.  The 
species  does  not  seem  to  be  very  abundant  any- 
where." ^ 

Their  resemblance  to  each  other  and  to  the  olive- 
back  makes  them  difficult  to  identify.  The  absence 
of  buff  from  the  head  differentiates  them  from  the 
latter  species,  which  is  a  difference  not  readily  ob- 
served except  by  experienced  ornithologists.  Bick- 
nell's thrush  is  smaller  than  the  gray-cheeked  thrush. 

THE  VEERY 

The  Veery  or  Wilson's  Thrush  is  slightly  smaller  than 
the  wood  thrush  (7/4  inches),  and  is  a  lighter  and 
more  uniform  brown  above.  It  has  a  whitish  throat  and 
belly,  and  grayish  sides.  The  'breast  and  sides  of  the 
throat  are  a  soft  buff,  with  faint  spots  of  brown.  Its 
light  brown  upper  parts  and  its  less  conspicuous  markings 
distinguish  the  veery  from  other  thrushes. 

Note:  Its  call-note  is  a  whistled  whee'-u, — loud,  clear,  and  ut- 
tered frequently. 

Song:  The  song  is  inexpressibly  beautiful, — like  organ-chords, 
or  those  that  fill  the  Baptistery  of  Pisa  when  the 
Italian  guide  blends  tones  for  the  delight  of  listeners. 
A  veery 's  song  cannot  be  described;  the  whee'-u  may 
reveal  the  singer's  whereabouts,  and  aid  in  identi- 
fication. This  bird  has  brought  me  pleasure  many 
times,  for  it  forms  one  of  the  chorus  that  sing  their 
matin-  and  even-songs  in  a  spruce  grove  across  the 
road  from  our  cottage  in  Maine.  Still  other  veeries 
chant  with  hermit  thrushes  in  more  distant  woods. 

1  Bulletin  280,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Biological  Survey. 

[287] 


BIRD  BIOGRAPHIES 

It  recalls,  also,  memories  of  deep  Adirondack 
woods  near  Seventh  Lake,  where  we  heard  veeries 
and  wood  thrushes  sing  antiphonally  at  sunset. 
Range:  This  thrush  is  abundant  in  the  eastern  United  States 
during  its  migration,  while  on  the  way  to  its  nesting 
place  in  our  Northern  States,  to  New  England,  and 
Canada.     It  winters  in  South  America. 

It  seems  to  bear  a  charmed  life.  It  does  no  harm 
and  receives  none;  it  is  a  favorite  wherever  its 
voice  is  heard. 

THE  HERMIT  THRUSH 

The  Hermit  Thrush  may  be  described  in  superlatives. 
Of  the  four  commoner  thrushes,  it  comes  earliest 
(in  March  or  early  April)  on  its  way  to  its  haunts  in 
northern  woods,  remains  longest  (till  October  or  Novem- 
ber), and  is  considered  by  many  to  be  the  finest  singer 
of  a  highly  gifted  family. 

It  is  so  very  shy  that  it  is  rarely  seen  and  yet,  during 
migration  time,  I  once  discovered  a  solitary  hermit  in  a 
tree  on  a  vacant  lot  only  a  few  blocks  from  the  business 
center  of  Cleveland.  Because  we  sit  quietly  for  hours 
at  a  time  in  the  Maine  woods,  we  have  been  vouchsafed 
many  glimpses  of  its  olive-brown  back,  its  reddish-brown 
tail  (the  mark  of  identification),  and  its  rather  thickly 
spotted  white  and  brown  breast.  We  have  noticed  its 
habit  of  raising  its  tail  as  it  alighted;  we  have  heard  its 
call-note  chuck. 

Moore's  Rock,  Castine,  Maine,  commands  an  enchanting 
view  of  Penobscot  Bay,  of  distant  hills,  and  of  spruce 
woods  that  are  tenanted  by  veeries,  olive-backed,  and 
hermit  thrushes.  There  we  make  frequent  pilgrimages, 
to  hear  them  sing  at  sunset. 

[288] 


THE  THRUSHES 

Beneath  glowing  skies  and  in  the  silence,  the  hermit 
raises  his  exquisitely  modulated  voice  in  a  strain  of  ethe- 
real beauty;  pauses,  then  in  a  higher  key,  repeats  it; 
a  third  time,  with  still  loftier  elevation  of  tone,  he  sings, 
— and  sings  again. 

More  than  once  at  twilight,  a  white  fog  has  moved  in 
from  the  bay  and  enveloped  us  as  we  listened.  The 
voices  of  these  thrushes,  proceeding  from  the  sea  of  mist, 
have  seemed  more  like  those  of  spirits  from  another  world 
than  of  birds — unspeakably  uplifting  and  full  of  signif- 
icance. 


[289] 


AFTERWORD 

The  great  psychologist,  William  James,  preached 
the  doctrine  that  it  was  immoral  to  have  emotions 
that  did  not  bear  fruit  in  action, — a  doctrine  that  many 
educators  and  teachers  are  putting  into  practice  nowadays. 

Music,  art,  noble  architecture,  poetry,  fine  prose,  the 
drama,  and  the  beauties  of  nature,  all  of  which  arouse 
the  emotion  of  joy  and  minister  to  our  higher  natures, 
were  formerly  sought  as  means  of  self-development  or  cul- 
ture— one  of  the  great  ends  to  be  attained  in  life.  Exces- 
sive cultivation  of  one's  self  is  now  regarded  by  broad- 
minded  people  as  a  refined  form  of  selfishness  (often  in- 
tellectual snobbishness),  unless  with  it  there  exists  a  sense 
of  responsibility  and  an  attempt  to  assist  in  making  pos- 
sible by  some  form  of  activity  a  more  nearly  universal 
sharing  of  these  pure  forms  of  pleasure. 

The  conservation  of  forests,  the  preservation  of  scenic 
wonders,  of  wild  flowers,  of  native  animals  and  birds  for 
the  enjoyment  of  all,  has  become  the  aim  of  a  great  move- 
ment throughout  the  country.  It  is  well  known  that  the 
fine  balance  of  nature  is  maintained  by  birds,  and  that 
upon  them  depend  in  large  measure  the  preservation  of 
forests,  parks,  gardens,  orchards,  and  farms. 

As  they  are  so  truly  our  benefactors  and  furnish  us 
with  so  much  genuine  enjoyment  and  absorbing  interest, 
we  are  under  obligation  to  repay  their  services  to  us  by 
some  form  of  service  to  them,  which  will  minister  also  to 
the  well-being  of  our    communities.      The  formation  of 

[290] 


AFTERWORD 

Audubon  Societies,  the  spreading  of  knowledge  by  means 
of  bird-books,  illustrated  bird-lectures,  and  the  invalu- 
able bulletins  easily  obtainable  at  the  Government  Print- 
ing Office,  Washington;  the  erection  of  bird-houses  and 
baths,  and  of  feeding-tables  for  the  winter;  the  furthering 
of  wise  legislation  regarding  bird-protection  and  the  sup- 
plying of  bird-wardens  in  some  localities  to  help  carry  out 
the  laws;  intelligent  and  humane  regulations  to  prevent  the 
depredations  of  cats;  the  creation,  wherever  possible,  of 
bird-sanctuaries  and  preserves,  and  the  planting  of  trees 
and  shrubs  which  will  attract  birds  are  a  few  of  the  ways 
in  which  we  may  make  practical  our  interest  in  birds  and 
add  to  the  well-being  of  our  land. 


THE  END 


[291] 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Blackbird    (Crow)    114 

Blackbird    (Red-winged)     118 

Blackbird    (Rusty)     120 

Blackbird   (Yellow-headed)    ...  120 

Bluebird    102 

Blue  Jay  6 

Bobolink    212 

Bobwhite     38 

Bobwhite  (Florida)    38 

Brown  Creeper   78 

Canary   (Wild)    217 

Cardinal    19 

Catbird    220 

Cedar-bird    47 

Charee     161 

Chat    (Yellow-breasted)    274 

Chebec    234 

Cherry-bird     47 

Chewink    161 

Chickadee   (Acadian)    54 

Chickadee    (Black-capped)     ...  53 

Chickadee   (Carolina)    53 

Chickadee   (Florida)    53 

Chippy    (Winter)    34 

Chuck-Will's-Widow     185 

Cowbird    121 

Creeper   (Brown)    78 

Creeper  (Black  and  White)    ..  260 

Crossbill  (American  or  Red)    . .  14 

Crossbill    (White-winged)     ....  26 

Crow    (American)     14 

Crow    (Fish)    17 

Crow     (Florida)      17 

Cuckoo    (Black-billed)    231 

Cuckoo    (Yellow-billed)    231 

Dove    (Mourning)     141 


PAGE 

Finch   (House)    159 

Finch    (Purple)     161 

Flicker    (Northern)    127 

Flicker    (Southern)    128 

Flicker  (Red-shafted)    128 

Flycatcher    (Crested)     239 

Flycatcher    (Least)    234 

Flycatcher    (Olive-sided)    240 

Gnatcatcher     (Blue-gray)     246 

Goldfinch    216 

Crackle   (Boat-tailed)    117 

Crackle    (Bronzed)     116 

Crackle   (Florida)    117 

Crackle    (Purple)     114 

Grosbeak    (Blue)    209 

Grosbeak    (Black-headed)    ....  211 

Grosbeak    (Cardinal)     19 

Grosbeak    (Evening)     210 

Grosbeak    (Pine)    22 

Grosbeak    (Rose-breasted)    ....  207 

Grouse    (Rufifed)     44 

House   Wren    190 

Hummingbird    192 

Indigo-bird     196 

Indigo  Bimting   196 

Jay    (Blue)     6 

Jay    (California)     10 

Jay    (Canada)     11 

Jay   (Florida)    9 

Jay   (Florida  Blue)    9 

Jay   (Steller)    10 

Junco   (Carolina)    28 

Junco   (Slate-colored)    27 


[293] 


INDEX 


S 


PAGE 

Kingbird     235 

Kingbird    (Gray)    237 

Kingfisher    (Belted)     144 

Kinglet    (Golden-crowned)     ...     57 
Kinglet    (Ruby -crowned)     245 

Lark   (Field  or  Old  Field)    ...  123 

Lark  (Horned)    91 

Lark    (Southern)     124 

Lark    (Western)     124 

Linnet    159 

Martin    (Purple)     175 

Meadowlark     123 

Mockingbird    227 

Mockingbird  (Western)    228 

Nighthawk    187 

Nightingale   (Virginia)    19 

Nuthatch   (Red-breasted)    77 

Nuthatch    (White-breasted)     ..  73 

Oriole    (Baltimore)    19i 

Oriole  (Orchard)    202 

Oven-bird    257 

Pewee  (Wood)    242 

Phoebe    Ill 

Phoebe    (Black)    113 

Poor-will     185 

Quail    38 

Quail    (California)     38 

Raven    (Northern)    17 

Redbird     19 

Redpoll     37 

Redstart    265 

Robin    (American)     96 

Robin    (English)     99 

Robin    (Ground)     161 

Sapsucker    (Red-breasted)     . . .  139 

Sapsucker    (Red-naped)     139 

Sapsucker    (Williamson)     139 

Sapsucker    (Yellow-bellied)     . .  136 

Shrike    (Loggerhead)     84 

Shrike    (Migrant)    84 


TAQt, 

Shrike    (Northern)     84 

Siskin   (Pine)    37 

Snowbird    (Brown)     30 

Snowbird   (Gray)    27 

Snowbird    (Slate-colored)     27 

Snow    Bunting    30 

Siiowflake     30 

Sparrow    (Chipping)     151 

Sparrow    (Field)     147 

Sparrow   (Fox)    109 

Sparrow   (Song)    106 

Sparrow   (Tree)    34 

Sparrow    (Vesper)     149 

Sparrow   (White-crowned)    156 

Sparrow   (White-throated)    154 

Starling     30 

Swallow    (Bank)     178 

Swallow    (Bam)    172 

Swallow    (Cliff)    177 

Swallow   (Eave)    177 

Swallow    (Rough-winged)     179 

Swallow    (Tree)     169 

Swift    (Chimney)    180 

Tanager    (Scarlet)     204 

Tanager   (Summer)    205 

Tanager   (Western)    205 

Thrasher    (Brown)     224 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Thrush 

Titmouse 

Titmouse 


(Bicknell's)     286 

(Brown)    224 

(Golden-crowned)    257 

(Gray-cheeked)      286 

(Hermit)    288 

(Olive-backed)     286 

(Russet-backed)     284 

(Water)    (Louisiana)    .  259 
(Water)    (Northern)    .  258 

(Wilson's)    287 

(Wood)     285 

(Black-capped)     ....     53 

(Tufted)    51 

Tomtit     51 

Towhee    161 

Towhee  (White-eyed)    161 


Veery 
Vireo 
Vireo 


287 

(Red-eyed)     257 

(Warbling)     250 


[294] 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Vireo  (White-eyed)    251 

Vireo    (Yellow-throated)     252 

Waxwing     (Bohemian)     50 

Waxwing    (Cedar)     47 

Woodpecker     (Downy)     65 

Woodpecker  (Southern  Downy)  66 
Woodpecker    (Golden-winged)  .   127 

Woodpecker    (Hairy)     70 

Woodpecker  (Northern  Hairy)  70 
Woodpecker  (Southern  Hairy)  70 
Woodpecker  (Red-bellied)  ...  134 
Woodpecker     (Red-headed)      ..   131 

Wren    (Carolina)    60 

Wren    (House)    190 

Wren    (Winter)     63 

Warblers 

Bay-breasted     281 

Black  and  White   260 

Blackburnian     266 

Black-throated    Blue    277 

Black-throated  Green   273 

Black-poll    260 


PAGE 

Blue-winged     273 

Canadian    274 

Cerulean     276 

Chestnut-sided     282 

Golden-winged     279 

Hooded    271 

Magnolia     263 

Maryland  Yellow-throat    270 

Myrtle     262 

Oven-bird    257 

Parula    (Northern)     280 

Parula     281 

Pine     269 

Redstart    265 

Water-thrush    (Louisiana)    . .  259 
Water-thrush    (Northern)     ..  258 

Wilson's    272 

Worm-eating    259 

Yellow     268 

Yellow-breasted   Chat    274 

Yellow  Palm    275 

Yellow-rumped    (Myrtle)     ..  262 


[295]