BIRDS OF MEADOW, FIELD, AND UPLAND

The Field and Vesper Sparrows, Bobolink, Meadowlark, Horned Lark, Goldfinch, the Swallows, Pipit or Titlark, Cowbird, Redpoll, Greater Redpoll, Snowflake, Junco, Lapland Longspur, Smith’s Painted Longspur, Rusty Blackbird, Crow, Fish Crow, Nighthawk, Whippoorwill; the Yellow, the Palm, and the Prairie Warblers; the Grackles, Flicker, Bluebird, Indigo Bird.

BIRDS OF ROADSIDE AND FENCES

The Sparrows, Kingbird, Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-breasted Chat, Indigo Bird, Bluebird, Flicker, Goldfinch, Brown Thrasher, Catbird, Robin, the Woodpeckers, Yellow Palm Warbler, the Vireos.

BIRDS OF MARSHES AND BOGGY MEADOWS

Long-billed Marsh Wren, Short-billed Marsh Wren; the Swamp, the Savanna, the Sharp-tailed, and the Seaside Sparrows; Red-winged Blackbird.

BIRDS OF WET WOODLANDS AND MARSHY THICKETS

Northern Water Thrush, Louisiana Water Thrush, Ovenr bird, Winter Wren, Carolina Wren, Phoebe; Wood Pewee and the other Flycatchers; Wilson’s Thrush or Veery, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-breasted Chat; the Canadian, Wilson’s Black-capped, the Maryland Yellowthroat, the Hooded, and the Yellow-throated Warblers.

BIRDS FOUND NEAR SALT WATER

Fish Crow, Common Crow, Bank Swallow, Tree Swallow, Savanna Sparrow, Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Horned Lark, Pipit or Titlark. 22

Habitats of Birds

BIRDS FOUND NEAR STREAMS AND PONDS

Kingfisher, the Swallows, Northern Water Thrush, Louisiana Water Thrush, Phoebe, Wood Pewee, the Flycatchers, Winter Wren, Wilson’s Black-capped Warbler, the Canadian and the Yellow Warblers.

BIRDS THAT SING ON THE WING

Bobolink, Meadowlark, Indigo Bird, Purple Finch, Goldfinch, Ovenbird, Kingbird, Vesper Sparrow (rarely), Maryland Yellowthroat, Horned Lark, Kingfisher, the Swallows, Chimney Swift, Nighthawk, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Pipit or Titlark.

Ill

SEASONS OF BIRDS

THE LATITUDE OF NEW YORK IS TAKEN AS

AN ARBITRARY DIVISION FOR WHICH ALLOW-

ANCES MUST BE MADE FOR OTHER LOCALITIES

THE SEASONS OF BIRDS IN THE VICINITY OF

NEW YORK OR, APPROXIMATELY, OF THE

FORTY-SECOND DEGREE OF LATITUDE

PERMANENT RESIDENTS

Hairy Woodpecker. Swamp Sparrow. Downy Woodpecker. Song Sparrow. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Cedar Bird. Red-headed Woodpecker. Cardinal. Flicker. Carolina Wren. Meadowlark. White-breasted Nuthatch. Prairie Horned Lark. Tufted Titmouse. Blue Jay. Chickadee. Crow. Robin. Fish Crow. Bluebird. English Sparrow. Goldfinch. Social Sparrow.

WINTER RESIDENTS AND VISITORS

BIRDS SEEN BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND APRIL

English Sparrow. Pine Grosbeak. Tree Sparrow. Redpoll. White-throated Sparrow. Greater Redpoll. Swamp Sparrow. Cedar Bird. Vesper Sparrow. Bohemian Waxwing. White-crowned Sparrow. Hairy Woodpecker. Fox Sparrow. Downy Woodpecker. Song Sparrow. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Snowflake. Flicker. Junco. Myrtle Warbler. Horned Lark. Northern Shrike. Meadowlark. White-breasted Nuthatch.

Seasons of Birds

Red-breasted Nuthatch. Goldfinch. Tufted Titmouse. Pine Siskin. Chickadee. Lapland Longspur. Robin. Smith’s Painted Longspur. Bluebird. Evening Grosbeak. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Cardinal. Golden-crowned Kinglet. Blue Jay. Brown Creeper. Red Crossbill. Carolina Wren. White-winged Crossbill. Winter Wren. Crow. Pipit. Fish Crow. Purple Finch. Kingfisher.

SUMMER RESIDENTS

BIRDS SEEN BETWEEN APRIL AND NOVEMBER

Mourning Dove. Red-winged Blackbird. Black-billed Cuckoo. Rusty Blackbird. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Orchard Oriole. Kingfisher. Baltimore Oriole. Red-headed Woodpecker. Purple Grackle. Hairy Woodpecker. Bronzed Grackle. Downy Woodpecker. Crow. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Fish Crow. Flicker. Raven. Whippoorwill. Blue Jay. Nighthawk. Canada Jay. Chimney Swift. Chipping Sparrow. Ruby-throated Humming-bird. English Sparrow. Kingbird. Field Sparrow. Wood Pewee. Fox Sparrow. Phoebe. Grasshopper Sparrow. Acadian Flycatcher. Savanna Sparrow. Crested Flycatcher. Seaside Sparrow. Least Flycatcher. Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Olive-sided Flycatcher. Swamp Song Sparrow. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Song Sparrow. Say’s Flycatcher. Vesper Sparrow. Bobolink. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Cowbird. Blue Grosbeak. 28

Seasons of Birds

Indigo Bird. Yellow-breasted Chat. Scarlet Tanager. Maryland Yellowthroat. Purple Martin. Mocking-bird. Barn Swallow. Catbird. Bank Swallow. Brown Thrasher. Cliff Swallow. House Wren. Tree Swallow. Carolina Wren. Rough-winged Swallow. Long-billed Marsh Wren. Red-eyed Vireo. Short-billed Marsh Wren. White-eyed Vireo. Alice’s Thrush. Solitary Vireo. Hermit Thrush. Warbling Vireo. Olive-backed Thrush. Yellow-throated Vireo. Wilson’s Thrush or Veery. Black-and-white Warbler. Wood Thrush. Black-throated Green Warbler. Meadowlark. Blue-winged Warbler. Western Meadowlark. Chestnut-sided Warbler. Prairie Horned Lark. Golden-winged Warbler. White-breasted Nuthatch. Hooded Warbler. Chickadee. Pine Warbler. Tufted Titmouse. Prairie Warbler. Chewink. Parula Warbler. Purple Finch. Worm-eating Warbler. Goldfinch. Yellow Warbler. Cardinal. Redstart. Robin. Ovenbird. Bluebird. Northern Water Thrush. Cedar Bird. Louisiana Water Thrush. Loggerhead Shrike.

SPRING AND AUTUMN MIGRANTS ONLY, OR RARE

SUMMER VISITORS

The following Warblers: Bay-breasted. Nashville. Blackburnian. Wilson’s Black-capped. Black-polled. Palm. Black-throated Blue. Yellow Palm. Canadian. Magnolia. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Mourning. Summer Tanager. Myrtle.

Seasons of Birds

MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS IN VICINITY OF NEW YORK

FEBRUARY 15 TO MARCH 1

Bluebird, Robin, the Grackles, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Kingfisher, Flicker, Purple Finch.

MARCH 15 TO APRIL 1 Increased numbers of foregoing group; Cowbird, Meadowlark, Phoebe; the Field, the Vesper, and the Swamp Sparrows.

april 1 to 15

The White-throated and the Chipping Sparrows, the Tree and the Barn Swallows, Rusty Blackbird, the Red-headed and the Yellow-bellied Woodpeckers, Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Pipit; the Pine, the Myrtle, and the Yellow Palm Warblers; Goldfinch.

APRIL 15 TO MAY I

Increased numbers of foregoing group; Brown Thrasher; Alice’s, the Olive-backed, and the Wood Thrushes; Chimney Swift, Whippoorwill, Chewink, the Purple Martin, and the Cliff and the Bank Swallows; Least Flycatcher; the Black-and-white Creeping, the Parula, and the Black-throated Green Warblers; Ovenbird, House Wren, Catbird.

may 1 to 15

Increased numbers of foregoing group; Wilson’s Thrush or Veery; Nighthawk, Ruby-throated Humming-bird, the Cuckoos, Crested Flycatcher, Kingbird, Wood Pewee, the Marsh Wrens, Bank Swallow., the five Vireos, the Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Bobolink, Indigo Bird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager, Maryland Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, the Water Thrushes; and the Magnolia, the Yellow, the Black-throated Blue, the Bay-breasted, the Chestnut-sided, and the Golden-winged Warblers. 30

Seasons of Birds

Increased numbers of foregoing group; Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Mocking-bird, Summer Tanager; and the Blackburnian, the Blackpoll, the Worm-eating, the Hooded, Wilson’s Black-capped, and the Canadian Warblers.

JUNE, JULY, AUGUST

In June few species of birds are not nesting; in July they may rove about more or less with their increased families, searching for their favorite foods; August finds them moulting and moping in silence, but toward the end of the month, thoughts of returning southward set them astir again.

AUGUST 15 TO SEPTEMBER 1 5

Bobolink, Cliff Swallow, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Purple Martin; the Blackburnian, the Worm-eating, the Bay-breasted, the Chestnut-sided, the Hooded, the Mourning, Wilson’s Black-capped, and the Canadian Warblers; Baltimore Oriole, Humming-bird.

SEPTEMBER 1 5 TO OCTOBER 1

Increased numbers of foregoing group; Wilson’s Thrush, Wood Thrush, Kingbird, Wood Pewee, Crested Flycatcher; the Least, the Olive-sided, and the Acadian Flycatchers; the Marsh Wrens, the Cuckoos, Whippoorwill, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Orchard Oriole, Indigo Bird; the Warbling, the Solitary, and the Yellow-throated Vireos; the Black-and-white Creeping, the Golden-winged, the Yellow, and the Black-throated Blue Warblers; Maryland Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, Redstart.

OCTOBER I TO 15 Increased numbers of foregoing group; Hermit Thrush, Catbird, House Wren, Ovenbird, the Water Thrushes, the Red-eyed and the White-eyed Vireos, Wood Pewee, Nighthawk, Chimney Swift, Cowbird, Horned Lark, Winter Wren, Junco; the Tree, the Vesper, the White-throated, and the Grasshopper Sparrows; the Blackpoll, the Parula, the Pine, the Yellow Palm, and the Prairie Warblers; Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse.

Seasons of Birds

OCTOBER 15 TO NOVEMBER 1 Increased numbers of foregoing group; Wood Thrush, Wilson’s Thrush or Veery, Alice’s Thrush, Olive-backed Thrush, Robin, Chewink, Brown Thrasher, Phoebe, Shrike; the Fox, the Field, the Swamp, the Savanna, the White-crowned, the Chipping, and the Song Sparrows; the Red-winged and the Rusty Blackbirds; Meadowlark, the Grackles, Flicker, the Red-headed and the Yellow-bellied Woodpeckers; Purple Finch, the Kinglets, the Nuthatches, Pine Siskin.

BIRDS GROUPED ACCORDING TO SIZE

SMALLER THAN THE ENGLISH SPARROW

Humming-bird. The Redpolls. The Kinglets. Goldfinch. The Wrens. Pine Siskin. All the Warblers not mentioned Savanna Sparrow. elsewhere. Grasshopper Sparrow. Redstart. Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Ovenbird. Chipping Sparrow. Chickadee. Field Sparrow. Tufted Titmouse. Swamp Song Sparrow. Red-breasted Nuthatch. Indigo Bunting. White-breasted Nuthatch. Warbling Vireo. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Yellow-throated Vireo. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Red-eyed Vireo. Acadian Flycatcher. White-eyed Vireo. Least Flycatcher. Brown Creeper.

ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE ENGLISH SPARROW

Purple Finch. Junco. The Crossbills. Song Sparrow. The Longspurs. Solitary Vireo. Vesper Sparrow. The Water-thrushes. Seaside Sparrow. Pipit or Titlark. Tree Sparrow. Downy Woodpecker.

LARGER THAN THE ENGLISH SPARROW AND SMALLER

THAN THE ROBIN

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Kingbird. Chimney Swift (apparently). Crested Flycatcher. The Swallows (apparently). Phoebe.

Birds Grouped According to Size

Olive-sided Flycatcher. Snowflake. Wood Pewee. White-crowned Sparrow. Horned Lark. White-throated Sparrow. Bobolink. Fox Sparrow. Cowbird. The Tanagers. Orchard Oriole. Cedar Bird. Baltimore Oriole. Bohemian Waxwing. The Grosbeaks: Evening, Blue, Yellow-breasted Chat.

Pine, Rose-breasted, and Car- The Thrushes. dinal. Bluebird.

ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THE ROBIN

Red-headed Woodpecker. Northern Shrike. Hairy Woodpecker. Mocking-bird. Red-winged Blackbird. Catbird. Rusty Blackbird. Chewink. Loggerhead Shrike. Purple Martin (apparently).

LONGER THAN THE ROBIN

Mourning Dove. Blue Jay. The Cuckoos. Canada Jay. Kingfisher. Meadowlark. Flicker. Whippoorwill (apparently) Raven. Nighthawk (apparently) Crow. 'The Grackles. Fish Crow. Brown Thrasher.

DESCRIPTIONS OF BIRDS

GROUPED ACCORDING TO COLOR

BIRDS CONSPICUOUSLY BLACK

Common Crow Fish Crow American Raven

Purple Grackle

Bronzed Grackle

Rusty Blackbird Red-winged Blackbird

Purple Martin Cowbird

See also several of the Swallows; the Kingbird, the Phoebe, the Wood Pewee, and other Flycatchers; the Chimney Swift; and the Chewink.

Life-size.

CROW.

)

BIRDS CONSPICUOUSLY BLACK

The Common Crow (Corvus Americanus Crow family Called also: CORN THIEF Length— 1 6 to 17.50 inches. Male—Glossy black with violet reflections. Wings appear saw-toothed when spread, and almost equal the tail in length. Female—Like male, except that the black is less brilliant. Range—Throughout North America, from Hudson Bay to the

Gulf of Mexico. Migrations—March. October. Summer and winter resident.

If we have an eye for the picturesque, we place a certain value upon the broad, strong dash of color in the landscape, given by a flock of crows flapping their course above a corn-field, against an October sky; but the practical eye of the farmer looks only for his gun in such a case. To him the crow is an unmitigated nuisance, all the more maddening because it is clever enough to circumvent every means devised for its ruin. Nothing escapes its rapacity; fear is unknown to it. It migrates in broad daylight, chooses the most conspicuous perches, and yet its assurance is amply justified in its steadily increasing numbers.

In the very early spring, note well the friendly way in which the crow follows the plow, ingratiating itself by eating the larvae, field mice, and worms upturned in the furrows, for this is its one serviceable act throughout the year. When the first brood of chickens is hatched, its serious depredations begin. Not only the farmer’s young fledglings, ducks, turkeys, and chicks, are snatched up and devoured, but the nests of song birds are made desolate, eggs being crushed and eaten on the spot, when there are no birds to carry off to the rickety, coarse nest in the high tree top in the woods. The fish crow, however, is the much

)

Conspicuously Black

greater enemy of the birds. Like the common crows, this, their smaller cousin, likes to congregate in winter along the seacoast to feed upon shell-fish and other sea-food that the tide brings to

its feet. Samuels claims to have seen a pair of crows visit an orchard and destroy the young in two robins’ nests in half an hour. He calculates that two crows kill, in one day alone, young birds that in the course of the season would have eaten a hundred thousand insects. When, in addition to these atrocities, we remember the crow’s depredations in the corn-field, it is small wonder that among the first laws enacted in New York State was one offering a reward for its head. But the more scientific agriculturists now concede that the crow is the farmer’s true friend.

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