Chapter V: Front Matter (5)

In the windy, open fields or on treeless hilltops, this demure and dull-colored bird lives. As he walks or runs among the short grass, twittering in a companionable way, standing still for a moment to survey his surroundings, then wandering off again, little is noted to remind us of the glorious courtship song which this bird of the ground gives during early spring, and for which he should be as famous as the English Skylark. Mounting upward from the clods, he finally reaches a far height, where he pours out his melodious, tinkling music, minute after minute, sweeping about in wide circles, or steadily flying into the wind. Thirty or forty times he may give his song, then becoming tired of his performance, downward he drops to the earth in long, graceful sweeps to alight unconcernedly. He sometimes sings from the ground or from a fence-post.

Horned Larks are given to flocking together in the winter, and when snow covers the ground they sometimes come into the farmyards, or congregate along roads, where they eat horse-manure or waste grain. Look for the black facial markings of these plain brown birds, and remember that they will be found _only in open country_.

BLUE JAY
_Cyanocitta cristata bromia_ Oberholser

Description.—Larger than Robin; sexes similar, both with prominent
crest; nostril covered with tuft of feathers. Head, crest, and back
grayish blue; forehead and a noticeable collar across lower throat,
ear-coverts, and back of crest, black; region about eye whitish;
throat and underparts grayish white, darkest on sides; wings and tail
bright turquoise-blue, the greater coverts, secondaries, and tertials
tipped broadly with white, and all of the feathers barred strikingly
with black on their exposed surface; tail-feathers barred with black,
the outer ones tipped noticeably with white; feet and bill black; eyes
dark brown. _Length_: About 12 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—We should expect the Blue Jay to be a permanent
resident in Pennsylvania wherever it is found. It occurs the year
round, notably in the southwestern and southern counties, and is
usually a summer resident and early spring and mid-fall migrant from
March 20 to November 1; as a summer bird it is somewhat local in
distribution.

Nest.—A bulky mass of twigs, rootlets, and weed-stalks, rather well
made and neatly cupped, placed from 10 to 30 feet from the ground,
usually in a more or less open situation and often in a conifer.
_Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale gray green or greenish gray, heavily marked with
dull and indefinite brown and gray spots.

The Blue Jay’s colors and manners are unmistakable. As he flies, the white-tipped outer tail-feathers and secondaries show plainly; as he perches, his crest is prominent. But when the bird student essays to identify the Blue Jay from call-notes alone there may be trouble, for this bright creature not only has a considerable vocabulary of his own but also imitates other birds extremely well. He can reproduce the scream of a Red-shouldered Hawk so faithfully that small birds of the vicinity drop into silence for an instant. More than once this cry has misled me. As a rule, he screams _peer, peer_ in a dominant, harsh voice, or gives violin-like, squeaky calls, the pattern and musical intent of which are known only to himself.

He is a confirmed nest-robber and is not protected by law in Pennsylvania. While it is true that he eats the eggs and young of smaller birds, yet he has some food habits in his favor, and at worst is a handsome villain.

The nest is defended valiantly by the parents. I once climbed to a Blue Jay’s nest and took the last remaining young one. As I started to descend I felt a sharp blow on my forehead. When I reached the ground my face was lined with blood; the parent bird had punctured my skin with her beak.

In fall and winter, Blue Jays are very fond of beechnuts and acorns. At the feeding-counter they often choose peanuts if these are to be found. Their hearty manner and brilliant colors make them an attractive addition to any flock of bird-neighbors, in spite of their objectionable traits.

NORTHERN RAVEN
_Corvus corax principalis_ Ridgway

Description.—Much larger than a Crow; bill and feet very strong and
heavy; feathers of throat long and _pointed_, not rounded. Entire
plumage black, glossed with steel-blue and pale greenish and purplish.
_Length_: About 24 inches. Wingspread about four feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare permanent resident, found only in the
wildest mountain gorges, chiefly in the central counties.

Nest.—A very large and bulky affair, deeply cupped like a Crow’s,
usually placed in an inaccessible niche on a cliff or high in a tree.
It is made of twigs and branches and is lined with moss, hair,
grape-vine bark, and rootlets. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, usually pale bluish or
bluish green, spotted with brown, olive, and gray.

Ravens might easily pass for Crows, were not their cracked, raucous voices to echo solemnly through the gorges which they inhabit. Looking up we may see the great black birds _circling_ through the sky like hawks; we may be near enough to note that the tail is not rounded as in the Crow, but wedge-shaped, the middle feathers being noticeably the longest. When a Raven does not soar, nor croak, he appears much like a Crow, and identification ought to be either from notes, or flight, or from direct comparison with Crows. These smaller cousins, incidentally, mob the Raven with as much gusto as they exhibit in attacking an owl.

CROW
_Corvus brachyrhynchos brachyrhynchos_ Brehm

Description.—Black, glossed with bluish and purplish, underparts
duller in appearance. The Crow is probably our best-known bird.
_Length_: 19 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—In southeastern counties the Crow occurs the
year round, and during winter in great flocks; elsewhere it is chiefly
absent in winter, returning in late February or early March, and
remaining until December. It is widely distributed and abundant as a
summer resident.

Nest.—A bulky structure made of twigs, moss, and leaves, lined with
hair, grape-vine bark, and moss, placed from 20 to 60 feet from the
ground, in trees. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, generally light bluish green,
heavily spotted with brown and gray.

Call-notes, flight, appearance, and bad habits of the Crow are all well known and need no discussion. It should be said, however, that its destruction of ground-inhabiting insects, tomato and tobacco worms, and small mammals, is to its credit. The Crow is not protected in Pennsylvania.

FISH CROW
_Corvus ossifragus_ Wilson

The Fish Crow is decidedly smaller than the common Crow (16 inches in length), though this is not noticeable in the field. The underparts are brightly glossed as above, and the call-notes are decidedly different from those of the Crow, being higher and not sounding like a _caw_. The Fish Crow occurs in Pennsylvania chiefly along the Susquehanna and Delaware rivers, and is not usually seen far from these streams. At Harrisburg a large colony nests at McCormick’s Island. Fish Crows often pick their food from the surface of the water like gulls.

STARLING
_Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris_ Linnæus

Other Names.—Blackbird (erroneous); Black Sparrow (erroneous).

Description.—A little smaller than a Robin, with a long, pointed bill
and short tail; feathers of head and neck narrow and pointed; _walks
when on the ground_. _Adults in spring_: Plumage black, highly glossed
with blue, green, purple, and violet, particularly on the neck, _all
feathers above more or less broadly tipped with creamy_ or buffy;
unspotted below, save on sides and flanks; wings brown, the coverts
glossy, all feathers edged with brownish gray; feet mahogany-red;
_bill yellow_; eyes dark brown. _In winter_: Similar, but underparts
as well as upperparts spotted with whitish or creamy buff; _bill
brown_, not yellow. Young birds, before they moult into the first
winter plumage, are dull grayish brown, unmarked; their bills are
blackish brown. _Length_: About 8 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Now found in almost every county and rapidly
encroaching upon the western and more mountainous counties;
exceedingly abundant in the southeastern counties, occurring locally
at certain seasons in flocks of thousands.

Nest.—Of grasses, leaves, and weed-stalks, placed in a natural cavity
in a tree, a woodpecker nest, or bird-box. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale blue.

Introduced from Europe about fifty years ago, the Starling has extended its range rapidly, so that it is today one of the abundant birds of most of Pennsylvania. It is very gregarious and, save in the spring, is usually seen in immense flocks, walking through fields or wheeling about in the air, with fluttering flight.

It nests early, utilizing all available cavities, and if there are not enough to go round, it permits Flickers or Red-headed Woodpeckers to dig one and then ousts the owners so as to use the new cavity for its own nest. It has been known actually to kill Flickers in driving them from their newly made nests. As Starlings become increasingly abundant, there is grave danger of their making it difficult for some of our birds to rear their young at all.

The Starling is a great mimic. It has a characteristic, high, thin squeal and numerous chuckling notes, which it intersperses with imitations of the Wood Pewee, Bob-White, and other well-known birds. As it sings, it puffs out its throat-feathers, and during spring, shakes its wings in ecstasy.

Favorable remarks must be made concerning the food-habits of this bird. It eats, especially during spring and summer, much noxious insect life, noticeably larvæ which it finds in lawns and fields, and it preys upon the dreaded Japanese beetle. As its natural enemies come to assert themselves, it may eventually become a desirable bird citizen.

Starlings roost together in great numbers. They like to congregate in barn-lofts, cupolas or steeples, or along the high window-sills and cornices of buildings where they squeal all night as they crowd each other, or take short flights in the soft glow of the electric lights.

BOBOLINK
_Dolichonyx oryzivorus_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Skunkbird; in fall, Reedbird; Ricebird.

Description.—Bill short, conical, and sparrow-like; tail-feathers
sharply pointed. _Adult male in spring_: Glossy black, with broad
patch of buffy yellow on nape and hind neck, a few streaks of
yellowish on the back, and scapulars, lower back, rump, and upper
tail-coverts, white, the upper part of the rump-patch grayer; tertials
and greater coverts edged with buffy; underparts sometimes
indistinctly barred with buffy; eyes brown; bill black; feet
mahogany-red. _Female_: Sparrow-like in appearance, buffy in color,
heavily streaked above, lightly on sides; a black line back of eye,
and crown blackish divided by median buffy line. Immature birds in
first fall plumage are similar to the adult female, but much lighter
in appearance, sometimes quite yellow, noticeably so in the field. The
adult male after a complete early spring moult is rich in appearance,
the brownish tips of this plumage wearing off in forming the nesting
plumage with which we are best acquainted. _Length_: 7 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A summer resident, common in certain
localities, almost altogether absent elsewhere. It is to be looked for
from mid-April or early May until mid-October.

Nest.—On the ground in a grassy meadow, well hidden from above and
difficult to find, made of grasses and rootlets, lined with finer
materials. _Eggs_: 3 to 7, pale grayish, spotted and scrawled,
sometimes quite heavily, with dark brown and olive-gray.

Robert o’Lincoln is not to be found in every meadow where daisies grow, and where the grass is deep and green, but in those wide, green lowlands or grassy slopes which he has chosen for his own, the gay songster reigns supreme, flying on tremulous wings over the flowers, trailing into the grasses to let his legs and wings hang limp while he continues his bubbling song, flying boldly toward the intruder and luring him aside. The Bobolink’s song is a marvel of bird-music. It seems to spring from an inexhaustible supply of strange syllables and genuine musical notes, offered in a tumultuous jumble as profligate as the manner in which the bird lets himself fall into the grass while he continues to sing. Sometimes I have thought the birds wanted to stop their song but could not. And, meanwhile, the female is warned of the approach of an enemy; she sits quietly on her nest, or slips away.

In the autumn, the birds abandon their nesting-grounds and flock in the grain-fields, garden-patches, or swamp-lands where goldenrod and rank weeds furnish food and shelter for the night. Here the yellowish young troop along, gaily calling _wink, wink_ as the weed-tops bend with the weight of their plump bodies. On a cool night they rise to pass to the rice-fields of the South, where they will be shot by the thousand as the dreaded Ricebird, and thence to South America, their winter home.

COWBIRD
_Molothrus ater ater_ (Boddaert)

Other Names.—Cow Blackbird; Blackbird.

Description.—Smaller than Robin; bill short, heavy, and sparrow-like.
_Adult male_: Head, neck, and breast coffee-brown, with faint purple
gloss; rest of plumage black, with greenish reflections over most of
the surface, but bluish and purplish in certain lights. _Adult
female_: Noticeably smaller than male, dull gray-brown all over,
slightly streaked on underparts, and paler on throat. Young birds are
similar to the female but are somewhat more buffy on the throat, and
the underparts are slightly more streaked, the feathers being edged
with buffy brown. _Length_: About 8 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant summer resident from about March 15
to November 1; casual in winter.

Nest.—The Cowbird builds no nest but lays its eggs in the nests of
other, usually smaller, species, and does not incubate them nor care
for the young in any way. The species most commonly thus parasitized
in Pennsylvania are the Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow Warbler, Phœbe, Song
and Field Sparrow, Ovenbird, Scarlet Tanager, and others. I have never
found Cow-bird eggs in a Red-winged Blackbird’s nest, and, as a rule,
Red-wings chase Cowbirds away from their home swamp angrily whenever
they appear.

When the Cowbird comes in spring he is usually concerned over his mating, and while he is not a songster, he puts much energy into his high, thin squeak as he bows, almost upside down, with wings and tail outspread, in the top of some tree. This same high note is often to be heard as the birds, in groups of three or four, pass over, undulating slightly in the manner of their tribe.

On the ground, the Cowbird walks in a quiet and dignified manner. It may be seen in pastures, sometimes perching on the cows’ backs where it captures insects. I once saw a flock of them remain an entire morning near a newly born calf, evincing great interest in the little creature and its mother.

The female is an expert at locating nests. Evidently she watches smaller birds, learns where they are building their nests, and then while they are not watching her, slips in and deposits her egg. Sometimes the egg is laid long before the nest is completed. Occasionally, when an egg is thus deposited before the rightful owner of the nest has laid her eggs, the little birds build another bottom in their nest, sealing the heavy egg beneath the hair and vegetable fiber. Yellow Warbler nests are thus sometimes several stories high, and I have more than once found eggs sealed into the foundation material of the nests of larger birds. I remember one Scarlet Tanager nest which held two eggs of the owner and four of the Cowbird, and there was an additional Cowbird egg sealed in the foundation material.

Being larger than his nest-mates, the young Cowbird claims the most attention. He may actually push the other young and eggs out of the nest.

The Cowbird’s food habits are not objectionable, however, and no ill effects seem to result from this parasitism upon smaller birds.

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
_Agelaius phœniceus predatorius_ (Wilson)

Other Names.—Swamp Blackbird; Redwing; in autumn, Reedbird.

Description.—Smaller than Robin. _Adult male in spring_: Black, with
bluish reflections and occasionally narrow rusty edgings; lesser
coverts bright scarlet, the outer row of largest feathers buffy or
whitish; eyes dark brown; bill and feet black. _Males in first
breeding plumage_: Similar but likely to be more marked with rusty,
and some of the feathers of the scarlet patch are streaked with dark
brown. _Adult males in winter_: Upperparts edged with rusty. _Adult
females_: Heavily streaked with dark brown and buffy above, and with
blackish and light gray below, a pinkish or orange-buffy suffusion
over the face, particularly on the throat. Immature birds are similar
to the females. Young birds in the moult in August and September are
strangely blotched with black and buffy. _Length_: Male, about 9½
inches; female, about 8½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common though somewhat locally distributed
summer resident from mid-March to early November. Found as a nesting
bird only where there are cat-tail swamps or low meadows. Sometimes
noted in winter.

Nest.—A neatly woven basket of dry grasses suspended, usually, between
cat-tail stalks a few feet above the water in a swamp, or in weeds or
bushes in a low meadow. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale blue, spotted and
scrawled, chiefly at the larger end, with black.

At about the time the hilarious tree-frogs set up their evening choruses, the Red-wing returns. His handsome plumage enlivens the stretches of dead cat-tails, and his tuneful, liquid song delights the ear. As he sings, he spreads his blazing wing-patches and fluffs out his glossy plumage. The males come north in a body before the females arrive.

The females set to work building the nests almost at once. If the weed-growth is low in the swamp, they build them but slightly above the water; those built by females which arrive later are higher. If nests are suspended upon growing cat-tail leaves or stalks, they are sometimes overturned by the unequal growth of the vegetation.

Let a hawk or Crow appear near the Red-wing’s swamp, and a spirited chase ensues. Almost with a Kingbird’s persistence, the brilliant males, sometimes several of them, dive and scold at the intruder, the while the smaller creatures of the swamp cease their noises and watch the busy scene.

Red-wings occasionally do considerable damage in grain-fields in late summer and early autumn, but their food habits are, for the most part, beneficial, or at least not harmful.

MEADOWLARK
_Sturnella magna magna_ (Linnæus)

Other Name.—Field Lark.

Description.—Size of Robin, with short tail, large, strong feet, and
long, pointed bill. _Male_: Upperparts brown, the plumage of the back
marked with black and margined with creamy and whitish, the tertials
and middle tail-feathers barred with black; line above eye, yellow in
front and buffy behind; cheeks gray; throat, breast, and belly bright
yellow, the breast marked with a prominent black collar; sides buffy,
streaked heavily with dark brown and black; _outer tail-feathers
white_, showing plainly in flight; eyes dark brown; bill brownish;
feet flesh-color. _Female_: Similar, but duller. _Adults and young in
winter_: Much browner, the yellow of the breast considerably clouded
by brown tips of the new plumage, which wear off as spring approaches.
_Length_: 10½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant summer resident from mid-March
until November; casual, sometimes fairly common, in winter, if food is
available.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, in a wide field, among deep grasses,
lined with dry grass, the surrounding grass pulled into an arch above.
_Eggs_: 3 to 6, white, spotted with reddish brown, chiefly at the
larger end. Meadowlark nests may sometimes be found by dragging a
rope, loosely stretched between two persons, across the meadow.

The high, clear whistle of the Meadowlark, as he perches in a tree or stands erect on the ground, is a familiar bird-song of the early spring. His bright breast glows in the sunshine as he stands for an instant, then disappears altogether as he lowers his head and walks through the grass. Let him slip out of sight for a second, and it may be difficult to see him again, for he is protectively colored, the margins of the feathers of his back forming lines which resemble the dead grasses. As he flies, his wings beat in a muscular fashion and the white outer feathers of his short, widespread tail show plainly. If his nest is nearby, he may perch on a post and call with a rough chattering as he flashes his tail energetically.

The Meadowlark’s food habits are chiefly beneficial. It eats many grubs and cutworms, confining most of its foraging to the ground.

In the early fall, they sometimes congregate in great flocks, during the latter part of the period of moult. They do not usually sing at such times, but when the new plumage is complete, and the day warm, the whole flock may begin to sing, with remarkable effect.

ORCHARD ORIOLE
_Icterus spurius_ (Linnæus)

Other Name.—Orchard Bird.

Description.—Smaller than Baltimore Oriole. _Adult male_: Head and
neck, back, wings, and tail black, the greater coverts and secondaries
edged with white; breast, belly, rump, upper tail-coverts and lesser
coverts of wing, rich deep chestnut. _Female_: Olive-gray above;
yellow on face, underparts and rump; wings with two whitish bars. The
male in its first breeding plumage is like the female, but has a black
throat-patch. _Length_: A little over 7 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather rare and exceedingly local species,
found chiefly in the southern counties, but occasionally as far north
as Crawford County in western Pennsylvania. It arrives in late April
or early May and remains until September 15.

Nest.—A pouch of grass which is green when the nest is constructed,
usually swung between upright twigs at the top of a small tree—rarely
in a conifer. The nest is not so deep as that of a Baltimore Oriole
and is never swung at the tip of a drooping branch, so far as I know.

The exceedingly bright and varied song of this species may puzzle the bird student who hears it for the first time. It is hardly deliberate enough to suggest an Oriole, but it is full-throated and tropical in fervor and decidedly noticeable. The flight is characteristic, giving the impression that the wings are never lifted above the back. Orchard Orioles are likely to nest in groups, several pairs in one neighborhood. They are so irregular in their occurrence that the bird student must watch assiduously for them.

BALTIMORE ORIOLE
_Icterus galbula_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Hang-bird; Hang-nest; Golden Robin.

Description.—Smaller than Robin. _Adult male_: Head, neck, back,
wings, and tail, black; lesser coverts orange; tertials and greater
coverts edged with white; outer tail-feathers tipped with orange or
yellow; breast, belly, rump, and upper tail-coverts, bright orange,
deepest on breast. _Female_: Olive-brown above, yellow below; breast
somewhat tinged with orange; wings with two noticeable buffy yellow
bars; tertials prominently edged with whitish. Immature birds are
similar to the female. Eyes dark brown; bill and feet blue-gray.
_Length_: 7½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant summer resident from latter April
to early fall. It is not often seen in the fall as it usually leaves
before the middle of September.

Nest.—A deep pouch of plant-fibers, horse-hair, and string, lined with
soft materials, swung from the tip of a branch, usually of an elm,
maple, or sycamore, 15 to 60 feet from the ground. _Eggs_: 4 to 6,
white, scrawled with blackish, chiefly at larger end.

The male Oriole is one of our most gorgeous birds, with his bright colors and loud, assertive song. In the full-flowered apple trees, the dignified creature crawls about, nipping at buds or snatching up insects. The female builds the nest, and the young call for food incessantly, often attracting attention to it. Some of the Oriole’s call-notes and alarm-notes are exceedingly harsh and grating, calling to mind the tropics, their ancestral home.

RUSTY BLACKBIRD
_Euphagus carolinus_ (Müller)

Description.—Smaller than Robin. _Adult male in spring_: Entire
plumage glossy blue-black; bill and feet black; eyes pale yellow.
_Adult female_: Slate color, somewhat glossy above; wings and tail
blackish. _Adult male in winter_: Black, all the feathers edged with
buffy brown, the top of the head almost solid brownish. Young birds in
their first winter plumage are chiefly responsible for the name of the
bird. They are rusty brown, paler on head, richest on back, with
slate-colored wings and tail, a dark line through the eye, and pale
yellow eyes. _Length_: 9½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common and regular migrant, sometimes
abundant, from early or mid-March (sometimes earlier) to early May and
from September 10 to November 15. It usually occurs in flocks.

This is our _blackest_ Blackbird in the spring; in the fall it is hardly a black bird at all. Look for this species in swampy situations or along the margins of streams. It likes to walk about on the ground and _through water_ like a sandpiper, and is more terrestrial than the Red-wing. The spring flocks sometimes burst forth into song, and the effect at a distance is that of sleigh-bells—a jangling, jolly chorus. A single male’s efforts hardly merit being called a song. Rusty Blackbirds are grackle-like in actions, and their whitish eyes suggest grackles, but they do not have trough-shaped tails and the tail-feathers are about of equal length.

PURPLE GRACKLE AND BRONZED GRACKLE
_Quiscalus quiscula rigdgwayi_ Oberholser
and
_Quiscalus quiscula æneus_ Ridgway

Other Names.—Blackbird; Crow Blackbird.

Description.—Males larger than Robin, with large tails, distinctly
trough-shaped, especially in flight. The male Purple Grackle’s head
and neck are brilliant, iridescent blue and violet; the body, which
appears blackish at a distance, is glossed with blue, green,
plum-color, and bronze, and the back and scapulars, and sometimes the
sides, _are crossed with iridescent bars_. The male Bronzed Grackle’s
head is iridescent greenish blue, with little or no violet reflection,
and the body is rich, glossy bronze, _without iridescent bars_. In
both these forms the females are similar but duller, and noticeably
smaller. The eyes of all are pale yellow. Young birds are dull brown
and, when quite young, have grayish eyes which turn to pale yellow as
the bird grows older. _Length_: Male, 12 to 13½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—The Purple Grackle is found _east of the
Alleghany Mountains_; the Bronzed Grackle occurs west of the
Alleghanies. In the mountainous sections the forms intermingle to a
certain extent. Grackles are abundant summer residents from mid-March
to November.

Nest.—A large, amply cupped structure of grasses, weeds, and other
materials, sometimes strengthened with mud, usually built in a
coniferous tree, in a yard, or on a campus, from 20 to 60 feet from
the ground, but also built in willows, in bridges, high buildings, and
rarely among cat-tails. _Eggs_: 3 to 7, pale blue, gray, or whitish,
scrawled and blotched with brown, black, and gray.

This is the bird which is everywhere called “Blackbird.” It is a bird of the town, not of the wilds, preferring to nest in parks, cemeteries, and college campuses, among the pines, spruces, or cedars. It eats many cutworms, but does some damage in grain-fields, and in destroying fruit.

Grackles walk sedately about the lawns, their white eyes gleaming with a ghostly brilliance. The call-note is a harsh _tschack_.

EVENING GROSBEAK
_Hesperiphona vespertina vespertina_ (W. Cooper)

Description.—Smaller than Robin; beak very large and heavy. _Male_:
Forehead, line over eye, scapulars, lower back and rump, sides of
breast and belly, dull yellow; crown and most of wing brownish black;
secondaries and their greater coverts white, a prominent field-mark;
rest of plumage olive-brown. _Female_: Grayish, the back and scapulars
faintly washed with olive-yellow; wings, tail, and upper tail-coverts
considerably spotted and marked with white; tips of the inner webs of
all the tail-feathers, white; bill pale yellowish gray. _Length_: 8
inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare and irregular winter visitant, noted
chiefly in the northern counties. In Pike and Tioga counties it has
been noted with some regularity during the latter part of recent
winters. It is usually to be seen in small flocks and it often occurs
in towns.

Evening Grosbeaks see so little of man in their wilderness home in the Great Northwest that they are surprisingly unsuspicious when they visit us during the winter. They are sociable, almost always being seen in flocks, and they feed upon seeds of maple and other trees, upon frozen apples, and upon berries which they find, notably those of the mountain ash. Occasionally they visit the leafless shade trees of towns.

PINE GROSBEAK
_Pinicola enucleator leucura_ (Müller)

Description.—About the size of a Robin; a small bunch of bristling
feathers over the nostrils; bill sparrow-like, but upper mandible
somewhat curved like a parrot’s. _Adult male_: Gray, suffused with
soft rose-red, principally on the crown, rump, upper tail-coverts, and
breast; wings and tail dark brownish gray, the wings with two
prominent white bars. _Adult female_: Gray, the crown, rump, upper
tail-coverts, and breast more or less strongly suffused with yellowish
or olive; the wings and tail as in the male. Immature males resemble
the adult female, but are brighter. _Length_: 9 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare and irregular winter visitant recorded
from many sections of the Commonwealth, but doubtless of most frequent
occurrence in the more northerly counties.

The Pine Grosbeak has been well named. So fond is it of coniferous trees and the food it finds among the needles and buds that its bill is frequently covered with resinous substances. In Pennsylvania the bird also eats the berries of mountain ash, sumac, and similar plants. It is sometimes quite unsuspicious, being unacquainted with the ways of man, and will allow the observer to approach very closely. The call-note is a clear, bell-like whistle; its full song is rarely to be heard in this latitude. (See illustration, page 103.)

PURPLE FINCH
_Carpodacus purpureus purpureus_ (Gmelin)

Other Name.—Linnet.

Description.—Size and general proportions of English Sparrow; nostrils
covered with small, bristly feathers; tail slightly forked. _Adult
male_: Head and breast rosy pink, _not purple_, some of the feathers
with dusky tips, and a darker streak through the eye; back brownish
gray, streaked and suffused with rose-color; wings and tail brownish;
belly whitish; sides somewhat streaked with brownish. _Adult female_:
Very sparrow-like in appearance, in fact closely resembling a female
English Sparrow, but the whitish underparts _heavily streaked with
dark brown_. The immature male is much like the female, and this
plumage is held through the first nesting season, the subsequent moult
leading into the rose-red plumage of the full adult. _Length_: A
little over 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common and regular migrant throughout,
from mid-March to mid-May and from September 15 to October 31. As a
summer resident it is found only in the northern and mountainous
counties, and it is decidedly local as a nesting bird. It is
irregular, though at times common, in winter.

Nest.—A neat structure, with wide, full cup, constructed of
plant-stems and fibers, lined with finer materials, placed in a
conifer, orchard tree, or sapling at from 20 to 40 feet from the
ground. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, pale blue, wreathed about the larger end with
spots and lines of black.

The lovely Purple Finch is all too little known. It occurs at some time during the year at every locality in Pennsylvania, yet it is not a familiar bird. The song alone should win it wide acclaim as a bird-neighbor, for, delivered from the top of a tree, or from a vine or weed, it is one of the brightest, most varied of our bird melodies and is given with such enthusiasm that we recognize in the singer a canary-like interest in prolonging the performance.

Purple Finches are often seen among the budding branches of a fruit tree, balancing on the slender twigs as they eat buds and capture occasional insects. The females are virtually silent, until they have cause to depart, then they swing off into the air, bound merrily higher and higher above the tree-tops, and make off as they call _tik, tik_ in a characteristic tone. This important call-note should be remembered; it often serves to identify the species when the colors cannot be seen.

In its nesting-range, the song of this Finch is to be heard during all the spring and early summer days. At Pymatuning Swamp, restless males sang almost constantly while their mates assembled nesting materials. An ecstatic flight-song is frequently given when the bright male flutters high into the air and, still singing, descends on trembling wings to the twigs and new leaves.

The Purple Finch’s habit of eating buds and flowers of trees, including valuable orchard varieties, causes it to be unpopular when it is too common.

RED OR AMERICAN CROSSBILL
_Loxia curvirostra pusilla_ Gloger

Description.—Size and general shape of English Sparrow, but mandibles
sharply pointed and _crossed_. _Adult male_: Deep dull red, brightest
on rump, browner on back; wings and tail brownish black. _Female_:
Dull olive-green, yellowish on the rump; head and back indistinctly
streaked with blackish; underparts mixed with whitish. _Immature
male_: Like the female, with some red mixed in the plumage. _Length_:
6 inches.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL
_Loxia leucoptera_ Gmelin

Description.—Size and shape of English Sparrow. _Male_: Dull
rose-pink, brightest on rump, more or less streaked with blackish on
back; wings and tail black, the wings with _two prominent white bars_,
the tertials sometimes tipped with white; belly and under tail-coverts
whitish. _Female_: Dull grayish green, yellowish on the rump, grayish
below, the wings, as in the male, with two prominent white bars.
_Immature male_: Similar to the female, but mottled irregularly with
pink. _Length_: 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Both Crossbills are irregular winter visitors,
sometimes abundant. They are usually found among coniferous trees. The
Red Crossbill nests rarely in our higher mountains among the
coniferous trees.

These two species are nearly always to be found together during winter, and in any plumage may be recognized by their wings, those of the White-winged species _always_ having two wing-bars, those of the Red Crossbill never being marked. The Crossbills feed upon seeds of hemlock, pine, and spruce, which they secure by wrenching off the scales of the cones with their sharply pointed and crossed beaks.

REDPOLL
_Acanthis linaria linaria_ (Linnæus)

Description.—Smaller than an English Sparrow; conical bill, sharply
pointed; nostrils covered with tufts of bristling feathers. _Adult
male_: Crown bright red; chin and upper throat blackish; neck and back
grayish brown, streaked with buffy and whitish; rump grayish, tinged
with pink; wings and tail dark brown, the wings with two white bars;
breast and cheeks washed with delicate rosy pink; belly white; sides
buffy streaked with blackish. _Female_: Similar, but more heavily
streaked above and without pink on breast or rump. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare and irregular winter visitor from the
Far North. It sometimes occurs during the entire winter, but it is
usually seen during the latter part, and chiefly in the northern
counties.

Redpolls, like Goldfinches, swing about through the air with strongly undulating flight. They give a rasping, querulous squeal as they lift their crests and watch us. The birds are fond of weed seeds which they pick up from the snow. Usually they sit with feathers considerably fluffed out, and at such times the rosy breast of the male is noticeable.

GOLDFINCH
_Astragalinus tristis tristis_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Salad Bird; Wild Canary; Thistle Bird; Yellow Bird.

Description.—Smaller than English Sparrow; bill sharply pointed.
_Adult male in summer_: Bright lemon-yellow with black crown, wings,
and tail, the wings crossed with two white bars, the lesser coverts
yellow like the body, and the tail-feathers with their inner webs
white; upper tail-coverts gray. _Adult female in summer_: Upperparts
yellowish brown, the crown unmarked; below, dull yellowish; wings and
tail more or less as in male, but not so black, nor so strikingly
marked; lesser coverts dull olive-green. _Adult male in winter_: Like
adult female, but _lesser wing-coverts yellow_; breast dull yellow;
belly whitish; sides brownish. _Young male in winter_: Similar but the
_lesser wing-coverts are dull greenish or grayish_. _Young males in
summer_: Like the adult but the lesser coverts are dull greenish or
grayish. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common permanent resident, somewhat irregular
in winter, and often not known as a winter bird because of the
complete change of color and habits.

Nest.—A compact, neatly built cup of weed-stalks and vegetable fiber,
lined with soft materials, placed from 3 to 30 feet from the ground,
often in a shade tree, on a branch extending over the highway. _Eggs_:
3 to 6, pale blue.

The Goldfinch is comparatively unknown as a winter bird. With the change of color the birds become wilder in disposition, no longer frequent the lawns and roadsides, and band together in large flocks. In summer the brightly colored males are very noticeable as they swing about among the flowers in a field or perch on dandelions in the yard. They are brilliant singers, even in winter, and may be recognized at a great distance in the summer by the flight-song, which has been written _per-chick-o-ree_, and which is repeated with each bound of the deeply undulating flight.

This bird nests very late, eggs being laid in latter June and July. In spring they are sometimes considerably mottled in appearance, as the brown winter plumage drops out and is replaced by the yellow of summer. This prenuptial moult is usually complete by the middle of May, or earlier, and with the brighter plumage return all the familiar call-notes and graceful motions which we associate with these attractive birds.

Goldfinches are fond of sunflower and cosmos seed, and we may lure them to the garden, perhaps for the entire year, by planting such flowers as these regularly.

PINE SISKIN
_Spinus pinus pinus_ (Wilson)

Other Name.—Pine Finch.

Description.—Smaller than English Sparrow; bill sharply pointed; a
tuft of small feathers over nostril. Upperparts grayish brown streaked
with black, the feathers margined with buffy; wing-feathers edged with
yellowish and _yellow at base_; tail dark gray-brown, neatly forked,
all but middle feathers _yellow at base_; underparts white, washed
with buffy and heavily streaked with black. _Length_: 5 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A somewhat irregular migrant in April and May
and in September and October; sometimes very common. Irregularly
abundant in winter. It has been known to nest in the mountainous
counties.

When winter flocks of these sociable finches visit Pennsylvania, the birds feed largely upon the seeds of hemlock and alder. Merrily they bound about through the air, giving their rough, querulous squeal. In looking for this bird, remember that the heavily streaked underparts and the yellow on the wings and tail are unmistakable. Siskins will sometimes be found feeding among the alders, not far from the ground. They often wander about with flocks of Goldfinches.

ENGLISH SPARROW
_Passer domesticus_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Sparrow; House Sparrow.

Description.—_Male_: Chin and throat black; crown gray; cheeks
whitish; back of head, neck, and back reddish brown, the back streaked
with black; a prominent white wing-bar; underparts grayish white;
wings and tail dull brown. _Female_: Grayish brown, with an indistinct
wing-bar, a darker line through the eye, and a rather distinct
superciliary line. _Length_: About 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant permanent resident, principally in
the towns and on the farms.

Nest.—A bulky mass of dry grasses, usually domed over and lined warmly
with feathers, placed in crevices in buildings, in bird-houses, in
cavities in trees, and rather rarely on a branch of a tree. _Eggs_: 4
to 6, white, spotted with gray.

The amateur bird student may do well to fix definitely in his mind the size and appearance of this abundant bird, since it is advisable to know these when making the acquaintance of other bird friends, and especially when studying the rather difficult sparrow group.

English Sparrows are not altogether objectionable. During summer they prey upon almost all kinds of insects, including the hard-shelled and disagreeably scented insects which many birds pass by. Nevertheless, we regret that these birds are so abundant because of their tendency toward driving out some of our more beautiful native birds.

SNOW BUNTING
_Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Snowflake; Snow Bird.

Description.—A little larger than an English Sparrow. _Male in
winter_: Upperparts dull reddish brown, darkest on the crown; feathers
of back with partly concealed black bases, causing a streaked effect;
outer primaries black, _white at base; secondaries white_; middle
tail-feathers black, outer ones white; underparts white. _Female_:
Similar, but duller, and with primaries all dark brown, and white
secondaries somewhat tipped with dusky. _Length_: 6¾ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare and irregular winter visitant, save at
Erie, where it is fairly regular and sometimes common on the outer
beaches from November to early March. It is occasionally seen in small
flocks in other northern counties.

A single Snow Bunting in flight might suggest to the bird student an albinistic sparrow of some sort, but a whole flock of the remarkably colored creatures, as they swing over a dead weed-field, can but bring the instantaneous thrill which a glimpse of such exotic creatures always brings. Snow Buntings are usually seen in flocks, often in company with Horned Larks or Tree Sparrows, their companions in the North Country, and they have a jovial twitter.

The Lapland Longspur (_Calcarius lapponicus lapponicus_) occurs rarely during early spring or late fall migration, or in winter. It is about the size of an English Sparrow, and in winter has a concealed reddish patch on the neck, a concealed blackish belly, and is to be seen in fields where it sometimes associates with Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, or Tree Sparrows.

VESPER SPARROW
_Poœcetes gramineus gramineus_ (Gmelin)

Other Names.—Grass Finch; Grass or Ground Sparrow; Bay-winged Bunting;
Road Sparrow.

Description.—Size of English Sparrow. General appearance grayish
above, lighter below, considerably streaked above and on breast and
sides; outer tail-feathers white; lesser wing-coverts reddish brown,
not particularly conspicuous save at close range. _Length_: 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common summer resident from early April to
late October. It is not found in woodlands.

Nest.—A cup in the ground, in an open field, lined with grasses, hair,
and other fine material. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, white, spotted and scrawled,
chiefly at larger end, with blackish.

The Vesper Sparrow is not very easily recognized by its appearance alone, as it stands on the ground or on a fence-post, but if the bird student will remember that this species is always found in the open, never at great distance from the ground, and that the _white outer tail-feathers always show in flight_, identification should be easy. The bright song is given with great enthusiasm, often in a remarkably beautiful evening chorus. At the beginning of this song we usually hear two accented descending whistles which stand out more prominently than any other portion of the warbling performance. Look for Vesper Sparrows along fields and roadsides in country districts.

SAVANNAH SPARROW
_Passerculus sandwichensis savanna_ (Wilson)

Description.—Smaller than English Sparrow. General appearance above,
gray, considerably streaked, and with white underparts considerably
streaked on breast and sides with black; line above eye pale _yellow_,
not noticeable in field save at close range in ideal light; a blotch
of blackish in middle of breast. _Length_: 5½ inches

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common but not often recorded migrant,
and a local and sometimes common summer resident, particularly in the
central and northern counties, from early April to mid-October.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, in an open field, lined with grasses
and other soft material. _Eggs_: 4 to 6, pale bluish or bluish green,
irregularly and sometimes heavily spotted with brown.

Look for the Savannah Sparrow in spring and summer only in wide, open fields where the grass is short. Here a slight, buzzing, trilling song may be heard from a sparrow which is _prominently streaked below_, and which has much the appearance of a Song Sparrow, but does not bob its tail as it flies, nor seek cover in bushes. If the bird student will remember that this species is to be found only in wide fields, usually when there are no bushes, and that there are no prominently white outer tail-feathers, as in the Vesper Sparrow, he may find this little-known bird fairly common in his region. In fall it is found in weed-patches along roads or in bushy fields. (See illustration, page 109.)

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
_Ammodramus savannarum australis_ Maynard

Other Names.—Yellow-winged Sparrow; Yellow-winged Bunting.

Description.—Smaller than English Sparrow. Tail-feathers rather short
and pointed. _Adult male_: General color buffy brown, the upperparts
streaked with black and margined with whitish, in characteristic
pattern; bend of the wing yellow (this mark usually not evident in the
field); forepart of superciliary line yellow, noticeable in good light
in the field. _Female_: Similar, but duller. _Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather local summer resident throughout, from
late April or early May to September 15. It is found only in more or
less flat, wide meadows, not usually in marshy places, and never in
woodlands.

Nest.—A depression in the ground beneath a clump of grass, lined with
fine, dry grasses. _Eggs_: 4 or 5, white, spotted, chiefly around the
larger end, with reddish brown.

Here is a bird which will more than likely pass unnoticed unless the fine, insect-like song is heard. Some bird students never realize that this species nests in their region, for they never hear this song, and they have not the patience to trail about after every little brown bird they see. The Grasshopper Sparrow’s song is dry, unmusical, and buzzing, and it seems a fitting accompaniment to hot midsummer fields which are covered with dust and upgrown with coarse weeds. The bird is almost never seen, save while it is singing from the top of a weed or from a fence-post. On the ground it disappears almost at once, for its colors are highly protective. The flight is fluttering and somewhat erratic. If the bird flushes from the grass, it usually does not alight near at hand, but zigzags to a far corner of the field and drops into the grass.

The smaller Henslow’s Sparrow (_Nemospiza henslowii susurrans_) has a greenish cast over the head and neck. This retiring, unmusical little bird occurs in Pennsylvania as a very rare and exceedingly local summer resident. Its ludicrously short song, _chis-lick_, is to be listened for in low meadows where the grass is thick and deep. Additional records of this species are very desirable.

The Nelson’s Sparrow (_Ammospiza caudacuta nelsoni_) occurs at Erie as a migrant, particularly in the fall.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
_Zonotrichia leucophrys_ (J. R. Forster)

Description.—One of the larger sparrows, being larger than an English
Sparrow. _Adult male_: Crown white, with two broad black streaks along
either side and a blackish streak through eye; rest of upperparts
grayish brown, considerably streaked; underparts clear light gray,
palest on throat and belly, and somewhat brownish on sides. _Adult
female_: Similar, but duller. _Immature_: Similar, but crown buffy and
brown, and underparts more buffy. _Length_: A little under 7 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and fairly common migrant throughout
from latter April to May 20 and from October 1 to 20.

The large size and noticeable markings of this sparrow make it comparatively easy to identify. It is not often so common as its near and similar relative, the White-throated Sparrow, from which it differs in having no yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing, and _no white throat-patch_. The song of the White-crowned Sparrow is composed of soft, rich whistles which have a plaintive character, similar to that of the well-known White-throat’s _peabody_ song, with an additional rough undertone between the first and latter parts of the song. The White-crown, while in Pennsylvania, nearly always occurs in flocks, usually in the woodlands, in brush-piles, or along hedges. _Remember that a bird with a white crown need not necessarily be this species_, for the White-throat also has such a crown; but the plain gray throat of the White-crown is usually easy to detect in the field, since the birds are not wild. All members of the sparrow tribe are seed eaters.

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
_Zonotrichia albicollis_ (Gmelin)

Other Name.—Peabody-bird.

Description.—A little larger than an English Sparrow; similar in
general appearance to the White-crowned Sparrow. _Adult male_: Crown
white, marked laterally with two black bands which extend backward to
nape; forepart of superciliary line _yellow_; rest of upperparts rich
brown, streaked with black and margined with grayish; bend of wing
yellow, _not usually noticeable in field_; chin and throat pure white,
in contrast with gray of breast; belly whitish; sides washed with
brownish. _Female and young_: Similar but duller. _Length_: 6½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and abundant migrant throughout, from
mid-April to May 20 and from September 15 to November 1.

The clear, fragile whistle of the White-throat is one of our most beautiful bird-notes, and is a familiar song of the spring woodlands. It has been written as _sweet, sweet, peabody, peabody, peabody_. The white throat and yellow spot in front of the eye must be looked for in this species. A trained observer can recognize the White-throat easily by its characteristic, rather metallic, call-note, but the beginner had best depend on the markings of the bird which are easy to note. Sometimes these birds are common about lawns in towns.

TREE SPARROW
_Spizella arborea arborea_ (Wilson)

Description.—About as long as, but slenderer than, an English Sparrow;
tail longer proportionately than an English Sparrow’s. Crown-patch
bright rufous; rest of upperparts brownish gray, streaked with black
and reddish brown; wing with two noticeable white wing bars;
underparts brownish gray, whitish on chin and throat, and in middle of
belly; a dusky spot in center of breast. _Female_: Similar but duller.
_Bill yellow with dusky tip._ _Length_: About 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A winter visitant from the Far North, arriving
in October and remaining until late March or April.

The Tree Sparrow is a bird of weedy fields and hedges. In flocks they search for seeds which have fallen upon the snow. When the winter sun shines they call in companionable and softly musical notes. In spring the Tree Sparrow has a gay, somewhat warbler-like song, which I believe is not very well known among our bird students. The Tree, Field, and Chipping Sparrows are similar in appearance. Identification of these birds should not be difficult, however, if one remembers that the Tree Sparrow is a _winter_ bird, while the Field and Chipping Sparrows usually arrive in spring after the Tree Sparrows have returned north. If by some chance the three sparrows do occur together, remember the black spot in the breast of the Tree Sparrow and the yellowish bill, field-marks which the other two species do not have.

CHIPPING SPARROW
_Spizella passerina passerina_ (Bechstein)

Other Name.—Chippy.

Description.—A small, slender Sparrow, noticeably smaller than the
English Sparrow. _Male_: Crown bright reddish brown; forepart of crown
and line through eye black; line above eye whitish; rest of upperparts
grayish brown, streaked with black; chin and throat white; rest of
underparts grayish; _bill black_. _Female_: Similar, but duller. In
winter both sexes are similar but they are much more streaked,
particularly on the crown. _Length_: Under 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant summer resident from early April to
mid-October.

Nest.—A neat cup made of fine weed-stalks and grasses, lined almost
invariably with horse-hair, and placed in a low bush or rose vine, or
sometimes at some distance from the ground in an evergreen tree.
_Eggs_: 3 or 4, delicate blue, wreathed about the larger end with
black spots and scrawls.

Look for the Chippy, as a rule, _only near houses or farms_. It is not a bird of the wilds, and because of its confiding disposition has come to be associated with our very doorsteps. The monotonous, though cheerful, chipping song of this bird is familiar to all who listen for bird-calls. So rapidly are the chips of its song given that it is almost impossible to imitate it. Remember the _black bill_ and unmarked underparts of the Chipping Sparrow.

FIELD SPARROW
_Spizella pusilla pusilla_ (Wilson)

Description.—Size small; this is one of our slenderest, smallest
sparrows. _Male_: Crown-patch rufous; upperparts grayish brown,
streaked with black and rufous; wings with two prominent white
wing-bars; underparts whitish, unmarked; _bill pink_. _Female_:
Similar but duller. _Young_: Similar but somewhat more streaked.
_Length_: 5½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant summer resident from early April to
mid-October, and occasionally later.

Nest.—A neat cup made of fine grasses and slender weed-stalks, lined
usually with finer grasses and, as a rule, not with hair, placed on
the ground among weeds or in a low, thick bush in a pasture or field.
_Eggs_: 3 to 5, bluish white, spotted with reddish brown.

The clear, whistled trill of the Field Sparrow is a welcome promise of spring, as the bird, just returned from the south, sings in the brown fields. This song is often but a simple repetition of the same note, becoming more rapid toward the end and running into a sort of trill.

This bird is rather shy, and in flying away gives us a rather unsatisfactory glimpse of fairly long tail and grayish rump. If we look carefully at the little creature with a glass, we note the white wing-bars, the dark eye which is surrounded with a grayish ring, and the _pink bill_. (See illustration, page 113.)

SLATE-COLORED JUNCO
_Junco hyemalis hyemalis_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Snow-bird; Junco.

Description.—About the size of an English Sparrow, but with a longer
tail. _Male_: Head, neck, breast, and upperparts slaty gray, sometimes
brownish on the wings and back, the _outer tail-feathers pure white,
always showing in flight_; bill pink, narrowly tipped with dusky.
_Female and young_: Similar, but duller and often browner. _Length_: A
little over 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Best known as a winter visitant from October 1
to about the first of May, or later; rather rare and local as a summer
resident in the higher mountains.

Nest.—A cup of fine grasses, built in a bank in woodlands. _Eggs_: 3
to 5, white, spotted with brown.