Bird Day; How to prepare for it Part 9

CALLED ALSO BROWN THRASHER

Length, eleven and one-fourth inches; extent, thirteen inches; tail, five and one-half inches long. The iris is yellow; upper parts, reddish or cinnamon brown; lower parts, white; feathers of middle wing edged with white; the breast and sides strongly spotted with dark brown.

The nest is a carelessly made, bulky affair, composed of rootlets, strips of bark, twigs, leaves, and other material. It is generally poorly concealed in some low tree or even in the corner of a fence.

For this reason it is frequently broken up. The eggs, four or five in number, are brownish mottled with darker brown. During the nesting season the bird at morning and in the afternoon ascends to the tops of trees and pours forth his wonderful song. He has even been thought to be "showing off," for he will sing almost as long as any one will stay to listen; but he is probably attracting attention to himself in order to detract it from his nest, which is always somewhere within the circle of his song.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BROWN THRUSH]

CHICKADEE (_Parus atricapillus_)

CALLED ALSO BLACKCAP t.i.tMOUSE

Length, five and one-half inches; extent, eight inches. The general color of back is ashy; the top of head, throat, and chin black; no crest; under parts, whitish with buff on the sides; wing and tail feathers edged with white; legs, bluish gray; bill, black. The song of this bird is an oft-repeated _chick-a-dee_, from which it takes its name. Its call consists of two high notes, the first one a third above the second, which may be easily imitated, and the bird attracted to the vicinity of the person answering his call.

Its nest is made of gra.s.ses and feathers, placed in a hole in a stump or tree; frequently in the deserted cavity made by a woodp.e.c.k.e.r. The eggs, six or seven, are white, spotted with brown about the larger end.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHICKADEE]

CATBIRD (_Galeoscoptes Carolinensis_)

Length, nine inches; extent, eleven and one-half inches. The general color is dark slate, somewhat lighter beneath; top of the head and tail, black; under side of tail near the base, chestnut; bill and feet, black; eye, brown. The female is like the male, but smaller. As a musician, this bird closely approaches the brown thrush. There are great differences in individual singers.

The nest is bulky, composed of twigs, rootlets, dead leaves, strips of bark, etc. Strips of grapevine bark are quite commonly used, some nests being constructed almost wholly of this material. The eggs are generally four in number and of a greenish blue, unmarked.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CATBIRD]

BLUEBIRD (_Sialia sialis_)

Length, six and one-half inches; extent, twelve and one-half inches.

The upper parts, wings, and tail are bright blue; sides of the head and upper part of chin also blue; throat, breast, and sides, reddish brown; abdomen and under side of tail, white; legs and bill, blackish; eye, brown. The female is similarly marked, but the colors are duller.

The bluebird's song is a continued pleasing, rich warble.

The nest is loosely built of gra.s.ses, feathers, and soft material, in holes of trees, in hollows of posts, or in bird boxes. The eggs are light blue and are four or five in number.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BLUEBIRD]