bird neighbors-第7章

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ing　season　an　unnatural　mother　may　be　seen　skulking　about　in　the　trees　and　shrubbery；　seeking　for　nests　in　which　to　place　a　surreptitious　egg；　never　imposing　it　upon　a　bird　of　its　size；　but　selecting　in　a　cowardly　way　a　small　nest；　as　that　of　the　vireos　or　warblers　or　chipping　sparrows；　and　there　leaving　the　hatching　and　care　of　its　young　to　the　tender　mercies　of　some　already　burdened　little　mother。　It　has　been　seen　to　remove　an　egg　from　the　nest　of　the　red…eyed　vireo　in　order　to　place　one　of　its　own　in　its　place。　Not　finding　a　convenient　nest；　it　will　even　drop　its　eggs　on　the　ground；　trusting　them　to　merciless　fate；　or；　still　worse；　devouring　them。　The　eggs　are　nearly　an　inch　long；　white　speckled　with　brown　or　gray。　

Cowbirds　are　gregarious。　The　ungrateful　young　birds；　as　soon　as　they　are　able　to　go　roaming；　leave　their　foster…parents　and　join　the　flock　of　their　own　kind。　In　keeping　with　its　unclean　habits　and　unholy　life　and　character；　the　cowbird's　ordinary　note　is　a　gurgling；　rasping　whistle；　followed　by　a　few　sharp　notes。


STARLING　（Sturnus　vulgaris）　

＇Called　also：　EUROPEAN　STARLING；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　8　to　9　inches。　Weight　about　equals　that　of　robin；　but　　　the　starling；　with　its　short；　drooping　tail；　is　chunkier　in　　　appearance。　Male　　Iridescent　black　with　glints　of　purple；　green；　and　blue。　　　On　back　the　black　feathers；　with　iridescence　of　green　and　　　bronze；　are　tipped　with　brown；　as　are　some　of　the　tail　and　wing　　　feathers。　In　autumn　and　early　winter　feathers　of　sides　of　head；　　　breast；　flanks　and　underparts　are　tipped　with　white；　giving　a　　　gray；　mottled　appearance。　During　the　winter　most　of　the　white　　　tips　on　breast　and　underparts　wear　off。　Until　the　first　moult　　　in　late　summer　the　young　birds　are　a　dark　olive…brown　in　color；　　　with　white　or　whitish　throat。　These　differences　in　plumage　at　　　different　seasons　and　different　ages　make　starlings　hard　to　　　identify。　Red…winged　blackbirds　and　grackles　are　often　mistaken　　　for　them。　From　early　spring　till　mid…June；　starling's　rather　　　long；　sharp　bill　is　yellow。　Later　in　summer　it　darkens。　No　　　other　black　bird　of　ours　has　this　yellow　bill　at　any　season。　Female　　Similar　in　appearance。　Range　　Massachusetts　to　Maryland。　Not　common　beyond　100　miles　　　inland。　（Native　of　northern　Europe　and　Asia。）　Migrations　　Permanent　resident；　but　flocks　show　some　tendency　　　to　drift　southward　in　winter。

This　newcomer　to　our　shores　is　by　no　means　so　black　as　he　has　been　painted。　Like　many　other　European　immigrants　he　landed　at　or　near　Castle　Garden；　New　York　City；　and　his　descendants　have　not　cared　to　wander　very　far　from　this　vicinity；　preferring　regions　with　a　pretty　numerous　human　population。　The　starlings　have　increased　so　fast　in　this　limited　region　since　their　first　permanent　settlement　in　Central　Park　about　1890　that　farmers　and　suburban　dwellers　have　feared　that　they　might　become　as　undesirable　citizens　as　some　other　Europeans　　the　brown　rat；　the　house　mouse；　and　the　English　sparrow。　But　a　very　thorough　investigation　conducted　by　the　United　States　Bureau　of　Biological　Survey　（Bulletin　No。　868；　1921）　is　most　reassuring　in　its　results。　

Let　us　first　state　the　case　for　the　prosecution：　（1）　the　starling　must　plead　guilty　to　a　fondness　for　cultivated　cherries；　（2）　he　is　often　a　persecutor　of　native　birds；　like　the　bluebird　and　flicker；　（3）　his　roosts；　where　he　sometimes　congregates　in　thousands　in　the　autumn；　are　apt　to　become　public　nuisances；　offensive　alike　to　the　eye；　the　nose　and　the　ear。　

But　these　offences　are　not　so　very　serious　after　all。　He　does　not　eat　so　many　cherries　as　our　old　friend　the　robin；　though　his　depredations　are　more　conspicuous；　for　whereas　the　robins　in　ones　and　twos　will　pilfer　steadily　from　many　trees　for　many　days　without　attracting　notice；　a　crowd　of　starlings　is　occasionally　observed　to　descend　en　masse　upon　a　single　tree　and　strip　it　in　a　few　hours。　Naturally　such　high…handed　procedure　is　observed　by　many　and　deeply　resented　by　the　owner　of　the　tree；　who　suffers　the　steady　but　less　spectacular　raids　of　the　robins　without　serious　disquiet；　

Less　can　be　said　in　defense　of　the　starling's　scandalous　treatment　of　some　native　birds。　〃Unrelenting　perseverance　dominates　the　starling's　activities　when　engaged　in　a　controversy　over　a　nesting　site。　More　of　its　battles　are　won　by　dogged　persistence　in　annoying　its　victim　than　by　bold　aggression；　and　its　irritating　tactics　are　sometimes　carried　to　such　a　point　that　it　seems　almost　as　if　the　bird　were　actuated　more　by　a　morbid　pleasure　of　annoying　its　neighbors　than　by　any　necessity　arising　from　a　scarcity　of　nesting　sites。。。

〃In　contests　with　the　flicker　the　starling　frequently　makes　up　in　numbers　what　disadvantage　it　may　have　in　size。　Typical　of　such　combats　was　the　one　observed　on　May　9；　at　Hartford；　Conn。；　where　a　group　of　starlings　and　a　flicker　were　in　controversy　over　a　newly　excavated　nest。　The　number　of　starlings　varied；　but　as　many　as　6　were　noted　at　one　time。　Attention　was　first　attracted　to　the　dispute　by　a　number　of　starlings　in　close　proximity　to　the　hole　and　by　the　sounds　of　a　tussle　within。　Presently　a　flicker　came　out　dragging　a　starling　after　him。　The　starling　continued　the　battle　outside　long　enough　to　allow　one　of　its　comrades　to　slip　into　the　nest。　Of　course　the　flicker　had　to　repeat　the　entire　performance。　He　did　this　for　about　half　an　hour；　when　he　gave　up；　leaving　the　starlings　in　possession　of　the　nest。。。

〃Economically　considered；　the　starling　is　the　superior　of　either　the　flicker；　the　robin；　or　the　English　sparrow；　three　of　the　species　with　which　it　comes　in　contact　in　its　breeding　operations。　The　eggs　and　young　of　bluebirds　and　wrens　may　be　protected　by　the　use　of　nest　boxes　with　circular　openings　1　1/2　inches　or　less　in　diameter。　This　leaves　the　purple　martin　the　only　species　readily　subject　to　attack　by　the　starling；　whose　economic　worth　may　be　considered　greater　than　that　of　the　latter；　but　in　no　case　was　the　disturbance　of　a　well…established　colony　of　martins　noted。〃　

As　for　the　nuisance　of　a　big　established　roost　of　starlings；　it　may　be　abated　by　nightly　salvos　of　Roman　candles　or　blank　cartridges；　continued　for　a　week　or　at　most　ten　days。　

So　much　for　the　starling　in　his　aspect　as　an　undesirable　citizen。　Government　investigators；　by　a　long…continued　study；　have　discovered　that　his　good　deeds　far　outnumber　his　misdemeanors。　Primarily　he　feeds　on　noxious　insects　and　useless　wild　fruits。　Small　truck　gardens　and　individual　cherry　trees　may　be　occasionally　raided　by　large　flocks　with　disastrous　results　in　a　small　way。　But　on　the　whole　he　is　a　useful　frequenter　of　our　door…yards　who　'pays　his　way　by　destroying　hosts　of　cut…worms　and　equally　noxious'　insects。　〃A　thorough　consideration　of　the　evidence　at　hand　indicates　that；　based　on　food　habits；　the　adult　starling　is　the　economic　superior　of　the　robin；　catbird；　flicker；　red…winged　blackbird；　or　grackle。〃　Need　more　be　said　for　him？　


BIRDS　CONSPICUOUSLY　BLACK　AND　WHITE

　　Red…headed　Woodpecker　　　Hairy　Woodpecker　　　Downy　Woodpecker　　　Yellow…bellied　Woodpecker　　　Chewink　　　Snowflake　　　Rose…breasted　Grosbeak　　　Bobolink　　　Black…poll　Warbler　　　Black…and…white　Creeping　Warbler

See　also　the　Swallows；　the　Shrikes；　Nuthatches　and　Titmice；　the　Kingbird　and　other　Flycatchers；　the　Nighthawk；　the　Redstart；　and　the　following　Warblers：　the　Myrtle；　the　Bay…breasted；　the　Blackburnian；　and　the　Black…throated　Blue　Warbler。

BIRDS　CONSPICUOUSLY　BLACK　AND　WHITE


RED…HEADED　WOODPECKER　（Melanerpes　erythrocephalus）　Woodpecker　　　family

Called　also：　TRI…COLOR；　RED…HEAD

Length　　8。50　to　9。75　inches。　An　inch　or　less　smaller　than　the　　　robin。　Male　and　Female　　Head；　neck；　and　throat　crimson；　breast　and　　　underneath　white；　back　black　and　white；　wings　and　tail　blue　　　black；　with　broad　white　band　on　wings　conspicuous　in　flight。　Range　　United　States；　east　of　Rocky　Mountains　and　north　to　　　Manitoba。　Migrations　　Abundant　but　irregular　migrant。　Most　commonly　seen　　　in　Autumn；　and　rarely　resident。

In　thinly　populated　sections；　where　there　are　few　guns　about；　this　is　still　one　of　the　commonest　as　it　is　perhaps　the　most　conspicuous　member　of　the　woodpecker　family；　but　its　striking　glossy　black…and…white　body　and　its　still　more　striking　crimson　head；　flattened　out　against　the　side　of　a　tree　like　a　target；　where　it　is　feeding；　have　made　it　all　too　tempting　a　mark　for　the　rifles　of　the　sportsmen　and　the　sling…shots　of　small　boys。　As　if　sufficient　attention　were　not　attracted　to　it　by　its　plumage；　it　must　needs　keep　up　a　noisy；　guttural　rattle；　ker…r…ruck；　　ker…r…ruck；　very　like　a　tree…toad's　call；　and　flit　about　among　the　trees　with　the　restlessness　of　a　fly…catcher。　Yet；　in　spite　of　these　invitations　for　a　shot　to　the　passing　gunner；　it　still　multiplies　in　districts　where　nuts　abound；　being　〃more　common　than　the　robin〃　about　Washington；　says　John　Burroughs。　

All　the　familiar　woodpeckers　have　two　characteristics　most　prominently　exemplified　in　this　red…headed　member　of　their　tribe。　The　hairy；　the　downy；　the　crested；　the　red…bellied；　the　sapsucker；　and　the　flicker　have　each　a　red　mark　somewhere　about　their　heads　as　if　they　had　been　wounded　there　and　bled　a　little　　some　more；　some　less；　and　the　figures　of　all　of　them；　from　much　flattening　against　tree…trunks；　have　become　high…shouldered　and　long…waisted。

The　red…headed　woodpecker　selects；　by　preference；　a　partly　decayed　tree　in　which　to　excavate　a　hole　for　its　nest；　because　the　digging　is　easier；　and　the　sawdust　and　chips　make　a　softer　lining　than　green　wood。　Both　male　and　female　take　turns　in　this　hollowing…out　process。　The　one　that　is　off　duty　is　allowed　twenty　minutes　for　refreshments；　〃consisting　of　grubs；　beetles；　ripe　apples　or　cherries；　corn；　or　preferably　beech…nuts。　At　a　loving　call　from　its　mate　in　the　hollow　tree；　it　returns　promptly　to　perform　its　share　of　the　work；　when　the　carefully　observed　time　is　up。〃　The　heap　of　sawdust　at　the　bottom　of　the　hollow　will　eventually　cradle　from　four　to　six　glossy…white　eggs。　

This　woodpecker　has　the　thrifty　habit　of　storing　away　nuts　in　the　knot…holes　of　trees；　between　cracks　in　the　bark；　or　in　decayed　fence　railstoo　often　a　convenient　storehouse　at　which　the　squirrels　may　help　themselves。　But　it　is　the　black　snake　that　enters　the　nest　and　eats　the　young　family；　and　that　is　a　more　deadly　foe　than　even　the　sportsman　or　the　milliner。　


HAIRY　WOODPECKER　（Dryobates　villosus）　Woodpecker　family

Length9　to　10　inches。　About　the　size　of　the　robin。　MaleBlack　and　white　above；　white　beneath。　White　stripe　down　the　　　back；　composed　of　long　hair…like　feathers。　Brightred　band　on　　　the　nape　of　neck。　Wings　striped　and　dashed　with　black　and　　　white。　Outer　tail　feathers　white；　without　bars。　White　stripe　　　about　eyes　and　on　sides　of　the　head。　FemaleWithout　the　red　band　on　head；　and　body　more　brownish　than　　　that　of　the　male。　RangeEastern　parts　of　United　States；　from　the　Canadian　border　　　to　the　Carolinas。　MigrationsResident　throughout　its　range。

The　bill　of　the　woodpecker　is　a　hammering　tool；　well　fitted　for　its　work。　Its　mission　in　life　is　to　rid　the　trees　of　insects；　which　hide　beneath　the　bark；　and　with　this　end　in　view；　the　bird　is　seen　clinging　to　the　trunks　and　branches　of　trees　through　fair　and　wintry　weather；　industriously　scanning　every　inch　for　t