New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-22
THE BIRDS OF CENTRAL PARK.
STUDYING oRNrrHoLoGY IN THE CITY.
NUMEROUS SPECIES TO BE SEEN on THE LAWNS
AND IN THE TREEs-soME OF THE MOST,
ITEREsTING VISITORS.
ITEREsTING VISITORS.
uent Contra, Park are familiar with

ITEREsTIyG VISITORS.
Those who frequent Central Park are familiar with
the swans and other tame water birds the Lake.
They have perhaps. witnessed some tragedy OF tho
nesting season. They have the peafowl and
the Guinea fowl and have fed the squirrels Perhaps
a chipmunk has been noticed. or 20 wild rabbit
scurryng the grass OF course there are hordes
of English sparrows but how many native wild birds.
some the most exquisite sOngsters OF our woods are
TO be found there only few know. Within the
area Of the Ramble alone fully thirty different species
have been observed-morc than one wond probably
sec in going a much more extended tract OF
country outside the city. spring ana iah 'nahy
birds make a short stay at the Park. their way
north south TO their country residences but tncro
are also many that stay all winter. There arc
reasons why the birds like Central Park. 1t IL
warmer there. and spring comes certainly week
earlier than in New-Jerscy and Long Island Tho
beautiful sunny stretches OF velvet lawn pre-
ferrcd by most birds 20 dense woods; and there u
no lack either OF shelfering bushes In the
Park. In winter the great attraction IS the great
variety of plants that go to seed providing food
through the months when the ground is frozen or
covered with snow.
Winter is the best season in which to begin OBJ
serving birds because they can be so clearly seen IN
the bare trees. In the holiday week. the writer
first saw pair OF Virginia redbrds, or cardinal
grosbeats. II had been white Christmas. and this
was two DAYS afterward.' 1t was mild afternoon.
Behind the gray trees the sun was noodlhg the
pale sky with yellow light. The boys were r'dlhs
down hin. In The lawn where the weepng-beech
arc near the "Lovers Walk the snow was marked
with prints of three long toes-the peafow had
been feeding Some Of them pcrched on the
lower limbs of chimp of fr-trees Plenty OF grain
was scattered around; sparrows were hclp-
ing themselves, and gray squirrel "s'
frIskng about. But what eminent stranger this-not
above partaking of that meal "a jaunty. crested.
ash-gray Bird with black forehead and short. stout.
reddish beak. Presently she few and showed tho
red lining Of wings and tail. II was no other than
the female cardinal She came back again presently.
bringing her brilliant cleared mate and 1t seemeh
odd 10 see these birds OF tropical hue feeding on tho
snow.
All through the winter. whenever the writer weh'
in the neighborhhOd Of those weepingbeeches "hero
the pca-fowls fed he was sure To see the red-
birds. They managed somehow weather through the
great blizzard in March 1885, for the very follow
ing Sunday the male cardinal to be seen there ana
his brilliant whistlng was to be heard The "rlrr
hoped that they would raise family during the SUM
mer, but although he has watched them throush '"o
more winters, he has never seen more than inc ono
pair Il is remarkable. however that these redDIru'
should take ND permanent residence in the Park for
they are supposed belong Virginia and the south
THE TAwNY-IINED CRoss-BlLLs.
A lover Of nature who has spent much time oD-
serving the birds in Central Park, tells some oil MS
experiences as follows one day in February was
attracted by a cracking and swapping OF twigs whIo
passlng some pine trees. flock Of tawny-coloreh
birds we're wrenchng seeds out Of the cones io
lowed one OF them until she aghtcd on shrub where
saw her profile. Her long curved mandibies WIN
ponts crossed left no doubt as 10 her IDENTITY IN"
was crosbill The whole nockbcng, OF the one 'awnV
brown hue were either all females. or the males Al hi
season were wearing the same colors as the iena'c'
The third week in March again saw a fock OF cross
hills the males this time in fine plumage-the back
notified with changcable green and orange ana ,le
wings brick red underneath. bird wonld 'areluiy
circle around a cone holding on like parrot more ny
the bill than the feet which were only supporter py
the nine needles II was interesting 10 see the winged
seeds pulled out and cracked By that curious black
bill -, .,-r
"Al through the winter, the chcKadees "e'i Ai
call NAV be heard, leading enc TO discover 'nc 'o
black capped fellow some bare bo'gD: Inc" ','''
arc the snowbrds slate colored ABOVE ""i.c ""i'
meath the bill short and stout, and two whte ta'i-
feathers conspicuous when the birds are ny"e' o'0
mild. sunny New Years NOTING. there was an In.
dian summer haze reihe'"ooi SUI -.
watched a pair battle in a pool III se'luu'' 80
Of little stream running through the ka'ioe' i''
male took few sips of the water only eyelhs TIC oil
the while around the corner OF ro'A s. ous
tho female sported in the water for hi'eeh
minutes and then settled down IN tno
warm. dry leaves on the bank, futterins her wings
and drying them in the sun Inc sh1~o" T., sons
not sing in winter. but when pair Is hid ngte ~ mike
bush SI,for may Of acar S So tosetRer
The godfnch, yellow bird or thistle bu HEN
less brilliant than in summer They WIN r De r toInu
little hock singing tngY ny wa iTS os Is not ali
forgotten even in winter.
TINY GOLDEN.CROwNED KINGLET
at was about Thanksgiving time that first saw
our tniest bird to the hunimne bird the Eo'ucn
crowned kinglet Attracted by twltterihe' '"pPco
IN look as did also a small, boy, who exclaimed
oh see the little bird with the yellow spot on MS
bcad 9, Look In the pine trees in any winter month
for the kinget. The nut-hatch. TOO Is a WINTER
bird sometimes a robin fingers as late as pe.1n, r
Der and well along in autumn one may toIIc uPo,
The towhce bunting chewnk. scratching among
the q IN sprng the first birds to return usually are
the hlackbiris pair once on Wasmlstohs
Wrthdav and in less than week there were horhs
OF them. huar>ey talking matters Over III thc orNos
and strding around the pea fowls feeding srouhd
hack aud on almost any March day his song may DO
heard again and again. In a dark cor1er OF ire9
Ramble down on the rne ncedc lei, " tedv 'S etry
scratching hi, dinner all the while softly warbins
'" The robin comes by the middle Of March. but he
keeps rather quiet unit, s snow sG ts e Mc f
Of lawn and getting out Of TIE way FOR nobody The
lat week in March. l-s. the fox sPaITows IN great
th largest and haudsomet OF all the sparrows and the
finest singers We're not for the short stout bill THO
fox sparrow. with is reddish brown back and Steakcd
breast might possibly he mistaken for the thrush
:" The Lake Is the most attractive place Tor some
birds Here one Is likely 10 the kingblld ana
other ny.catchcrs pruning their feathers on over
hanging branches. and suddenly diving into me ar
and down stunning the water and back again WIN
expected turn The kingbIri fears 10 attack no
other bird no matter how formidable. ana drives mo
crows away from the farmers corn field. |. Is some
Zines called the bee martin but destroys thonSand
n"viou, insects FOR every bee eats and ii is said that
the bees IL does eat are droneS - /.
i,y the Lake early spring one IS almost sure 10
SEQ the purple grackles. Do they Know 10 "nit
advantage ticy show of when they sail over the
water and into the naked. sunny treetops 10"
rstocratic their sleek rdesccnt coas-alas for their
hoalSe voices.
OTHER FEATHERED FRE0UENTERs OF THE PARK
.In April the thrush is back-the wide opened vel
low lined BILL notified breast and. indeed whoe