Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-21
BlRDLAND MOVING TIME
PREPARING FOR HOUSEKEEPING
AFTER THEIR VACATIONS.
Counting and Nest-BuildinE - Poetic
Method of ChoostnE a Mate by
Robin and Song Sparrow.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
The moving season has begun in the bird
world. and great numbers of the little wan
derers are returning from their winter va
cations to the places which were made
brighter by their presence a year ago.
Among the first birds to come back were
the blackbirds. They came. they always
do in fiocks, and seem to know just where
to locate. and many haunts which they
chose as their homes last year are already
occupied by the black advance agents Of
the warm season.
Their vacations were spent in the Caro-
linas. Georgia and Florida" said John D.
Hicks, who is a careful observer of the
birds of this country. land their actions
when they come back here seem to say that
they are glad to be here again. They seem
to like company, and are always in hocks.
many often nesting in the same tree. They
never fight. and live peaceful. quiet lives.
even through the days of courtshp. a term
, which with some birds is productive of
much discord and conflict.
People who have had opportunity to
study the ways of the blackbird in the
counting time know that, despite his love of
peace. he is anxious to make conquests.
and in these his plumage plays the i'm
pOrtant part. The male bird struts and
hops where the sun will show his feathers
off to the best advantage. These look
purple jet black. bronze and brown from
various points of view. He ruffies his
feathers. and. like a dandy, misses no oc-
casion to make his appearance striking.
until he has made an impression on some
female, when he relapses into the same
state of Indifference as to his personal ap-
pearance which often characterizes men
whose faultless dress was their distin-
gushing characteristic in their bachelor
days.
The robin. which has also come for the
season. is more richly endowed by nature
than the blackbird as to plumage, but
makes no effort at conquest by means OF his
personal appearance. Fine feathers are of
no consequence in the eyes OF Miss Robin,
and c. Robin knows 1t.
These birds have many peculiar traits.
They come from the south in pairs and
singy, how and when nobody knows. The
flight Is usually made at night, and chirp
in the early morning Is the first sign that
the robins have come again. They go to the
country or to places where there are lawns
or orchards, and in the selection of their
summer homes they show a decided lean
ing toward the habitations of man. The
robin must have its mate, for he believes
in domestic bliss, and he sets about the task
of house hunting soon after the summer
home has been reached. His wooing Is of a
barbaric nature and requires pluck and per-
severance. He picks quarrel with another
male bird in the presence of female and
knowing that he is fighting for a home
he fights hard. The lady bird sits near by.
apparently unconcerned and unconscious of
what is going on. but she always has an
eye on the contest. the result of which is
usually an engagement in Robinland with
the victorious combatant as the bridegroom
elect.
Then the female makes active prepara-
lions for housekeeping Her nest is built
after the regulation pattern of straw and
mud and the inner wall is made perfectly
round by the pressure of the builders body
against the soft and pliable material Mrs.
Robin is an Industrious housekeeper, and
works iDceSSantlV until fha home c made
ready for occupancy. The nest Is usually
built In an out-of-the-way place. but the
site Is not always skillfully selected, and
often comes within reach of the small boy.
When one hears number of song spar
rows chirping sweetly at this time of the
year he may know that somewhere near
by lady sparrow is the audience. and that
the concert is being given for her benefit:
that each singer Is doing his best to out
sing the other because the reward will be
more than the applause of a large audience
or an increase of salary. From her perch
on a neighboring twig she encourages the
performers with a nod or blink. and
then. with chirp Of approval. goes to the
master singer and becomes his mate as
reward for his superiority, and the disap-
pointed competitors go in search of a more
appreciative audience.
The song sparrows English cousin, who
receives more abuse than praise, and is
here in all seasons. has less poetic method
of wooing. possibly because he has little
poetry and no singing voice. He has 10
fine plumage, and hates to fight except for
his personal rights, but he has domestic
instincts. and. like every respectable bird,
wants mate, and secures her by q pecu-
liar mode Of woong, which is really an ex-
hibition of endurance. Mr. Sparrow shows
by his courtshfp that he is well qualified to
be a highly satisfactory husband, and one
who can endure any amount of henpecking
When the sparrow makes his bow before
the bird whom he wishes to become Mrs.
Sparrow he hops and skips about before her
while the lady bird pecks and picks at him.
When there are several candidates for her
favor she picks each one. and the bird
which makes the least fuss and stands the
abuse with the greatest composure Is the
one which carries Off the prize.
The phoebe bird. an industrious fly CATCH
er. Is also among the early birds. and many
of them have already come from the south.
They make their nests near country homes.
and often select corners on porches and
stoops for that purpose.