The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-20
THE OSPREY AND ITS YoUIG.
of the FishiIavV ISS
over Their Infant Progeny.

tErUm FOREST ana >lr'ault
The watchfulness Of the dsh-haws over
their nests before the young leave the shell
is a great boon 10 other smaller birds. \
singular trait in the character of 5he
osprey Is its federation Of sDarrOws. crow
blachbirds. and grackIes 10 build their
nests IN among the outer sticks Of which
lis own nest is constructed Like yassaiS
TO a chief these smaller birds lay eggs
and hatch them in perfect security, and
in mutual harmony with the larger feath-
cred creatures. often there are from
twenty 10 thirty nests Of small birds IN
the rounded outer sides Of the fish-hawk's
nest. From long acquaintance with the
fsh-hawk the sparrows and crow black
birds have 10 fear OF them. and they have
learned that as the fish hawk during in
Cuba;iOn constantly is on guard. their nests
are Goubly secure from Acknowledgement
ers. and from the iErOs6s of the common
crow. the bird that they most fear when
their nests contain eggs
When the young fish-hawils come forth
from the shell the constant guard OF the
nest by the male and female is gradually
relaxed. The female leaves the nest at
intervals in quest of food. soon flying back
with a fish caught in harbor or bay. y
noticeable feature about the mother hawk
is her mode Of feeding the young. Re
turning with a shad or porgie, when the
young are only few days old. the mother
bird tears the fish in pieces with her claws
and bill. giving a strip to each young bird.
When the birds become a week old or
about that age and thereafter during the
season. a whole fish is given to each young
fsh-hawk by its mother. Ii is interesting
to watch the young hawks when they are
fed. They viii cry for feed when hun
CRY. but. unlike the progeny of all other
fPafhPrGd
Will not fight for food. The mother bird
selects the young one to which she VIII
give fish. The rest of them remain sit
ting beside their more fortunate companion
in the nest but beyond utteTing plaintive
cries make no effort to get part OF the
fish for themselves, simply waiting in pa
thence till their turn comes. which cir
cumstances may prolong for quite a length
of time. The young birds catch no fish the
first year Of their lives. Their food is pro-
cured by the parents. As soon as the
young brood becomes a few weeks old the
mother throws of quite piece of the top
OF the nest to tie ground This enables
the young 10 see their surroundings, and
less obstacles are in the way when they
first make attempt to fly.
The young birds do not take readily to
fight They are fully feathered and yet
make no attempt TO leave the nest. G,rer-
any tASti AhllloA aNAtAlptS ~ iASe On wig
are begun about July TO- Flying up fiom
the nest, they fall back upon it again from
a height of about FIVE feet They make
attempts in turn with like results Tie
young hawks are very timid about flying
away from the nests, and it devolYes upon
the parents to drive the young fo1cibly on
in order that they can fly. Great is the
screeching, and loud are the cries o. the
birds On such occasions. At last ore o. the
va hon he Mill aft mt n
reach an object fifty yards away from the
nest These efforts ere generally aHkwsI'a,
and it is not UNCOMMON 10 see the fsds,.ng
tumble in somersau.ts earJhward- Tie
mother hawk. ever on the alert, Tushes 20
its rescue. and shooting und r the young
bird catches il on its back and wings before
: tumbles TO The ground