Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1900-11-20
OSPREY AND ITS YOUNG.
watchfulness over Their Nests a Boon
to other Birds.

to other Birds.
The watcbfulness Of the fshhawks
overtheir nests before the young leave
the she'll is a great boon to other
smaller birds A singular trait in the
character Of the osprey is its tolera-
ton Of sparrows, crow-blackbirds and
grackles to build their nests in among
the outer sticks Of which its own nest
is constructed. Like vassals to a
chief, these smaller birds lay eggs
and hatch them in perfect security,
and in mutual harmony with the
larger feathered creatures. Often
there are from 20 to 30 nests Of small
birds in the rounded outer sides Of
the fish hawks nest. From long as-
quaintance with the fish hawk the
sparrows and crow-blackbirds have no
fear of them, ard they have learned
that as the fish hawk during incuba-
ton constantly is on guard, their
nests are doubly secure from feath-
cred intruders, and from the inroads
of the common crow, the bird that
they most fear when their nests con-
tain eggs.
When the young fish hawks come
forth from the shell the constant
guard of the Dest by the male and fS-
male is gradually relaxed. The fe-
male leaves the nest at intervals in
quest of food, soon flying back with
fish caught in harbor or bay. A
noticeable feature about the mother
hawk is her mode of feeding the
young, Returning 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 bind.
When the birds become a week old OF
about that age, and thereafter during
the season, a whole fish is given to
each young fish hawk by its mother.
1t is interesting to watch the young
hawks when they are fed. They will
cry for food when hungry, but, unlike
the progeny of all other feathered
tribes and land animals, they will not
fight for food. The mother bird Es-
lects the young one to which she viii
give a fish. The rest of them remain
sitting beside their more fortunate
companion in the nest, but beyond
uttering plaintive cries make no Sf-
fort to get part Of the fish for them-
selves, simply waiting in patience un-
til their turn comes, which eireum-
stances may prolong for quite length
Of time. The young birds catch ne.
fish the first year Of their lives. Thsfr
food is procured by the parents. H.
soon as the young brood become fsR
weeks old the mother throws of quite
piece Of the top of the nest to the
ground. This enables the young 10
see their surroundings, and less sB-
stacles are in the way when they AFst
make attempt to fly.
The young birds do not take reaS-
lily to flight. They are fully fSatE-
cred and yet make no attempt to leave
the nest. Generally their initial al
tempts to rise on wing are begun
about July 10. Flying up fren the
nest, they fall back upon i again
from a height of about five fst,
They make attempts in turn with hike
results. The young hawks are very
timid about flying away fren tie
nests, and it deyoIves upon the pap
ents TO drive the young forcibly sf IN
order that they can fly. Great 10 tke
screeching, and loud are the sriOs Of
the birds on such occasions. At Iast
one Of the young hawks will make an
attempt to reach an object 50 >ards
away from the nest. These sROrtS are
generally awkward, and It is net uR-
common to see the fedgling tumble
in somersaults earthward. The
mother hawk, ever on the alert,
rushes to its rescue, and shooting Hn-
der the young bird catches it on It's
back and wings before it tumbleT to
the ground,-Forest and Stream.