Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-31
THE MAINE BIRDS.
Where and How They Spend
the Winter Months.
They Go to the South, to Mexico and
South America.
Easier to Explain Why They Go than
Why They Return.


leave US at the approach of winter than
to account for their return in the
spring. In the great majority of cases
the coming of cold weather drives them
south in search of more plentiful food,
and this is the reason why We get~oc-
casional visits in the winter from birds
which live almost exclusively within
the Arctic circle. 1t is not fully under
stood by anybody why the great army
of feathered folk leave land Of plenty
in the tropics and come north in i'm
mense numbers to raise their families.
No reason that can be suggested will
apply to all species and in general it can
only be said that their instinct impels
them to seek faraway nesting grounds,
which is but a statement of fact and
not an explanation OF it's existence.
In most cases the seedeaterS make
less extended migrations than the
insect-eaters and why this is so is
obvious. Many of the former do not
migrate at all, while the latter would
starve if they attempted to remain
north in winter. The notable seed
eaters are the sparrows and as a rule
they do not leave the United States il
and southern states and returning as
early in the spring as they can CLEAN a
living in more northern fields. The
song sparrow, by far the best known of
the whole native family, appe' rs here
often before the snow is gone I'D stays
until the frosts of late autumn. Now
he is sea altered from southern New
England to Florida and adjoining
states. while occasionally one braves
the severe Maine winter. In this case
the reason for his spring migration is
undoubtedly because he loves our
northland and returns here as early as
the trees and shrubs begin to bud. The
same is perhaps true of the foX-colored
sparrow. which indeed prefers an even
cooler climate than ours and only visits
us on his spring and autumn journeys.
He is now in Virginia and more
southerly points. The field sparrow
and white-throated sparrow are like
wise in the southern states but the
white-crowned sparrow and chipping
sparrow go as far as Mexico.
Purple finches and goldfnches in win
ter live from the northern states to the
Gulf. The pine siskin comes late in the
fall from the far north and scatters as
far south as Florida. The vesper spar
row winters on the coast south of
Virginia and the savanna sparrow
Wanders even to Cuba. The sharp
tailed sparrows live in winter along the
southern Atlantic coast. The chewink
goes as far as Florida. The rose
breasted grosbeak and indigo bunting,
wearing brilliant tropical colors, winter
in Central and South America, the
range of the former being considerably
farther south: neither returns very
early in the spring and neither shows
any decided love for cool climates.
The warblers, in general. seem to be-
lcng to the tropics, only coming north
because instinct drives them appar-
emily without the slightest reason for
doing so. They are mostly insect
eaters, prefer warm weather and there
is no failure of food to drive them
north. Why they do not stay in
Mexico, Central and South America all
the year round is, as yet, not satisfac-
torily accounted for. That they do not
is fortunate for US, for this family
brings us our great supply of small and
gaily-coored summer birds, though
there is not really good singer in the
whole assortment. All are now in the
tropics except perhaps the myrtle, rine
and yellow palm warblers and. as
would be expected, these three Will
come to us earlier, in the spring.
OF the thrushes the robin, hermit thrush
and bluebird are now in the southern
states while the veery Hnd olive-backed
thrush are in the tropics. The ruby
crowned kinglet is perhaps as far south
as Mexico, while the golden-trowned
kinglet is not so far south and a few
stay in Maine during the coolest weather.
The winter wren goes as far as the gulf
states. many remaining farther north.
The brown thrusher is wintering south OF
Virginia and the catbird somewhat nearer
the tropics. The American pipit, flocks
of which were at Old orchard in October.
is now as far south as Mexico and Cen
trail America. The red-eyed v.reo and
Others of his family spend the winter in
now gone south and his place is taken By
the northern shrike. The latter Will go
north in the spring. at about the same
time that the losgerhead returns r to build
roam at will and may now be scattered
from the northern states to Central
America.
The swallows depend almost entirely
upon insect food now the barn ard bank
swallows, SO familiar to Tvs, are as far
south as Brazil. while the caves and tree
swallows and purple martins have per
haps a little more northeriy winter range.
The tree swallow stays mostly in the
southern states in winter and therefore
is the first to come back in spring. Thc
bla ckbirdS live on fruit. seeds and insects
combined. The red-winged stays in the
southern states III winter. likewise the
meadowlark The bobolinks leave the
United States by the way of Florida, fly
over sea to regions south of Amazon
river. stay a few weeks there in winter
and begin their northern pilgrimage in
March, stopping frequently on the way at
the places en- route afford them an easy
living They have no great love for their
native land. being Bohemans ana happy,
go-,ucky wanderers; for they stay north
only long enough to give us some SUPERB
spring music and raise their families
Blue Jays stay in winter from Newfound-
land to Florida anywhere their fancy
pIeases Crows are seen in the SUBURBS OF
Portland all winter. because ii Is near
the coast while i'll northern and Central
Maine the return of crows Is hailed as Il
sign of opening of spring. All the NY
catchers kingbrd, phoebe. wood pcwee,
chebec, crested. diversified and alder ny
catchers are in the tropics for the winter.
where there is no lack of insect food all
the year round. Why do they ever come
north? -.
Chimney swifts. humminghirds. night
hawks, whip-poor- wills which are insect
eaters. are in the tropics. Noodpeckers
are northern birds. though some like the
southern states in winter. The beitcd