Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-01-29
BIRDS AS ARCHITECTS.
Their wonderful Ingenuity In Nest
Buiidiag-Innaeneed ~ EN-
vir0nment.


I "A careful examination OF bird,
nest will convince anyone that It 10 I
work Of art. One cannot help wonder
ing at the ingenuity displayed by I'll
architect. How carefully birt
adapts itself to environment Is well
illustrated by endless examples: Tho
red-winged blackbirds, whose nests
are usually built. among reeds, flaga
or bushes, make their nests very much
deeper when the place selected is sub
ject to very strong winds than in
more sheltered spots; and then, 40 q
future safeguard, the mouth of the
nest contracts so that the eggs will
not fall out when the flags are
swayed by the wind. Some
birds readily avail themselves Of new
and favorable conditions" says A.
Radcliffe Dugmore, in BIRD Homes"
1.-THE phoebe formerly built its nest
exclusively on rocks, but now that
houses and bridges are to be found
throughout the country, this bird has,
to a great extent, changed its former
custom, and 1t now builds nests on
almost any sort Of structure built by
man. This also applies to the barn
swallow, while the chimney swift has
taken possession of our chimneys and
almost forsaken the hollow tree
trunks, in which but few years ago
they built in large colonies. 81
The quail and many other birds, such
as the meadow lark and some of the
sparrows, often arch their homes over
with either the growing vegetation
surrounding the nest or with dry ma
terial brought for the purpose; and
In some cases they build covered paths
or entrances.
"The crested fycatcher often makes
use OF a snakeskin in the construction
Of its nest, which occupies hole in a
tree. The ruby throated hum
mingbird saddles its nest on a high
branch and covers it with lichten, 80
that 1t resembles an excrescence on
the branch. The Baltimore
Driole hangs his well-built nest, q
of bird architecture, on
The extreme end of an overhanging
branch, where nothing but winged
,nemy can reach it. To guard against
.hese, the nest is made 30 that 1t looks
like a hornets nest, with
which the jays, crows or hawks would
lot care to interfere. The
,ggs of the belted kingfisher are
placed in a hole, often six or eight
eet deep, excavated in bank by the
'irds themselves, after as much as
wo weeks work. The tailor birds
ew the edges of large, growing leaf
ound the nest, so that it is absolute
Y hidden from view. The bower birds
sc queer materials, such as bones,
ieces of metal. e, l."
The Baltimore oriole is one of the
lost ingenious of bird architects, and
mploys any material that is Access
BILE. String, hair, grasses and plant
bers are often used, and one bird y
'ver tells Of a nest made completely 9
silk thrown from the windows of a
silk factory.
In the bright plumaged birds Of the
'mperate region the brilliant color
g is usually localized. The common
uebrd has head, back, wings and =
ii Of brightest, purest blue, but the !.
-east is russell and the under parts y
hite. The all-blue birds are the In
go bird and the grosbeak. =
Yellow is a common color on parts .
the plumage, but only one yellow !,
I'd even approximates freedom from =
her colors. That is the little yellow (
arbler, which has but slight mark <
gs of russell and olive. The carinal -
the summer redbird and the n
arlet tanager are almost wholly red. a
he first has ring of black around :, .'
e bill, the second has wings shading y
brown, and the third has black p
ngs and tail, while the rest Of his :"
image is Of the most brilliant scar a. a.