The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-09
DOMESTIC LIFE OF BIRDS.
FALSE NOTIONS AROtT THEIR
Ways Nv THE NEST.
Reasons Tor DOubtlns That the Oh birds
Teach Their Young to Fly and to Build
Nests Critical Times In tho Lives
OF Little Blrhs-1OO Jealous Friends.

/
field of observation for the amateur natur-
, alist. Careful and patient use Of the eyes
Is certain to disclose many things not set
down between the covers Of any OF the
bird books
Nor need one go far, or be at great pains,
to carry on such observations. The OPP
portunties arc many and close at hahd'
Wherever there are trees and shruboery
there are birds; and where there are BIRDS
there are birds nests.
1t has been asserted that the parent
birds instruct their young in nest building.
II that we're 30, what Of hundreds OF thou
sands Of young game birds that are made
orphans az soon as the hunting season
opens, and before their mothers have had
a chance to give them lessons in building
nests? Would they never be able to raise
a brood of young? With the bob-whitc'
the ruled grouse and other birds that have
large broods. the parents might be e5-
pected to be so busy during the nesting
season teaching their children how to
build nests that they themselves would
have no time to raise a brood before cold
weather set in.
Again If the statement we're true why
is It that no one sees any OF the young BIRDS
while they are being taught Birds cap
tured and taken from their mothers before
they are able to fly and placed in geological
parks, will often. during the following
season, build nests for themselves some
times under trying circumstances. Who
taught them?
As a rule it takes some time for young
birds to learn to build as neat and compact
a nest as their parents. The first nest is
usually f1insy affair; but with each sue
cessive nest marked improvement can
be noticed until the limit is reached.
Birds whose nests are built OF coarse
materials can construct their homes in
much less time than those that build hang
ing nests or delicate nests that call for
compactness and more or less weaving.
A song sparrow, for example, will build
nest In two days whereas an oriole will
take two or three times as long
With some species of birds, only the
female builds the nest and raises the young
with others, such as the house wren, the
whitetreasted nuthatch, the blueheaded
and waruling vireos and several Of the
different species Of swallows, both birds |
construct the nest and take turns IN IN
cutating the eggs and caring for the young ,
after the eggs hatch.
Some birds rear only one brood of young
during a season. This is true Of most of the
game irds, but their broods are large. often
numbering as many as twelve IL nest !
Of eggs is destroyed early in the season. |
the parents will usually select another !
nesting site and try again.
OF the common birds, song sparrowS, !
chipping sparrows. buet irds. catbirds, |
rof ms and many other species will rear |
two and sometimes as many as four, broods /
a season. And by season is meant the |
summer, for birds do not nest again in the !
South, where thew pass the winter.
1t is a well established fact that most +,
birds return season after season and nest |
near the site they occupied the previous !
year. A common sight in country villages ,
Is the remains of two, three and some
from each other amid the branches of an !
elm tree, The one that was used during |
the present year can easily he told from .
the altered and torn remains of those |
that have stood the test Of two, three and ,
four years storms.
Catlirds, song sparrows, chipping spar
rows and usually rol ns build new nests
for each brood. sometimes placing them |
in the same bush or tree and only few
inches from the old nest. Riuelirds, house .
wrens and many of the other irds that /
use the same nest for several hroods tear |
out the old lining and put clean one IN
for each brood.
Preparations for the second and third .
brood are begun Within few daNS after
the last brood has left the nest With .
some birds. the game birds among them,
The Young remain with their parents until .
fau while with others they vanish within .
n few days after leaving the nest and are /
NOT again seen while the successive broods .
ora Ls;ny raised
ProhaSly the most critical period in the .
earIv lie Of birds is the two or three DAYS .
LefGre thoy are fully ready to leave the .
noe, If tEev are not frightened. perch /
inc birds viii remain in the nest until they ,
are feathered and strong enough to keep !
in the trees and out of harms wav.
Almost without exception the young
birds that arc found helpless on the ground (
~, birds that have ncsted near buildings
and have been frightened from their homes .
Nv cats or peopic or have been blown out
~ storms Observation will disclose that .
the v1,lnr birds found helpless are with |
hri Few executions robins song snarrows,
chinninp sparrows and the Young of other ,
h;ris Who build close 10 houses or near the !
groI,nd where thew are easily disturbed.
II i often said that birds are taught by
their narents to flv. Observation seems
70 contradict this belief. IL nature has her
own wav n bird will not leave its nest until
!, IL able 10 Nv we'll and to rise TO n con-
SIDE rahle height. From that time il is
able To- Az between trees fifty or more feet