Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-25
BIRDS USUALLY ACTIVE
ABOUT THEIR BED TIME.
BIackhirdS and Crows Have Reg
uIar Haunts Which They
Seek at Shutdown

Children often ask where all the
birds go at night. 1t would seem TO
one not familiar with bird life that
many of our feathered visitors find
difficulty in securing suitable places
in which to spend the night.
An observer will notice that birds be-
come quite active as twilight APP
proaches. Many kinds, such as black
birds and crows, have regular haunts,
and as the sun nears the western nor
izon thousands of these birds may be
seen flying in great flocks toward
certain orchard or grove Many select
a thicket in some lonely hollow, while
others will select some large lawn
where shade trees stand
Crows often select a dark, deep hol-
low with trees and bushes on all sides,
where they form a. sort of rookery.
They like dead trees to roost on, and
in some places they visit certain fa-
vored spots until their continued occu-
pancy kills many of the trees.
Crows and blackbirds are quiet dur
ing the dark hours If unmolested, but
occasionally some enemy besides the
human hunter will disturb them, and
there is a great chatter and tluttering
of wings. A hungry owl or cat with
some of it's wild nature still remaining
will frequently visit such a place, and
of course has no trouble in obtaining
d
those near, and the frightened birds.
will flutter away in the darkness to
seek another roosting place.
Swallows after a day spent in skim
ming the air and catching hundreds of
insects will seek a roosting place at
night. The chimney swift will soar
and dart about until after sunset and
then suddenly dive into some chimney.
The birds have very sharp pointed
claws and cling on the sides of the
sooty fues. Old or unoccupied fac
tory smokestacks make excellent places
for the chimney swallows to roost in
vast numbers.
In early spring before robins begin
to nest these birds gather in large num-
bers in some group of trees or grove,
where they sing until almost dark, and
then they remain quiet until the first
signs of day, when t'.ey break forth
in song, filling the air with the sweet
est of music. AS soon as they begin
nesting each pair seeks sheltered
roosting place near the spot selected to
raise their brood. After the first egg
is deposited in the nest and until the
young birds are able to leave, one of
the robins remains on the nest while
the other sits near on some limb. When
the young birds can fly the parents in
duce them to go with them to some
protected thicket or sheltered location.
Some birds rooSt in very exposed
places. Others will select protected
spots and secrete themselves in such a
manner in the foliage of the trees and
vines that even their enemies cannot
find them. Many birds choose a natural
shelter from the rains by getting be-
meath a leaf, which sheds the water
from them, while others sit out in the
open, taking the storm in all it's fury.
Many birds roost upon the ground.
All sorts of places are chosen. Quail
sit in a circle with their heads out, al
ways ready to fly if disturbed. They
have been seen sitting in such a posi-
ton in daylight.
Many small birds roost IN large
weeds, and others select a tuft of
grass In which to spend the dark hours.
other birds build their nests on the
ground in pastures and meadows, and
while the mother bird is Matching and
caring for the brood the male bird is
always near at hand on the alert or
gathering grubs or insects for the little
ones. At night the male bird remains
near the nest and in some instances
both parents sit ON the little nest.
A few birds that prey upon others
and destroy both birds and eggs re-