Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-05-03

kingnshers are permitted to occupy the
same territory. II we seek to approach
this king Of fishermen he permits M 10
get within certain distance, usually q
long gun-shot on, when his distaste for
human compAnionship becomes 90 great
that, with loud, rafting cry, he leaves
mis- post OF observation and flies a few
hundred yards mp stream and alights.
Again We try TO approach, but the bird is
even more suspicious than before, and
soon takes another fight over the stream.
This Is repeated until the kinefisher
thinks he is getting too far away from his
home, when sweeping wide, he will circle
past us and with loud, rafting cries.
seemingly In derisson at our futile at
tempts to catch him, will return to his
iavorite outlook to resume his fnny quest.
The beited kingHsher is found through
out North America, but is nowhere very
common, owning to its solitary and un-
sociable disposition. During the breeding
season its range extends from the Gulf Of
Mexico to the Arctic and from the Allan
tic to the Pacific ocean. When the ice
closes the water Of the north the king
fishers move southwark, and their winter
range is from the West Indies and north
ern South America to the Canadian border
OF the United States. Open water and
food supply are the factors that deter
mine their winter quarters.
One OF the singular habits Of this pecu-
liar bird is connected with its breeding.
1t does not build nest in tree or on the
ground, but 1t excavates a hole in the side
OF q bank, usually near water, but not
always, as railroad cuts are sometimes
selected. The location OF the burrow is
probably determined Largely by the char
sctcr OF the soil, the favorite kind being
clay, compact sand, or mixed gravel and
loan. Both the male and female join in
the labor Of excavation, which il done
with their large ana powerful bills, the
feet being used to push out the loosened
soil.
The passage is round and about four
inches in diameter and extends inward,
straight or with bends to . varying depth
from four TO twenty feet, and terminates
id . round, domed living-room. Here the
clutch OF five to eight pure white eggs are
laid aud the young are Matched. AS the
nestlings are protected from cold, heat
and storms, there il little or no nesting
material used, although in old excavations
q considerable amount OF fish bones and
scales may be found. II the birds are not
disturbed, burrow will be used for .
number OF successive seasons.
The young, when Matched, are naked,
very helpless and their eyes are not
opened. They grew very slowly. King
fishers belong to the class OF birds know n
A. altrices, or those whose young are
helpless at birth and require feeding and
care in the nest. They are in striking
contrast to the prwcoces. whose young are
able to run about and feed themselves as
soon As they are Matched. Contrast, for
instance, the helpless young OF the king
fiaher with the downy, self-relisnt young
OF the spotted sandpiper, that well-known
bird that is seen in summer lettering on
the margin OF almost every river or pond
in this country.
Kingfishers subsist principally on small
fish not over three inches in length hich
are OF little or no value. They also eat
crustscea, grasshoppers, beetles, crickets,
frogs, lizards, etc. Major Bendirs says, in
'sLife Histories OF North American Birds:
''In southern Arizona. where streams are
few, have found kingdshers breeding in
localities where fish must have formed q
very small percentage OF their daily fare;
have more than once seen one Of these
birds perchsd on some twig overhanging .
dry, sandy river bed, where no water was
to be found within several miles"
The only implement the kingfsher
needs in procuring its food, Is its large
and powerful bill. With this 1t seizes
its prey, whether 1t is slippery fish
beneath the surface Of the water or an
insect on the land. Its feet are 30 small
and weak that they sre NO help for grasp
ing CT holding, when securing food.