Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-05-20
THE BIRD LORE OF
WEBSTER CITY
Brief Sketches of Winter Residents
and the Principal Migratory
Visitors.

The winter residents in this vicin
ity are not numerous but among tn
most common of them is the white
breasted nuthatch, a little blrt
somewhat smaller than the Englisf
sparrow. Upper parts slate color
ton of head and nape black; wings
edged with black that fades int
brown; white underneath; bill long
er than head. Makes nest in holes
in the trees. Is a clever acrobat
making his way like fly along the
under side of a branch where he
looks for eggs and larvae of al
kinds.
Junco. Also called snowbird
About the size of an English spar
row. Slate colored above; almost
black on head and neck: grey vest;
white underneath; white outer tail
feathers conspicuous in flight. Min
giles sociably under the kitchen door
with sparrows and chickadees. Some
times called "gray robed monks and
nuns"
Tree sparrow. Same size as Eng
lish sparrow. Brown above with
bright chestnut head; whitish un-
derneath; whitish bars across
wings. Contrary to his name, he
avoids trees and seeks shelter of low
bushes.
Among the migratory visitors we
note the following songsters, known
especially for their pretty plumage.
We only hear scraps of their songs,
as they save their most musical love
notes to sing to their mates as they
brood over the eggs in the nests
built in the lands farther north:
Brown creeper. Smaller than the
English sparrow and migrates in
April and September. Brownish
streaked with white; white below;
bill long and curved; tail feathers
stiff and pointed and used as braces.
1t works spirally upward on the
trunks and toughs of trees, very
diligent bird, taking only about fif-
ty seconds to do tree. It's plumage
looks much like the bark of a tree
Breeds in Minnesota and further
north.
Rusty grackie or rusty black
bird. A trifle smaller than the rob-
in. 'Migrates in April and Novem-
ber. Glossy black with metallic re-
Elections mingled with rusty brown;
pale straw colored eyes. Has an un.
musical clucking call and is fire.
quently seen in April in f1ocks along
sluggish, secluded streams in the
woods.
Fox sparrow. Nearly an inch
longer than the English sparrow.
Migrates in March and November.
Reddish brown above. varied with
ash gray; blush slate above head;
whitish underneath and heavily
spotted with reddish brown and
blackish. Largest, most plump and
reddish of all sparrows.
Myrtle warbler. One inch smaller
than English sparrow. Migrates in
April, October and November. Blu
ish gray streaked with black;
crown, rump and sides of breast
yellow; white below with black pat
ches. The first warbler to arrive in
the spring and the last to leave in
the fall, sometimes remaining
through the winter.
Cedar waxwing. About one-fifth
smaller than the robin. Grayish
brown above; breast lighter than
back shading into yellow; bright
red tips on wings and yellow bands
on tail; black band across forehead
and eyes. Sings only a lisping
Rubycrowned kinglet. Two inches
than the English sparrow.
Migrates in April and October. Ashy
green above: two white wing bars;
crest bright red; whitish bun be-
low; female without red crown
patch. Has been called the "feath-
cred expression of motion" A
friendly and charming songster
that summers in Canada.
Golden crowned kinglet. Two
inches smaller than the English !
sparrow and migrates in April and
September. Olive green above;
;oiled whitish underneath. crest
bright orange bordered with yellow
and black. Female without crown
patch. 1t is always in motion and
likes the pines and spruce trees.
White-throated sparrow. Larger