Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1916-03-15
POINTS ABOUT OUR BIRDS


like a robin. We hear him at times
making strange sounds as he tries
to sing to find his mate. The bird
is sociable only in the mating sea-
son. The DOwny WoOdpecker has
a habit of beating tattoo on
apple trees, varying the monotony
of the sound with quick, jerky
notes. He is always busy, fitting
from limb to limb. The nest is
like that of the blue bird. The
Red Headed Woodpecker was very
common in this locality until only
a few years ago. 1t is very clumsy
on the wing, usually taking
limb, and making short excursions
stand on a limb, and making
short excursions for insects. The
bird is also fond of berries.
The Meadow Lark is a perma-
nent resident of this locality. 1t
bullets through the hard winter
weather, with the first sign of
spring sending forth a note as
joyful as ever. The song is some
what spoiled by being short and
UNMARRIED. This bird is a master
hand in the art of deception. Upon
hearing approaching footsteps the
hen will lie flat on the ground. If
discovered she will hop off limp
ing, in the hope of centering at
tention upon herself to make one
forget her eggs. In winter these
birds feed on insects and in sum-
mer on seeds.
The Purple Grackle, commonly
called the Crow Blackbird, is one
of our slandered birds. Farmers
believe it is menace to their corn
fields, but the stomachs of hum
dreds of birds killed for examina-
ton, have been found filled not
with corn but with worms and in
sects. He is a stately, handsome
fellow, not half as destructive as
the English Startling, few of
which can be found around here.
The Red Winged Black Bird is one
Of our beautiful birds. 1t, too, is
under the ban of the farmer, and
here again judgment has been too
severe on the bird. The hen is a
dusty black, with brown spots !;
the males wear the brilliant plum
age. The coloring, in this in
stance, seems to be governed
largely by the age of the bird,
those only one year old having
more yellow on their wings, and
the older ones more red. The bird
is very cunning, and a fine singer.
The Cowbird is an example of a
degenerate. 1t gets its name from
the practice of following the cows
through the pasture, in pursuit of
the swarm of flies and insects that
often buzz around them. Not tax.
ing the trouble to build a nest, the
hen finds that by depositing her
eggs merely on the ground, they
frequently come to destruction
She, therefore. resorts to the
method of depositing her eggs al
random in the nests of the neigh.
Norhood. She consorts frequently
with the English sparrow, habit
for which she will probably come
20 grief when the time comes to
get rid Of them.
The Baltimore Oriole is noted
For its brilliant plumage and won.
1erful nest building. The mother
bird does the work, while the male
"'unS the scale with his rich con.
tralto and displays his bright
'lumage. The woven nest, a mar,
vel of its kind, is suspended, otter
from slender branch in willow
where it rocks in cradle fashion
high out of the way of danger. Ir
her selection the oriole shows
wonderful wisdom, for her foes
iare not venture on the slende,
branches. The Orchard Oriole
The first cousin of the former, is
almost as good a nest builder anG
Z much better songster. The nest
5 a finely woven basket; ''the
song in my estimation" DR.
Rowan declared. "is the finest OF
my Of our birds. All day long il
sings. sending forth especially as
light falls. beautiful song"
The Scarlet Tanager is the most
highly colored of all our birds
The body is scarlet with stripe Of
black on the wings and tail. "Ir
all the time l have observed
BIRDS" the speaker said, Il have
seen this kind only two or three
times. At one time l discovered
a pair up by Tweed's Mill"
The Cedar Waxwing or Cedar
Bird is a beautiful little creatur,
with wings of grayish brown, tip