White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-05
Birds We Should KnoW
THE CHICKADEE.
V

"
To the reader who really desires to
know this bird 1t will be necessary
TO indulge in a walk to the nearest
growth of pines. The list of birds
that visit the homes this time of the
year is exhausted. 1t is o. early
for the wren and blue bird to be
studied from the house windows and
by this time the iunko, snowbird ard
waxwing should be well known
kfriends. To the nearest dwarf pines
then the seeker for bird friendship
should go.
Arrived within the woods, or the
near woods, the sturdy little pines
and dwarf spruces of this section of
Nevada strive to make on the noun
tain sides. the observer should de-
pend on his hearing rather than sight
to become acquainted with the bird
introduced in this article. No mat
ter how cold and dreary the day may
be, there is a little feathered worker
busy amid the signing boughs and his
CHEEKY little note. chicka-dee-dee,
chicka-dee-dee, will sound clear on
the frosty air, telling the world his
spirits are high even if the temper
AZURE is low.
The pines are his home and he is
busy; but never toe busy TO chat with
a visitor. Just initiate as nearly az
you are able the tinkling notes that
spell his name and before many min
utes a little gray and fluffy acrobat
will appear dangling from the under
side Of a swinging one DO not call
him now. as.the imitation of his note
may be too crude to keep him inter
ested and he may leave. TO attend 10
more important business. Curiosity
is stronger with the ehickadee han
appetite. however. and he will usu-
ally stay within easy range, giving an
exhibition of his agility by walking
down the under SIDE of a limb or
swinging out in a trapeze of twigs,
driving his short black bill into ey-
cry branch joint or rough place in
the bark where insect eggs may be
hidden.
Very few birds are tanner than the
chickadee. If the observer appears
friendly he may approach almost
close enough to be touched by the
hand, but seldom will the busy body
be stilled. Talkatiyeness and cheer
fulness are features that attract at
than plumage. In size he is about
half as big as the English sparrow.
The general color of plumage Is
gray, black and white with crown of
head and neck black. A white line
starting just back of the bill extends
over the cheeks and down the breast.
forming a sort of collar or apron
strings that hold a rather dirty
white apron splashed with brown
over the lower breast and under
meath the body. Wings and tail are
edged with white. All the colors are
protective. the gray Of the sky. the
white of the snow and the brown
like the bark of the trees make ii
possible for the small protector of
the sturdy pines to conceal himself
by just keeping still.
No ore would destroy this bird.
as the oft-repeated chicka-dee-dee
sounding glad or sad Is interpreted
by the wanderer IN the lonely pines,
brings a touch of companionship
when most needed.
Insects that use the trees 10 hide
during the winter months their
erubs or eggs are the natural food OF
this small worker. Thousands of
grubs ana millions of eggs that
would develop into destructive pests
with the warm weather OF spring are
devoured by the ehickadee family
each winter.
The family does not migrate. they
are more often seen during the win !
ter than in the summer months. |
Mating season finds them in the deep
woods where insects are plentiful
and where homes can be found in
hollow trees for the incubation of
thu LITTLE dap-da |