Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-05-11

In some cases gives more positive identi-
flcation marks than the portraits them
selves. The fox sparrow, for instance,
is not an easy bird to identify from even
the best illustration, whereas the in
formation that 1t scratches vigorously
in chat, using both feet ut once with Q
curious backward and forward motion,
will allow even the most inexperienced
watcher to place 1t Immediately without
doubt.
Nothing builds up interest In bird OBJ
servation IS well as positively Identifying
. few birds.
We have seen persons who honestly
,profesSed no interest whatever In this
branch Of nature, yet who became great
enthusiasts, simply through recognizing
. few birds.
One teaches ones self to search for
positive marks Of distinction and diff
ference. not just colors alone. Color
recognition is essential, but often not as
much as the beginner might think.
Usually there is one mark, or habit,
which sets the bird of 50 that even the
tyro can put his finger on its name. and
be quite sure that he has hit it.
The best way, Of course, Is to ask some
one who knows. Such mines of in
formation, however, are not always
handy, and even If they were 1t is
satisfaction to do the job all by ones
self.
And 1t is possible, too. even. by those
least trained in ornithology, If they will
get some good book, and peruse it enough
to become familiar with 1t as they 20
alonO We "a MT mean unArnorizo
but simply look At it from time to time,
so that the reader Is familiar with it,
and does not find 1t strange when he
needs It,
The above list of birds, while it may
not seem very pretentious, yet represents
many happy hours of bird watching
With the exception Of the cardinal and
the English sparrow, and the ruby
throated hummingbird, the observer
scarcely knew one of the list five years
ago. They represent for him pure dis
covery. The happy thing is that similar
discoveries may be made by anybody.
The list will vary, from place to place, but
even in the crowded city many of these
birds come and love to finger, and may
be observed there as well as in less
crowded areas.
Inc important Lnlng Is 10 see. ana
to know what you see. for here is a
wide universe spread before every one,
but some are not interested, some think
they are not but are, really, others lack
the spark which would set them OF on
happy journeys into birdland
The study of bird songs is allied with
Identification Of species, but is a vastly
more difficult subject, although an i'm
mensely interesting one. Since it is a
part of bird Identification, however, it
always will be carried along simultane-
ously, but we wish to add that it is not
at all necessary to recognize the song to
know the bird. While the music of the
birds is definite part of the picture, it
is not easily mastered by all. to whom it
may become pure worry, if they think it
| absolutely essential in identification
| work.
The difficulties of placing bird scss<s
on paper are legion, but it is not so hard
| to portray the actual bird, in its various
plumages. Sometimes the song is heard
long before the bird is seen, hence a
positive Identification of the song may
identify the bird later, without doubt,
provided the observer sees and hears
him at one and the same moment, which
] he Will not always do, by any means.