Evening star., 1944-11-08
This and That
Bu Charles Z. TrdceUel.

CHEVY CHASE, Md.
Dear Sir:
THE other day I saw plump bird
somewhat larger than an English SPAR
row, with redder brown back and a
gray stomach. 1t had broad brown and
white stripes on its head.
1T was in a lilac bush about 10 feet
from the window. 1t has what struck
me as a pathetic sort of song, one rather
low note followed by three or four
higher notes all very quavery.
Il know it is some sort of sparrow,
but do not know the kind, as I have
never seen one like it before. Can you
tell me what it is, and whether it is
common around here?
Very truly yours, E. r. c."
The bird is the white -throated SPAR
row. The throat color Is not particularly
conspicuous unless you get close to it.
1t is a common winter resident and
abundant migrant, usually being seen
in migration from the middle Of April
to the second week in May.
Those which stay all winter come in
early October, usually, and remain until
June.
The white-throated sparrow Is about
7A inches long. It's upper parts are
brown, streaked with black; the under
parts, white and gray. The crown is
black, divided centrally by a narrow
stripe Of white, with yellow and black
stripes, the white being yellow toward
the eyes.
This is the famous Peabody bird of
the New England States. Other popular
names are cherrybird, Canada bird,
Canada sparrow and Peverly bird. Both
Peabody and Peverly refer to supposed
names. Some imaginative person felt
that the bird song went "Old Sam Pea
body, Peabody, Peabody" Some other
person with more imagination than
scientific training thought the bird
said, Sow wheat, Peverly, Poverty, Pew
erly." The only thing such fanciful
names show is that there are two slow
opening notes, and then succession
of triplets, sometimes on the same note,
sometimes bit lower in the scale
The nest is on the ground, but is
very difficult to find.
Ornithologists have spent many hours
trying to find nest Of hite-throated
sparrow. only to give up in despair.
This fine bird comes to feeding sta
tions, and is one of the best reasons
for setting up such a place. 1t chums
around with other sparrows, and with
the juncos in particular.
Already some snowbirds have been
seen in this section, especially in nearby
Virginia and Maryland.
When the weather becomes very cold,
the white -throated sparrow puts up its
feathers until it becomes practically a
ball, and In this state 1t becomes very
appealing. All birds fluff up their feath-
ers In the cold, but few of them can
achieve quite the degree Of roundness
which the white-throat does.
Ragweed and bindweed are favorites
Of this species, but it will eat almost
any weed seed, and hence is among
the most valuable birds we have In this
respect.
Inimical insects, too, form part of its
daily food.
The song sparrow Is another winter
ing bird here. This is one of the finest
of all birds, one to which some observ-
ers have devoted their lives.
It is smaller than the white throat,
and much more streamlined, with black
stripes all over 1t. It Is one of our
greatest singers, more than 1000 varia-
tions having been checked by the musi-
cally inclined.
Forms of the song are often heard
In the winter. This.is one of our most
sociable birds, one which will often
permit the observer TO come within q
few feet Of It,. t4
A. rather rare sparrow here is the
white-crowned, with much white on the
head. In migration it may be seen until
the last week In November.
It EngliSh sparrows were no more
plentiful than the song sparrow, the
white-throated sparrow, and the white
crowned sparrow, no doubt they would
be regarded with as great favor. Ger
tatnly there Is no more beautiful bird
than the female English sparrow.