Evening star., 1945-10-29
This and That
BIZ Charles E. fraceweu

One fortunate thing for the bird lover
Is the presence here In winter of the
towhee. .. .----.-..-
Commonly called the chewink, and
sometimes the ground robin, this fea-
thered beauty will come to feeding sta
tions, even those close to the house
Indeed, one of the best reasons for
putting a feeder by window is to be
able to see the towhee at close range
He is eight inches long, with black
over the head and throat, and reddish
brown and white underneath. The
white also appears on the wings and
tail. The eye is red.
This combination is more beautiful
actually than it sounds. No one, seeing
the bird for the first time, can mistaken
1t for any other.
The female lacks the black, these
portions being replaced by dull brown.
She is, as is usual with female birds,
in no way as flashy as the male.
X *x
The towhee Is great scratcher.
1t makes a great commotion among
leaves, using its feet alternately.
The towhee will even scratch in this
fashion in feeding station, sending
mixed seeds and grains flying In all
directions.
Nothing will be wasted, however, for
he will drop down to the ground from
time to time, and there clean UP what
has been kicked out.
He is none too patient with other feed
ing birds, but may drive them away
at first. If he stays around all winter,
as he we'll may do, he seems to get used
to others, and feeds with them amicably
enough.
This is bird that grows upon one.
While the same may be said of most
species, it has a peculiar force with the
towhee, since most often the observer
will not realize just how beautiful he
is at first.
Perhaps this is the same with many
persons. At first glance they make no
particular impression. but as days go by
their peculiar qualities begin to make a
great appeal, so that later one is unable
to understand how these qualities were
not grasped Immediately.
X X x X
The towhee has no bright color. as
the cardinal, and he is no forceful per-
sonality, as is the jaybird; he is not
restless, like the wren, or forever under
| foot, like the robin.
He fails to win instant attention with
| the wood thrush.
AS the days go by, however he is seer
by even the most careless observer to
be one of the real wonders of the bird
| world.
| His red at times becomes sort OF
| gold, and the contrast between his black
and white feathers impress as few winter
| birds can.
There will seldom be more than one
male towhee in a yard during the
| winter.
| The female will be lacking entirely
probably in the South, or she will be
overlooked. Usually she does not care
! to come to feeder, but will rustic
through leaves for her meals.
| The towhee undoubtedly does a great
] service in the yard in the cold. HI
cleans up on insect eggs, and takes the
i wintering forms as he finds them, anc
| the home owner may be assured that HI
| finds them.
/ One reason there are nc more towhee.
around in the cold is the fact that the
cowbird likes to put her eggs in the
/ towhee nests. AS many as six cowbirc
/ eggs have been discovered in a single
nest. 1t is nothing unusual to find two
or three cowbird eggs in one towhet
nest. Since rightful towhee baby i.
lost for every cowbird brought up II
this fashion,. it may be realized thai
here is real loss. economically, sincs
towhees eat far more insects inimica
to man than do the cowbirds. Will
every towhee the loss In beauty ane
interest y incomparably greater.