Evening star., 1947-06-21
This and That
By Charles E. TraceDell

L.
Dear Sir:
st am 10 years old and study birds.
around my house I have seen bird that
is gray with black cap and is pretty big.
IT think he is catbird but he has no orange
under his TAIL Could it be female catbird2
Sincerely, E. S."
X X \
1t is more likely to be young catbird Both
male and female birds have practically the
same coloring but the lady is likely to be a
bit paler.
This is one of the most marvellous of all
our native species.
Lacking the calm demeanor of the wood
thrush, the catbird nevertheless is not too
excitable except when driving other birds
away from his nest.
Then he can turn into veritable demon.
We have seem these beautiful birds chase away
robins and others; had hawk attacked, no
doubt they would have swooped right at him.
Few birds in the local home garden excite
as much interest as these. Here is a species
which cannot be accepted by some watchers
easily. Perhaps they take the word 'cat" in
the name too seriously. Maybe they do not
like the house cat and carry over some of
their dislike for the four-legged to the two
legged creature.
Actually, there is little resemblance between
the two except the cry. Nature for some queer
reason gave this bird a call which much re-
sembleS meow
This is the common explanation, that nature
gave it to the catbird, just as she made the
mockingbird mock, and the hummingbird hum,
and the thrssher thrash his tail around.
But some people think that perhaps the cat
bird selected his own cry, or call.
1t may be that in the long, long ago this odd
bird looked around and happened to spot
member of the cat family.
He watched, and listened, and tried imi-
tating the cat.
The result pleased him, so today his group
easily cries like cat. There could be. no
explanation of course, of why the mocking-
bird, superior mimic, did not adopt the same
cry.
The catbird is, then, creature to be reck-
oned with in the home yard. He is not as the
cowbird, a thing of now and then, but takes
up his residence and stays with us for several
months
This is good Any one even he who loves
them all, will find that long acquaintance
strengthens his affection. The catbird is like
some people, odd ones of this world, whose
worth is shown only to the careful. The
careless, the skeptieal, miss what they have
to offer.
1t is SO with the catbird He does not wear
his heart on his sleeve, as the old saying goes.
He must be observed over long period of
time, before his best qualities are revealed
Even his beauty grows on the observer. At
first he may strike one as vastly less in
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everyday robin, or the cheerful chickadee
His craning of his neck may make one
overlook his friendliness. His queer NEW,
may cause the observer to miss his great care
of his family.
When he spreads that royal tail like a fan,
he makes a pretty picture in the sunlight.
He is forever on the 60 for food, bringing
most of it back to the nest and his mate.
No one will ever really know the catbird
and have his friendship who does not feed him,
for this one, too, like all the rest of living,
breathing things, is won by display of
something good to eat
Make habit, Elaine, of throwing handful
of raisins into some grassy spot every day, at a
certain time, say o'clock in the afternoon,
or at 6 o'clock.
The catbirds will quickly discover them, and
come every day at the same time to look for
this favorite food.
They will become so tame that you may
stand by the place and watch them feed.
They are not likely to fly into the hand, but
1t is worth trying for. This is a real prince
of the everyday. magnificent bird whose
good qualities please us as much as If he were
nightingale.