Alice Hall Walter

“ Anyone caring to make use of these hints may be assured that during the migrations of the birds city dwellers have one of the keenest delights of country life brought to their very doors, because many birds, migrating largely at night, are attracted by the lights of the city and stop off in their long journey to feed, so that a city park often contains a greater variety of feathered visitors than an equal area in the country. ”

“ Black; rump and tail, ashy gray; head, throat and upper part of neck, greenish black; wing, largely white, edged with black and crossed by a black bar; white below, extending around the neck in a narrow collar; long red bill tipped with black; eye, red; shows salmon tinge below in flight. Female: Ashy-gray, with sharply defined brown head and neck and a pale salmon or brownish tinge across upper breast; throat, white; wings largely dark with a white patch; small crest on back of neck; feet orange; eye yellow; rare; “pursues and catches food under water.” ”

“ The Loon and Grebes are common representatives of the order of Diving Birds. Their legs are set far back on the body, making it difficult for them to walk at all.
Grebes look like small, tailless ducks. They have long, slender necks, short wings, smooth glossy plumage and flat, lobed feet. They rarely leave the water and can dive or sink out of sight instantly when disturbed, swimming to a distance with only the tip of the bill out of water. ”

“ The safest way, however, is to make careful notes about a stranger on the spot. Memory is never more treacherous than in the case of the description of a doubtful bird when one appeals to some book of reference, a museum collection or the judgment of others. It is not advisable to attempt extensive “field-notes” at first but it is essential to keep a daily, dated list of all identified birds. ”

“ Head, including throat, brown, darkest on top; long, swan-like neck, black above, finely waved white and dusky on back and sides; long middle tail feathers, black; white below with a conspicuous curved white stripe running up sides of neck to head and ending in a point; bronzy patch on wings. Female: Tail much shorter but pointed; dusky, everywhere streaked; no white stripe on neck; whitish wing-bars; smaller than male. ”

“ Winter Plumage: Back, long tail-feathers and breast with conspicuous patch on sides of neck, black; throat and upper breast, top of head, neck and belly, white; cheeks grayish-brown; wings black and gray; bill crossed by yellowish band. Female: Dark brown, lighter on head, grayish on tail; throat, breast and region about the eye, gray-white; below white, brown on lower part of throat; no long tail-feathers; smaller than male. Summer Plumage: Head and neck, dusky black; grayish-white on sides of head, and female shows more brown. ”

“ The plover family have stout, short bills, while the sandpipers and woodcock belong to a family which have soft probing bills of greatly varying length, for obtaining their food in soft mud.
Sandpipers have pointed wings, are dull-colored, and are usually found slipping gracefully along the water’s edge in search of food. They skim rapidly over the water on outspread wings, and their clear, reed-like notes are distinctly musical.
Plovers are small and plump, with long pointed wings, short necks and rather flat heads. They run and fly very rapidly, generally in flocks piping loudly but sweetly. ”

“ We wish to remind those of our friends who have asked for pictures in a future edition that this book actually is copiously illustrated by hundreds of living birds every springtime in our parks and around our homes, illustrations that are all life size, absolutely accurate in detail and colored true to nature. ”

“ Female birds can usually be identified after the adult males have been seen, although the females and young of many species are obscurely marked or quite different from the adult males, a fact especially true of the warblers. Immature birds are not considered in the present scheme of study since they are a source of confusion to the beginner and occur in any considerable number only during the fall migration. ”

“ Male, rich chestnut-brown with black head, wings and tail, narrow white wing-bar; female olivaceous above and greenish-yellow below with two white wing-bars; young male like female but with black throat ”

“ Not being sure of the size, it may be necessary to try all the birds between “6 and 10 inches,” as well as those “less than 6 inches.” Before going to so much trouble, however, pass on to “Under Parts” and see whether an easier approach can be made there. The sub-heading “Spot or patch on throat, sides, breast or sides of neck” looks comprehensive enough to apply, while in this case it contains fewer examples. Comparing the numbers there given with those under the first heading selected, it is found that only 10 and 23 appear in both places. ”

“ The River Ducks, which have broad, rounded bills, are much variegated in color and markings, and have a peculiar habit of feeding head downwards, as though standing on their heads with the body tipped up. ”

“ Rails as a rule are smaller than bitterns and frequent grassy marshes where they steal stealthily about, effectively concealed by their dull streaky plumage. Short turned-up tails, short wings and long legs are noticeable characteristics of these rapid runners.
Coots are ducklike in appearance and smoothly plumaged. Lobed feet enable them to swim easily. Their bills spread out at the base in the form of a plate or shield which extends up on to the forehead.
Plover, Sandpipers and the Woodcock are strikingly different representatives of the great order of Shore Birds. ”

“ A pair of field or opera-glasses is an invaluable aid, although practice is necessary in learning to adjust them rapidly and to fix them instantly upon the bird. Do not feel obliged to use the glasses when you are near enough to see well without them. ”

“ A blank chart for this purpose is inserted in the back part of the book.
Never chase birds. Have patience, stand still a great deal and use your common sense all the time.
Do not make yourself believe that you see a certain bird [10] because it has been reported by others. Do your own looking and listening and do it well.
If you cannot go birding alone take along as few friends as possible because birds are suspicious of human beings in flocks, especially when they talk much. ”

“ There are only a few birds therefore, which it might be and close observation together with the aid of a few leading hints, will usually settle the question. In any case watch the bird for it is better to look at the bird than at a printed description of it. ”

“ Terns are much slenderer and usually smaller than gulls, have very pointed bills and wings, and forked tails. They rarely if ever swim, but skim swallow-like over the water, bill downward, plunging into the water for their prey. ”

“ Geese are larger than ducks, feed mostly on land and are usually seen during migration flying at a height in regular ranks after a leader.
Herons and Bitterns belong among the Wading Birds. They have long, pointed bills, long legs, loose, baggy plumage, broad wings and long necks, curved s shaped in flight.
Herons are tall, crested birds, with very long legs, bills and necks and small tails. Their notes are harsh and squawking. Large numbers sometimes nest together.
Bitterns have shorter legs, necks and bills than herons and are very rarely crested. ”

“ It will readily be seen that a key embracing so little cannot do more than reduce wild guessing to a few reasonable chances in identifying a strange bird. Some practice is of course necessary to enable the student to use the key readily. ”

“ Loons are very large, with flat, heavy bodies, short tails and long, tapering bills. They are never crested, but are conspicuously marked, and are equally expert with the grebes in diving and sinking. ”

“ Gulls are plumper than terns, with heavier bills and tails usually even. They do not dive or plunge suddenly into the water, but fly and soar or float about on the surface, sitting well up out of the water. ”

“ Red-headed Woodpecker. Hairy Woodpecker.
[32] Table of Occurrence.
In this table the birds are arranged according to the order of their comparative frequency or rarity, based upon personal observations in Lincoln Park. The abundance of the birds—that is, the number of individual birds of different species—is in no wise shown, but simply the relative representation of each species. For instance, out of a total of 454 mornings, covering observations during six years, the Robin was seen on 383 different mornings. ”

“ Cap—Entire top of head defined by an oval patch of distinct and contrasting color. Crest—A tuft of feathers carried erect on top or back of head. Crown-patch—Smaller and less sharply defined than cap. Hood—Whole head and neck all around of same color. Mask—Forehead, together with broad stripe through eye, of same color. Mottled—Colors and markings blended in no distinct patterns. Patch—An oddly-shaped and conspicuous mark, never round. Rump—The extreme lower portion of the back next the tail (easily seen in flight) . ”

“ Dark greenish-olive; light underneath; ring about eye and wing-bars white; male shows at will a brilliant ruby crown-patch; remarkable song. Golden-crowned Kinglet. Warblers.
29. HAIRY WOODPECKER. 9 in. (Dryobates villosus. 393.)
White band down the middle of black back; wings black spotted with white; beneath white; outer tail-feathers white not barred; red band on neck of male; large bill; note, sharp resonant “plick.” Downy Woodpecker. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. ”

“ Highly variegated; long, smooth, glossy crest, showing green and purple iridescence and marked by two very narrow white parallel lines, curving from bill and behind eye almost to end of crest; throat white, extending irregularly in two stripes, one up behind eye, the other nearly around neck; breast, glossy brown, spotted with white and set off on either side by a conspicuous white stripe bordered with black; wings highly iridescent, marked by green patch bordered with white. Female: Much duller and less conspicuously marked ”

“ Blue-gray; crown and patch on wing, golden yellow; throat, and stripe through eye, black; white below; song, drawling “zee, zee, zee, zee.” Parula Warbler.
94. INDIGO BUNTING. 5-3/4. in. (Cyanospiza cyanea. 598.)
Indigo blue; wings and tail blackish; female brown; in flocks; often feeds in the grass; noteworthy song. Bluebird.
95. PROTHONOTARY WARBLER. 5-1/4 in. (Prothonotaria citrea. 637.)
Entire head, neck and breast, bright orange yellow; blue-gray wings, rump and tail; female duller; prefers shrubbery near water. Blackburnian Warbler. Yellow Warbler. ”

“ Ashy-gray; rump, tail and wings, brown, streaked with black; crown conspicuously striped with black and white; no yellow; two white wing-bars; in flocks, often with White-throated Sparrows; scratches with both feet; notice the song. White-throated Sparrow.
49. PALM WARBLER. 5 in. (Dendroica palmarum. 672.)
Streaky olive-gray; chestnut cap; yellow line over eye; beneath yellowish (brightest on throat and under tail) streaked with brown; feeds on ground in flocks; constantly tilts its tail up and down. Water-Thrushes. ”

“ Uniform olive; below white, very palely suffused with buff; cheeks gray tinged; breast and sides of throat, spotted; usually silent in Lincoln Park. Olive-backed and other Thrushes.
111. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. 10-1/4 in. (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. 497.)
Black; head, throat and breast, yellow; white wing patch; female dark brown, yellow markings duller, no wing patch; female smaller than male. ”

“ Red-eyed Vireo. Least Flycatcher.
86. BLUE-HEADED VIREO. 5-1/2 in. (Vireo solitarius. 629.)
Olive-green; ashy-blue head; pure white below, sides yellowish; line around the eye and to the bill, white; two white wing-bars; song, noteworthy. Yellow-throated Vireo. ”

“ Olive; white below, buff-tinged posteriorly and streaked, but not thickly, with dusky; throat and middle of belly, unmarked; white line over eye; loud, ringing song. Grinnell Water-Thrush. Ovenbird. Palm Warbler.
63. LEAST FLYCATCHER. 5-1/4 in. (Empidonax minimus. 467.)
Olive-gray; wings, tail and head, darker; two narrow wing-bars; decidedly grayish below, whiter on throat; jerks its tail and utters a sharp, energetic call, “che-bec ́.” Wood Pewee. ”

“ Streaked; ashy on head and neck; white chin; black throat patch; yellow breast; white belly; line over eye, yellow; wings show chestnut brown; female has less yellow and no throat patch. Yellow-breasted Chat. Meadowlark.
113. CONNECTICUT WARBLER. 5-1/2 in. (Geothlypis agilis. 678.)
Olive-green; head ashy with throat darker; white ring around eye; belly yellow; wings long and pointed; low bushes and swampy places; penetrating call-note. Mourning Warbler.
114. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. 9-1/2 in. (Centurus carolinus. 409.)
Black and white, back, wings and tail barred transversely and very evenly ”

“ Dark slate color; black head; yellow bill; throat white streaked with black; underparts bright chestnut red; sings “cheer-i-ly, cheer-i-ly, cheer-up;” nests in Lincoln Park. Towhee.
[12] 4. JUNCO. 6-1/4 in. (Junco hiemalis. 567.)
Slate color; blackish bib (female brownish) over a white belly; ivory bill, two white tail-feathers; feeds in flocks on ground, often in company with other birds; “sucks its teeth” for a call-note; song, a melodious trill.
5. MEADOWLARK. 10-1/2 in. (Sturnella magna. 501.)
Streaked; black crescent on a bright yellow breast; outer tail-feathers white ”