Identifier: cu31924000070809 (find matches)
Title: Bird studies for home and school; sixty common birds, their habits and haunts
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: De Groat, Herman C
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Buffalo, N. Y., Herman C. De Groat
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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long. Much time is spent by him upon the groundsearching among the leaves for his food which consists ofworms and insects. Wintering in the states south of Virginia he reaches theNorth early in April and spreads over the country as far asManitoba and Quebec. He brings his mate along with him,which may prove that he keeps the same one year after year.Early in October he leaves with his family for his winter home. The devotion of the Brown Thrashers to their young isso great that they will attempt to defend them against allenemies. The male bird is usually on the watch for intrudersand none can get near the nest before a battle begins. Boldlythe birds attack snakes, cats and dogs and often make themhasten away. If people approach the nest, the excitement anddistress of the parent-birds is truly painful. The song is a sweet, rapid warble poured out with greatspirit and energy. The favorite perch for the bird while sing-ing is the topmost branch of a tree in the forest or the orchard, 114
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I. _ and the time selected by him to show his vocal powers is morn-ing and evening. His song resembles that of his near relation,the Thrush, but it has more force and variety. Young- Thrashers when caged are easily tamed. Theybecome strongly attached to those who feed them, and makeinteresting and amusing pets. BIRD NOTES 115 CATBIRD Top of head and tail black; back and wings ashy; underparts drab; chestnut patch under the tail; feet and bill black.Length, eight inches. Nest usually in a thicket or brush pile, bulky and care-lessly made of twigs, leaves, rootlets and grass. Eggs, threeto five, greenish-blue, .70 x .95 inches. This queer, familiar bird after spending the winter inFlorida, Mexico or Cuba, comes to the Northern States earlyin May and remains until the middle of October. It is commoneverywhere east of the Rockies. It is oftenest found in thethick brush about swamps, along river banks and in the shrub-bery of gardens, but rarely in the deep woods. This may be dueto its att

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