Part 19

Note.—A musical chirp; song, strong, sweet, and musical and ending in a low warble.

Nest.—Usually on the ground, but sometimes at low elevations in bushes. Eggs pale greenish blue with brown specks over the whole surface, thus being very different from those of the Chipping Sparrow (.80 × .60).

Range.—N. A. east of the Plains, breeding in Labrador and about Hudson Bay; winters in northern half of the U. S. A sub-species, 559a. Western Tree Sparrow (ochracea) is paler; it is found from the Plains to the Pacific, breeding in the north.

CHIPPING SPARROW 560. Spizella passerina. 5¼ inches

Crown chestnut; forehead black; line through the eye black.

One of the commonest and most useful of our Sparrows, frequenting orchards, yards, and bushy pastures. They are not at all timid and frequently nest in vines, covering porches or the side of the house, provided that English Sparrows are not too plenty. They eat great quantities of insects and worms, and some seeds, feeding their young wholly upon the former.

Song.—A very rapidly chanted chip, chip, chip, chip, continued for several seconds; call, a sharp chip.

Nest.—A small cup-shaped structure of rootlets, lined with horsehair; placed in bushes, trees, or vines; eggs three to five, bluish green, specked, chiefly around the large end, with blackish brown (.65 × .50).

Range.—N. A. east of the Plains, breeding from the Gulf of Mexico north to Newfoundland and Hudson Bay; winters in the Gulf States. A sub-species is found west of the Rockies.

CLAY-COLORED SPARROW 561. Spizella pallida. 5½ inches

No reddish brown in the plumage; crown largely black, with a whitish stripe in centre. The habits of these birds are the same as those of the Chippy; they are abundant on the Plains north to Saskatchewan and breed south to the northern portion of the United States. They spend the winter in Mexico. Their nests and eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the preceding except, perhaps, by the fact that the nest has more grass than hair.

BREWER SPARROW 562. Spizella breweri. 5½ inches

Like the last species, the general tone of plumage of this is gray. It differs, though, in having the crown finely streaked with blackish. It is a more western species than the last and is rarely found east of the Rockies. It ranges from British Columbia southward into Mexico.

FIELD SPARROW 563. Spizella pusilla. 5½ inches

Bill pinkish brown; crown and ear covert brown with no black markings; back reddish brown and breast and sides washed with brown.

You will find these birds in dry pastures, stubble fields, and side hills. The hotter and dryer a place is, the better they seem to like it. They are often the only birds that will be found nesting on tracts of land recently burned over, upon which the sun beats down with stifling heat.

Song.—A series of shrill piping whistles on an ascending scale and terminating in a little trill, “swee-see-see-se-e-e.”

Nest.—A frail structure of grasses and weeds, lined with finer grasses; placed either on the ground or in bushes, briars or weed patches; four or five whitish eggs marked with reddish brown (.68 × .50).

Range.—Breeds from the Gulf States north to southern Canada; winters in southern United States.

Sub-Species.—563a. Western Field Sparrow (arenacea), a paler race found on the Great Plains.

WHITE-WINGED JUNCO 566. Junco aikeni. 6½ inches

Slightly larger than the common eastern Junco, and with two white bars on the wing and more white on the tail.

This species cannot be regarded as common anywhere, even locally, and in most sections of its range it is rare. There are no peculiarities in its habits, and I believe that its nests and eggs have not, as yet, been discovered.

Range.—Breeds in Wyoming and the Dakotas and winters in Colorado and eastward to Kansas.

SLATE-COLORED JUNCO 567. Junco hyemalis. 6¼ inches

These are one of our most common winter birds, easily recognized, while perching or on the ground, by the white or pinkish bill, and when flying by the white outer tail feathers and the gray and white plumage. They are very common about houses as well as on the edges of woods and in pine groves, being very tame and coming into the dooryard to feed upon crumbs or chaff which is often thrown out for them.

Song.—A sweet simple trill, which has a beautiful effect when given by a whole flock in unison.

Nest.—Of grasses, on the ground, usually beside a stone, in a bunch of weeds or under a small shrub, where it is well concealed. The three or four eggs are whitish, sprinkled with reddish brown (.75 × .55).