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bird neighbors-第22章

小说: bird neighbors 字数: 每页4000字

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 than it can the tanager's or oriole's。

With no attempt at concealment; which he doubtless understands would be quite impossible; he chooses some high; conspicuous perch to which he mounts by easy stages; singing as he goes; and there begins a loud and rapid strain that promises much; but growing weaker and weaker; ends as if the bird were either out of breath or too; weak to finish。 Then suddenly he begins the same song over again; and keeps up this continuous performance for nearly half an hour。 The noonday heat of an August day that silences nearly every other voice; seems to give to the indigo bird's only fresh animation and timbre。


THE BELTED KINGFISHER (Ceryle alcyon) Kingfisher family

Called also: THE HALCYON

Length  12 to 13 inches。 About one…fourth as large again as the   robin。 Male  Upper part grayish blue; with prominent crest on head   reaching to the nape。 A white spot in front of the eye。 Bill   longer than the head; which is large and heavy。 Wings and the   short tail minutely speckled and marked with broken bands of   white。 Chin; band around throat; and underneath white。 Two   bluish bands across the breast and a bluish wash on sides。 Female  Female and immature specimens have rufous bands where   The adult male's are blue。 Plumage of both birds oily。 Range  North America; except where the Texan kingfisher   replaces it in a limited area in the Southwest。 Common from   Labrador to Florida; east and west。 Winters chiefly from   Virginia southward to South America。 Migrations  March。 December。 Common summer resident。 Usually a   winter resident also。

If the kingfisher is not so neighborly as we could wish; or as he used to be; it is not because he has grown less friendly; but because the streams near our homes are fished out。 Fish he must and will have; and to get them nowadays it is too often necessary to follow the stream back through secluded woods to the quiet waters of its source: a clear; cool pond or lake whose scaly inmates have not yet learned wisdom at the point of the sportsman's fly。

In such quiet haunts the kingfisher is easily the most conspicuous object in sight; where he perches on some dead or projecting branch over the water; intently watching for a dinner that is all unsuspectingly swimming below。 Suddenly the bird drops  dives; there is a splash; a struggle; and then the 〃lone fisherman〃 returns triumphant to his perch; holding a shining fish in his beak。 If the fish is small it is swallowed at once; but if it is large and bony it must first be killed against the branch。 A few sharp knocks; and the struggles of the fish are over; but the kingfisher's have only begun。 How he gags and writhes; swallows his dinner; and then; regretting his haste; brings it up again to try another wider avenue down his throat I The many abortive efforts he makes to land his dinner safely below in his stomach; his grim contortions as the fishbones scratch his throat…lining on their way down and up again; force a smile in spite of the bird's evident distress。 It is small wonder he supplements his fish diet with various kinds of the larger insects; shrimps; and fresh…water mollusks。

Flying well over the tree…tops or along the waterways。 the kingfisher makes the woodland echo with his noisy rattle; that breaks the stillness like a watchman's at midnight。 It is; perhaps; the most familiar sound heard along the banks of the inland rivers。 No love or cradle song does he know。 Instead of softening and growing sweet; as the voices of most birds do in the nesting season; the endearments uttered by a pair of mated kingfishers are the most strident; rattly shrieks ever heard by lovers it sounds as if they were perpetually quarrelling; yet they are really particularly devoted。

The nest of these birds; like the bank swallow's; is excavated in the face of a high bank; preferably one that rises from a stream; and at about six feet from the entrance of the tunnel six or eight clear; shining white eggs are placed on a curious nest。 All the fish bones and scales that; being indigestible; are disgorged in pellets by the parents; are carefully carried to the end of the tunnel to form a prickly cradle for the unhappy fledglings。 Very rarely a nest is made in the hollow trunk of a tree; but wherever the home is; the kingfishers become strongly attached to it; returning again and again to the spot that has cost them so much labor to excavate。 Some observers have accused them of appropriating the holes of the water…rats。

In ancient times of myths and fables; kingfishers or halcyons were said to build a floating nest on the sea; and to possess some mysterious power that calmed the troubled waves while the eggs were hatching and the young birds were being reared; hence the term 〃halcyon days;〃 meaning days of fair weather。


BLUE JAY (Cyanocitta cristata) Crow and Jay family

Length  11 to 12 inches。 A little larger than the robin。

Male and Female  Blue above。 Black band around the neck;   joining some black feathers on the back。 Under parts dusky   white。 Wing coverts and tail bright blue; striped transversely   with black。 Tail much rounded。 Many feathers edged and tipped   with white。 Head finely crested; bill; tongue; and legs black。 Range  Eastern coast of North America to the plains; and from   northern Canada to Florida and eastern Texas。 Migrations  Permanent resident。 Although seen in flocks moving   southward or northward; they are merely seeking happier hunting   grounds; not migrating。

No bird of finer color or presence sojourns with us the year round than the blue jay。 In a peculiar sense his is a case o。 〃beauty covering a multitude of sins。〃 Among close students of bird traits; we find none so poor as to do him reverence。 Dishonest; cruel; inquisitive; murderous; voracious; villainous; are some of the epithets applied to this bird of exquisite plumage。 Emerson; however; has said in his defence he does 〃more good than harm;〃 alluding; no doubt; to his habit of burying nuts and hard seeds in the ground; so that many a waste place is clothed with trees and shrubs; thanks to his propensity and industry。

He is mischievous as a small boy; destructive as a monkey; deft at hiding as a squirrel。 He is unsociable and unamiable; disliking the society of other birds。 His harsh screams; shrieks; and most aggressive and unmusical calls seem often intended maliciously to drown the songs of the sweet…voiced singers。

From April to September; the breeding and moulting season; the blue jays are almost silent; only sallying forth from the woods to pillage and devour the young and eggs of their more peaceful neighbors。 In a bulky nest; usually placed in a tree…crotch high above our heads; from four to six eggs; olive…gray with brown spots; are laid and most carefully tended。

Notwithstanding the unlovely characteristics of the blue jay; we could ill spare the flash of color; like a bit of blue sky dropped from above; which is so rare a tint even in our land; that we number not more than three or four true blue birds; and in England; it is said; there is none。


BLUE GROSBEAK (Guiraca carulea) Finch family

Length  7 inches。 About an inch larger than the English   sparrow。 Male  Deep blue; dark; and almost black on the back; wings and   tail black; slightly edged with blue; and the former marked   with bright chestnut。 Cheeks and chin black。 Bill heavy and   bluish。 Female  Grayish brown above; sometimes with bluish tinge on   head; lower back; and shoulders。 Wings dark olive…brown; with   faint buff markings; tail same shade as wings; but witb bluish   gray markings。 Underneath brownish cream…color; the breast   feathers often blue at the base。 Range  United States; from southern New England westward to the   Rocky Mountains and southward into Mexico and beyon d。M ost   common in the Southwest。 Rare along the Atlantic seaboard。 Migrations  May。 September。 Summer resident。

This beautiful but rather shy and solitary bird occasionally wanders eastward to rival the bluebird and the indigo bunting in their rare and lovely coloring; and eclipse them both in song。 Audubon; we remember; found the nest in New Jersey。 Pennsylvania is still favored with one now and then; but it is in the Southwest only that 

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