bird neighbors-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　base　of　bill；　passes　through　the　eye　to　the　nape　　　of　the　neck。　Throat　whitish。　Under　parts　light　buff…brown　Wings　　　and　tail　finely　barred　with　dark。　Range　　United　States；　from　Gulf　to　northern　Illinois　and　　　Southern　New　England。　Migrations　　A　common　resident　except　at　northern　boundary　of　　　range；　where　it　is　a　summer　visitor。

This　largest　of　the　wrens　appears　to　be　the　embodiment　of　the　entire　family　characteristics：　it　is　exceedingly　active；　nervous；　and　easily　excited；　quick…tempered；　full　of　curiosity；　peeping　into　every　hole　and　corner　it　passes；　short　of　flight　as　it　is　of　wing；　inseparable　from　its　mate　till　parted　by　death；　and　a　gushing　lyrical　songster　that　only　death　itself　can　silence。　It　also　has　the　wren…like　preference　for　a　nest　that　is　roofed　over；　but　not　too　near　the　homes　of　men。

Undergrowths　near　water；　brush　heaps；　rocky　bits　of　woodland；　are　favorite　resorts。　The　Carolina　wren　decidedly　objects　to　being　stared　at；　and　likes　to　dart　out　of　sight　in　the　midst　of　the　underbrush　in　a　twinkling　while　the　opera…glasses　are　being　focussed。　　To　let　off　some　of　his　superfluous　vivacity；　Nature　has　provided　him　with　two　safety…valves：　one　is　his　voice；　another　is　his　tail。　With　the　latter　he　gesticulates　in　a　manner　so　expressive　that　it　seems　to　be　a　certain　index　to　what　is　passing　in　his　busy　little　brain　　drooping　it；　after　the　habit　of　the　catbird；　when　he　becomes　limp　with　the　emotion　of　his　love…song；　or　holding　it　erect　as；　alert　and　inquisitive；　he　peers　at　the　impudent　intruder　in　the　thicket　below　his　perch。

But　it　is　his　joyous；　melodious；　bubbling　song　that　is　his　chief　fascination。　He　has　so　great　a　variety　of　strains　that　many　people　have　thought　that　he　learned　them　from　other　birds；　and　so　have　called　him　what　many　ornithologists　declare　that　he　is　not　　　a　mocking　wren。　And　he　is　one　of　the　few　birds　that　sing　at　night　　not　in　his　sleep　or　only　by　moonlight；　but　even　in　the　total　darkness；　just　before　dawn；　he　gives　us　the　same　wide…awake　song　that　entrances　us　by　day。


WINTER　WREN　（Troglodytes　biemalis）　Wren　family

Length　　4　to　4。5　inches。　About　one…third　smaller　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Apparently　only　half　the　size。　Male　and　Female　　Cinnamon…brown　above；　with　numerous　short；　　　dusky　bars。　Head　and　neck　without　markings。　Underneath　rusty；　　　dimly　and　finely　barred　with　dark　brown。　Tail　short。　Range　　United　States；　east　and　west；　and　from　North　Carolina　to　　　the　Fur　Countries　Migrations　　October；　April。　Summer　resident。　Commonly　a　winter　　　resident　in　the　South　and　Middle　States　only。

It　all　too　rarely　happens　that　we　see　this　tiny　mouse…like　wren　in　summer；　unless　we　come　upon　him　suddenly　and　overtake　him　unawares　as　he　creeps　shyly　over　the　mossy　logs　or　runs　literally　〃like　a　flash〃　under　the　fern　and　through　the　tangled　underbrush　of　the　deep；　cool　woods。　His　presence　there　is　far　more　likely　to　be　detected　by　the　ear　than　the　eye。

Throughout　the　nesting　season　music　fairly　pours　from　his　tiny　throat；　it　bubbles　up　like　champagne；　it　gushes　forth　in　a　lyrical　torrent　and　overflows　into　every　nook　of　the　forest；　that　seems　entirely　pervaded　by　his　song。　While　music　is　everywhere；　it　apparently　comes　from　no　particular　point；　and；　search　as　you　may；　the　tiny　singer　still　eludes；　exasperates；　and　yet　entrances。

If　by　accident　you　discover　him　balancing　on　a　swaying　twig；　never　far　from　the　ground；　with　his　comical　little　tail　erect；　or　more　likely　pointing　towards　his　head；　what　a　pert；　saucy　minstrel　he　is！　You　are　lost　in　amazement　that　so　much　music　could　come　from　a　throat　so　tiny。

Comparatively　few　of　his　admirers；　however；　hear　the　exquisite　notes　of　this　little　brown　wood…sprite；　for　after　the　nesting　season　is　over　he　finds　little　to　call　them　forth　during　the　bleak；　snowy　winter　months；　when　in　the　Middle　and　Southern　States　he　may　properly　be　called　a　neighbor。　Sharp　hunger；　rather　than　natural　boldness；　drives　him　near　the　homes　of　men；　where　he　appears　just　as　the　house　wren　departs　for　the　South。　With　a　forced　confidence　in　man　that　is　almost　pathetic　in　a　bird　that　loves　the　forest　as　he　does；　he　picks　up　whatever　lies　about　the　house　or　barn　in　the　shape　of　food…crumbs　from　the　kitchen　door；　a　morsel　from　the　dog's　plate；　a　little　seed　in　the　barn…yard；　happily　rewarded　if　he　can　find　a　spider　lurking　in　some　sheltered　place　to　give　a　flavor　to　the　unrelished　grain。　Now　he　becomes　almost　tame；　but　we　feel　it　is　only　because　he　must　be。

The　spot　that　decided　preference　leads　him　to；　either　winter　or　summer；　is　beside　a　bubbling　spring。　In　the　moss　that　grows　near　it　the　nest　is　placed　in　early　summer；　nearly　always　roofed　over　and　entered　from　the　side；　in　true　wren…fashion；　and　as　the　young　fledglings　emerge　from　the　creamy…white　eggs；　almost　the　first　lesson　they　receive　from　their　devoted　little　parents　is　in　the　fine　art　of　bathing。　Even　in　winter　weather；　when　the　wren　has　to　stand　on　a　rim　of　ice；　he　will　duck　and　splash　his　diminutive　body。　It　is　recorded　of　a　certain　little　individual　that　he　was　wont　to　dive　through　the　icy　water　on　a　December　day。　Evidently　the　wrens；　as　a　family；　are　not　far　removed　in　the　evolutionary　scale　from　true　water…birds。


LONG…BILLED　MARSH　WREN　（Cistothorus　palustris）　Wren　family

＇Called　also：　MARSH　WREN；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　4。5　to　5。2　inches。　Actually　a　little　smaller　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Apparently　half　the　size。　Male　and　Female　　Brown　above；　with　white　line　over　the　eye；　and　　　the　back　irregularly　and　faintly　streaked　with　white。　Wings　and　　　tail　barred　with　darker　cinnamon…brown。　Underneath　white。　Sides　　　dusky。　Tail　long　and　often　carried　erect。　Bill　extra　long　and　　　slender。　Range　　United　States　and　southern　British　America。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Summer　resident。

Sometimes　when　you　are　gathering　cat…tails　in　the　river　marshes　an　alert；　nervous　little　brown　bird　rises　startled　from　the　rushes　and　tries　to　elude　you　as　with　short；　jerky　flight　it　goes　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　marsh；　where　even　the　rubber　boot　may　not　follow。　It　closely　resembles　two　other　birds　found　in　such　a　place；　the　swamp　sparrow　and　the　short…billed　marsh　wren；　but　you　may　know　by　its　long；　slender　bill　that　it　is　not　the　latter；　and　by　the　absence　of　a　bright　bay　crown　that　it　is　not　the　shyest　of　the　sparrows。　

These　marsh　wrens　appear　to　be　especially　partial　to　running　water；　their　homes　are　not　very　far　from　brooks　and　rivers；　preferably　those　that　are　affected　in　their　rise　and　flow　by　the　tides。　They　build　in　colonies；　and　might　be　called　inveterate　singers；　for　no　single　bird　is　often　permitted　to　finish　his　bubbling　song　without　half　the　colony　joining　in　a　chorus。

Still　another　characteristic　of　this　particularly　interesting　bird　is　its　unique　architectural　effects　produced　with　coarse　grasses　woven　into　globular　form　and　suspended　in　the　reeds。　Sometimes　adapting　its　nest　to　the　building　material　at　hand；　it　weaves　it　of　grasses　and　twigs；　and　suspends　it　from　the　limb　of　a　bush　or　tree　overhanging　the　water；　where　it　swings　like　an　oriole's。　The　entrance　to　the　nest　is　invariably　on　the　side。

More　devoted　homebodies　than　these　little　wrens　are　not　among　the　feathered　tribe。　Once　let　the　hand　of　man　desecrate　their　nest；　even　before　the　tiny　speckled　eggs　are　deposited　in　it；　and　off　go　the　birds　to　a　more　inaccessible　place；　where　they　can　enjoy　their　home　unmolested。　Thus　three　or　four　nests　may　be　made　in　a　summer。


SHORT…BILLED　MARSH　WREN　（Cistothorus　stellaris）　Wren　family

＇Called　also：　SEDGE　WREN；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　4　to　5　inches。　Actually　about　one…third　smaller　than　　　the　English　sparrow；　but　apparently　only　half　its　size。　Male　and　Female　　Brown　above；　faintly　streaked　with　white；　　　black；　and　buff。　Wings　and　tail　barred　with　same。　Underneath　　　white；　with　buff　and　rusty　tinges　on　throat　and　breast。　Short　　　bill。　Range　　North　America；　from　Manitoba　southward　in　winter　to　Gulf　　　of　Mexico。　Most　common　in　north　temperate　latitudes。　Migrations　　Early　May。　Late　September。

Where　red…winged　blackbirds　like　to　congregate　in　oozy　pastures　or　near　boggy　woods；　the　little　short…billed　wren　may　more　often　be　heard　than　seen；　for　he　is　more　shy；　if　possible；　than　his　long…billed　cousi