To Dr. Fisher I am especially indebted for the right to incorporate into this book extracts from the bulletins of the Biological Survey, and to Mr. Forbush for permission to quote from his admirable book “Useful Birds and Their Protection.”
It has been my purpose to give, not only a portrait and a description of the birds I have chosen for this volume, but a summing up of the beneficial and injurious habits of each, gained from the highest authorities obtainable. The book is intended for beginners, or for those who long to know birds intimately and intelligently, and wish to belong to the great army of bird-students who are “doing their bit” to preserve the bird-life of our country.
CONTENTS
PAGE I PART ONE vii [1. Acknowledgments] [2. Foreword] II PART TWO 1 [1. Introduction—Winter Birds] [2. Lists of Permanent Residents and Winter Visitors] [3. Descriptions and Biographies of Winter Residents and Visitors] III PART THREE 89 [1. Introduction—Early Spring Birds] [2. Spring Migration Lists] [3. Descriptions and Biographies of Early Spring Birds] IV PART FOUR 167 [1. Introduction—Later Spring Birds] [2. Descriptions and Biographies of Later Spring Arrivals] [3. Afterword]
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE WINTER BIRDS [Blue Jay] 6 [Cardinal] 19 [Red Crossbill] 24 [Junco] 27 [Snowflake] 30 [*Tree Sparrow] 34 [Bob White] 39 [Cedar Waxwing] 47 [Tufted Titmouse] 51 [*Chickadee] 53 [Downy Woodpecker and Hairy Woodpecker] 65 [White-Breasted Nuthatch] 73 [Brown Creeper] 78 EARLY SPRING BIRDS [Robin] 96 [Bluebird] 102 [Song Sparrow] 107 [Phœbe] 111 [Purple Grackle] 114 [Red-Winged Blackbird] 118 [Cowbird] 121 [Meadowlark] 123 [Flicker] 127 [Red-Headed Woodpecker] 131 [Red-Bellied Woodpecker and Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker] 134 [Mourning Dove] 141 [Kingfisher] 144 [Field Sparrow] 147 [Vesper Sparrow] 149 [Chipping Sparrow] 151 [Towhee] 161 LATER SPRING ARRIVALS [Tree Swallow] 169 [Barn Swallow] 172 [Purple Martin] 175 [Chimney Swift] 180 [Whip-poor-will] 184 [Nighthawk] 187 [House Wren] 190 [Hummingbird] 192 [Indigo-Bird] 196 [Baltimore Oriole] 198 [Orchard Oriole] 202 [Scarlet Tanager] 204 [Rose-Breasted Grosbeak] 207 [*Bobolink] 212 [Goldfinch] 216 [*Catbird] 220 [Brown Thrasher] 224 [*Mockingbird] 227 [*Yellow-Billed Cuckoo] 231 [Kingbird] 235 [Wood Pewee] 242 [Red-Eyed Vireo] 248 [Oven-Bird] 257 [Yellow Warbler] 268 [Maryland Yellow-Throat] 270 [Wood Thrush] 285
Note—The illustrations starred are made from plates loaned by T. Gilbert Pearson, President of the National Association of Audubon Societies.