The quiet, homelike beauty of the Robin appeals to every American. As the trim bird runs about the dew-drenched lawn, he seems to impart to us his own belief in the goodness of life. He pauses to listen for an earthworm as it scratches its way along its dark tunnel; but if he does not catch the worm, he looks up brightly, runs nimbly a few feet further on, and listens again, firm in his knowledge that he will sooner or later come into his own and catch a worm perhaps even longer than the one he missed. The spotted breasts of the young bespeak kinship with the thrushes.
BLUEBIRD
Sialis sialis sialis (Linnaeus)
Description.—A little larger than an English Sparrow. Adult male: Rich, deep, glossy blue above; throat, breast, and sides reddish brown; belly and under tail-coverts white. Female: Similar, but upperparts largely gray, bluest on wings and tail. Young: Similar to female, but with spotted breast. Length: 6 inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A common migrant and summer resident from early March until November; casual in winter. It is to be found chiefly in more cultivated districts.
Nest.—Of grasses, in a cavity in a tree or bird-box, from 5 to 20 feet from the ground.
Bluebird
The soft, brief warble of the Bluebird in spring, and the gentle farewell it sings in the fall as it flies over, are to be classed among the sweetest of bird music, to my way of thinking. The Bluebird is not only beautiful in song and in color, but it is decidedly beneficial, and since it rears two or three broods of young a year, when it can, it destroys much insect life in feeding the hungry young which eat proportionately more than their parents.
The Bluebird’s interesting habit of lifting its wing after alighting, or as it sings, is characteristic.
INDEX
In the following list only common bird names are given. Beginners will find it desirable to trace the accurate name of a bird through the use of this list.
[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] X [Y] [Z]