Wild Birds in City Parks / Being hints on identifying 145 birds, prepared primarily for the spring migration in Lincoln Park, Chicago

by Herbert Eugene Walter; Alice Hall Walter

Table of Occurrence.

In this table the birds are arranged according to the order of their comparative frequency or rarity, based upon personal observations in Lincoln Park. The abundance of the birds—that is, the number of individual birds of different species—is in no wise shown, but simply the relative representation of each species. For instance, out of a total of 454 mornings, covering observations during six years, the [Robin] was seen on 383 different mornings.

The record for 1902, during the absence of the authors, is that of Mr. H. V. Bozell.

	NUMBER OF MORNINGS SEEN IN LINCOLN PARK.
	1898	1899	1900	1901	1902	1903	Total
1 [Robin]	62	52	57	69	61	82	383
2 [Bronzed Grackle]	57	58	57	60	57	72	361
3 [Blue Jay]	49	58	61	65	40	51	324
4 [Cowbird]	41	34	44	44	39	54	256
5 [Junco]	33	35	32	32	51	42	225
6 [Towhee]	35	18	24	44	45	48	214
7 [Song Sparrow]	27	33	19	38	37	36	190
8 [Flicker]	29	18	21	33	37	46	184
9 [Ruby-crowned Kinglet]	31	28	23	30	22	39	173
10 [White-throated Sparrow]	30	23	23	31	26	35	168
11 [Bluebird]	26	1	7	31	35	50	150
12 [Wilson Thrush]	34	35	23	21	11	20	144
13 [Yellow-bellied Sapsucker]	23	12	15	30	27	34	141
14 [Yellow Warbler]	27	30	24	18	13	27	139
15 [Belted Kingfisher]	25	21	24	27	21	19	137
16 [Red-headed Woodpecker]	23	23	16	26	16	26	130
17 [Myrtle Warbler]	19	25	11	21	22	31	129
18 [Brown Thrasher]	27	8	20	21	16	29	121
19 [Brown Creeper]	18	15	19	14	28	27	121
20 [Catbird]	22	27	16	17	10	17	109
21 [Golden-crowned Kinglet]	18	14	13	26	15	23	109
22 [Chipping Sparrow]	25	11	11	12	17	32	108
23 [American Goldfinch]	21	19	12	20	5	18	95
24 [Tree Swallow]	13	11	16	19	13	22	94
25 [American Redstart]	18	16	19	8	10	20	91
26 [Barn Swallow]	15	14	10	19	14	19	91
27 [Fox Sparrow]	11	9	14	9	27	21	91
28 [Chimney Swift]	16	11	14	15	11	22	89
29 [Blue-gray Gnatcatcher]	18	16	11	10	16	17	88
30 [White-crowned Sparrow]	9	5	18	22	16	17	87
31 [Palm Warbler]	8	21	7	11	19	20	86
32 [Hermit Thrush]	13	9	10	18	9	27	86
33 [Black and White Creeper]	15	15	11	13	12	18	84
34 [Least Flycatcher]	18	18	8	14	7	18	83
35 [Magnolia Warbler]	13	13	13	5	16	20	80
36 [Black-throated Blue Warbler]	12	14	9	13	12	16	76
37 [Olive-backed Thrush]	8	4	14	16	11	23	76
38 [Phoebe]	15	4	5	16	15	19	74
39 [Baltimore Oriole]	18	6	10	15	11	13	73
40 [Grinnell Water-Thrush]	17	6	9	14	8	17	71
41 [Field Sparrow]	..	2	12	17	23	17	71
42 [Swamp Sparrow]	4	4	14	12	17	17	68
43 [Crow]	4	11	7	11	16	18	67
44 [Chestnut-sided Warbler]	11	6	11	13	9	16	66
45 [Ovenbird]	9	11	11	12	11	11	65
46 [White-breasted Nuthatch]	12	6	17	21	6	2	64
47 [Western Yellow-throat]	18	17	10	8	3	15	61
48 [Wood Pewee]	12	14	9	6	7	13	61
49 [Downy Woodpecker]	14	7	4	8	17	10	60
50 [House Wren]	1	..	10	11	13	24	59
51 [Red-eyed Vireo]	13	10	5	6	6	16	56
52 [Loggerhead Shrike]	5	1	16	13	7	13	55
53 [Indigo Bunting]	12	17	2	6	5	11	53
54 [Black-throated Green Warbler]	4	9	4	9	6	12	44
55 [Blackburnian Warbler]	11	4	9	7	5	6	42
56 [Black-poll Warbler]	6	7	8	3	3	15	42
57 [Kingbird]	8	1	5	3	6	17	40
58 [Scarlet Tanager]	7	3	7	4	3	10	34
59 [Ruby-throated Hummingbird]	7	9	4	3	1	10	34
60 [Mourning Dove]	5	3	6	10	2	8	34
61 [Rose-breasted Grosbeak]	5	2	6	8	6	6	33
62 [Tree Sparrow]	..	..	10	3	12	8	33
63 [Winter Wren]	3	5	11	..	3	10	32
64 [Meadowlark]	3	..	7	13	5	4	32
65 [Purple Martin]	1	..	..	6	4	20	31
66 [Cape May Warbler]	3	2	9	2	6	7	29
67 [Warbling Vireo]	7	1	4	3	4	10	29
68 [Mourning Warbler]	5	8	2	4	4	5	28
69 [Wilson Black-cap Warbler]	9	1	3	2	5	8	28
70 [Yellow-billed Cuckoo]	8	7	1	3	1	7	27
71 [Great-crested Flycatcher]	5	2	..	1	10	9	27
72 [Bobolink]	2	..	9	10	1	4	26
73 [Canadian Warbler]	8	3	6	4	1	4	26
74 [Red-winged Blackbird]	4	..	2	8	3	7	24
75 [Wood Thrush]	8	3	..	5	3	3	22
76 [Orchard Oriole]	4	3	5	1	1	6	20
77 [Red-breasted Nuthatch]	..	..	10	..	3	7	20
78 [Marsh Hawk]	..	2	1	8	5	4	20
79 [Hairy Woodpecker]	3	1	4	..	4	7	19
80 [Bay-breasted Warbler]	1	1	2	1	4	10	19
81 [Parula Warbler]	6	..	..	2	9	2	19
82 [Chickadee]	3	..	7	8	..	..	18
83 [Pine Warbler]	..	..	3	1	5	9	18
84 [Henslow Sparrow]	3	2	1	2	3	6	17
85 [Nashville Warbler]	1	1	4	1	..	9	16
86 [Yellow-throated Vireo]	2	..	2	2	3	7	16
87 [Cedar Waxwing]	6	5	..	1	2	1	15
88 [Purple Finch]	4	..	4	..	1	5	14
89 [Vesper Sparrow]	..	..	6	..	4	3	13
90 [Blue-headed Vireo]	..	..	2	1	6	4	13
91 [Gray-cheeked Thrush]	..	..	..	..	3	10	13
92 [American Sparrow Hawk]	1	1	..	4	2	4	12
93 [Yellow-bellied Flycatcher]	..	..	5	..	2	4	11
94 [Nighthawk]	..	2	1	1	..	7	11
95 [Lincoln Sparrow]	..	..	1	..	1	8	10
96 [Black-billed Cuckoo]	..	1	2	2	2	2	9
97 [Rusty Blackbird]	..	2	..	3	..	2	7
98 [Yellow-breasted Chat]	..	..	..	..	1	6	7
99 [Long-billed Marsh Wren]	1	2	..	..	..	3	6
100 [Louisiana Water-Thrush]	..	..	1	..	3	2	6
101 [Prothonotary Warbler]	..	1	..	..	3	1	5
102 [Savanna Sparrow]	..	..	..	..	..	5	5
103 [Blue Golden-winged Warbler]	1	..	1	1	1	..	4
104 [Whip-poor-will]	1	1	..	1	..	1	4
105 [Connecticut Warbler]	..	..	..	..	..	3	3
106 [Dickcissel]	..	..	..	1	2	..	3
107 [Tennessee Warbler]	2	..	..	..	..	..	2
108 [Mockingbird]	..	..	..	2	..	..	2
109 [Cerulean Warbler]	..	..	1	..	1	..	2
110 [Summer Tanager]	..	1	..	..	..	..	1
111 [Cardinal]	..	..	1	..	..	..	1
112 [Red-bellied Woodpecker]	1	..	..	..	..	..	1
113 [Hooded Warbler]	..	..	..	..	..	1	1
114 [Yellow-headed Blackbird]	..	..	..	1	..	..	1
Total number of days	66	77	74	78	72	87	454
Av’ge number of kinds seen daily	18.83	12.75	14.59	16.23	16.45	19.53	16.34

Table of Arrival.

Note.—The following table gives the dates of the first arrival of each bird mentioned in the preceding list of one hundred and fourteen for the seven years from 1897 to 1903 inclusive, as observed in Lincoln Park. The birds are arranged in their respective families, and space is left for recording their first appearance in any succeeding year.

The record for 1902, in the absence of the authors, was kept by Mr. Harold V. Bozell.

Attention is called to the fact that many birds which are common summer residents in the neighboring country are rare migrants in the Park. Among these may be mentioned the [Red-winged Blackbird], [Bobolink] and [Warbling Vireo]. Some fine singers also, for example, the [Vesper Sparrow], [Yellow-throated Vireo] and [Hermit Thrush], are usually silent in the Park.

		1897	1898	1899	1900	1901	1902	1903	_____
Family COLUMBIDAE
35	[Mourning Dove]	..	5/9	3/25	4/6	4/10	4/26	4/1	_____
Family FALCONIDAE
33	[Marsh Hawk]	..	..	4/25	4/19	3/25	4/21	4/1	_____
43	[Sparrow Hawk]	..	5/18	4/25	4/18	3/24	3/21	4/30	_____
Family CUCULIDAE
103	[Yellow-billed Cuckoo]	..	5/19	5/1	5/16	5/17	5/17	5/12	_____
109	[Black-billed Cuckoo]	..	..	5/27	5/12	5/15	5/16	5/12	_____
Family ALCEDINIDAE
22	[Belted Kingfisher]	3/28	3/25	3/22	4/10	3/26	4/11	4/10	_____
Family PICIDAE
29	[Hairy Woodpecker]	..	4/11	5/24	4/19	..	3/25	3/6	_____
16	[Downy Woodpecker]	4/7	4/8	3/27	4/25	4/5	3/10	3/6	_____
23	[Yellow-bellied Sapsucker]	4/25	3/30	4/8	4/6	3/19	3/27	4/1	_____
114	[Red-bellied Woodpecker]	..	5/22	..	..	..	..	..	_____
57	[Red-headed Woodpecker]	4/26	4/29	4/28	5/6	4/27	4/27	4/28	_____
18	[Flicker]	4/15	3/25	4/11	4/7	3/23	3/24	3/18	_____
Family CAPRIMULGIDAE
99	[Whip-poor-will]	..	5/21	4/30	..	5/9	..	5/17	_____
108	[Nighthawk]	..	..	5/10	5/13	5/18	5/18	5/18	_____
Family MICROPODIDAE
59	[Chimney Swift]	5/1	4/30	5/11	4/30	4/17	4/22	5/5	_____
Family TROCHILIDAE
107	[Ruby-throated Hummingbird]	..	5/19	5/9	5/13	5/16	5/17	5/13	_____
Family TYRANNIDAE
69	[Kingbird]	4/29	4/30	5/10	5/6	5/10	4/21	5/5	_____
61	[Great-crested Flycatcher]	..	5/3	4/30	..	5/11	4/21	4/29	_____
14	[Phoebe]	4/7	3/20	4/17	4/1	3/18	3/15	3/17	_____
91	[Wood Pewee]	4/27	5/19	5/10	5/11	5/16	4/28	5/12	_____
72	[Yellow-bellied Flycatcher]	..	..	..	4/29	..	5/1	5/12	_____
63	[Least Flycatcher]	5/12	4/30	4/20	4/30	5/6	4/21	5/9	_____
Family CORVIDAE
1	[Blue Jay]	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	_____
6	[Crow]	..	3/9	3/26	3/12	3/3	3/6	3/8	_____
Family ICTERIDAE
92	[Bobolink]	..	5/14	..	5/8	5/4	5/12	5/8	_____
11	[Cowbird]	4/4	3/16	4/10	4/1	3/19	3/1	3/14	_____
111	[Yellow-headed Blackbird]	..	..	..	..	5/17	..	..	_____
27	[Red-winged Blackbird]	..	5/7	..	4/18	3/22	3/26	3/17	_____
5	[Meadowlark]	..	3/14	..	3/27	3/19	3/10	3/13	_____
87	[Orchard Oriole]	..	5/15	5/6	5/11	5/10	5/2	5/5	_____
70	[Baltimore Oriole]	..	4/30	5/2	5/6	5/4	5/2	5/5	_____
24	[Rusty Blackbird]	..	..	..	4/19	4/5	..	3/17	_____
9	[Bronzed Grackle]	3/29	3/14	3/20	3/24	3/23	3/10	3/14	_____
Family FRINGILLIDAE
40	[Purple Finch]	..	4/24	..	4/15	..	4/11	4/15	_____
67	[American Goldfinch]	4/25	5/6	4/28	5/7	4/30	5/2	5/7	_____
37	[Vesper Sparrow]	..	..	..	4/22	..	4/18	4/1	_____
8	[Savanna Sparrow]	..	..	..	..	..	..	3/19	_____
50	[Henslow Sparrow]	..	4/29	4/26	4/21	4/30	4/24	4/15	_____
48	[White-crowned Sparrow]	5/5	5/9	4/29	5/2	4/20	3/11	4/29	_____
32	[White-throated Sparrow]	4/26	4/13	4/19	4/21	4/17	3/24	3/21	_____
12	[Tree Sparrow]	..	..	..	4/6	4/5	3/7	3/13	_____
34	[Chipping Sparrow]	4/15	4/13	4/18	4/8	4/8	4/13	4/12	_____
25	[Field Sparrow]	..	..	4/23	4/17	4/5	3/11	3/19	_____
4	[Junco]	3/28	3/9	3/14	3/23	3/18	3/8	3/13	_____
10	[Song Sparrow]	4/8	3/15	3/19	3/27	3/18	3/8	3/12	_____
106	[Lincoln Sparrow]	..	..	..	5/10	5/23	5/12	5/10	_____
39	[Swamp Sparrow]	..	5/7	4/20	4/21	4/18	3/11	4/12	_____
13	[Fox Sparrow]	4/8	3/30	3/14	4/5	3/18	3/10	3/17	_____
15	[Towhee]	4/7	3/17	4/11	4/7	3/25	3/10	3/18	_____
31	[Cardinal]	3/28	..	..	4/25	..	..	..	_____
80	[Rose-breasted Grosbeak]	..	..	5/10	5/11	5/4	4/28	5/9	_____
94	[Indigo Bunting]	..	5/14	5/10	5/21	5/10	5/2	5/6	_____
112	[Dickcissel]	..	..	..	..	5/16	5/18	..	_____
Family TANAGRIDAE
78	[Scarlet Tanager]	..	5/14	5/4	5/2	5/5	5/3	5/5	_____
71	[Summer Tanager]	..	..	5/4	..	..	..	..	_____
Family HIRUNDINIDAE
81	[Purple Martin]	..	5/25	5/30	..	4/27	4/23	4/17	_____
44	[Barn Swallow]	4/18	5/1	4/23	4/26	4/10	4/18	4/24	_____
30	[Tree Swallow]	..	5/11	4/12	4/18	4/12	3/11	4/1	_____
Family AMPELIDAE
41	[Cedar Waxwing]	..	4/11	3/27	..	5/16	4/24	4/5	_____
Family LANIIDAE
2	[Loggerhead Shrike]	..	3/14	4/11	3/9	3/3	3/9	3/1	_____
Family VIREONIDAE
75	[Red-eyed Vireo]	..	5/10	4/29	5/12	5/4	5/2	5/4	_____
85	[Warbling Vireo]	4/27	5/15	5/12	5/6	5/11	5/7	5/5	_____
79	[Yellow-throated Vireo]	..	5/1	..	5/12	5/5	4/28	5/12	_____
86	[Blue-headed Vireo]	..	..	..	5/17	5/5	5/2	5/8	_____
Family MNIOTILTIDAE
55	[Black and White Creeper]	4/28	4/30	4/21	4/26	5/4	4/28	4/27	_____
95	[Prothonotary Warbler]	..	..	5/16	..	..	4/27	5/19	_____
93	[Blue Golden-winged Warbler]	..	5/14	..	5/12	5/12	5/2	..	_____
84	[Nashville Warbler]	..	5/10	5/4	5/9	5/19	5/2	5/1	_____
96	[Tennessee Warbler]	..	5/11	..	..	..	..	..	_____
90	[Parula Warbler]	..	5/11	..	..	5/12	5/3	5/9	_____
77	[Cape May Warbler]	..	5/13	5/1	5/2	5/5	5/2	5/9	_____
68	[Yellow Warbler]	5/11	4/30	4/29	4/30	5/6	5/2	4/29	_____
83	[Black-throated Blue Warbler]	5/11	5/11	5/4	5/8	5/5	5/2	5/5	_____
38	[Myrtle Warbler]	4/14	4/16	4/14	4/19	4/14	4/17	4/8	_____
66	[Magnolia Warbler]	4/26	5/11	4/27	5/8	5/6	4/21	5/5	_____
100	[Cerulean Warbler]	..	..	..	5/12	..	..	..	_____
98	[Chestnut-sided Warbler]	5/21	5/10	5/30	5/3	5/7	5/2	5/9	_____
89	[Bay-breasted Warbler]	..	5/20	5/4	5/11	5/15	4/22	5/9	_____
102	[Black-poll Warbler]	..	5/19	5/10	5/13	5/16	5/12	5/6	_____
73	[Blackburnian Warbler]	5/12	5/10	5/3	4/28	5/10	4/28	4/30	_____
56	[Black-throated Green Warbler]	4/18	5/17	4/23	4/27	4/26	4/28	5/2	_____
53	[Pine Warbler]	..	..	..	4/26	4/30	4/21	4/22	_____
49	[Palm Warbler]	..	4/29	4/20	4/27	4/26	4/21	4/22	_____
74	[Ovenbird]	5/11	5/1	5/3	5/5	5/5	5/1	5/6	_____
51	[Grinnell Water-Thrush]	..	4/30	4/28	4/23	4/17	4/21	4/29	_____
62	[Louisiana Water-Thrush]	..	..	..	..	..	4/27	5/5	_____
113	[Connecticut Warbler]	..	..	..	..	..	..	5/20	_____
97	[Mourning Warbler]	..	5/20	5/13	5/6	5/16	5/2	5/11	_____
65	[Western Yellow-throat]	4/26	5/1	4/28	5/5	5/5	5/2	5/1	_____
82	[Yellow-breasted Chat]	..	..	..	..	..	5/2	5/11	_____
101	[Hooded Warbler]	..	..	..	..	..	..	5/12	_____
105	[Wilson Black-cap Warbler]	5/21	5/6	5/22	5/10	5/16	5/3	5/17	_____
104	[Canadian Warbler]	..	5/19	5/16	5/12	5/16	5/6	5/12	_____
76	[American Redstart]	5/11	5/1	4/28	5/11	5/6	5/2	5/5	_____
Family TROGLODYTIDAE
58	[Mockingbird]	..	..	..	..	4/29	..	..	_____
52	[Catbird]	4/26	5/1	4/28	4/30	4/28	3/26	5/5	_____
45	[Brown Thrasher]	4/26	4/24	4/27	4/16	4/24	4/22	4/12	_____
46	[House Wren]	4/14	5/4	4/30	..	4/21	4/23	4/12	_____
36	[Winter Wren]	4/8	4/25	4/30	..	3/22	4/19	4/8	_____
88	[Long-billed Marsh Wren]	..	4/14	..	4/12	..	..	3/29	_____
Family CERTHIIDAE
19	[Brown Creeper]	4/7	4/7	4/6	4/2	4/4	3/21	3/18	_____
Family PARIDAE
21	[White-breasted Nuthatch]	4/7	3/29	4/11	4/2	3/18	3/31	4/2	_____
54	[Red-breasted Nuthatch]	..	..	..	5/3	..	4/22	4/28	_____
20	[Chickadee]	..	4/1	..	3/19	4/13	..	..	_____
Family SYLVIIDAE
17	[Golden-crowned Kinglet]	4/7	3/14	4/11	4/6	4/5	3/28	3/19	_____
28	[Ruby-crowned Kinglet]	4/14	4/1	4/13	4/7	4/17	4/13	3/19	_____
47	[Blue-gray Gnatcatcher]	..	4/25	4/22	4/18	4/28	4/22	4/25	_____
Family TURDIDAE
64	[Wood Thrush]	4/18	5/3	5/1	..	5/4	4/29	5/12	_____
42	[Wilson Thrush]	5/11	4/10	4/12	4/7	4/11	4/26	4/8	_____
110	[Gray-cheeked Thrush]	..	..	..	..	..	5/21	5/11	_____
60	[Olive-backed Thrush]	..	5/1	5/4	5/8	4/30	4/22	4/29	_____
26	[Hermit Thrush]	..	3/31	4/11	4/7	4/5	4/13	3/19	_____
3	[Robin]	3/28	3/9	3/4	3/24	3/14	3/10	3/7	_____
7	[Bluebird]	3/28	3/8	4/4	3/31	3/17	3/7	3/7	_____

WATER AND SHORE BIRDS.