The Children's Book of Birds

by Olive Thorne Miller

Some of the results of these talks that have come to my knowledge have been astonishing and far-reaching, such as that of one boy of seven or eight, who persuaded the village boys around his summer home to give up taking eggs and killing birds, and watch them instead, and who was dubbed "Professor" by his eager followers. The effect has always been to make children love and respect the living bird.

It has therefore seemed to me that what is needed at first is not the science of ornithology,—however diluted,—but some account of the life and habits, to arouse sympathy and interest in the living bird, neither as a target nor as a producer of eggs, but as a fellow-creature whose acquaintance it would be pleasant to make.

Naturally I have drawn on my own observations for much of the matter contained in this book, but these have been supplemented by consultation of recognized authorities in the various fields of ornithology.

In each bird family treated of in the Second Book I have given accounts of species to be found in the South and West as well as in the Eastern States, and I have selected the most common or typical species of each family. In cases where it was possible, I have chosen species represented in the different sections of the country, not only because the family traits are better shown, but because it is more encouraging to a beginner to become acquainted with birds he can see almost anywhere. When familiar with these, he will be able to identify and study the rarer species.

OLIVE THORNE MILLER.

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CONTENTS

FIRST BOOK
I.	What you want to know	[1]
II.	When they come in the Spring	[3]
THE NESTLING
III.	The Bird's Home	[9]
IV.	The Baby Bird	[13]
V.	How he is fed	[17]
VI.	His First Suit	[21]
VII.	How he changes his Clothes	[25]
VIII.	His First Flight	[29]
IX.	His Education	[33]
X.	Some of his Lessons	[37]
THE BIRD GROWN UP
XI.	The Bird's Language	[43]
XII.	What he eats	[48]
XIII.	More about his Food	[52]
XIV.	Where he sleeps	[57]
XV.	His Travels	[61]
XVI.	His Winter Home	[66]
XVII.	His Family and Friends	[70]
XVIII.	His Kindness to others	[74]
XIX.	His Affections	[78]
XX.	His Intelligence	[83]
HOW HE IS MADE
XXI.	His Body	[91]
XXII.	His Beak and Tongue	[95]
XXIII.	His Eyes and Ears	[100]
XXIV.	His Feet and Legs	[105]
XXV.	His Wings and Tail	[109]
XXVI.	His Dress	[114]
XXVII.	Different colored Suits	[118]
HIS RELATIONS WITH US
XXVIII.	How he works for us	[125]
XXIX.	How to attract him about our homes	[131]
XXX.	How to study him	[136]
SECOND BOOK
I.	What is a Bird Family?	[1]
II.	The Thrush Family	[5]
	American Robin	[6]
	Hermit Thrush	[11]
III.	The Kinglet and Gnatcatcher Family	[14]
	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	[14]
	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	[16]
IV.	The Nuthatch and Chickadee Family	[18]
	White-breasted Nuthatch	[18]
	Red-breasted Nuthatch	[20]
	Chickadee	[22]
	Tufted Titmouse	[24]
V.	The Creeper Family	[27]
	Brown Creeper	[27]
VI.	The Cave-dwelling Family (First Branch)	[30]
	House Wren	[31]
VII.	The Cave-dwelling Family (Second Branch)	[34]
	Mockingbird	[34]
	Catbird	[37]
	Thrasher	[40]
VIII.	The Dipper Family	[42]
	American Dipper	[42]
IX.	The Wagtail Family	[46]
	Sprague's Pipit	[46]
X.	The Warbler Family	[49]
	Yellow Warbler	[50]
	Oven-bird	[52]
	Yellow-breasted Chat	[53]
XI.	The Vireo Family	[55]
	Yellow-throated Vireo	[56]
	Warbling Vireo	[57]
XII.	The Shrike Family	[59]
	Loggerhead Shrike	[59]
XIII.	The Waxwing Family	[63]
	Cedar-bird	[63]
	Phainopepla	[67]
XIV.	The Swallow Family	[69]
	Barn Swallow	[69]
	Cliff Swallow, or Eave Swallow	[72]
	Purple Martin	[72]
XV.	The Tanager Family	[75]
	Scarlet Tanager	[75]
	Summer Tanager	[78]
	Louisiana Tanager	[78]
XVI.	The Sparrow and Finch Family	[80]
	Sparrows
	Song Sparrow	[81]
	Finches
	Goldfinch	[82]
	Towhee, or Chewink	[84]
XVII.	The Grosbeak Branch	[86]
	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	[86]
	Black-headed Grosbeak	[88]
	Cardinal Grosbeak, or Cardinal	[88]
XVIII.	The Crossbill Branch	[91]
	American Crossbill	[91]
	White-winged Crossbill	[92]
XIX.	The Blackbird Family	[94]
	Marsh Blackbirds
	Red-winged Blackbird	[94]
	Cowbird	[98]
XX.	The Meadow Starlings	[100]
	Meadowlark	[100]
	Western Meadowlark	[102]
XXI.	The Oriole Branch	[104]
	Baltimore Oriole	[104]
	Orchard Oriole	[107]
	Arizona Hooded Oriole	[108]
XXII.	The Crow-Blackbird Branch	[110]
	Purple Grackle	[112]
	Bronzed Grackle	[112]
	Brewer's Blackbird	[113]
XXIII.	The Crow Family	[117]
	American Crow	[117]
	Blue Jay	[121]
	Steller's Jay	[126]
	American Magpie	[126]
XXIV.	The Lark Family	[131]
	Horned Lark	[131]
	Prairie Horned Lark	[131]
XXV.	The Flycatching Family	[135]
	Kingbird	[136]
	Arkansas Kingbird	[140]
	Wood Pewee	[140]
	Western Wood Pewee	[142]
XXVI.	The Humming Family	[143]
	Ruby-throated Hummingbird	[144]
	Anna's Hummingbird	[149]
XXVII.	The Swift Family	[150]
	Chimney Swift	[150]
XXVIII.	The Goatsucker Family	[155]
	Whip-poor-will	[155]
	Chuck-will's-widow	[157]
	Poor-will	[157]
	Nighthawk	[158]
XXIX.	The Woodpecker Family	[160]
	Northern Flicker	[161]
	Red-shafted Flicker	[162]
	Red-headed Woodpecker	[165]
	Californian Woodpecker	[167]
XXX.	The Kingfisher Family	[170]
	Belted Kingfisher	[170]
XXXI.	The Cuckoo Family	[174]
	Yellow-billed Cuckoo	[174]
XXXII.	The Owl Family	[178]
	Screech Owl	[180]
	Burrowing Owl	[182]
XXXIII.	The Barn Owl Family	[185]
	American Barn Owl	[185]
XXXIV.	The Hawk and Eagle Family	[188]
	American Sparrow Hawk	[189]
	American Osprey, or Fish Hawk	[190]
	Bald Eagle	[192]
XXXV.	The Scavenger Family	[194]
	Turkey Vulture	[194]
Appendix
	Characters of the North American Representatives of the
	Families mentioned in this Book	[197]
Index		[205]

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