bird neighbors-第25章

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Its　call…note；　chip！　chip！　from　which　several　of　its　popular　names　are　derived；　is　altogether　different　from　the　trill　which　must　do　duty　as　a　song　to　express　love；　contentment；　everything　that　so　amiable　a　little　nature　might　feel　impelled　to　voice。

But　with　all　its　virtues；　the　chippy　shows　lamentable　weakness　of　character　in　allowing　its　grown　children　to　impose　upon　it；　as　it　certainly　does。　In　every　group　of　these　birds　throughout　the　summer　we　can　see　young　ones　（which　we　may　know　by　the　black　line…stripes　on　their　breasts）　hopping　around　after　their　parents；　that　are　often　no　larger　or　more　able…bodied　than　they；　and　teasing　to　be　fed；　drooping　their　wings　to　excite　pity　for　a　helplessness　that　they　do　not　possess　when　the　weary　little　mother　hops　away　from　them；　and　still　persistently　chirping　for　food　until　she　weakly　relents；　returns　to　them；　picks　a　seed　from　the　ground　and　thrusts　it　down　the　bill　of　the　sauciest　teaser　in　the　group。　With　two　such　broods　in　a　season　the　chestnut　feathers　on　the　father's　jaunty　head　might　well　turn　gray。

Unlike　most　of　the　sparrows；　the　little　chippy　frequents　high　trees；　where　its　nest　is　built　quite　as　often　as　in　the　low　bushes　of　the　garden。　The　horse…hair；　which　always　lines　the　grass〃　up　that　holds　its　greenish…blue；　speckled　eggs；　is　alone　responsible　for　the　name　hair…bird；　and　not　the　chippy's　hair…like　trill；　as　some　suppose。


ENGLISH　SPARROW　（Passer　domesticus）　Finch　family

Called　also：　HOUSE　SPARROW　＇AOU　1998＇

Length　　6。33　inches。　Male　　Ashy　above；　with　black　and　chestnut　stripes　on　back　and　　　shoulders。　Wings　have　chestnut　and　white　bar；　bordered　by　faint　　　black　line。　Gray　crown；　bordered　from　the　eye　backward　and　on　　　the　nape　by　chestnut。　Middle　of　throat　and　breast　black。　　　Underneath　grayish　white。　Female　　Paler；　wing…bars　indistinct；　and　without　the　black　　　marking　on　throat　and　breast。　Range　　Around　the　world。　Introduced　and　naturalized　in　America；　　　Australia；　New　Zealand。　Migrations　　Constant　resident。

〃Of　course；　no　self…respecting　ornithologist　will　condescend　to　enlarge　his　list　by　counting　in　the　English　sparrow　　too　pestiferous　to　mention；〃　writes　Mr。　H。　E。　Parkhurst；　and　yet　of　all　bird　neighbors　is　any　one　more　within　the　scope　of　this　book　than　the　audacious　little　gamin　that　delights　in　the　companion　ship　of　humans　even　in　their　most　noisy　city　thoroughfares？

In　a　bulletin　issued　by　the　Department　of　Agriculture　it　is　shown　that　the　progeny　of　a　single　pair　of　these　sparrows　might　amount　to　275；716；983；698　in　ten　years！　Inasmuch　as　many　pairs　were　liberated　in　the　streets　of　Brooklyn；　New　York；　in　1851；　when　the　first　importation　was　made；　the　day　is　evidently　not　far　off　when　these　birds；　by　no　means　meek；　〃shall　inherit　the　earth。〃

In　Australia　Scotch　thistles；　English　sparrows；　and　rabbits；　three　most　unfortunate　importations；　have　multiplied　with　equal　rapidity　until　serious　alarm　fills　the　minds　of　the　colonists。　But　in　England　a　special　committee　appointed　by　the　House　of　Commons　to　investigate　the　character　of　the　alleged　pest　has　yet　to　learn　whether　the　sparrow's　services　as　an　insect…destroyer　do　not　outweigh　the　injury　it　does　to　fruit　and　grain。


FIELD　SPARROW　（Spizella　pusilla）　Finch　family

Called　also：　FIELD　BUNTING；　WOOD　SPARROW；　BUSH　SPARROW

Length　　5。5　to　5。75　inches。　A　little　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Chestnut　crown。　Upper　back　bright　chestnut；　finely　　　streaked　with　black　and　ashy　brown。　Lower　back　more　grayish。　　　Whitish　wing…bars。　Cheeks；　line　over　the　eye；　throat；　pale　　　brownish　drab。　Tail　long。　Underneath　grayish　white；　tinged　with　　　palest　buff　on　breast　and　sides。　Bill　reddish。　Female　　Paler；　the　crown　edged　with　grayish。　Range　　North　America；　from　British　provinces　to　the　Gulf；　and　　　westward　to　the　plains。　Winters　from　Illinois　and　Virginia　　　southward。　Migrations　　April。　November。　Common　summer　　　resident。

Simply　because　both　birds　have　chestnut　crowns；　the　field　sparrow　is　often　mistaken　for　the　dapper；　sociable　chippy；　and；　no　doubt　because　it　loves　such　heathery；　grassy　pastures　as　are　dear　to　the　vesper　sparrow；　and　has　bay　wings　and　a　sweet　song；　these　two　cousins　also　are　often　confused。　The　field　sparrow　has　a　more　reddish…brown　upper　back　than　any　of　its　small　relatives；　the　absence　of　streaks　on　its　breast　and　of　the　white　tail　quills　so　conspicuous　in　the　vesper　sparrow's　flight；　sufficiently　differentiate　the　two　birds；　while　the　red　bill　of　the　field　sparrow　is　a　positive　mark　of　identification。

This　bird　of　humble　nature；　that　makes　the　scrubby　pastures　and　uplands　tuneful　from　early　morning　until　after　sunset；　flies　away　with　exasperating　shyness　as　you　approach。　Alighting　on　a　convenient　branch；　he　lures　you　on　with　his　clear；　sweet　song。　Follow　him；　and　he　only　hops　about　from　bush　to　bush；　farther　and　farther　away；　singing　as　he　goes　a　variety　of　strains；　which　is　one　of　the　bird's　peculiarities。　The　song　not　only　varies　in　individuals；　but　in　different　localities；　which　may　be　one　reason　why　no　two　ornithologists　record　it　alike。　Doubtless　the　chief　reason　for　the　amusing　differences　in　the　syllables　into　which　the　songs　of　birds　are　often　translated　in　the　books；　is　that　the　same　Notes　actually　sound　differently　to　different　individuals。　Thus；　to　people　in　Massachusetts　the　white…throated　sparrow　seems　to　say；　〃Pea…bod…y；　Pea…bod…y；　Pea…bod…y！〃　while　good　British　subjects　beyond　the　New　England　border　hear　him　sing　quite　distinctly；　〃Sweet　Can…a…da；　Can…a…da；　Can…a…da！〃　But　however　the　opinions　as　to　the　syllables　of　the　field　sparrow's　song　may　differ；　all　are　agreed　as　to　its　exquisite　quality；　that　resembles　the　vesper　sparrow's　tender；　sweet　melody。　The　song　begins　with　three　soft；　wild　whistles；　and　ends　with　a　series　of　trills　and　quavers　that　gradually　melt　away　into　silence：　a　serene　and　restful　strain　as　soothing　as　a　hymn。　Like　the　vesper　sparrows；　these　birds　sometimes　build　a　plain；　grassy　nest；　unprotected　by　over　hanging　bush；　flat　upon　the　ground。　Possibly　from　a　prudent　tear　of　field…mice　and　snakes；　the　little　mother　most　frequently　lays　her　bluish…white；　rufous　　marked　eggs　in　a　nest　placed　in　a　bush　of　a　bushy　field。　Hence　John　Burroughs　has　called　the　bird　the　''bush　sparrow。〃


FOX　SPARROW　（Passerella　ilica）　Finch　family

Called　also：　FOX…COLORED　SPARROW；　FERRUGINOUS　FINCH；　FOXY　FINCH

Length　　6。5　to　7。25　inches。　Nearly　an　inch　longer　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　reddish　brown；　varied　with　ash　　　gray；　brightest　on　lower　back；　wings；　and　tail。　Bluish　slate　　　about　the　head。　Underneath　whitish；　the　throat；　breast；　and　　　sides　heavily　marked　with　arrow…heads　and　oblong　dashes　of　　　reddish　brown　and　blackish。　Range　　Alaska　and　Manitoba　to　southern　United　States。　Winters　　　chiefly　south　of　Illinois　and　Virginia。　Occasional　stragglers　　　remain　north　most　of　the　winter。　Migrations　　March。　November。　Most　common　in　the　migrations。

There　will　be　little　difficulty　in　naming　this　largest；　most　plump　and　reddish　of　all　the　sparrows；　whose　fox…colored　feathers；　rather　than　any　malicious　cunning　of　its　disposition；　are　responsible　for　the　name　it　bears。　The　male　bird　is　incomparably　the　finest　singer　of　its　gifted　family。　His　faint　tseep　call…note　gives　no　indication　of　his　vocal　powers　that　some　bleak　morning　in　early　March　suddenly　send　a　thrill　of　pleasure　through　you。　It　is　the　most　welcome　〃glad　surprise〃　of　all　the　spring。　Without　a　preliminary　twitter　or　throat…clearing　of　any　sort；　the　full；　rich；　luscious　tones；　with　just　a　tinge　of　plaintiveness　in　them；　are　poured　forth　with　spontaneous　abandon。　Such　a　song　at　such　a　time　is　enough　to　summon　anybody　with　a　musical　ear　out　of　doors　under　the　leaden　skies　to　where　the　delicious　notes　issue　from　the　leafless　shrubbery　by　the　roadside。　Watch　the　singer　until　the　song　ends；　when　he　will　quite　likely　descend　among　the　dead　leaves　on　the　ground　and　scratch　among　them　like　any　barn…yard　fowl；　but　somehow　contriving　to　use　both　feet　at　once　in　the　operation；　as　no　chicken　ever　could。　He　seems　to　take　special　delight　in　damp　thickets；　where　the　insects　with　which　he　varies　his　seed　diet　are　plentiful。

Usually　the　fox　sparrows　keep　in　small；　loose　flocks；　apart　by　themselves；　for　they　are　not　truly　gregarious；　but　they　may　sometimes　be　seen　travelling　in　company　with　their　white…throated　cousins。　They　are　among　the　last　birds　to　leave　us　in　the　late　autumn　or　winter。　Mr。　Bicknell　says　that　they　seem　indisposed　to　sing　unless　present　in　numbers。　Indeed；　they　are　little　inclined　to　absolute　solitude　at　any　time；　for　even　in　the　nesting　season　quite　a　colony　of　grassy　nurseries　may　be　found　in　the　same　meadow；　and　small　companies　haunt　the　roadside　shrubbery　during　the　migrations。


GRASSHOPPER　SPARROW　（Ammodramus　savannarum　passerinus）　Finch　　　family

Called　also：　YELLOW…WINGED　SPARROW

Length　　5　to　5。4　inches。　About　an　inch　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　A　cream…yellow　line　over　the　eye；　centre　of　　　crown；　shoulders；　and　lesser　wing　coverts　yellowish。　Head　　　blackish；　rust…colored　feathers；　with　small　black　spots　on　back　　　of　the　neck；　an　orange　mark　before　the　eye。　All　other　upper　　　parts　varied　red；　brown；　cream；　and　black；　with　a　drab　wash。　　　Underneath　brownish　drab　on　breast；　shading　to　soiled　white；　　　and　without　streaks。　Dusky；　even；　pointed　tail　feathers　have　　　grayish…white　outer　margins。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　British　provinces　to　Cuba。　　　Winters　south　of　the　Carolinas。　Migrations　　April。　October。　Common　summer　resident。

It　is　safe　to　say　that　no　other　common　bird　is　so　frequently　overlooked　as　this　little　sparrow；　that　keeps　persistently　to　the　grass　and　low　bushes；　and　only　faintly　lifts　up　a　weak；　wiry　voice　that　is　usually　attributed　to　some　insect。　At　the　bend　of　the　wings　only　are　the　feathers　really　yellow；　and　even　this　bright　shade　often　goes　unnoticed　as　the　bird　runs　shyly　through　an　old　dairy　field　or　grassy　pasture。　You　may　all　but　step　upon　it　before　it　takes　wing　and　exhibits　itself　on　the　fence…rail；　which　is　usually　as　far　from　the　ground　as　it　cares　to　go。　If　you　are　near　enough　to　this　perch　you　may　overhear　the　zee…e…e…e…e…e…e…e　that　has　earned　it　the　name　of　grasshopper　sparrow。　If　you　persistently　follow　it　too　closely；　away　it　flies；　then　suddenly　drops　to　the　ground　where　a　scrubby　bush　affords　protection。　A　curious　fact　about　this　bird　is　that　after　you　have　once　become　acquainted　with　it；　you　find　that　instead　of　being　a　rare　discovery；　as　you　had　supposed；　it　is　apt　to　be　a　common　resident　of　almost　every　field　you　walk　through。


SAVANNA　SPARROW　（Ammodramus　sandwichensis　savanna）　Finch　family

Called　also：　SAVANNA　BUNTING

Length　　5。5　to　6　inches。　A　trifle　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Cheeks；　space　over　the　eye；　and　on　the　bend　of　　　the　wings　pale　yellow。　General　effect　of　the　upper　parts　　　brownish　drab；　streaked　with　black。　Wings　and　tail　dusky；　the　　　outer　webs　of　the　feathers　margined　with　buff。　Under　parts　　　white；　heavily　streaked　with　blackish　and　rufous；　the　marks　on　　　breast　feathers　being　wedge…shaped。　In　the　autumn　the　plumage　　　is　often　suffused　with　a　yellow　tinge。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　Hudson　Bay　to　Mexico。　　　Winters　south　of　Illinois