THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN, BURGESS 1919

THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN BY THORNTON W BURGESS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BT LOUIS AGASSIZ FUERTE3 BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY Copyright, 1919, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY All rights reserved Published, October, 1819 STortBaatJ Set up and etotrotppcd by J S ftim Cushbg Co., Norwood, Mws., U.S.A TO THE CHILDREN AND THE BIRDS OF AMERICA THAT THE BONDS OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THEM MAY BB STRENGTHENED THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED CREAKER THE PURPLE CRACKLE and is called Crow At a distance he appears black Blackbird THE MALE COWBIRD You may know him by his coffee-brown head PREFACE THIS book was written to supply a definite need preparation was undertaken at the urgent request of booksellers and others who have felt the Its lack of a satisfactory bird life medium for little children of introduction to As such, and in no sense whatever as a competitor with the many excellent books on this subject, but rather to sup- plement these, this volume has been written primary purpose is to interest the little child and to make him acquainted with, those feathered friends he is most likely to see Because there is no method of approach to the child mind equal to the story, this method of conveying information has been adopted So far as I am aware the book is unique in this respect In its preparation an earnest effort has been made to Its in, present as far as possible the important facts regarding the appearance, habits and characteristics of our feathered neighbors It is intended to be at once a story book and an authoritative hand- book While it is intended for little children, it hoped that children of larger growth may find in it much of both interest and helpfulness Mr Louis Agassiz Fuertes, artist and naturalist, is [vii] Preface has marvelously supplemented such value as may lie in the text by his wonderful drawings in full color They were made especially for this and are so accurate, so true to volume that study of them will enable any one to identify the species shown I am greatly indebted to Mr Fuertes for his cooperation in the life, endeavor to make this book of real assistance to the beginner in the study of our native birds It any is offered to the reader without apologies of It sort was written as a labor of love and love for the birds for little children result of interest love If as a even a few children are led to a keener in and better understanding of our it feathered friends, its purpose will have been ac- complished THOKNTON W BURGESS [ viii ] CONTENTS PAGE " PREFACE I JENNY WREN ARRIVES vii , Introducing the House Wren II THE OLD ORCHARD BULLY The English III IV V VI or VIII JENNY HAS A GOOD WORD FOR SOME SPARROWS The Song, White-throated and Fox Sparrows CHIPPY, SWEETVOICE AND DOTTY The Chipping, Vesper and Tree Sparrows PETER LEARNS SOMETHING HE HADN'T GUESSED The Bluebird and the Robin AN OLD FRIEND The Phoebe and VII House Sparrow IN A NEW HOME -.:', 15 22 f30 38 the Least Flycatcher THE WATCHMAN OF THE OLD ORCHARD The Kingbird and the Great Crested Flycatcher OLD CLOTHES AND OLD HOUSES The Wood Pewee and Some Nesting Places IX LONGBILL AND TEETER The Woodcock and , the Spotted Sandpiper, [ix] 46 54 61 Contents X REDWING AND YELLOW WING The Red-winged Blackbird and PACT 69 the Golden- winged Flicker XI DRUMMERS AND CARPENTERS 76 The Downy, Hairy and Red-headed Woodpeckers XII XIII SOME UNLIKE RELATIVES The Cowbird and the Baltimore 83 Oriole MORE OF THE BLACKBIRD FAMILY The Orchard Oriole and the Bobolink 90 XIV BOB WHITE AND CAROL THE MEADOW LARK 98 The So-called Quail and the Meadow Lark XV A SWALLOW AND ONE WHO ISN'T The Tree Swallow and the Chimney XVI A ROBBER XVII XVIII 113 IN THE OLD ORCHARD The Purple Martin and the Barn Swallow MORE ROBBERS The Crow and the Blue Jay .120 SOME HOMES IN THE GREEN FOREST the Oven Bird and the Redtailed The Crow, Hawk XIX A MAKER | 106 Swift 128 j OF THUNDER AND A FRIEND IN BLACK The Ruffed Grouse and 136 the Crow Blackbird XX A FISHERMAN ROBBED The Osprey and the Bald-headed 144 ' Eagle XXI A FISHING PARTY The Great Blue Heron and [x] 151 the Kingfisher t1 Contents CHAPTER PAGE XXII SOME FEATHERED DIGGERS The Bank Swallow, Sparrow Hawk XXIII , 159 the Kingfisher and the S SOME BIG MOUTHS The Nighthawk, the Whip-poor-will and 168 175 183 Chuck-will's-widow XXIV THE WARBLERS ARRIVE The Redstart and XXV the Yellow Warbler THREE COUSINS QUITE UNLIKE The Black and White Warbler, , , the Maryland Yellow-Throat and the Yellow- breasted Chat XXVI PETER GETS The Parula, A LAME NECK 190 Myrtle and Magnolia War- blers XXVII A NEW FRIEND AND AN OLD ONE The Cardinal and XXVIII PETER SEES REDCOAT ROSEBREAST AND let The XXX 199 FINDS the Scar- Tanager CONSTANT SINGERS JENNY WREN'S COUSINS VOICES OF THE DUSK and Red-eyed, Warbling throated Vireos The Brown Thrasher and XXXI 206 The Rose-breasted Grosbeak and XXIX THE the Catbird ' 215 Yellow- 222 the Mockingbird "~ 229 The Wood, Hermit and Wilson's Thrushes, [xi] ... Snowflake the Snow Bunting Wanderer the Horned Lark Spooky the Screech Owl 280 308 ' xvi 222 222 230 230 248 248 256 264 264 ] THE BURGESS BIED BOOK FOR CHILDREN THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN... Kitty the Catbird Redcoat the Scarlet Tanager Rosebreast the Grosbeak Brownie the Thrasher .210 Chewink the Towhee Melody the Wood Thrush Teacher the Oven Bird Chicoree the Goldfinch Hummer the. .. XVIII 113 IN THE OLD ORCHARD The Purple Martin and the Barn Swallow MORE ROBBERS The Crow and the Blue Jay .120 SOME HOMES IN THE GREEN FOREST the Oven Bird and the Redtailed The Crow, Hawk