Identifier: birdlifeguide00chap (find matches)
Title: Bird-life; a guide to the study of our common birds
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Chapman, Frank M. (Frank Michler), 1864-1945 Seton, Ernest Thompson, 1860-1946
Subjects: Birds -- United States
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
ds have been classified, according to the mannerin which they employ these articles, as weavers, tailors,masons, molders, carpenters, felters, etc. Sometimes both sexes assist in the construction of thenest, or one bird collects the material while the otheradjusts it. Again, the female performs the task alone,aided only by the encouraging voice of the male. The time of construction varies from one to twoweeks to as long as three months in the case of the SouthAmerican Ovenbird, who in June begins to build thenest it will not occupy until October. The Fish Hawkevidently believes in the value of a stick in time, andoften repairs its nest in the fall. Lack of space prohibits a discussion of the influenceswhich assist in determining the character of birds nests.They may be summarized as follows : First, necessity for protection. Second, conditions imposed by locality. These affectboth the site and material, as illustrated by Doves, whonest in trees in wooded countries and on the ground in
Text Appearing After Image:
Plate XXII. Page 112. YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO.Length, 12-25 inches. Upper parts glossy olive-brown; outer tail-feathers black, tipped with white; under parts white; lower mandibleyellow. BIRDS NESTS. 67 treeless regions, and by birds who substitute strings,cotton, or rags for their usual nesting materials. Third, condition of the young at birth, whetherfeathered or naked. The young of what are termed• prsecocial birds are hatched with a covering ofdowny feathers. Gulls, Ducks, Snipe, Chickens, Par-^tridges, and Quails are familiar members of this group.Their young can run about soon after birth, and a well-formed nest is not needed. But the young of altricialbirds are hatched practically naked and are reared in thenest, which is therefore not only a receptacle for the eggsduring incubation, but a home. Thrushes, Sparrows, infact all Perching Birds, Woodpeckers, Hummingbirds,and many others belong in this group of altricial birds. Fourth, temperament, whether solitary or social.Hawks, f

Note About Images