Some helpful Georgia birds

GEORGIA. BOARD OF GAME AND FISH . SOME HELPFUL GEORGIA BIRDS

THE LIBRARIES
THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

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SOME HELPFUL
GEORGIA BIRDS
GENERAL LIBRARY
University op Ceorgi
Athens, Georgia ISSUED B1
State Board of Game and Fisi
peter s. Twrrrr. commissioner

State Board of Game
and Fish
D. M. BIRD. CHAIRMAN
CHARLES S. ARNOW J. E. HARDEN
HENRY F. BRANHAM, DIRECTOR JUNIOR DEPT.
PETER S. TWITTY. COMMISSIONER

FOREWORD
This book has been prepared by two well known Georgians who are well qualified by study and experi-
ence to write such a book for the boys and girls and those of mature years of our State. One of the authors is Mr. J.
A. Hall, a newspaper man formerly of Gordon county but for the past many years editor of the DeKalb New
Era, Decatur, Georgia. Mr. Hall is a well-known writer of nature features for the Atlanta Journal and other publications. Having lived close to nature all his life, he is deeply interested in children and the part they ought to play in the preservation of Georgia birds and all harmless wild life.
Dr. Wallace Rogers has collaborated with Mr. Hall in the preparation of this book. Dr. Rogers is an associate
of the American Ornithologist's Union and also a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is regarded as one of the leading authorities in
Georgia on birds and other nature subjects. His opinions
are highly respected by those who know.
While this book has been prepared primarily for school boys and girls, it is accurate from a scientific standpoint and for that reason alone should be of interest
to grown people as well as children. It is my belief that
this book will be a great help to the teachers of Georgia in the teaching of nature study.
This book has been prepared with special reference to the Loyal Legion of Nature Guardians. It will be not only a valuable aid in the study of nature but also a means of giving our school boys and girls an interest in the preservation of our song birds and other helpful wild life of forest and stream, will help the children to under-
stand the reasons for game and fish laws, and will there-
fore help to create sentiment for the enforcement of these
laws. Only by the keeping of these laws can we hope to save our fish and game from being ultimately exterm-
inated. Since enforcement of all law is a matter of public
sentiment, it is proper that we should begin with the
school children.

This book is well illustrated and I take pleasure in commending it to our public school teachers in the belief that it will prove of real help to them.
M. L. DUGGAN,
Supt. of Schools.

AUTHORS' NOTE

This little book is printed and distributed by the State
Board of Game and Fish under the direction of the pres-

ent Commissioner primarily for school boys and girls of

the State and with especial reference to the Loyal Legion

of Nature Guardians. It is a part of the conservation pro-
gram of the Department. It is the desire of the Board and the Commissioner not only to conserve the game of

interest to the sportsman, but also to give protection to

our song and insectivorous birds as well as the other

forms of wild life native to our State.

This is not a pretentious treatise on the birds of Georgia

but is, as the title suggests, a guide to the study of some
of the common and helpful birds of our State. It seeks

to call attention to the high economic value of birds in the destruction of rodents, weed seeds and insect pests, and
it is sent out with the hope that it may serve to stimulate

interest in the study of our avifauna and suggesl tin-

need of a complete book on Georgia birds.

The arrangement of the sketches follows the order of the American Ornithologist's Union; the common names of the birds are given, followed by the Latin

names, with the family to which the individual bird belongs. This is done to accommodate the student who may wish to find a fuller discussion in one of the text books on

Ornithology.
Acknowledgement is hereby given to Mr. Earl K. Greene, Associate of the American Ornithologist's Union,

for reading the manuscript and for valuable suggestions;
also to the Departmenl of Game and Fish for generous

cooperation and help.

THE AUTHORS.

Atlanta, Ga.
March 8th, 1928,

THE MUSEUM
The Department of Game and Fish has assembled at
considerable effort and time a collection of mounted birds and mammals. This has been done for the convenience of students of natural history subjects, and to call attention to the great variety of our wild life. The value of the study of mounted specimens is very great since in the field we often get but a fleeting glimpse of
the bird, or mammal, while in the museum prolonged and careful observation may be made. This supplemented
by observation in the field helps to familarize the student
with the many forms of wild life. For example: of the warbler family of birds some thirty or more species may be seen in Georgia. None of our observers have seen all of these. The museum has twenty-eight species of the warbler family. To see all of them in the field would require a long period of observation. Here they may be
studied at your leisure.
The museum contains 209 specimens of birds and is
on the third floor of the Capitol near the office of the
Department of Game and Fish. It is open to the public
all the time, and the children of the State are especially
invited to see it.

LIST OF BIRD SKETCHES
INDEX
Introductory Article on Birds

9- Killdeer
IO. Mourning Dove
12. Sparrow Hawk
'3- Screech Owl 15- Cuckoo
1 6. Family of Bird Carpenters
!/ Flicker
[8. Night Hawk20. Chimney Swift
21. Humming Bird
23- Blue Jay 25- Red-wing Blackbird
26. Meadow Lark
27. Goldfinch
28. Sparrow Family
20. Carolina Junco

30. Towhee
31. Cardinal 3-2- Indigo Bunting 33- Tanagers 34- Furpie Martin 35- Warblers 37- Yellow Breasted Chat
39- Mocking Bird
4i- Cat Bird
4^- Brown Thrasher 44- Carolina Wren 45- White Breasted Nuthatch
46. Tufted Titmouse 47- Carolina Chickadee
48. Wood Thrush
49- Robin 50. Bluebird

BIRDS
We see birds every day. They come into the yard
and pick up crumbs and other bits of food. They are on the ground, in the trees along the city streets and they gather in flocks out in the fields and woods of the country, but most of us know very little about them.
We may know the jay by his blue and black feathers
and harsh voice, the crow, which is the big black cousin of the jay, the noisy English sparrow, which builds its nest under eves of houses and other places about our homes, the Carolina wren, the mocking bird, the red headed woodpecker, and other birds, which live with us
both winter and summer and which are familiar throughout the country, but these are only a few of the many
thousands of birds which live all around us, or which pass through our locality as the seasons change .
Many kinds of birds spend the winter in the far
south where the climate is warm, flowers are in bloom
and plenty of food may be found. When spring comes these birds fly northward ; some of them go many
thousands of miles into the wild cold regions of Canada to build their summer nests, lay their eggs and hatch
their young. When summer is over the old birds and the young ones fly back to the warm countries of the south to
spend another winter. This movement from one region to
another is called bird migration.
When the first days of spring arrive, and the sun shines warm on the bare fields and naked woods, we may
see, if we watch closely, some strange new birds moving
slyly along the fence rows and through the tangled thick-
ets and hedges. Some of these new birds will spend the summer with us; others will go farther north to build nests. As spring advances and young leaves begin to appear, the number of new birds greatly increases. Among the new comers we see the woodthrush, the oriole and a
little later, the kingbird, the tanager and the cuckoo.

In the springtime, therefore, when the migrating birds are going northward and the summer visitors are coming
in, is the best time to get acquainted with the birds, learn
their songs, study their habits and make friends with
them.
Birds are like children. They quickly learn who are their friends and who are their enemies. People who are
good to the birds, scatter grain and crumbs in the yard for them to eat, and do not try to hurt them, have more
birds about their homes than people who try to kill them, throw stones at them, or molest them in other ways. If
you like to look at birds and enjoy their music, you can have them by giving them food and water and cultivat-
ing their friendship.
Birds devour vast numbers of insects, weed seeds and rodents, and in this way have a very large economic value. They are the farmer's best friends and should, therefore, have the sympathy and protection of people
living in the country. Birds have a great aesthetic value. Their songs bring cheer and comfort and by their graceful movements and attractive bodies, they stimulate an
appreciation of beauty and poetic harmony. People who
love birds are helped by association with them.
PINE NEEDLES
If Mother Nature patches The leaves of trees and vines,
I'm sure she does her darning With the needles of the pines.
They are so long and slender; And sometimes, in full view,
They have their thread of cobwebs, And thimbles made of dew.
--William H. Hayne.

The Killdeer
A long-tailed, slate colored bird with a slender body
with two black bands across the breast may be frequently seen running awkwardly about the wet ground of quagmires and small pools. He tells his name by calling, "killdee, killdee.'* He often stands on one foot, as is the cue-
torn with wading birds, while looking for bugs, tadpoles or other kinds of food, and, when disturbed, 'a group of these birds will rise in awkward, jerky, flight, uttering their strange cries as they flap their way to a safe dis-
tance.
-- -- The killdeer this is his correct name is not only
an interesting bird to look upon, but he serves a useful purpose in destroying water bugs and other things, which are hatched in large numbers in small bodies of stagnant water and in low wet soils.
-- KILLDEER Oxyechus vociferus vociferus.
Order LIMICOLAE.
Length 9 to 10M> inches.
Forhead with a white band from eye to eye, and a black band above the white one: a white collar around neck continuous with white of throat; a black collar around back of neck continuous with a black breast band, behind this another black breast belt. Underpart of body pure white except the two pectoral belts. Crown and back grayish brown. Tail tipped with black and white.
Range North and South America. Breeds from the Gulf to Canada.
Nest a slight depression in the ground scantily lined with bits of grass or stones. 4 butfy white eggs spotted with chocolate.
The Bobolink has come, and like the soul Of a sweet season, vocal in a bird, Gurgles in ecstasy we know not what
Save June"! Dear June! Now God be praised for June.
9

The Mourning Dove
Distinctive among the bird notes familiar to Georgia is the mourning voice of the dove. Among all other bird
notes there is nothing like it. Beginning in a soft, subdued tone, it grows in volume and reminds one of an outburst of great sorrow.
Doves are very shy of their human neighbors and will frequently abandon a nest when they learn it has been
discovered, even though the eggs and nest are not molested. Doves raise but two young at a time and therefore increase slowly. They become attached to a given community and will frequently return there to nest year after
year.
The food of doves consists almost entirely of the seeds of noxious weeds and such waste grain as they may be able to find in fields and along roadways. The nests of doves may be found scattered throughout Georgia and
are especially plentiful in the northern part of the state, and these nests should not be molested in any way.
MOURNING DOVE
(Courtesy Audubon Society) 10

V
Order COLUMBAE.
-- MOURNING DOVE Zenaidura macroura carolinensia.
Family COLUMBIDAE.
Length 11 2 to 12 inches. Upperparts olive grayish brown; breast purplish; abdomen creambuff; small black spot under ear. Breeds throughout its range which is the entire United States and southern Canada. Winters from the Ohio Valley to Panama. The nest is a sorry structure usually within 10 feet of the ground,, rarely on the ground, and contains 2 white eggs.
THE TREE
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet-flowing breast.
A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in summer wear A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with the rain
Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.
--Joyce Kilmer.
11

The Sparrow Hawk
The sparrow hawk is one of the well known birds of
the country districts. While called a hawk, he is really
a falcon. He is the least of all hawks, and is so bold that
he sometimes builds his nest in church steeples, in the tops of tall buildings and other sheltered nooks. This
little hawk is a handsome, graceful bird, and frequently utters a shrill, quavering cry as he flies. Being a hawk has caused him to be regarded as an enemy by most people, and therefore continuous war has been waged
upon him, along with all other hawks, but the sparrow
hawk does little or no harm.
He may sometimes attack small birds and very young chickens, but this is not often. During the warm part of
the year he feeds upon grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, caterpillars ?,nd spiders. In fail and winter he eats mice,
caught in the fields and about barns. A family of spar-
row hawks, living in the garret of an isolated barn, would no doubt do much to keep the building free from rats and other small animals. Because these little hawks have been brave enough to nest near the homes of man, large numbers of them have been killed. This is unfortunate, as the\T are now known to destroy many things which are harmful to us.
-- SPARROW HAWK Cerchneis spareria sparveria.
Order RAPTORES. Family FALCONIDAE.
Length 10 inches.
Back reddish, barred with black; tail reddish with a black band near the end, the tip white. Underparts cream-buff spotted with
black.
Range North America east of the Rockies.
The nest is usually in a hole in a tree with 3 to 7 eggs creamywhite to reddish, finely marked with shades of the ground color.
12

The Little Screech Owl
We have all heard, and remember, the unpleasant
voice of the little screech owl. It has a harsh, shivering sound as if the little owl were suffering from cold. Sometimes the owl is heard very close to the house at night
and, as his voice is depressing, we want him to go away, which he usually does in a few minutes.
On account of his shivering voice and the fact that he
belongs to the owl family, the little screech owl is very
unpopular with some people, which is unfortunate. He
does practically no harm, but is very helpful to us, for he feeds on mice, crawfish, frogs, toads and lizards, and such insects as grasshoppers, beetles and cut worms.
Screech owls build their nests in hollow trees and such other protected places, and, like other owls, they move about at night and are not often seen in the daytime. The
screech owls are among man's most useful friends and
they should not be harmed.
SCREECH OWLS Photograph by Wallace Rogers.
13

--
-- SCREECH OWL Otus asio asio.
Order RAPTORES. Family STRIGIDAE.
Length 9 V2 inches.
Two distinct phases of plumage color not dependent on age, sex,
or season. In the reddish-brown phase the upperparts bright reddish-brown, finely streaked with black; underparts whitish. In the gray phase the upperparts are generally brownish-gray, streaked with black, and the underparts are white, finely streaked and irregularly barred with black. The ear tufts are conspicuous and are about 1 inch high.
Range eastern North America. The nest is generally in a hollow tree and contains 4 to 6 white
eggs.
THE BALTIMORE ORIOLE How falls it, Oriole, thou has come to fly
In tropic splendor through our northern sky?
At some glad moment was it Nature's choice To dower a scrap of sunset with a voice? Or did an organe tulip, flaked with black, In some forgotten garden, ages back, Yearning toward Heaven until its wish was heard,
Desire unspeakably to be a bird?
--Edgar Fawcett.
14

The Yellow-Billed Cuckoo
People living out in the country frequently hear in spring time a weird clucking bird voice, usually coming from some unseen source. It is the voice of the yellow-
billed cuckoo, known to many people as the rain crow. The cuckoo is a long, slender, shy bird with gray, brown-
ish back and black tail tipped with white and breast white. It moves noiselessly about orchards and fruitbearing hedges in search of hairy caterpillars, bugs and
other food.
The rain crow seldom ventures into villages or ap-
proaches human homes. He prefers to build his nest in secluded woods well above the ground. He is a graceful and interesting bird and, while he may not be able to
foretell rain as has been supposed, he is nevertheless one
of our most attractive summer bird visitors. He appears in upper Georgia about the first of May and returns southward in early autumn.
-- YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO Coccyzus americanus americanus.
Order COCCYGES. Family CUCULTDAE.
Length 12 inches.
Upperparts brownish- gray; outer tail feathers black, conspicuously tipped with white; underparts dull whitish. Upper part of bill black, lower part yellow except at the tip.
Breeds from northern Florida to southern part of eastern Canada, west to Nebraska and Oklahoma; winters in South America.
Nest of small sticks in low trees or bushes, 5 to 10 feet from the ground. 3 to 5 pale greenish eggs.
O blithe New-comer! I have heard,
T hear thee and rejoice;
O Cuckoo! shall I cail thee Bird,
Or but a wandering Voice?
-- Wordsworth.
15

A Family of Bird Carpenters
Nature has given to birds suitable tools with which to build their homes and secure their food. The woodpeckers have been provided with bills which are long, strong and pointed at the end like chisels. With these sharp,
cutting bills, they are able to make holes through thick
green bark, or dead wood, in search of insects and other food. They also use their bills to dig nesting holes in dead trees and other sheltered places. The woodpeckers all belong to th9 red-headed family. All of them, except the white-headed variety which lives in California, show a spot of red somewhere about the head, except certain female birds. The woodpeckers are not musical, but some of them, like the flicker, utter a loud strident call. Most people in Georgia are familiar with red-heads, flickers and so-called sapsuckers.
The woodpeckers are all industrious birds, always busy searching for grubs, ants and other insects in the crevices of bark, pecking into decaying wood or hammering holes through the bark of trees in search of ants which they can reach with their long wire-like tongues on the end of which is a little barbed spear.
-- RED-HEADED WOODPECKER Malanerpes erythrocephalus.
Order PIC1. Family PICIDAE. Length 9% inches.
Head, neck, throat and upper breast deep red; upper back bluish black; part of wings and lower back white; tail black, the feathers edged with white; under parts white, the middle of the abdomen slightly tinged with reddish.
Range, southern Canada to Gulf, including Mississippi Valley. Nest usually in a dead tree with 4 to 6 white eggs.
Speak, what trade art thou?
Why sir, a carpenter.
Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on?
--Julius Caesar, Act 1. Sc. 1 L 5.
16

The Flicker

One of the most conspicuous and best known of the large family of woodpeckers is the flicker, known to many people as the yellow hammer. This bird, the top of whose head is bluish gray and whose wing feathers,
are bright yellow underneath, wears a black collar around
his neck. He is frequently seen upon the ground in open wood lots where he is searching for ants and grubs which live in the ground. The flicker is a great eater of ants and has been known to consume from three to five thou-
sand in a single day.

The flicker, like other woodpeckers, also eats large numbers of wood-boring grubs and other insects found about the trunks and branches of trees.

The flicker is somewhat larger than the jay, seldom remains still but seems to be always busy searching for food or hammering with his stout bill upon dead trees or the gables of barns where he sometimes seeks winter
shelter.

The flicker has a loud, strident voice and his rolling

call, sent out from the top of a high tree, sounds like a

challenge to the rest of the world. The flicker is a grace-

ful, attractive and useful bird and deserves our friend-

ship.

-- SOUTHERN FLICKER Colaptes auratus auratus.

Order PICI. Family PICIDAE.

Length

ll

1 /*

inches.

Top of head bluish or ashy gray; scarlet band across back of neck; lower part of upper body white; wing lining yellow; spotted under parts; black breast crescent. Female very properly lacks the mous-
tache of the male.

Range, South Atlantic and Gulf States. The Northern Flicker, Coloptes auratus luteus, inhabits the eastern part of North America from North Carolina to Canada.

Nest in holes with from 5 to !> white eggs.

17

The Nighthawk
The nighthawk is not a hawk at all but is a harmless
and highly useful bird which lives entirely upon insects captured in the air. The nighthawk is known to most people by the name of bull bat. It has remarkable powers of flight, and a few years ago numbers of these birds could be seen during summer afternoons slowly flapping their way high overhead. In these flights they performed numerous interesting evolutions, sometimes folding their wings and dropping for a considerable distance merely to tease one of their companions by uttering a booming sound in his ear.
The nighthawk, like the whip-poor-will, has a large mouth suited for capturing gnats and other insects on the
wing and these constitute his entire food. The night hawk
lays two eggs upon the bare ground in some unfrequented spot and as the color of the bird resembles dead leaves
and grass one may walk within a few feet of one of these
birds sitting on its nest without seeing it.

NIGHTHAWK Chordeiles Virginianus virginianus.
Order MACHROCHIRES. Family CAPRIMULGIDAE.
Family
Upper parts black, unevenly marked with cream-buff; wing dull reddish crossed in the middle of the primaries with a conspicuous white bar; tail black with broken bars of cream-buff and a white band on the end of all but the middle feathers; throat with a broad white band, chin and upper breast black, the feathers tipped with cream-
buff or white.
-- Range North and South America.
Nest on the ground, sometimes on the flat roofs of houses, with two dull white eggs evenly marked with small brownish spots.
THE SING-AWAY BIRD
Have you ever heard of the Sing-away Bird, That sings where the Runaway River
Runs down with its rills from the bald-headed hills That stand in the sunshine and shiver? "Oh sing! sing-away! sing-away!"
How the pines and the birches are stirred
By the trill of the Sing-away Bird!
'T was a White-throated Sparrow, that sped like an arrow Of song from his musical quiver.
And it pierced with its spell every valley and dell On the banks of the Runaway River. "Oh sing! sing-away! sing-away!" The song of the wild singer had The sound of a soul that is glad.
--Lucy Larcom.
19

The Chimney Swift
We see the chimney swifts only in summer. They reach
Georgia from the South in April. During the warm
months, and especially during the early fall, flocks of
these birds may be seen flying swiftly about the sky and
their gleeful chatterings remind one of happy children at
play.
Formerly they nested in hollow trees but since houses have become numerous and trees scarce, they nest inside chimneys and gather their food as they fly swiftly in wide circles through the air. Their food consists almost entire-
ly of gnats and other flying insects. As summer draws to
a close, these birds collect in large flocks and house themselves in chimneys at night. They go southward in October and return the following May.
CHIMNEY SWIFT--Chaetura pelagica. Order MACHROCHIRES.
Family MICHOPODIDAE.
Length 5 V2 inches.
Entire plumage grayish black, throat somewhat lighter than the back; black spot in front of each eye; shafts of tail feathers extend beyond the vanes.
Breeds in eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf west to the plains; winters in the tropics.
The nest is a half basket of dead twigs glued together with saliva and fastened to the wall of a chimney like a bracket or shelf and held
by a gummy secretion from the bird's salivary glands. There are
from 4 to 6 white eggs.
It's surely summer, for there's a swallow:
Come one swallow, his mate will follow, The bird race quicken and wheel and thicken.
-- Christina G. Rossetti.
20

The Humming Bird
The humming bird is the smallest of all our birds; he
is also one of the most beautiful in color and is incomparably swift in flight. This dainty little stranger from
the far South comes into our country when the flowers
begin to bloom in the spring and spends his time sipping the sweets from the open blossoms about the yard and
garden. He has the ability to hold himself in the air by the rapid movement of his wings while he thrusts his long
sharp bill into the deep cups of the honeysuckle and other
flowers. The humming bird also eats plant lice, spiders,
and other harmful insects.
The dainty little nest of the humming bird looks like a
cup of moss sitting upon the branch of a tree and is often
hard to distinguish from a dead knot of wood. He has no
song, but his brilliant colors and remarkable powers of
flight make him one of the most interesting visitors which come into our flower yards.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD
(Courtesy Board of Game and Fish of Pennsylvania) 21

RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD--Archilochus colubris.
Order MACROCHIRES. Family TROCHILIDAE. Length 3% inches.
Upper parts bright, shining green; wings and tail dark gray with
purplish reflections; throat intense ruby-red with metallic lustre; underparts somewhat dusky with greenish tint on sides; tail forked.
Breeds throughout its range which is Eastern North America.
Winters as far south as Panama and Central America. The nest is one of the most beautiful examples of bird craftsman-
ship, is made of plant down and is covered on the outside with lichens, usually about 20 feet up and saddled on a small limb. There
are 2 tiny, white eggs.
And the humming-bird that hung Like a jewel up among The tilted honeysuckle horns They mesmerized and swung
In the palpitating air.
Drowsed with odors strange and rare. And, with whispered laughter, slipped away And left him hanging there.
--James Whitcomb Riley
22

The Blue Jay
Arrayed in his showy blue uniform with black and white trimmings and wearing a jaunty cap upon his head, the blue jay reminds us of a well dressed soldier. His clothes suggest style and neatness but his manner is rude, his voice loud and harsh and he deports himself with an air of haughtiness. He is bold, almost to the point of impudence, invades the yards and even the porches of our homes, and scolds at us in his rasping voice.
The jay, however, must have credit for some good qualities along with his bad ones. Government experts, who have examined the stomachs of a large number of jays, have found that they eat many injurious insects such as caterpillars and grasshoppers, and that the greater part of their food consists of acorns and other wild mast. In seeking to store up food for future use the jays bury many thousands of acorns and small nuts in the ground and in this way plant large numbers of young
trees.
^"'^s^
BLUE JAY Photograph by Wallace Rogers.

--
The jay has been charged with eating the eggs and young birds found in the nests of other birds, and for this reason has become very unpopular. He is also known to eat corn and other grain found in fields and about barns and this has added to his unpopularity.
-- BLUE JAY Cyanocitta cristata cristata.
Order PASSERES. Family CORVIDAE. Length 11% inches.
'Upper parts grayish blue; head crested; forehead black; black band across the back of the head, down the sides of the neck and across the breast; exposed surface of wings blue; wing coverts barred with black.
Range eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf States. Migratory in the northern part of its range; permanent resi-
dent in the South.
The nest is compactly woven of twigs and lined with small roots; is usually placed in the crotch of a tree from 10 to 30 feet up. There are from 4 to 6 eggs pale green, or ashy brown, thickly marked with varying shades of brown.
"Leave to the Nightingale her shady wood;
A privacy of a glorious light is thine.
Whence thou dost pour upon the world a flood Of harmony, with instinct more divine;
Type of the wise, who soar, but never roam True to the kindred points of Heaven and Home.''
--Shelly
24

The Red-Winged Blackbird
Reedy marshes, where rushes and other aquatic growth form a tangled jungle above standing water, attract the red-winged blackbird and, in such places, we can often find, when we go fishing or strolling in the spring time, numbers of these birds whose chattering notes remind us of noises made by creaking machinery. The male redwing is a handsome bird dressed in glossy black with
bright red shoulders tinged with buff, while his mate, like the female of most other birds, wears a garb rusty gray in color which blends with the surroundings of her nest
and thus protects her from discovery and harm by ene-
mies.
Red-winged blackbirds, like the snipe and kingfisher, are seldom seen on high, dry lands, but they are a com-
mon and attractive part of the wild life of marsh lands.
After the nesting season, they collect in large flocks and roam over the country.
-- RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD Agelaius phoeniceus phoeniceus.
Order PASSERES. Family ICTERIDAE.
Length 9 V2 inches.
Male black with exception of bright scarlet "shoulders"; female rusty gray with under parts conspicuously streaked with black and
white.
Range North America east of the Great Plains, except Gulf coast and Florida. The Florida Red-wing is smaller and has a slen-
derer bill.
Nest is of coarse grasses lined with rootlets and fine grass and is attached to low bushes or reeds near or over shallow water. The eggs are from 3 to 5, pale blue, spotted, blotched and scrawled with dark purple, or black, chiefly at the larger end.
25

The Meadow Lark
Farmers and other people who live in the country are familiar with the meadow lark which is generally called field lark. He is usually seen upon the ground in the fields, meadows and other open spaces and during the
winter collects in flocks. After he has had his breakfast, the lark likes to sit upon the branches of a tree in the sunlight and sing, and his notes are sweet and musi-
cal.
The meadow lark is easy to recognize because of his russet color and bright yellow breast, marked with a
conspicuous black band, and by his feeding habits, which
keep him on the ground where he may be seen walking
awkwardly, searching for insects, which form 78 percent of his diet. In flight he rises from the ground with a quick, jerky motion of his wings, then sails gracefully for a short distance. In former years the lark was known largely in Georgia as a winter visitor from the north.
Now many of them remain here through the summer, and
their nests may be found in various parts of the state.
These nests are built upon the ground, well hidden in clusters of thick grass and difficult to find.
SOUTHERN MEADOWLARK--Sturnella Magna Argtula.
Order PASSERES. Family ICTERIDAE. Length 10% inches.
A buffy line through the center of the crown; back black, bor-
dered and tipped with a rusty red; line of yellow over eye; underparts bright yellow above shading to white; black crescent on breast.
Range eastern North America.
The nest is usually arched, on the ground, and made of grasses. Eggs 4 to 6, white, speckled with brown.
26

The Goldfinch
We sometimes see about the yard or garden a flock of
busy little birds which seem to be clothed in a mixture of gray, black and yellow, and, as we approach, they rise in flight, uttering a series of soft notes which sound like
"p-chickory, p-chickory."
These birds are goldfinches, called by some people thistle birds and by others wild canaries, on account of their resemblance both in color and song to pet canaries. They nest in North Georgia and are the latest of our nesting birds. The goldfinches will sometimes collect about the garden in late summer where they will remain for several days feeding upon sunflower and other seeds. In upper Georgia they do not seem to have any settled place of abode but wander in flocks at random over the country. Sometimes a colony of them will remain near a favorite roosting tree for several weeks. The Goldfinches are very tame and will feed near your home if unmolested. They change color with the seasons, being much brighter in summer than in winter.
-- AMERICAN GOLDFINCH Astragalinus tristis tristis.
Order PASSERES. Family FRINGILLIDAE. Length 5 xk inches.
Crown, wings and tail black; rest of body bright canary yellow. Female wears a dull yellow-olive dress which is practically the same winter and summer. In the winter the male bears a close resemblance to the female.
Range eastern North America.
Nest of fine grasses, moss and bark, lined with thistledown, in trees or bushes. There are 3 to 6 bluish-white eggs which are laid
in July.
27

The Sparrow Family

The sparrows are the most numerous, the most neighborly and therefore the best known of all our birds. The sparrow family is very large, containing many varieties which differ so slightly in size and appearance, that it is almost impossible for the casual observer to tell one from the other- Not only are there many kinds of sparrows but there are other kinds of birds which look like spar-
rows and are frequently mistaken for them. Many
people call any small brownish bird a sparrow and thus the females of the junco, bobolink, indigo bunting and even the towhee are sometimes thought to be sparrows.

The sparrow family includes a number of graceful, well dressed birds and also some sweet singers. Some kinds of sparrows live in the fields and nest in weeds and
briars near the ground. Other kinds live about the edges
of woods and thickets, and build their nests among the
low branches of trees and in clusters of shrubbery.
-- CHIPPING SPARROW Spizella passerina passerina.
Order PASSERES. Family FRINGILLIDAE.
Length 5% inches.

Top of head reddish; bill black; whitish line over eye; lower part of upper body slaty gray; underparts grayish white.

Range eastern North America. Nests from Georgia and Mississippi to Canada; winters from South Carolina to the Gulf.

Nest is of fine twigs or rootlets thickly lined with long hairs located

in trees or bushes from 5 to 20 feet from the ground. 4 to 5 blue,

or greenish blue eggs beautifully marked with brown or black.

SPARROW-- FIELD

Spizella pusilla pusilla.

Order PASSERES.

Family FRINGILLIDAE.

Length 5 V2 inches.

Top of head reddish; back reddish finely streaked with black; bill

reddish; gray line over eye; underparts whitish tinged with buff on

breast and sides.

Nests from northern Florida and central Louisiana to Minnesota

and Maine. Nest of coarse grasses, etc., lined with fine grasses and

long hairs, on the ground, or in low bushes. Eggs 3 to 5, white or

bluish white marked with reddish brown.

28

The Carolina Junco
Traveling" along country roads, or farm trails, in win-
ter, we are likely to come upon a flock of little slate colored birds with white underparts, feeding upon the ground. They take flight as we approach and we observe that they show two prominent white stripes on each
side of their outspread tails. After they have alighted
at a safe distance we may hear from some of them notes which resemble sounds made by striking a taut wire with a stick. These birds are commonly known as snowbirds, but their correct name is junco, of which there are two
kinds. Those generally seen in Georgia are the Carolina juncos, which are seen here only in winter and which nest in the Allegheny highlands and regions farther north.
Formerly the snowbirds swarmed in large numbers about the farm homes of upper Georgia where they fed upon waste grain found about barnyards and weed seeds obtained in the fields. While not so numerous as formerly, the juncos still come, and their presence helps to
enliven the winter landscape.
-- CAROLINA JUNCO Junco hyemalis carolinensis.
Order PASSERES. Family FRINGILLIDAE.
Length 6 V2 inches.
Upperparts, throat and breast uniform grayish slate-color. Tail grayish black the two outer feathers and part of third white; bill horn-color. Female has throat and breast paler than male.
Range southern Alleghenies. Breeds from western Maryland to North Georgia, winters in adjacent lowlands.
Nest is built on the ground of grasses, moss and rootlets, lined with fine grasses and long hairs. Eggs 4 to 5, white, speckled, or spotted with reddish brown.
2<)

The Towhee or Joree
Two birds which may frequently be seen in great
abundance in our State in winter, scratching vigorously with both feet like tiny chickens, are Mr. and Mrs. Towhee, known locally by the name of joree.
Mr. Towhee is conspicuously dressed in black and tan, with scattered markings of rose and white. His mate is more soberly dressed in pale brown and faded rose. These birds, which spend most of their time upon the ground
-- -- searching for food among the dead leaves, utter a sharp,
short note "chewink" and on account of this note they
are known in some localities as chewinks-
As Mr. and Mrs. Towhee are seen almost constantly
together in winter, their family life seems quite tranquil, and they evidently live in domestic harmony year after year. They will come near the house in winter searching for food, but they are very shy in nesting time and
know how to conceal their nests among the dead leaves
and other rubbish on the ground in thickets and swamps.
-- TOWHEE Pipilo erythrophthalmus erythrophthalmus.
Order PASSERES. Family FRINGILLIDAE.
Length 8 V inches.
Upperparts, throat and breast, black; abdomen white; sides red-
dish; tail black, the three outer feathers tipped with white; outer
web of outer feather entirely white; iris red; female brown where male is black.
Range eastern North America. Breeds from Piedmont region to Canada, west to Kansas.
Nest is built on or near the ground of strips of bark and dead leaves and lined with tine grasses. The 4 to 5 eggs are white, finely speckled with shades of reddish brown.
30

The Cardinal
Few birds are more beautiful and better known in Georgia than the cardinal grosbeak, commonly called
redbird. These delightful feathered neighbors remain with us throughout the year, and their cheerful notes
may be heard most any time during the winter when the
sunlight is bright and pleasant, and their bright red coats give a pleasing dash of color to the dull landscape.
In spring time one of the first notes heard in the early
dawn is that of the cardinal calling us to awake and take up the duties of the new day. The wings of the cardinal become somewhat darker in winter, but the rest of
his body retains its brilliant red throughout the year. His wife, like other modest ladies of the bird world, dresses in a subdued mixture of olive brownish and old rose. The bright color of the cardinal makes him a favorite target to be shot at and also attracts cats, hawks and
other enemies and thus many thousands of them are killed yearly. They greatly need the sympathy and protection of human friends.
-- CARDINAL Cardinalis cardinalis cardinalis.
Order PASSERES. Family FRINGILLIDAE.
Length S 1/^ inches.
Conspicuous crest; red bill; throat and regions about base of bill
black; rest of plumage bright rosy red. The female is much duller and the crest is less prominent.
Range from the Gulf States to Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania and the southern part of the Hudson Valley.
Nests in bushes; nest built of twigs, strips of bark, etc., lined with rootlets and grasses.
The 3 to 4 whitish eggs are speckled and spotted with brown.
31

The Indigo Bunting
When the hot summer sunlight falls upon the stubble
fields and all other birds are silent, we frequently hear
the clear, chipping notes of a brilliantly blue little bird
sitting upon the top of a tall weed. This bird is known in the country as the summer blue bird. Its correct name is the indigo bunting. It is much smaller and deeper in color than the common blue bird which is a permanent
resident.
The indigo bunting winters in the tropics and arrives in Georgia about the middle of April. The female indigo is a small brownish bird, closely resembling a sparrow, for which it is frequently mistaken. Owing to its shyness and limited numbers, the indigo is not so well known as many other summer visitors.
INDIGO BUNTING--Passerina cyanea.
Order PASSERES. Family FRINGILLIDAE.
Length 5 V2 inches.
Rich blue somewhat lighter on the back but darker on the head; wings and tail black edged with blue. Upper parts of female uniform grayish brown; wings and tail grayish black margined with blue; underparts whitish with rather indistinct streaks. Rather hard
to identify.
Range from Georgia and Louisiana to Canada; winters in the
tropics.
The nest is generally in the crotch of a bush and is built of bits of dead leaves, strips of bark and grasses and is lined with fine grasses and long hairs. The 3 to 4 eggs are pale bluish white.
"The ballad-singers and the Troubadours, The street musicians of the heavenly city,
The birds, who make sweet music for us all
In our dark hours, as David for Saul."
32

The Tanagers
Conspicuous among the spring arrivals from the south are the tanagers, called by many, summer red birds, and
often supposed to be near relatives of the cardinal grosbeaks. The tanagers. however, belong to an entirely different family of birds. The scarlet tanager is a very showy bird, dressed in flaming red with black wings and tail, while his mate is dressed in greenish yellow.
The summer tanager, which is of the same family as the scarlet tanager, arrives about the same time and hunts for a nesting place among the branches of trees about barns and meadows. The summer tanager's entire body is covered with bright red and his mate closely re-
sembles the female scarlet tanager.
-- SCARLET TANAGER Piranga erythromelas.
Order PASSERES. Family TANGARIDAE.
Length 7 V inches.
Wings and tail black; rest of plumage bright scarlet. Upperparts of female light olive-green; wings and tail grayish black; underparts
greenish yellow.
Nests from northern Georgia and southern Kansas to Canada;
winters in the tropics.
Nests of fine twigs and weed stalks usually near the end of a horizontal limb from 10 to 20 feet up. Eggs 3 to 4, greenish blue with numerous reddish, or reddish-brown markings.
SUMMER TANAGER--Piranga rubra rubra.
Order PASSERES. Family TANGARIDAE.
Body rose-red, brighter below; wings grayish black edged with rose-red. The female is more yellow than the female of the Scarlet Tanager.
Range Southern States north to Maryland and Illinois; winters in
the tropics.
Nest of leaves and weed stalks near the end of a limb 10 to 20 feet up. Eggs 3 to 4, bluish white, or greenish blue with numerous brownish markings.

The Purple Martin
The traveler along country roads in Georgia often sees a tall pole with one or more short lengths of wood across its top from which hang a number of long handled gourds. These gourds have a hole some two inches in diameter cut in their sides with a number of very small holes in the bottom. They are referred to as "martin gourds" and rarely fail to gain the attention of this very helpful bird who likes to use these gourds as nesting sites. The Indians used the same procedure to attract the martins and were not unmindful of the helpfulness of
this bird. Hawks will not bother chickens if a family of
martins have a nest near the farm house. Martins are insect eaters and are known to be especially effective as
destroyers of mosquitoes.
Martins have a great way of gathering in large flocks in late summer to wait until the long journey is made to their winter home in the tropics. These flocks sometimes gather in cities and are a great annoyance to their human neighbors, but we can forgive them for this small infringement of human rights when we remember their
great benefit to man.
-- PURPLE MARTIN Progne pubis subis.
Order PASSERES. Family HIRUNDINIDAE,
Length 8 inches.
The largest of our swallows. Adult male shining blue-black with duller wings and tail. Female upperparts duller than the male; underparts brownish gray.
Range from the Gulf to Canada. Very common throughout the
South; winters in the tropics.
Nest in bird houses or gourds of sticks and straws. 4 to 5 white
eggs.
34

The Warblers
We have all noticed, in the warm, delightful days of
spring, numbers of brightly colored little bird strangers slipping quietly through the tangled shrubbery or the
-- branches of trees near our homes. These little strangers
wear a variety of colors the brilliant colors of the tropics. Some look as if they had been painted by the hand of an artist. They are splotched with yellow, red, blue, purple and gold. They are among the most showily dressed of our bird friends. They are the large and numerous family of warblers, many of which are on their way to nesting grounds in the north, and are seen by us only when passing through. Others of this family nest
in upper Georgia and we may become acquainted with them if we are willing to search for them in secluded thickets where people seldom go. Some of the warblers
are exceedingly shy and it is a difficult task to get a look
at them or find their nests. He who would know and
enjoy the warblers must be kindly, patient and perse-
vering.
CAT WITH WARBLER
(Courtesy Board of Game and Fish of Pennsylvania.) 35

Order PASSERES. Family MINOTILTIDAE.
Of the Warblers that nest in Georgia might be mentioned the Black and White Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Swainson's Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Oven Bird, Louisiana Water Thrush, Kentucky Warbler, Maryland Yellow-throat, Yellow-breasted Chat (See sketch), Hooded Warbler, the Redstart, the Parula (Southern form), and the Yellow Warbler.
Do you ne'er think what wondrous beings these? Do you ne'er think who made them, and who taught The dialects they speak, where melodies Alone are the interpreters of thought? Whose household words are songs in many keys, Sweeter than instrument of man e'er caught!
-- Longfellow.
36

The Yellow-Breasted Chat
From tangled thickets along streams and roadsides, we
-- often hear in springtime a series of strange bird notes,
some of which sound like this "Whee, whee, what!' r
We may see the bird which utters these discordant notes
flying awkwardly above the thicket, calling as he goes and jerking his tail in a most ludicrous manner. He de-
lights to utter his strange notes on moonlight nights. This
strange bird is the yellow breasted chat. He is very shy
and hard to approach, but if you get a good look at him, you will find him very attractive, with bright yellow breast, olive green back and black cap on his head. The
chat is a summer resident, seldom ventures near towns
and villages, but builds his nest in the tangled thickets of briars and other dense growth out in the thinly settled
countrv.
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT Photograph by Wallace Rogers
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT-- Icteria virens virens.
Order PASSERES.
37

Family MNIOTILTIDAE.
Length 7 V2 inches. Upperparts, wings and tail olive-green; eye ring, line from eye to bill and line on side of throat white; throat, breast and upper abdo-
men bright yellow; lower abdomen white; sides grayish. Range eastern North America ; winters in the tropics. The rather bulky nest of coarse grasses, strips of bark and leaves
lined with finer grasses, in a crotch near the ground, contains 3 to 5 white eggs evenly speckled with reddish-brown. The Chat is the largest of the Warblers.
A velvet flute-note fell down pleasantly,
Upon the bosom of that harmony, And sailed and sailed incessantly, As if a petal from a wild-rose blown Had fluttered down upon that pool of tone, And boatwise dropped o' the convex side And floated down the glassy tide And clarified and glorified The solemn spaces where the shadows bide. From the warm concave of that fluted note Somewhat, half song, half odour forth did float As if a rose might somehow be a throat.
-- Sidney Lanier.
38

The Mocking Bird
One of the most gifted of all our bird singers is the mocking bird. Its marvelous song, which it constantly changes from one flow of notes to another, resembling the songs of most other birds, is familiar to all lovers of bird music. Perhaps no creature has contributed more to the cheerful entertainment of the South than the mocking bird. So charming has been its music that many poems have been written about it and it has gained a higher place in our literature than any other bird.
Formerly many young mocking birds were captured
before they were able to fly and confined in cages as pets. This cruel practice of depriving the bird of its freedom
and making a prisoner of it for life is now much less common than it used to be. The value of the mocking
bird as a musician and also as a destroyer of insect pests
is now generally recognized and most people wish to see this favorite bird protected and its nests and young ones
left undisturbed.
r- "*f^" .nan
-- MOCKING BIRD Courtesy Audubon Society
39

The mocking bird is a familiar figure about our farms and villages where it builds its nest in apple trees and
hedges and may frequently be seen running along the
ground in search of food. It sometimes sings as it flies and entertains lonely people by singing at night. This habit of singing at night has given to the mocking bird
the name of the American nightingale.
-- MOCKINGBIRD Mimus polyglottos polyglottos.
Order PASSERES. Family MIMIDAE.
Length 10 V2 inches.
Too well known to need description. To be confused in color only with the Loggerhead Shrike. The Mockingbird is larger, has a longer tail, with no black on the face and is of entirely different
habits.
Nests from the Gulf to Iowa and Maryland; accidental in Nova Scotia, Maine, Ontario and Wisconsin.
Nest of coarse material lined with rootlets, etc., in bushes, small pine trees, and dense vegetation. There are from 4 to 6 eggs heavilv marked with brown.

Then from the neighboring thicket the mocking bird, wildest of

of singers,
Swinging aloft on a willow spray that hung o'er the water Shook from his little throat such floods of delirious music, That the whole air and the woods and the waves seemed silent to

listen.

--Longfellow.

40

The Catbird
One bird call which everybody in the country knows is
that of the catbird. This harsh animal-like utterance has
given to the bird the name by which it is commonly
known, and is seldom heard in upper Georgia before the
warm spring weather has clothed the hedges and briar
thickets in fresh green leaves-
While some of the catbirds winter in Georgia, most of
them spend their winters in the warm regions of the far
South and scatter over the United States and even into
Canada when nesting time comes in April and May. The catbird builds in thick clusters of vines, briar thickets and
other such sheltered places about the back lot or orchard and its nest usually contains four greenish blue eggs.
Mr. and Mrs. Catbird wear the same dark, slaty color and it is hard to distinguish one from the other. They feed upon insects, berries and wild fruits, and are also
delightful singers, their rippling notes resembling those
of the brown thrasher. Except for the few that winter t
with us, the catbirds leave us in the early autumn, taking
their departure for warmer regions.
-- CATBIRD Dumatella carolinensis.
Order PASSERES. Family MIMIDAE.
Length 8% inches.
Crown and tail black; rest of plumage slaty gray except under tail coverts which are chestnut sometimes spotted with slaty-gray. Both sexes wear the same costume at all seasons and all ages.
Nests from Florida and Texas to Canada; winters from South Carolina and Georgia to the tropics.
Nest of twigs, grasses and leaves lined with rootlets in bushes and thickets from 5 to 10 feet up. There are from 3 to 5 eggs of rich greenish blue.
11

The Brown Thrasher
The brown thrasher is one of our most gifted singers, and on this account has been called the
sandy mocker. When in a cheerful mood, the thrasher
perches himself upon the topmost branch of a tree and pours out his liquid notes with remarkable dexterity.
At other times the thrasher can be cross and quarrelsome, and if we approach the nest we are likely to hear some sharp clucking sounds followed by a harsh note, which reminds one more of the angry growl of an animal than the voice of a bird.
The brown thrasher is easily identified by his rich brown color, bright eyes and rather long wings and tail. He is usually seen running about on the ground or flitting nervously through hedges and thickets. He nests in tangled clusters of vines, along hedge rows and is a familiar inhabitant of our orchards and the wayside clusters of
wild shrubbery.
BROWN THRASHER ON NEST--Photograph by Wallace Rogers BROWN THRASHER--Toxostoma rufum.
Order PASSERES. 42

Family MIMIDAE. Length 11V2 inches.
Upperparts, wings and tail reddish brown; white wing bars; eyes pale yellow; underparts white heavily streaked with black or brown except on throat and middle of abdomen. Rather long slightly curved bill. Long tail.
Range from Florida and Louisiana to Canada. Nest of coarse rootlets, leaves and twigs in bushes and thickets, and sometimes on the ground; 3 to 6 grayish white eggs finely speckled with reddish brown.
There's a merry Brown Thrush sitting up in the tree; He's singing to me! he's singing to me! And what does he say, little girl, little boy, "Oh, the world's running over with joy!
Don't you hear? don't you see?
Hush! look in my tree! For I am as happy, as happy can be." And the Brown Thrush keeps singing, "A nest do you see? And five eggs hid by me in the juniper-tree?
Don't meddle, don't touch, little giri, little boy,
Or the world will lose some of it's joy.
Now I'm glad! now I'm free! And I always will be,
If you never bring sorrow to me."
4.3

The Cheery Little Wren
Wrens are among the most familiar of Georgia birds. They are very active, always fidgety, moving here and
there about the yard and orchard and sometimes peeping into the windows of houses in search of food or a nesting place. Wrens are not sweet singers, but their voices are strong, clear and full of cheerfulness. It is
easjr to know them. They boldly enter houses, sometimes
building nests in old hats, baskets and other attractive nooks about the place. They flit about the yard and garden and their shrill voices are heard calling cheerily in the early morning.
They consume large quantities of bugs, caterpillars and insects, and in this way are very helpful in protecting fruit, berries and vegetables. It is easy to induce wrens to nest about homes and outbuildings, if you put up boxes out of the reach of cats and other bird enemies.
The Carolina Wren is the only member of the wren family common in this State.
The wren is very helpful to us in destroying many kinds of bugs and insects. They build large, long nests,
lay four or five speckled eggs and often raise two broods
a year.
-- CAROLINA WREN Thryothorus ludovicianus ludovicianus.
Order PASSERES. Family TROGLODYTIDAE. Length 5V2 inches.
Conspicuous buff or whitish line over the eye; upperparts bright reddish, or reddish brown; wings and tail reddish brown finely barred with black; underparts buff, or cream buff.
Range Gulf States north to Connecticut and Iowa. Permanent
resident in its range.
Nest a bulky structure of leaves, feathers, grasses, etc., lined with finer grasses and long hairs, in holes in trees or stumps or in crevices about buildings; 4 to 6 creamy white eggs with numerous reddish brown and lavender markings.
44

The White-Breasted Nuthatch
We have all seen an odd little slate colored bird with
a white breast, creeping around on trees, with his head
downward. He is the white-breasted nuthatch, and is
seen in Georgia the year around searching the tree trunks for the insects upon which he feeds. This odd bird seems to prefer creeping about on the undersides of limbs or exploring trees from the top to the ground, hanging by
his sharp claws, with his head downward, as he goes. He will sometimes move sideways or go round and round the tree in a spiral course. He may be easily known by his
peculiar "yank, yank,'' a sort of nasal note that he often makes.
The nuthatch nests in holes in old trees and the queer manner in which he hunts for his food, and his acrobatic feats which are equal to those of trained circus performers, make him one of the most entertaining of our feath-
ered friends.
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH--Sitta carolinensis carolinensis.
Order PASSERES. Family SITTIDAE.
Length 6 inches.
Crown black, cheeks white, rest of upperparts bluish gray; outer
tail feathers black with white patches near their tips; breast white. Female similar to male except head is grayish.
Range North America east of the Plains. Nests from Gulf States
to Canada. A permanent resident in its range.
Nest of feathers, leaves, etc., in a hole in a tree or stump. 5 to 8 white, or creamy white eggs spotted and speckled with reddish brown and lavender.
45

The Tufted Titmouse
'Tee-to, pee-to, pee-to," how often do we hear this
cheery call as it comes to us during the first days of spring! If we look up the brisk little songster which utters these notes we will find him to be a dainty slatecolored creature with a dash of rusty brown along his sides and a prominent tuft of feathers or topknot on his
head. He has large bright, black eyes and a strong black bill. He is the tufted titmouse, and lives with us winter
and summer.
In winter he may be seen flying about among the bare trees and hedges searching for whatever food he may be
able to find. Early in the spring time Mr. and Mrs- Titmouse start out to look for a home. They find a hole in a dead tree, a broken limb or in an old decayed fence post, and in this they proceed to build their nest and
deposit their eggs. During the winter when food is scarce, they feed upon insects hidden beneath the bark of trees and in the crevices of wood, or upon the eggs of insects laid in similar places. By thus eating the eggs of moths, flies, bugs and numerous other insects they greatly help to reduce the swarms of these things which otherwise might become so numerous as to make life for us
exceedingly uncomfortable.
TUFTED TITMOUSE--Baeolophus bicolor.
Order PASSERES. Family PARIDAE.
Length 6 inches.
Forehead black; rest of upperparts, wings, and tail, gray; underparts whitish; sides reddish brown; conspicuous crest.
Range from the Gulf States north to Nebraska and New Jersey.
Resident except at the northern limit of its range.
Nest of leaves, moss, feathers, etc., in a hole in a stump, or tree. 5 to 8 white, or creamy white eggs marked with brown.
46

The Chickadee
Out in the country we are occasionally greeted with the
friendly notes of a little grayish bird with a white breast
and a black cap on his head. The sides of its head are white, throat black and this contrast of color is so pronounced as readily to attract attention. This little bird is called by many people the tom-tit and by others the black capped titmouse. He is really a chickadee, and tells you so by his song in which frequently occur notes
like this, "Chick-a-dee, chick-a-dee."
The Carolina Chickadee is the form we know in Geor-
gia. It builds its nest near the ground in the holes of stumps, decayed fruit trees and old fence posts. It eats spiders, caterpillars and the eggs of other insects, plant lice and scales. These birds are quite tame and
will nest about the barnyard or orchard when not mo-
lested.
-- CAROLINA CHICKADEE Penthestes carolinensis carolinensis.
Order PASSERES. Family PARIDAE.
Length 4 V2 inches.
Crown, back of neck, and throat shining black; sides of head and neck white; wing and tail feathers edged with whitish; back ashy; breast white; sides washed with cream-buff.
Range Southeastern United States north to New Jersey and cen-
tral Missouri.
Nest of grasses, feathers, moss and plant down, in dead trees and stumps not higher than 15 feet from ground. The 5 to 8 eggs are white, or creamy white speckled with reddish brown.
And hark, how blithe the throstle sings! He, too, is no mean preacher: Come forth into the light of things,
Let Nature be vour teacher.
-- Wordsworth.
47

The Wood Thrush
One of the most welcome visitors in the spring time is the wood thrush, a plump little brown bird with a
speckled breast. This pleasant little feathered neighbor
often steals in quietly and the first we know of his presence is when we hear his wonderful song in the nearby
trees or see him running briskly across the yard after the manner of the robin. The wood thrush is a cousin of the robin and in size, shape and movements reminds one very much of that bird. Both feed upon worms, grubs and beetles found upon the ground-
The wood thrush builds a nest of sticks, leaves and small roots and then lines the inside with clay. These nests, which are better built and more substantial than
the nests of most other birds, are generally located in thick bushes or upon the low branches of trees along the edges of fields and yards. The nests are often so low that the eggs can easily be seen. There are four or five of these, and the eggs are deep blue in color.
The wood thrush is one of the sweetest of singers and because it likes to build its nest near the homes of people, its song is often heard and much enjoyed, especially in the late afternoon. The wood thrush, when kindly treated, becomes very tame, will feed about the door of your home, build its nest a few steps away and entertain you day after day with its delightful music.
WOOD THRUSH--Hylociehla mustelina.
Order PASSERES. Family TURDIDAE.
Length 8% inches.
Bright reddish-brown on head changing to pale olive-brown on tail. Underparts white, thickly marked with large round blackish
spots.
Nests from the Gulf States north to central Minnesota and south-
ern New Hampshire; winters in the tropics.
Nest of leaves, fine twigs, etc., with an inner wall of mud, lined with fine rootlets, usually in saplings from 5 to 20 feet up. 3 to 5
greenish blue eggs.
48

The Robin

No bird has gained a higher place in the affections of the American people than the robin. Formerly millions of them came from the northern states and Canada where
they nested and spent the winter in Georgia and other
southern states. When the writer of this sketch was a
boy, great flocks of robins could be seen throughout the country. They fed upon all kinds of berries such as China berries and the berries of the blackgum, and were
killed in large numbers by hunters. Owing to the destructive warfare waged upon them by hunters, the
diminishing food supply, and other causes, the robins became scare in Georgia, but with protective laws and
sentiment in their favor they are now increasing in num-
bers in this State.

Robins are large and conspicuous birds and will, when not molested, come into your yard and feed upon worms, some of which they pull out of the ground with their long
strong bills. Formerly they nested north of the Blue Ridge, but in recent years have extended their nesting territory south of Atlanta. With proper encouragement, we might induce considerable numbers to spend the summer here.
-- SOUTHERN ROBIN Planesticus migratorius achrusterus.
Order PASSERES. Family TURGIDAE.
Length 9 V2 inches.

The yellow bill, blackish head, white throat streaked with black, and dull reddish breast, and large size, make the robin a bird easy to identify. The northern form is the one we see in the winter in Georgia; the one that nests here is known as the Southern Robin and is somewhat smaller and paler than the northern form.

Range southeastern United States. nois and Maryland to north Georgia.

Breeds from southern illi-

Nest of leaves, coarse grasses, etc., with an inner wall of mud and
a lining of fine grasses, in shade, or fruit trees. There are 3 to 5 greenish blue eggs.

49

The Bluebird
The common blue bird is a familiar object in many
parts of Georgia in all seasons of the year. Formerly they were very plentiful, but the freeze of 1898 destroyed
great numbers of them. They are now increasing in num-
bers year by year.
The bluebird loves the open fields and likes to nest in decayed stumps and in the hollows of old apple trees, and will also nest in boxes when not too near human habitations. The male bluebird is easily recognized by his bright blue body and russet breast The colors of the female are more subdued. She lays four or five pale bluish eggs and her mate fights with great energy to keep enemies away from the nest, and will sometimes attack hawks, crows and other birds much larger than himself. Bluebirds are rarely seen about towns and cities, but out in the country their liquid warbling notes are frequently
heard in the springtime and the birds may be seen flitting
here and there in the fields and orchards.
-- BLUEBIRD Sialia sialis sialis.
Order PASSERES. Family TURIDAE.
Length 7 inches.
Upperparts, wings and tail bright blue; throat, breast and sides dull reddish; abdomen white. Female with grayish upperparts and paler throat, breast and sides. The Bluebird's red, white and blue mark him as a truly American bird.
Range eastern North America. Breeds from southern Canada to Florida. Winters in southern portion of its range.
Nest of grasses in hollow trees, or bird houses. 4 to 6 bluishwhite egg*.
In the thickets and the meadows
-- Piped the bluebird, the Owaissa. Longfellow
50

A MESSAGE TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS OE GEORGIA
It has been said that the boys and girls of today are the
men and women of the next generation. Whoever made
the statement might have gone a step further, and added that they are the fathers and mothers of the generation
after the next.
Realizing this, conservationists are now giving more
time and thought to the boys and girls than to the adults of the present era. Boys and girls are naturally kind and warm-hearted. The boys delight in animals and forests, while the girls love the birds and flowers. If each will adopt the likings of the other, the future of birds, animals and wild life will be assured. The hills and valleys will be re-forested ; the watersheds will be protected, and the streams will be alive with fish. The fields will be
filled with game and wild flowers, and all mankind will be drawn closer together.

VALUABLE BIRDS KILLED BY THOUGHTLESS HUNTERS
(Courtesy Board of Game and Fish of Pennsylvania) 4 Robins (1 to 4); 1 Flicker (5); 2 Hairy Woodpeckers (6 & 7);
13 Cedar Waxwings (8 to 20); 1 Purple Finch (21); 1 Phoebe (22).

51

^V

FORGNi

LOYAL LEGION OF NATURE GUARDIANS
The State Board of Game and Fish has organized the
Loyal Legion of Nature Guardians to enlist the boys and girls of the State in the fight to preserve Nature. Several thousand boys and girls have joined already, and the organization is spreading to other states. As the originator of the movement, Georgia must keep ahead of the pro-
cession at all times.

WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEMBERSHIP

Any Georgia white boy or girl between the ages of

eight and eighteen may become a member of the Legion

upon signing an application, taking an oath of allegiance

and securing the recommendation of his parents, teacher,

minister, or other adult person. There is no cost of any

A sort.

badge, a certificate of membership, a set of in-

structions, and various books and pamphlets will be sent

to each member, postage paid-

MEMBERS NOT EXPECTED TO BE SPIES
The boys and girls who become members of the Loyal
Legion of Nature Guardians are not expected to act as spies. However, they are requested to help their county
game warden distribute placards, official bulletins and other literature when called upon.

HOW GUARDIANS MAY HELP
Birds and Animals
Members of the Loyal Legion of Nature Guardians are asked to form local clubs and study birds, animals, trees and flowers.
They can organize hikes, and get closer to Nature, and study their own communities.
Find out which birds and animals are useful, and which do harm.
Learn the species of Hawks that are destructive to bird life. Know the other natural enemies of bird life.

52

Attract birds to the home or farm by putting out food
and water for them. Build bird houses and bird baths. Full instructions will be sent you.
Discourage other boys from robbing birds' nests, or shooting song birds with air guns or sling shots.
Discourage the caging of Mocking Birds, Cardinals and other song birds as pets. Birds and animals love their freedom as much as humans do.
Encourage the establishment of bird sanctuaries in
your own community. Know the valuable fur-bearing animals and protect
them from wanton destruction. Have your local club study and discuss the State Game,
Fish and Trapping Laws.
NEST OF BOB WHITE--Photograph by Wallace Rogers
Forests and Flowers
Woods fires and unnecessary burning of under-brush
and hedges destroy thousands of birds, nests, fur-bearing animals and other forms of wild life each year. The ac-
tual money loss caused by forest fires in Georgia is esti-
53

mated at millions of dollars-
Study forest preservation, and know what it means to you and your State.
Study trees, and learn to identify them by their size, bark, leaves and wood.
Plant a tree and watch it grow as you do.
Always stamp out a fire in the woods, whether it was started by you or someone else.
Discourage your friends in the practice of wastefully destroying dogwood, honey-suckle, and other wild
flowers.
Fish
Get permission to fish or hunt on private land, and re-
spect the property rights of the owner. Do not leave his
gates open to let his stock out.
Do not fish during the spawning season, (March, April, May and June). One fish caught during spawning season may mean the destruction of millions of eggs.
About one-third of the counties in Georgia forbid fishing during the spawning season. Whether your county does or not, be a good sportsman and give the baby fish a
chance.
Do not use nets, seines, dynamite, or traps of any sort to catch fish. The old-fashioned hook and line is more
fun anyhow.
Do not take out more fish than you and your family can eat. Your neighbors are always glad to catch their own fish.
Put undersized fish back into the water when you catch them. Always wet your hands before taking a little fish
off your hook, and thus save the life of the fish you are going to throw back into the water.
54

General Suggestions
Ask your teacher to explain to your class about the Loyal Legion of Nature Guardians, if she has not already done so.
Discuss the purposes of the Legion with your parents and get them more interested in protecting our birds, animals, fish and forests from unnecessary destruction.
Get acquainted with your County Game Warden, and help him in any way you can in the protection of game
and fish.
Don't injure or tease the farmer's live stock. The farmer is the true sportsman's friend, and without his good will there would be little opportunity for any of us to hunt or fish.
Be clean, fair and sportsmanlike in everything you do.
LIVE UP TO YOUR OATH AS A MEMBER OF THE LOYAL LEGION OF NATURE GUARDIANS.
An Invitation to the Boys and Girls from the
Commissioner
1 am sincerely anxious for every Georgia boy and girl
of the qualified age to become a Nature Guardian and
thus help the State Board of Game and Fish in its effort
to save our birds, animals, fish and forests from wasteful destruction and abuse. The future of Georgia in preserving these priceless gifts of Nature depends upon the mental attitude of our youth. The Loyal Legion of Nature Guardians offers our boys and girls an opportunity for fascinating and helpful effort, and to render a patriotic
service to our state.
Every boy and girl who would like to become a Nature
Guardian, should address a letter to the Junior Depart-
ment of the State Board of Game and Fish, requesting full
information concerning the Loyal Legion of Nature Guardians, which will be forwarded promptly.
PETER S. TWITTY, Commissioner.
55

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
I hereby request membership in the Loyal Legion of Nature Guardians, and subscribe to the following oath:
"UPON MY HONOR AS A NATURE GUARDIAN I prom-
ise to take care of our natural friends, the birds, fish, and all
useful dumb animals; the flowers, the trees and the forests. 1 will do my best to protect them from abuse and hard usage.
I promise not to rob a bird's nest, nor to wilfully kill a bird, an animal or a fish in violation of the law, nor to abuse
or bully a dumb animal; and I will strive to keep others from doing these things to the best of my ability. I will endeavor to
prove myself a friend to all living things that are harmless.
I will put out camp fires started by myself or others, and
will do my utmost to protect trees from destruction, because
forest fires not only destroy the trees and underbrush, but they also burn birds and animals or their nests and dens.
I will familiarize myself with the game and fish laws of
my state so as to be able to govern my conduct and advise others, and in every possible way I will do my level best to protect
the inhabitants of the Great Outdoors.
All of this I faithfully promise upon my Word of Honor."

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