bird neighbors-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



DUSKY；　GRAY；　AND　SLATE…COLORED　BIRDS

CHIMNEY　SWIFT　（Chaetura　pelagica）　Swift　family

Called　also：　CHIMNEY　SWALLOW；　AMERICAN　SWIFT

Length　　to　5。45　inches。　About　an　inch　shorter　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Long　wings　make　its　length　appear　greater。　Male　and　Female　　　Deep　sooty　gray；　throat　of　a　trifle　lighter　　　gray。　Wings　extend　an　inch　and　a　half　beyond　the　even　tail；　　　which　has　sharply　pointed　and　very　elastic　quills；　that　serve　　　as　props。　Feet　are　muscular；　and　have　exceedingly　sharp　claws。　Range　　Peculiar　to　North　America　east　of　the　Rockies；　and　from　　　Labrador　to　Panama。　Migrations　　April。　September　or　October。　Common　summer　　　resident。

The　chimney　swift　is；　properly　speaking；　not　a　swallow　at　all；　though　chimney　swallow　is　its　more　popular　name。　Rowing　towards　the　roof　of　your　house；　as　if　it　used　first　one　wing；　then　the　other；　its　flight；　while　swift　and　powerful；　is　stiff　and　mechanical；　unlike　the　swallow's；　and　its　entire　aspect　suggests　a　bat。　The　nighthawk　and　whippoorwill　are　its　relatives；　and　it　resembles　them　not　a　little；　especially　in　its　nocturnal　habits。

So　much　fault　has　been　found　with　the　misleading　names　of　many　birds；　it　is　pleasant　to　record　the　fact　that　the　name　of　the　chimney　swift　is　everything　it　ought　to　be。　No　other　birds　can　surpass　and　few　can　equal　it　in　its　powerful　flight；　sometimes　covering　a　thousand　miles　in　twenty…four　hours；　it　is　said；　and　never　resting　except　in　its　roosting　places　（hollow　trees　or　chimneys　of　dwellings）；　where　it　does　not　perch；　but　rather　clings　to　the　sides　with　its　sharp　claws；　partly　supported　by　its　sharper　tail。　Audubon　tells　of　a　certain　plane　tree　in　Kentucky　where　he　counted　over　nine　thousand　of　these　swifts　clinging　to　the　hollow　trunk。

Their　nest；　which　is　a　loosely　woven　twig　lattice；　made　of　twigs　of　trees；　which　the　birds　snap　off　with　their　beaks　and　carry　in　their　beaks；　is　glued　with　the　bird's　saliva　or　tree…gum　into　a　solid　structure；　and　firmly　attached　to　the　inside　of　chimneys；　or　hollow　trees　where　there　are　no　houses　about。　Two　broods　in　a　season　usually　emerge　from　the　pure　white；　elongated　eggs。　

What　a　twittering　there　is　in　the　chimney　that　the　swifts　appropriate　after　the　winter　fires　have　died　out！　Instead　of　the　hospitable　column　of　smoke　curling　from　the　top；　a　cloud　of　sooty　birds　wheels　and　floats　above　it。　A　sound　as　of　distant　thunder　fills　the　chimney　as　a　host　of　these　birds；　startled；　perhaps；　by　some　indoor　noise；　whirl　their　way　upward。　Woe　betide　the　happy　colony　if　a　sudden　cold　snap　in　early　summer　necessitates　the　starting　of　a　fire　on　the　hearth　by　the　unsuspecting　householder！　The　glue　being　melted　by　the　fire；　〃down　comes　the　cradle；　babies　and　all〃　into　the　glowing　embers。　A　prolonged；　heavy　rain　also　causes　their　nests　to　loosen　their　hold　and　fall　with　the　soot　to　the　bottom。

Thrifty　New　England　housekeepers　claim　that　bedbugs；　commonly　found　on　bats；　infest　the　bodies　of　swifts　also；　which　is　one　reason　why　wire　netting　is　stretched　across　the　chimney　tops　before　the　birds　arrive　from　the　South。


KINGBIRD　（Tyrannus　tyrannus）　Flycatcher　family

Called　also：　TYRANT　FLYCATCHER；　BEE　MARTIN；　＇EASTERN　KINGBIRD；　　　AOU　1998＇

Length　　8　inches。　About　two　inches　shorter　than　the　robin。　Male　　Ashy　black　above；　white；　shaded　with　ash…color；　beneath　　　A　concealed　crest　of　orange…red　on　crown。　Tail　black；　　　Terminating　with　a　white　band　conspicuous　in　flight。　Wing　　　feathers　edged　with　white。　Feet　and　bill　black。　Female　　Similar　to　the　male；　but　lacking　the　crown。　Range　　United　States　to　the　Rocky　Mountains。　British　provinces　　　To　Central　and　South　America。　Migrations　　May。　September。　Common　summer　resident。

If　the　pugnacious　propensity　of　the　kingbird　is　the　occasion　of　its　royal　name；　he　cannot　be　said　to　deserve　it　from　any　fine　or　noble　qualities　he　possesses。　He　is　a　born　fighter　from　the　very　love　of　it；　without　provocation；　rhyme；　or　reason。　One　can　but　watch　with　a　degree　of　admiration　his　bold　sallies　on　the　big；　black　crow　or　the　marauding　hawk；　but　when　he　bullies　the　small　inoffensive　birds　in　wanton　attacks　for　sheer　amusement；　the　charge　is　less　entertaining。　Occasionally；　when　the　little　victim　shows　pluck　and　faces　his　assailant；　the　kingbird　will　literally　turn　tail　and　show　the　white　feather。　His　method　of　attack　is　always　when　a　bird　is　in　flight；　then　he　swoops　down　from　the　telegraph　pole　or　high　point　of　vantage；　and　strikes　on　the　head　or　back　of　the　neck；　darting　back　like　a　flash　to　the　exact　spot　from　which　he　started。　By　these　tactics　he　avoids　a　return　blow　and　retreats　from　danger。　He　never　makes　a　fair　hand…to…hand　fight；　or　whatever　is　equivalent　in　bird　warfare。　It　is　a　satisfaction　to　record　that　he　does　not　attempt　to　give　battle　to　the　catbird；　but　whenever　in　view　makes　a　grand　detour　to　give　him　a　wide　berth。

The　kingbird　feeds　on　beetles；　canker…worms；　and　winged　insects；　with　an　occasional　dessert　of　berries。　He　is　popularly　supposed　to　prefer　the　honeybee　as　his　favorite　tidbit；　but　the　weight　of　opinion　is　adverse　to　the　charge　of　his　depopulating　the　beehive；　even　though　he　owes　his　appellation　bee　martin　to　this　tradition。　One　or　two　ornithologists　declare　that　he　selects　only　the　drones　fur　his　diet；　which　would　give　him　credit　for　marvellous　sight　in　his　rapid　motion　through　the　air。　The　kingbird　is　preeminently　a　bird　of　the　garden　and　orchard。　The　nest　is　open；　though　deep；　and　not　carefully　concealed。　Eggs　are　nearly　round；　bluish　white　spotted　with　brown　and　lilac。　With　truly　royal　exclusiveness；　the　tyrant　favors　no　community　of　interest；　but　sits　in　regal　state　on　a　conspicuous　throne；　and　takes　his　grand　flights　alone　or　with　his　queen；　but　never　with　a　flock　of　his　kind。


WOOD　PEWEE　（Contopus　virens）　Flycatcher　family

Length　　6。50　inches。　A　trifle　larger　than　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　Dusky　brownish　olive　above；　darkest　on　head；　paler　on　　　throat；　lighter　still　underneath；　and　with　a　yellowish　tinge　on　　　the　dusky　gray　under　parts。　Dusky　wings　and　tail；　the　wing　　　coverts　tipped　with　soiled　white；　forming　two　indistinct　bars。　　　Whitish　eye…ring。　Wings　longer　than　tail。　Female　　Similar；　but　slightly　more　buff　underneath。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　Florida　to　northern　British　　　provinces。　Winters　in　Central　America。　Migrations　　May。　October。　Common　summer　resident

The　wood　pewee；　like　the　olive…sided　flycatcher；　has　wings　decidedly　longer　than　its　tail；　and　it　is　by　no　means　a　simple　matter　for　the　novice　to　tell　these　birds　apart　or　separate　them　distinctly　in　the　mind　from　the　other　members　of　a　family　whose　coloring　and　habits　are　most　confusingly　similar。　This　dusky　haunter　of　tall　shady　trees　has　not　yet　learned　to　be　sociable　like　the　phoebe；　but　while　it　may　not　be　so　much　in　evidence　close　to　our　homes；　it　is　doubtless　just　as　common。　The　orchard　is　as　near　the　house　as　it　often　cares　to　come。　An　old　orchard；　where　modern　insecticides　are　unknown　and　neglect　allows　insects　to　riot　among　the　decayed　bark　and　fallen　fruit；　is　a　happy　hunting　ground　enough；　but　the　bird's　real　preferences　are　decidedly　for　high　tree…tops　in　the　woods；　where　no　sunshine　touches　the　feathers　on　his　dusky　coat。　It　is　one　of　the　few　shade…loving　birds。　In　deep　solitudes；　where　it　surely　retreats　by　nesting　time；　however　neighborly　it　may　be　during　the　migrations；　its　pensive；　pathetic　notes；　long　drawn　out；　seem　like　the　expression　of　some　hidden　sorrow。　Pe…a…wee；　pe…a…wee；　pewee…ah…peer　is　the　burden　of　its　plaintive　song；　a　sound　as　depressing　as　it　is　familiar　in　every　walk　through　the　woods；　and　the　bird's　most　prominent　characteristic。

To　see　the　bird　dashing　about　in　his　aerial　chase　for　insects；　no　one　would　accuse　him　of　melancholia。　He　keeps　an　eye　on　the　〃main　chance；〃　whatever　his　preying　grief　may　be；　and　never　allows　it　to　affect　his　appetite。　Returning　to　his　perch　after　a　successful　sally　in　pursuit　of　the　passing　fly；　he　repeats　his　〃sweetly　solemn　thought〃　over　and　over　again　all　day　long　and　every　day　throughout　the　summer。

The　wood　pewees　show　that　devotion　to　each　other　and　to　their　home；　characteristic　of　their　family。　Both　lovers　work　on　the　construction　of　the　flat　nest　that　is　saddled　on　some　mossy　or　lichen…covered　limb；　and　so　cleverly　do　they　cover　the　rounded　edge　with　bits　of　bark　and　lichen　that　sharp　eyes　only　can　detect　where　the　cradle　lies。　Creamy…white　eggs；　whose　larger　end　is　wreathed　with　brown　and　lilac　spots；　are　guarded　with　fierce　solicitude。

Trowbridge　has　celebrated　this　bird　in　a　beautiful　poem。


PHOEBE　（Sayornis　phoebe）　Flycatcher　family

Called　also：　DUSKY　FLYCATCHER；　BRIDGE　PEWEE；　WATER　PEWEE；　　　　＇EASTERN　PHOEBE；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　7　inches。　About　an　inch　longer　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Dusky　olive　　brown　above　darkest　on　head；　　　Which　is　slightly　crested。　Wings　and　tail　dusky；　the　outer　　　edges　of　some　tail　feathers　whitish。　Dingy　yellowish　white　　　underneath。　Bill　and　feet　black。　Range　　North　America；　from　Newfoundland　to　the　South　Atlantic　　　States；　and　westward　to　the　Rockies。　Winters　south　of　the　　　Carolinas；　into　Mexico；　Central　America；　and　the　West　Indies。　Migrations　　March。　October。　Common　summer　resident。

The　earliest　representative　of　the　flycatch