bird neighbors-第26节

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s；　only　one　of　which　they　intend　to　use。　Six　white　eggs　is　the　proper　number　for　a　household；　but　Dr。　Coues　says　the　female　that　has　been　robbed　keeps　on　laying　three　or　even　four　sets　of　eggs　without　interruption。


MEADOWLARK　（Sturnella　magna）　Blackbird　family

Called　also：　FIELD　LARK；　OLDFIELD　LARK；　＇EASTERN　MEADOWLARK；　AOU　　　1998＇

Length　　10　to　11　inches。　A　trifle　larger　than　the　robin。　Male　　Upper　parts　brown；　varied　with　chestnut；　deep　brown；　and　　　black。　Crown　streaked　with　brown　and　black；　and　with　a　　　cream…colored　streak　through　the　centre。　Dark…brown　line　　　apparently　running　through　the　eye；　another　line　over　eye；　　　yellow。　Throat　and　chin　yellow；　a　large　conspicuous　black　　　crescent　on　breast。　Underneath　yellow；　shading　into　buffy　　　brown；　spotted　or　streaked　with　very　dark　brown；　Outer　tail　　　feathers　chiefly　white；　conspicuous　in　flight。　Long；　strong　　　legs　and　claws；　adapted　for　walking。　Less　black　in　winter　　　plumage；　which　is　more　grayish　brown。　Female　　Paler　than　male。　Range　　North　America；　from　Newfoundland　to　the　Gulf　of　Mexico；　　　and　westward　to　the　plains；　where　the　Western　meadowlark　takes　　　its　place。　Winters　from　Massachusetts　and　Illinois　southward。　Migrations　　April。　Late　October。　Usually　a　resident；　a　few　　　remaining　through　the　winter。

In　the　same　meadows　with　the　red…winged　blackbirds；　birds　of　another　feather；　but　of　the　same　family；　nevertheless；　may　be　found　flocking　together；　hunting　for　worms　and　larvae；　building　their　nests；　and　rearing　their　young　very　near　each　other　with　the　truly　social　instinct　of　all　their　kin。

The　meadowlarks；　which　are　really　not　larks　at　all；　but　the　blackbirds'　and　orioles'　cousins；　are　so　protected　by　the　coloring　of　the　feathers　on　their　backs；　like　that　of　the　grass　and　stubble　they　live　among；　that　ten　blackbirds　are　noticed　for　every　meadowlark　although　the　latter　is　very　common。　Not　until　you　flush　a　flock　of　them　as　you　walk　along　the　roadside　or　through　the　meadows　and　you　note　the　white　tail　feathers　and　the　black　crescents　on　the　yellow　breasts　of　the　large　brown　birds　that　rise　towards　the　tree…tops　with　whirring　sound　and　a　flight　suggesting　the　quail's；　do　you　suspect　there　are　any　birds　among　the　tall　grasses。

Their　clear　and　piercing　whistle；　〃Spring　o'　the　y…e…a…r；　Spring　o'　the　year！〃　rings　out　from　the　trees　with　varying　intonation　and　accent；　but　always　sweet　and　inspiriting。　To　the　bird's　high　vantage　ground　you　may　not　follow；　for　no　longer　having　the　protection　of　the　high　grass；　it　has　become　wary　and　flies　away　as　you　approach；　calling　out　peent…peent　and　nervously　flitting　its　tail　（again　showing　the　white　feather）；　when　it　rests　a　moment　on　the　pasture　fence…rail。

It　is　like　looking　for　a　needle　in　a　haystack　to　try　to　find　a　meadowlark's　nest；　an　unpretentious　structure　of　dried　grasses　partly　arched　over　and　hidden　in　a　clump　of　high　timothy；　flat　upon　the　ground。　But　what　havoc　snakes　and　field…mice　play　with　the　white…speckled　eggs　and　helpless　fledglings！　The　care　of　rearing　two　or　three　broods　in　a　season　and　the　change　of　plumage　to　duller　winter　tints　seem　to　exhaust　the　high　spirits　of　the　sweet　whistler。　For　a　time　he　is　silent；　but　partly　regains　his　vocal　powers　in　the　autumn；　when；　with　large　flocks　of　his　own　kind；　he　resorts　to　marshy　feeding　grounds。　In　the　winter　he　chooses　for　companions　the　horned　larks；　that　walk　along　the　shore；　or　the　snow　buntings　and　sparrows　of　the　inland　pastures；　and　will　even　include　the　denizens　of　the　barn…yard　when　hunger　drives　him　close　to　the　haunts　of　men。

The　Western　Meadowlark　or　Prairie　Lark　（Sturnella　magna　neglecta）；　which　many　ornithologists　consider　a　different　species　from　the　foregoing　＇as　does　AOU　1998＇；　is　distinguished　chiefly　by　its　lighter；　more　grayish…brown　plumage；　by　its　yellow　cheeks；　and　more　especially　by　its　richer；　fuller　song。　In　his　〃Birds　of　Manitoba〃　Mr。　Ernest　E。　Thompson　says　of　this　meadowlark：　〃In　richness　of　voice　and　modulation　it　equals　or　excels　both　wood　thrush　and　nightingale；　and　in　the　beauty　of　its　articulation　it　has　no　superior　in　the　whole　world　of　feathered　choristers　with　which　I　am　acquainted。〃


HORNED　LARK　（Otocoris　alpestris）　Lark　family

Called　also：　SHORE　LARK

Length　　7。5　to　8　inches。　About　one…fifth　smaller　than　the　　　robin。　Male　　Upper　parts　dull　brown；　streaked　with　lighter　on　edges　　　and　tinged　with　pink　or　vinaceous；　darkest　on　back　of　head　　　neck；　shoulders；　and　nearest　the　tail。　A　few　erectile　feathers　　　on　either　side　of　the　head　form　slight　tufts　or　horns　that　are　　　wanting　in　female。　A　black　mark　from　the　base　of　the　bill　　　passes　below　the　eye　and　ends　in　a　horn…shaped　curve　on　cheeks；　　　which　are　yellow。　Throat　clear　yellow。　Breast　has　crescent　　　shaped　black　patch。　Underneath　soiled　white；　with　dusky　spots　　　on　lower　breast。　Tail　black；　the　outer　feathers　margined　with　　　white；　noticed　in　flight。　Female　　Has　yellow　eye…stripe；　less　prominent　markings；　　　especially　on　head；　and　is　a　trifle　smaller。　Range　　Northeastern　parts　of　North　America；　and　in　winter　from　　　Ohio　and　eastern　United　States　as　far　south　as　North　Carolina。　Migrations　　October　and　November。　March。　Winter　resident

Far　away　to　the　north　in　Greenland　and　Labrador　this　true　lark；　the　most　beautiful　of　its　genus；　makes　its　summer　home。　There　it　is　a　conspicuously　handsome　bird　with　its　pinkish…gray　and　chocolate　feathers；　that　have　greatly　faded　into　dull　browns　when　we　see　them　in　the　late　autumn。　In　the　far　north　only　does　it　sing；　and；　according　to　Audubon；　the　charming　song　is　flung　to　the　breeze　while　the　bird　soars　like　a　skylark。　In　the　United　States　we　hear　only　its　call…note。

Great　flocks　come　down　the　Atlantic　coast　in　October　and　November；　and　separate　into　smaller　bands　that　take　up　their　residence　in　sandy　stretches　and　open　tracts　near　the　sea　or　wherever　the　food　supply　looks　promising；　and　there　the　larks　stay　until　all　the　seeds；　buds　of　bushes；　berries；　larvae；　and　insects　in　their　chosen　territory　are　exhausted。　They　are　ever　conspicuously　ground　birds；　walkers；　and　when　disturbed　at　their　dinner；　prefer　to　squat　on　the　earth　rather　than　expose　themselves　by　flight。　Sometimes　they　run　nimbly　over　the　frozen　ground　to　escape　an　intruder；　but　flying　they　reserve　as　a　last　resort。　When　the　visitor　has　passed　they　quickly　return　to　their　dinner。　If　they　were　content　to　eat　less　ravenously　and　remain　slender；　fewer　victims　might　be　slaughtered　annually　to　tickle　the　palates　of　the　epicure。　It　is　a　mystery　what　they　find　to　fatten　upon　when　snow　covers　the　frozen　ground。　Even　in　the　severe　midwinter　storms　they　will　not　seek　the　protection　of　the　woods；　but　always　prefer　sandy　dunes　with　their　scrubby　undergrowth　or　open　meadow　lands。　Occasionally　a　small　flock　wanders　toward　the　farms　to　pick　up　seeds　that　are　blown　from　the　hayricks　or　scattered　about　the　barn…yard　by　overfed　domestic　fowls。

The　Prairie　Horned　Lark　（Otocoris　alpestris　praticola）　is　similar　to　the　preceding；　but　a　trifle　smaller　and　paler；　with　a　white　instead　of　a　yellow　streak　above　the　eye；　the　throat　yellowish　or　entirely　white　instead　of　sulphur…yellow；　and　other　minor　differences。　It　has　a　far　more　southerly　range；　confined　to　northern　portions　of　the　United　States　from　the　Mississippi　eastward。　Once　a　distinctly　prairie　bird；　it　now　roams　wherever　large　stretches　of　open　country　that　suit　its　purposes　are　cleared　in　the　East；　and　remains　resident。　This　species　also　sings　in　midair　on　the　wing；　but　its　song　is　a　crude；　half…inarticulate　affair；　barely　audible　from　a　height　of　two　hundred　feet。


AMERICAN　PIPIT　（Anthus　pensilvanicus）　Wagtail　family

Called　also：　TITLARK；　BROWN　OR　RED　LARK

Length　　6。38　to　7　inches。　About　the　size　of　a　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　brown；　wings　and　tail　dark　　　olive…brown；　the　wing　coverts　tipped　with　buff　or　whitish；　and　　　ends　of　outer　tail　feathers　white；　conspicuous　in　flight。　White　　　or　yellowish　eye…ring；　and　line　above　the　eye。　Underneath　light　　　buff　brown；　with　spots　on　breast　and　sides；　the　under　parts　　　being　washed　with　brown　of　various　shades。　Feet　brown。　Hind　　　toe…nail　as　long　as　or　longer　than　the　toe。　Range　　North　America　at　large。　Winters　south　of　Virginia　to　　　Mexico　and　beyond。　Migrations　　April。　October　or　November。　Common　in　the　United　　　States；　chiefly　during　the　migrations。

The　color　of　this　bird　varies　slightly　with　age　and　sex；　the　under　parts　ranging　from　white　through　pale　rosy　brown　to　a　reddish　tinge；　but　at　any　season；　and　under　all　circumstances；　the　pipit　is　a　distinctly　brown　bird；　resembling　the　water　thrushes　not　in　plumage　only；　but　in　the　comical　tail　waggings　and　jerkings　that　alone　are　sufficient　to　identify　it。　However　the　books　may　tell　us　the　bird　is　a　wagtail；　it　certainly　possesses　two　strong　characteristics　of　true　larks：　it　is　a　walker；　delighting　in　walking　or　running；　never　hopping　over　the　ground；　and　it　has　the　angelic　habit　of　singing　as　it　flies。

During　the　migrations　the　pipits　are　abundant　in　salt　marshes　or　open　stretches　of　country　inland；　that；　with　lark…like　preference；　they　choose　for　feeding　grounds。　When　flushed；　all　the　flock　rise　together　with　uncertain　flight；　hovering　and　wheeling　about　the　place；　calling　down　dee…dee；　dee…dee　above