bird neighbors-第10章

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As　for　the　nuisance　of　a　big　established　roost　of　starlings；　it　may　be　abated　by　nightly　salvos　of　Roman　candles　or　blank　cartridges；　continued　for　a　week　or　at　most　ten　days。　

So　much　for　the　starling　in　his　aspect　as　an　undesirable　citizen。　Government　investigators；　by　a　long…continued　study；　have　discovered　that　his　good　deeds　far　outnumber　his　misdemeanors。　Primarily　he　feeds　on　noxious　insects　and　useless　wild　fruits。　Small　truck　gardens　and　individual　cherry　trees　may　be　occasionally　raided　by　large　flocks　with　disastrous　results　in　a　small　way。　But　on　the　whole　he　is　a　useful　frequenter　of　our　door…yards　who　'pays　his　way　by　destroying　hosts　of　cut…worms　and　equally　noxious'　insects。　〃A　thorough　consideration　of　the　evidence　at　hand　indicates　that；　based　on　food　habits；　the　adult　starling　is　the　economic　superior　of　the　robin；　catbird；　flicker；　red…winged　blackbird；　or　grackle。〃　Need　more　be　said　for　him？　


BIRDS　CONSPICUOUSLY　BLACK　AND　WHITE

　　Red…headed　Woodpecker　　　Hairy　Woodpecker　　　Downy　Woodpecker　　　Yellow…bellied　Woodpecker　　　Chewink　　　Snowflake　　　Rose…breasted　Grosbeak　　　Bobolink　　　Black…poll　Warbler　　　Black…and…white　Creeping　Warbler

See　also　the　Swallows；　the　Shrikes；　Nuthatches　and　Titmice；　the　Kingbird　and　other　Flycatchers；　the　Nighthawk；　the　Redstart；　and　the　following　Warblers：　the　Myrtle；　the　Bay…breasted；　the　Blackburnian；　and　the　Black…throated　Blue　Warbler。

BIRDS　CONSPICUOUSLY　BLACK　AND　WHITE


RED…HEADED　WOODPECKER　（Melanerpes　erythrocephalus）　Woodpecker　　　family

Called　also：　TRI…COLOR；　RED…HEAD

Length　　8。50　to　9。75　inches。　An　inch　or　less　smaller　than　the　　　robin。　Male　and　Female　　Head；　neck；　and　throat　crimson；　breast　and　　　underneath　white；　back　black　and　white；　wings　and　tail　blue　　　black；　with　broad　white　band　on　wings　conspicuous　in　flight。　Range　　United　States；　east　of　Rocky　Mountains　and　north　to　　　Manitoba。　Migrations　　Abundant　but　irregular　migrant。　Most　commonly　seen　　　in　Autumn；　and　rarely　resident。

In　thinly　populated　sections；　where　there　are　few　guns　about；　this　is　still　one　of　the　commonest　as　it　is　perhaps　the　most　conspicuous　member　of　the　woodpecker　family；　but　its　striking　glossy　black…and…white　body　and　its　still　more　striking　crimson　head；　flattened　out　against　the　side　of　a　tree　like　a　target；　where　it　is　feeding；　have　made　it　all　too　tempting　a　mark　for　the　rifles　of　the　sportsmen　and　the　sling…shots　of　small　boys。　As　if　sufficient　attention　were　not　attracted　to　it　by　its　plumage；　it　must　needs　keep　up　a　noisy；　guttural　rattle；　ker…r…ruck；　　ker…r…ruck；　very　like　a　tree…toad's　call；　and　flit　about　among　the　trees　with　the　restlessness　of　a　fly…catcher。　Yet；　in　spite　of　these　invitations　for　a　shot　to　the　passing　gunner；　it　still　multiplies　in　districts　where　nuts　abound；　being　〃more　common　than　the　robin〃　about　Washington；　says　John　Burroughs。　

All　the　familiar　woodpeckers　have　two　characteristics　most　prominently　exemplified　in　this　red…headed　member　of　their　tribe。　The　hairy；　the　downy；　the　crested；　the　red…bellied；　the　sapsucker；　and　the　flicker　have　each　a　red　mark　somewhere　about　their　heads　as　if　they　had　been　wounded　there　and　bled　a　little　　some　more；　some　less；　and　the　figures　of　all　of　them；　from　much　flattening　against　tree…trunks；　have　become　high…shouldered　and　long…waisted。

The　red…headed　woodpecker　selects；　by　preference；　a　partly　decayed　tree　in　which　to　excavate　a　hole　for　its　nest；　because　the　digging　is　easier；　and　the　sawdust　and　chips　make　a　softer　lining　than　green　wood。　Both　male　and　female　take　turns　in　this　hollowing…out　process。　The　one　that　is　off　duty　is　allowed　twenty　minutes　for　refreshments；　〃consisting　of　grubs；　beetles；　ripe　apples　or　cherries；　corn；　or　preferably　beech…nuts。　At　a　loving　call　from　its　mate　in　the　hollow　tree；　it　returns　promptly　to　perform　its　share　of　the　work；　when　the　carefully　observed　time　is　up。〃　The　heap　of　sawdust　at　the　bottom　of　the　hollow　will　eventually　cradle　from　four　to　six　glossy…white　eggs。　

This　woodpecker　has　the　thrifty　habit　of　storing　away　nuts　in　the　knot…holes　of　trees；　between　cracks　in　the　bark；　or　in　decayed　fence　railstoo　often　a　convenient　storehouse　at　which　the　squirrels　may　help　themselves。　But　it　is　the　black　snake　that　enters　the　nest　and　eats　the　young　family；　and　that　is　a　more　deadly　foe　than　even　the　sportsman　or　the　milliner。　


HAIRY　WOODPECKER　（Dryobates　villosus）　Woodpecker　family

Length9　to　10　inches。　About　the　size　of　the　robin。　MaleBlack　and　white　above；　white　beneath。　White　stripe　down　the　　　back；　composed　of　long　hair…like　feathers。　Brightred　band　on　　　the　nape　of　neck。　Wings　striped　and　dashed　with　black　and　　　white。　Outer　tail　feathers　white；　without　bars。　White　stripe　　　about　eyes　and　on　sides　of　the　head。　FemaleWithout　the　red　band　on　head；　and　body　more　brownish　than　　　that　of　the　male。　RangeEastern　parts　of　United　States；　from　the　Canadian　border　　　to　the　Carolinas。　MigrationsResident　throughout　its　range。

The　bill　of　the　woodpecker　is　a　hammering　tool；　well　fitted　for　its　work。　Its　mission　in　life　is　to　rid　the　trees　of　insects；　which　hide　beneath　the　bark；　and　with　this　end　in　view；　the　bird　is　seen　clinging　to　the　trunks　and　branches　of　trees　through　fair　and　wintry　weather；　industriously　scanning　every　inch　for　the　well…known　signs　of　the　boring　worm　or　destructive　fly。

In　the　autumn　the　male　begins　to　excavate　his　winter　quarters；　carrying　or　throwing　out　the　chips；　by　which　this　good　workman　is　known；　with　his　beak；　while　the　female　may　make　herself　cosey　or　not；　as　she　chooses；　in　an　abandoned　hole。　About　her　comfort　he　seems　shamefully　unconcerned。　Intent　only　on　his　own；　he　drills　a　perfectly　round　hole；　usually　on　the　underside　of　a　limb　where　neither　snow　nor　wind　can　harm　him；　and　digs　out　a　horizontal　tunnel　in　the　dry；　brittle　wood　in　the　very　heart　of　the　tree；　before　turning　downward　into　the　deep；　pear…shaped　chamber；　where　he　lives　in　selfish　solitude。　But　when　the　nesting　season　comes；　how　devoted　he　is　temporarily　to　the　mate　he　has　neglected　and　even　abused　through　the　winter！　Will　she　never　learn　that　after　her　clear…white　eggs　are　laid　and　her　brood　raised　he　will　relapse　into　the　savage　and　forget　all　his　tender　wiles？

The　hairy　woodpecker；　like　many　another　bird　and　beast；　furnishes　much　doubtful　weather　lore　for　credulous　and　inexact　observers。　〃When　the　woodpecker　pecks　low　on　the　trees；　expect　warm　weather〃　is　a　common　saying；　but　when　different　individuals　are　seen　pecking　at　the　same　time；　one　but　a　few　feet　from　the　ground；　and　another　among　the　high　branches；　one　may　make　the　prophecy　that　pleases　him　best。

The　hairy　woodpeckers　love　the　deep　woods。　They　are　drummers；　not　singers；　but　when　walking　in　the　desolate　winter　woods　even　the　drumming　and　tapping　of　the　busy　feathered　workmen　on　a　resonant　limb　is　a　solace；　giving　a　sense　of　life　and　cheerful　activity　which　is　invigorating。


DOWNY　WOODPECKER　（Dryobates　pubescens）　Woodpecker　family

Length　　6　to　7　inches。　About　the　size　of　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　Black　above；　striped　with　white。　Tail　shaped　like　a　wedge　　　Outer　tail　feathers　white；　and　barred　with　black。　Middle　tail　　　feathers　black。　A　black　stripe　on　top　of　head；　and　distinct　　　white　band　over　and　under　the　eyes。　Red　patch　on　upper　side　of　　　neck。　Wings；　with　six　white　bands　crossing　them　transversely；　　　white　underneath。　Female　　Similar；　but　without　scarlet　on　the　nape；　which　is　　　white。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　Labrador　to　Florida。　Migrations　　Resident　all　the　year　throughout　its　range。

The　downy　woodpecker　is　similar　to　his　big　relative；　the　hairy　woodpecker；　in　color　and　shape；　though　much　smaller。　His　outer　tail　feathers　are　white；　barred　with　black；　but　the　hairy's　white　outer　tail　feathers　lack　these　distinguishing　marks。

He　is　often　called　a　sapsucker　　though　quite　another　bird　alone　merits　that　name　　from　the　supposition　that　he　bores　into　the　trees　for　the　purpose　of　sucking　the　sap；　but　his　tongue　is　ill　adapted　for　such　use；　being　barbed　at　the　end；　and　most　ornithologists　consider　the　charge　libellous。　It　has　been　surmised　that　he　bores　the　numerous　little　round　holes　close　together；　so　often　seen；　with　the　idea　of　attracting　insects　to　the　luscious