bird neighbors-第31章
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de should be noted to further distinguish the nighthawk from the whippoorwill； which has none； but which it otherwise closely resembles。 This booming sound； coming from such a height that the bird itself is often unseen； was said by the Indians to be made by the shad spirits to warn the scholes of shad about to ascend the rivers to spawn in the spring； of their impending fate。
The flight of the nighthawk is free and graceful in the extreme。 Soaring through space without any apparent motion of its wings； suddenly it darts with amazing swiftness like an erratic bat after the fly； mosquito； beetle； or moth that falls within the range of its truly hawk…like eye。
Usually the nighthawks hunt in little companies in the most sociable fashion。 Late in the summer they seem to be almost gregarious。 They fly in the early morning or late afternoon with beak wide open； hawking for insects； but except when the moon is full they are not known to go a…hunting after sunset。 During the heat of the day and at night they rest on limbs of trees； fence…rails； stone walls； lichen…covered rocks or old logs wherever Nature has provided suitable mimicry of their plumage to help conceal them。
With this object in mind； they quite as often choose a hollow surface of rock in some waste pasture or the open ground on which to deposit the two speckled…gray eggs that sixteen days later will give birth to their family。 But in August； when family cares have ended for the season； it is curious to find this bird of the thickly wooded country readily adapting itself to city life； resting on Mansard roofs； darting into the streets from the housetops； and wheeling about the electric lights； making a hearty supper of the little； winged insects they attract。
BLACK…BILLED CUCKOO （Coccyzus erythrophthalmus） Cuckoo family
Called also： RAIN CROW
Length 11 to 12 inches。 About one…fifth larger than the robin。 Male Grayish brown above； with bronze tint in feathers。 Underneath grayish white； bill； which is long as head and black； arched and acute。 Skin about the eye bright red。 Tail long； and with spots on tips of quills that are small and inconspicuous。 Female Has obscure dusky bars on the tail。 Range Labrador to Panama； westward to Rocky Mountains。 Migration May。 September。 Summer resident。
〃O cuckoo！ shalt I call thee bird？ Or but a wandering voice？〃
From the tangled shrubbery on the hillside back of Dove Cottage； Keswick； where Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy listened for the coming of this 〃darling of the spring〃； in the willows overhanging Shakespeare's Avon； from the favorite haunts of Chaucer and Spenser； where
〃Runneth meade and springeth blede；〃
we hear the cuckoo calling； but how many on this side of the Atlantic are familiar with its American counterpart？ Here； too； the cuckoo delights in running water and damp； cloudy weather like that of an English spring； it haunts the willows by our river…sides； where as yet no 〃immortal bard〃 arises to give it fame。 It 〃loud sings〃 in our shrubbery； too。 Indeed； if we cannot study our bird afield； the next best place to become acquainted with it is in the pages of the English poets。 But due allowance must be made for differences of temperament。 Our cuckoo is scarcely a 〃merry harbinger〃； his talents； such as they are； certainly are not musical。 However； the guttural cluck is not discordant； and the black…billed species； at least； has a soft； mellow voice that seems to indicate an embryonic songster。
〃K…k…k…k； kow…kow…ow…kow…ow！〃 is a familiar sound in many localities； but the large。 slim；； pigeon…shaped； brownish…olive bird that makes it； securely hidden in the low trees and shrubs that are its haunts； is not often personally known。 Catching a glimpse only of the grayish…white under parts from where we stand looking up into the tree at it； it is quite impossible to tell the bird from the yellow…billed species。 When； as it flies about； we are able to note the red circles about its eyes； its black bill； and the absence of black tail feathers； with their white 〃thumb…nail〃 spots； and see no bright cinnamon feathers on the wings （the yellow…billed specie's distinguishing marks）； we can at last claim acquaintance with the black…billed cuckoo。 Our two common cuckoos are so nearly alike that they are constantly confused in the popular mind and very often in the writings of ornithologists。 At first glance the birds look alike。 Their haunts are almost identical； their habits are the same； and； as they usually keep well out of sight； it is not surprising if confusion arise。
Neither cuckoo knows how to build a proper home； a bunch of sticks dropped carelessly into the bush； where the hapless babies that emerge from the greenish eggs will not have far to fall when they tumble out of bed； as they must inevitably do； may by courtesy only be called a nest。 The cuckoo is said to suck the eggs of other birds； but； surely； such vice is only the rarest dissipation。 Insects of many kinds and 〃tent caterpillars〃 chiefly are their chosen food。
YELLOW…BILLED CUCKOO （Coccyzus americanus） Cuckoo family
Called also： RAIN CROW
Length 11 to 12 inches。 About one…fifth longer than the robin。 Male and Female Grayish brown above； with bronze tint in feathers。 Underneath grayish white。 Bill； which is as tong as head； arched； acute； and more robust than the black…billed species； and with lower mandible yellow。 Wings washed with bright cinnamon…brown。 Tail has outer quills black； conspicuously marked with white thumb…nail spots。 Female larger。 Range North America； from Mexico to Labrador。 Most common in temperate climates。 Rare on Pacific slope。 Migrations Late April。 September。 Summer resident。
〃Kak； k…kuh； k…kuk； k…kuk！〃 like an exaggerated tree…toad's rattle； is a sound that； when first heard； makes you rush out of doors instantly to 〃name〃 the bird。 Look for him in the depths of the tall shrubbery or low trees； near running water； if there is any in the neighborhood； and if you are more fortunate than most people； you will presently become acquainted with the yellow…billed cuckoo。 When seen perching at a little distance； his large； slim body； grayish brown； with olive tints above and whitish below； can scarcely be distinguished from that of the black…billed species。 It is not until you get close enough to note the yellow bill； reddish…brown wings； and black tail feathers with their white 〃thumb…nail〃 marks； that you know which cuckoo you are watching。 In repose the bird looks dazed or stupid； but as it darts about among the trees after insects； noiselessly slipping to another one that promises better results； and hopping along the limbs after performing a series of beautiful evolutions among the branches as it hunts for its favorite 〃tent caterpillars；〃 it appears what it really is： an unusually active； graceful； intelligent bird。
A solitary wanderer； nevertheless one cuckoo in an apple orchard is worth a hundred robins in ridding it of caterpillars and inch…worms； for it delights in killing many more of these than it can possibly eat。 In the autumn it varies its diet with minute fresh…water shellfish from the swamp and lake。 Mulberries； that look so like caterpillars the bird possibly likes them on that account； it devours wholesale。
Family cares rest lightly on the cuckoos。 The nest of both species is a ramshackle affair a mere bundle of twigs and sticks without a rim to keep the eggs from rolling from the bush； where they rest； to the ground。 Unlike their European relative； they have the decency to rear their own young and not impose this heavy task on others； but the cuckoos on both sides of the Atlantic are most erratic and irregular in their nesting habits。 The overworked mother…bird often lays an egg while brooding over its nearly hatched companion； and the two or three half…grown fledglings already in the nest may roll the large greenish eggs out upon the ground； while both parents are off searching for food to quiet their noisy clamorings。 Such distracting mismanagement in the nursery is enough to make a homeless wanderer of any father。 It is the mother…bird that tumbles to the ground at your approach from sheer fright； feigns lameness； trails her wings
