Field Museum of Natural History 

 Department of Zoology 



Chicago, 1982 



Leaflet Number 2 



Chicago Winter Birds 



In the chill days of fall, when the trees begin to 

 drop their leaves, most of the birds that have made 

 this region their summer home, depart for a warmer 

 climate where food is more plentiful. Some, how- 

 ever, find sufficient food here in winter, so remain as 

 residents throughout the year. Others, used to a more 

 rigorous climate, are easily able to withstand our win- 

 ters, and come down from the north to remain until 

 spring. Still another group is found here only in severe 

 winters when weather conditions farther north inter- 

 fere with the food supply or when the supply itself 

 is limited, and they are driven into this region in their 

 search for subsistence. 



Weather conditions and the character of the vege- 

 tation in the vicinity of Chicago are favorable for a 

 variety of birds to spend the winter. The Lake, rarely 

 freezing, provides open water for a number of species 

 of ducks, which subsist mainly on fish at this time of 

 year, and also for the gulls, which are more scavengers 

 than fish eaters. In the city parks are many trees and 

 shrubs whose fruit supplies certain species with food. 

 In the suburbs, many people maintain feeding shelves, 

 supplied with suet, nut meats, and other attractive 

 food for birds. As the snow is seldom deep enough 

 to cover all the dried stalks of golden rod, ragweed and 

 other seed-bearing plants, which are plentiful along 

 ditches and field borders, the different sparrows are 

 well provided for. Mice, which are preyed upon by 



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