FOOD OF BIRDS. lOI 



and fish in shallow water. Herons must therefore live 

 near water, and in winter go where the swamps are 

 not frozen. 



Such birds as Crows eat many kinds of food; what- 

 ever they can get, in fact. In spring the farmer's 

 corn tastes sweet to them, but the grubs and beetles 

 are good food, too, and they find that no one will 

 shoot them for taking the grubs, while eating corn 

 means taking some risk. In fall and winter, nuts are 

 also added to the Crow's bill of fare. Near the sea- 

 shore, dead fish and other sea animals which are 

 found on the shore vary the food in winter. I am 

 ashamed to say that eggs, and even young birds, are 

 sometimes devoured by the Crow. When a bird is 

 so easily pleased, and has such a wide choice, he can 

 stay all the year round. 



Seed-eating birds, like the sparrows, can find seeds 

 on the weeds and grasses even in winter, and the little 

 bark inspectors find eggs, cocoons, and sleepy beetles 

 in the cracks of the bark, so that winter does not 

 frighten them away. Many of the sea birds, especially 

 the divers, can find fish or shellfish in the winter sea, 

 where it does not freeze over. 



Did you ever think why the Pine Warbler loved the 

 pines, and the Summer Yellowbird preferred the 

 willows ? Not because either of them eats the seeds 

 or leaves of these trees, but because in them each 



