28 BIRD FRIENDS 



as the red-winged blackbird and the marsh wren, 

 build their nests among the reeds of marshes, a few 

 feet from the ground. Still others, as the field spar- 

 row, catbird, chipping sparrow, and many warblers, 

 build in low shrubberies or small trees. Others, as 

 the robin, wood thrush, and many hawks, place 

 their nests in the crotches of trees; while still others, 

 such as the hummingbird and chebec, saddle them on 

 to branches. Others hang their nests from branches, 

 as do the Baltimore oriole and the vireos. The 

 chimney swift glues the sticks of its nest together 

 and attaches it to the chimney by means of its 

 sticky saliva. 



Many birds nest in cavities in trees. Some birds, 

 like the woodpeckers, drill these holes themselves. 

 Other birds, such as the house wren, bluebird, and 

 tree swallow, use holes which they find already made, 

 either by woodpeckers or through decay. 



Kingfishers and bank swallows dig tunnels in 

 banks and rear their young here. These tunnels ex- 

 tend from three to eleven feet. At the end of the 

 tunnel the swallow makes an enlargement and con- 

 structs a nest of straw and feathers, but the king- 

 fisher usually makes no nest. 



The question is often asked whether birds use the 

 same nest more than once. Birds differ in this re- 

 spect. John Burroughs divided birds into three 

 groups. One group, as the bluebird, house wren, 

 fish hawk, and eagle, repairs the last year's nest. 



