I 



CHAPTER XI 



Learning Bird Language 



N STUDYING the birds in their native haunts 

 it is the greatest help imaginable to know their 

 language and to be able to recognize their 

 voices. The first thing to learn is the tribal call of 

 each species, that note which in its most frequent 

 utterance on the part of the female is the simple 

 question: "Where?" and on the part of the male 

 the reply: "Here." This question is repeatedly 

 asked and answered by all birds, even before and 

 after the brooding season, when they are pleasuring 

 or food hunting through the fields and forests. 

 It is the out-cropping of the love of company, a 

 feeling ingrained in the hearts of birds and beasts, 

 as of men. It is a direct result of the dread of 

 being alone, a love of friends, a wish to know if 

 kindred are near. So at this quick, inquiring call, 

 usually of one note, wren answers wren, robin calls 

 to robin, jay replies to jay. 



After courting is over and a pair is nest building, 

 this call comes with greater frequency, since the 

 strongest tie existing between birds has just been 

 formed, they being paired in some instances for 

 several matings, frequently for life. During in- 



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