THE BIRD-LIFE OF A YEAR. 



based on observations made in the vicinity of nevf 

 york city. 



January. 



Probably during no other month is there less 

 movement among om^ birds than in Januaiy. All 

 the regular Winter Visitants have come ; the Fall 

 ^lio^rants, ^vhich mav have lino-ered until December, 

 have gone, and the earliest Spring Migrants will not 

 arrive before the hitter part of February or early in 

 March. In fact, January is the only month in the 

 year in whicli, as a rule, some birds do not arrive 

 or depart. This rule, .however, may be broken by 

 such irreerular birds as the Pine Grosbeak and Red- 

 poll, and, south of the latitude of Xew York city, 

 by the Snowflake and Crossbill, Ijirds which are 

 wholly absent some winters and abundant others. 



The only birds usually to be found in January, 

 therefore, are the Permanent Eesidents and regu- 

 lar Winter Yisitants. Singing, mating, nesting, 

 molting, migrating — events whicli, in their season, 

 play so important a ]\art in a l)ird's life— do not con- 

 cern the birds of January. With them food is the 

 one important question, and tlieir movements at this 

 season are governed solely by the food supply. 

 Snow may fall and winds may blow, but as long as 

 the birds find sufficient to eat. they give small heed 



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