FAMILY FringillidcB 



feed upon wild and tame berries. In the fall 

 it is commonly found in the dogwood trees 

 where it consumes great quantities of the 

 bitter red berries. 



The western tanager usually builds its 

 nest in a fir well up from the ground and near 

 the tip of the limb. It is a flat, loosely built 

 affair of twigs, grass and weed stems. The 

 song of the western tanager is short, of three 

 or four notes, w^th a robin-like quality. The 

 call note is a pit-ic, pit-ic-ic, uttered as it sits 

 high in a fir or other tall tree. The striking 

 plumage of the western tanager, lemon- 

 yellow body, black wings and orange-red 

 head is so distinctive that the bird may be 

 readily identified at sight. 



In common with most of the family it 

 changes its dress in the fall assuming almost 

 the olive green of the female, with darker 

 wings. In this plumage it spends the winter 

 months. 



FAMILY FRINGILLIDJE: FINCHES 



^ Black-headed grosbeak, Zamelodia 



melanocephala. 7.25 



Distribution: Western United States and 



plateau of Mexico; north in summer to 



British Columbia, Idaho and Montana, and 



68 



