SPARROWS AND FINCHES 53 



they are silent, with the exception of now and 

 then a call note. 



Purple Finches seem to have a wide range in 

 nesting sites. In a thick-topped maple in a 

 neighbor's dooryard they have nested for many 

 years. They also nest in the spruces and firs 

 of the northern wilderness, and sometimes in 

 evergreens standing alone in the pasture. The 

 nest is usually a dozen feet or more from the 

 ground. The male is very attentive to his mate, 

 feeding her as she sits on the eggs, sometimes 

 even taking her place for a time. When the 

 young are reared they roam the country in 

 flocks, wintering from the Northern States 

 southward to the Gulf. Their winter range 

 changes somewhat according to the severity of 

 the weather. 



The name Purple Finch is a misnomer, for 

 there is not a purple feather on him. The males 

 two years old and over are strawberry red on 

 the head, neck, throat, breast and back, shad- 

 ing into brown on the wings, tail and rump. 

 The young males and females are streaked 

 brown, much like Sparrows, but may be dis- 

 tinguished by the rounded bill, the bristle-like 

 feathers around the nostrils and the forked tail. 

 They are the length of the Song Sparrow, but 

 rather slender in appearance. 



Junco. Another bird that is both a migrant 

 and permanent resident in the Northern States 

 is the Junco or Slate-colored Snow-bird. They 

 are always in flocks except during the nesting 

 season, for they are the most social as they are 

 the most common winter birds. Yet many of 



