26 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



fully conscious of the feeling of tender interest 

 which we hold toward them, for laying aside 

 much of their usual fear and shyness they come 

 close about our dwellings to find suitable home 

 sites, with evident confidence in our love and good 

 will toward them. In fact, many varieties of 

 birds seek nesting places close to the haunts of 

 men, rarely breeding elsewhere. Others seek 

 isolated nesting places as far as possible from 

 man whom, alas, they have too much reason to 

 fear. 



In nest building birds display much skill and 

 ingenuity. In general it may be said that the 

 members of a given family have the same habits 

 as to site, shape of the nest, material, etc.; and 

 yet adaptation is often necessary to meet local 

 conditions. In selecting a location for the nest, 

 safety from their natural enemies, as cats, 

 snakes, birds of prey, squirrels, etc., seems to be 

 the main object; yet at times great stupidity is 

 shown. A pair of Robins will build so near the 

 ground that prowling cat or weasel could 

 scarcely pass by a nest full of fat young fledg- 

 lings. At a neighbor's house this year, a Cat- 

 bird built in a bush by the back door of the 

 kitchen, so near the ground as to invite the 

 early attention of the cats with which the farm- 

 house was supplied. The fate of the poor bird 

 is easily guessed. On the other hand, many 

 birds seek the most inaccessible places, tops of 

 tall trees, and high cliffs. 



Most birds are good builders and take great 

 pains in the construction of the nest which is 

 the home of their tender young for several weeks. 



