216 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



roofs; in fact, in anyplace sufficiently sheltered 

 to meet their needs. They seem especially fond 

 of a neatly constructed birdhouse set safely 

 above the range of the house cat. The nest is 

 loosely made of grasses and twigs. The four to 

 six pale-blue eggs are usually laid in early May. 



Starlings have no song in the true sense, but 

 they have a great variety of calls and whistles 

 that are highly pleasing, especially when heard 

 in the heart of the city where bird notes are so 

 rare. Perched some distance above the ground, 

 with swelling throat and drooping wings, they 

 call and whistle for a considerable time, then 

 drop down to the lawn or garden, where they 

 walk about looking for the crumbs, berries, grain, 

 insects, etc., which make up their food. They 

 are permanent residents. The extent of their 

 ultimate range in America is a very interesting 

 question. 



Northern Shrike. This is a bird that comes 

 down to us in the fall from his summer range 

 in Canada. He has not a good reputation and 

 his bad habits have given him the name of 

 Butcher Bird, which, it seems, he well deserves. 

 In appearance, he is rather sleek and well 

 groomed, and his colors are pleasing. The upper 

 parts are a handsome slate-gray; the wings, tail 

 and a stripe extending from the eye to the back 

 of the head are black. The under parts are 

 whitish, washed with brown. The tail is tipped 

 with white and there are dashes of white on the 

 wings, plainly seen in flight. The black bill is 

 hooked like that of hawks and other birds of 

 prey. 



