LXVI 



Snowbied ; JuNCo 

 567. JwYico hyemalis hyemalis 



When Jack Frost with his frosty scythe has trimmed 

 the brown foliage from the trees and the ground is 

 strewn with his harvest, the birds of the Far North make 

 their appearance. The Warblers, the Tree Sparrows, 

 and many other of the migrants pause to feed and rest 

 with us for a few days ; then along come the more hardy 

 birds — those that by their feeding habits are able to 

 withstand the scarcity of food and the rigors of our win- 

 ters. Among the last is the slate-colored Junco, or Snow- 

 bird ; it is a sociable bird, often mingling with the other 

 late departures, and usually is seen in flocks of its kind. 

 It is fond of feeding in open weed fields bordered by 

 thickets, into which it darts on becoming frightened, but 

 it soon returns to its feeding place when assured that no 

 dangers are near. (Fig. 100.) 



While Snowbirds prefer seeds of their own finding, 

 they are frequently driven by hunger, because of the 

 snow covering their supplies, to seek sustenance in our 

 dooryards. I remember, as a mere child, seeing this 

 little Sparrow-size, slate-colored, white-bellied, white- 

 billed Snowbird on the soft, freshly fallen snow in our 

 backyard near the kitchen door. The birds made tiny 

 footprints as they hopped about looking for bread crumbs 

 thrown to them, and flew into the lilac bushes when the 

 door opened or closed. 



The white margin on the tails of Snowbirds, seen in 

 flight, and the white bill and slaty grayish color, make 

 them easily identified. During the winter when their food 

 is snowed under, many of these little birds die of starva- 

 tion. They nest in Canada and Alaska. The nest is built 

 on the ground and from four to five bluish eggs are laid. 



Snowbirds are not very good songsters. They are 

 at home in ordinary snowstorms and can stand much 

 privation, but a prolonged cold snap is frequently very 



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