112 BULLETIN 196, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Few references were found in the literature to the number of broods 

 raised by the wood thrush in a season. Minot (1895) indicates 

 second broods near Boston, saying that first sets were laid last week 

 of May and "those of the second, if any, in the early part of July." 

 Harbaum (1921) observed a pair through two nestings, but no evidence 

 of the birds being marked is given. The writer set out to find definite 

 proof with marked birds (since also found by Hervey Brackbill in 

 Baltimore, Md., 1943). In Ithaca, N. Y., young from a nest under 

 observation were placed in a drop trap just previous to the time for 

 their departure from the nest. First one adult was caught. This 

 one was kept at a distance in a collecting cage. The food calls of the 

 young in the trap attracted the other adult. When caught the adults 

 were marked with colored celluloid bands, as well as aluminum 

 bands. A colored chicken feather was glued to the tail feathers of 

 each bird. 



The first egg was laid in the first nest on May 19. The young birds 

 left the nest on June 15. On July 2 the second nest was found. The 

 same birds had mated and two eggs were in the nest. These hatched 

 on July 16 and 17. This second nest was located about 10 feet from 

 the first nest. If a pair of birds has to make two or three trials before 

 being successful in raising a brood, the season is too far advanced for 

 a second brood; if, however, the first nest is successfully raised a 

 second brood may follow. 



The young birds unceremoniously leave the nest 12 or 13 days after 

 hatching. I observed no coaxing or "teaching" on the part of the 

 adults. The first in one case flew and alighted on the ground about 

 20 feet south of the nest. The second, when frightened, stood on the 

 edge and flew, alighting on a small branch near the trunk of a hemlock 

 tree 20 feet above the ground. The third bird in this nest remained 

 quietly resting for half an hour. Without being disturbed it stood on 

 the edge of the nest and flew to the ground alighting about 10 feet 

 away. 



The male bird seemed to defend the entire feeding territory although 

 he took charge of feeding certain of the young out of the nest while the 

 female fed certain others. This seems to need further study. 

 Brackbill (1943), in a case of three birds in a brood, says that the male 

 fed two out of the three in each of two successive broods, while the 

 female fed the third bird. 



After leaving the nest the young stay in a limited territory near the 

 nest for several days. As their ability to fly increases they move 

 about. Birds were found in the vicinity of nests six to nine days after 

 they had left. They were still being fed by the adults. The adults 

 would return to the spot where the young was fed last. The food- 

 getting was usually confined to an area close to the young. The young 



