OUT-DOOR BIRD STUDY 



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 5m M 



Bv Edward Howe Forbush 



State Ornithologist of Massachusetts 



ATURALLY those who begin to study birds desire, first, to know their names 

 and to be able to recognize them at sight. This is the A B C of bird study — 

 the mere beginning — but nevertheless important. To learn to identify 

 birds readily, the student needs good eyes and ears, a good opera-glass or 

 field-glass, a notebook and pencil, a good book with colored illustrations, 

 and some training in careful observation. It will be a great advantage if 

 there is a museum accessible, where he can see mounted specimens. A small, 

 light-weight opera-glass is all that is necessary for viewing the smaller birds ; 

 for water-fowl or sea birds a marine glass is most useful. 



To learn the proper use of the opera-glass, select some bird, if possible, 

 that is sitting still. Have your back to the sun. Focus the glass on the tree, and then the 

 bird by noting the position of the branch and sighting the glass as you would a gun. 



Note the size of the bird. It will be dif^ficult at first to judge the size in inches, but 

 you may compare it with certain common and well-known birds. You may have a scale 

 of sizes, beginning with the Yellow Warbler or Chipping Sparrow, and reading like this: 

 Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Bluebird, Catbird, Robin, Dove, Crow. Observe these 

 birds well; note the size of each. Turn to your book, and get it in inches. Write it down; 

 commit it to memory'; have it always in mind. By making good use of such a scale, you 

 may become expert in judging size by comparison. 



Next, the shape of the bird is important. Note whether the bird as a whole is slim 

 or stout. Some allowance may be made as to how the feathers are carried at the time. 

 All birds can raise or lower the feathers of the body at will. If you can see the shape of 

 the beak, you may be able to refer the bird at once to the famity in which it belongs. If it 

 is not much larger or smaller than a Song Sparrow, and has a short, conical bill, probably 

 it is a Sparrow. If it is a little smaller than a Song Sparrow or about the size of a Chippj-, 

 and has a short but slender bill, a trifle curved, probably it is a Warbler, or belongs to some 

 other insect-eating family. 



The length and shape of the tail are important. Try to see whether the tail is long 

 or short, rounded, square, or forked. If the bird is large, with a hooked beak and long tail, 

 probably it is a Hawk. If the beak is long and straight, or nearly so, the tail short and the 

 legs long, it must be a Heron, or some other wader. 



The color of the bird is ver\' important; indeed, it is about the only feature ordinarily 

 observed. First, note the color of the upper part, i. e., the top and sides of head, back and 

 sides of neck, back, wings, and tail; next, that of the under parts — throat, front of neck, 

 breast, and belly. Remember that the breast and belly often will seem darker than they 

 really are, on account of being in shade; thus a pure white will seem gray. Be careful to 

 note just where each color actually is; then note any conspicuous mark, for such a mark 

 alone, taken with the size of the bird, often is enough to establish its identity. 



Many birds have some prominent mark or color by which they may be identified in the 

 field. In this work the notebook and pencil are indispensable. Note down — on the spot — 

 size, shape, color, and markings, also shape and appearance of beak and tail (when you 

 can get them), for future reference. This will help you to identify the bird, and to fix its 

 identification in your memory. 



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