A Record of the Outcome of Seventy-five 

 Birds' Nests 



By RAYMOND H. WHEELER, Berlin, Mass. 



TWENTY Robins' nests built during the month of May were watched, 

 and the following facts obtained. Out of seven that were built in apple 

 trees, from five to fifteen feet up, two were robbed by Crows, two 

 nests were deserted before they were completed and, in three cases, the broods 

 were raised successfully. Two nests were found in maples, both over twenty 

 feet from the ground; one was robbed by a red squirrel when the young were 

 nearly fledged, and the eggs in the other were eaten by Crows. Two nests, 

 one in a cedar and one in an oak, were destroyed by Blue Jays; one in a pear 

 tree was deserted because of its open position, and one placed in a pine was 

 successful. The young from three nests which were built in buildings of some 

 kind, matured. The only nest destroyed by accident was situated in a pile 

 of rocks, where it was washed away by a rainstorm. Two more nests which 

 were successful were in a grape-vine and in a wood-pile. In all, four nests 

 were deserted, six were robbed, two by Crows, in apple trees; and another 

 in a maple; Blue Jays and a red squirrel were responsible for the destruction 

 of three others. Only one nest fell a victim to an accident, while the remain- 

 ing nine were successful. 



A record of ten Song Sparrows' nests shows that broods were raised from 

 two that were situated near brooks, and that two others, similarly placed, 

 were robbed, probably by cats. Four others, which were successful, were 

 placed under a brush-pile, under a stone wall, in the tall grass around a sand- 

 bank and on a hillside, respectively. One in a bed of wild lily-of-the-valley 

 and another in a strawberry patch were deserted because of their open posi- 

 tions. 



The young from three Chipping Sparrows' nests were allowed to mature; 

 the nests were all situated in shrubs of some kind. The wind blew down one 

 which was built in an apple tree; a fifth placed in a grape-vine was torn to 

 pieces by an unknown enemy, probably a cat. 



I could find but two Vesper Sparrows' nests. However, one was success- 

 ful and the other was deserted. Both were on the ground and near habitations. 



Baltimore Orioles were very common. Four nests out of the five that were 

 watched turned out successfully. The fifth was destroyed by accidentally 

 cutting off the limb from which it hung. 



Notwithstanding the fact that many bird-boxes were put out for the 

 Bluebirds, they seemed to prefer hollow limbs previously dug out by Wood- 

 peckers. One box, however, was inhabited and the young were raised. One 

 nest in a hollow limb was successful, but the young from another fell out 

 before they were able to fly, and died. An old pump served as the home of 

 a pair of Bluebirds, but too-frequent visits drove them away. 



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