The Bush-Tit 



By WILLIAM L. FINLEY 



^tie il2ationaI Sl&0otiation of Audubon ^ocietifs 



EDUCATIONAL LEAFLET NO. 40 



The Bush-tit's home is on the Pacific coast. He is so much of a Westerner 

 that he is entirely unknown in the eastern states. He may be recognized by 

 his diminutive size, as he is but httle larger than a Hummingbird, but more 

 flufify in appearance and with a tail that is as long as his body. He is dressed 

 modestly in grays and browns, with not a touch of bright coloring. As a nest- 

 builder, he has no equal among our small birds, for he builds a long gourd- 

 shaped home from eight to ten inches 

 in length, with a side entrance at the 

 upper end. As a bird character, he is 

 fearless and readily accepts human friend- 

 ship. 



One can hardl\- help falling in love 

 with a Bush-tit. He is such a tiny mite, 

 not larger than your 

 Character thumb. He goes along in 



such a bustling, business- 

 like wa}'. He is absolutely fearless, at 

 times. One can make friends wdth the 

 Bush-tit as easily as with his cousin, the 

 Chickadee. Any one who has studied 

 bird character would know that these 

 two birds are related, even if he did not 

 know that both are members of the 

 famil}', Paridce. I do not know why the 

 Bush-tits and Chickadees place so much confidence in mankind. Perhaps they 

 remember only the kindnesses of our race, and not the evils. But, even 

 though these two birds are so alike in character, they are so different as home- 

 builders. One might wonder how the Bush-tit has developed such remarkable 

 ability as a home-builder, when the Chicakdee is content to dig himself a den in 

 the heart of some old stump. 



The Bush-tit never seems to be moody; perhaps he never has the blues. 

 He loves company. Through a large part of California the Bush-tits forage about 

 in flocks nearly nine months of the year. In Oregon and Wash- 

 ington, they come in the spring, nest and depart in the fall. A 

 flock of Bush-tits is always restless. The Juncos, like the Bush- 

 tits, stav in flocks a large part of the year. I have often watched them about my 



(22s) 



BUSH-TIT WITH FOOD FOR YOUNG 

 Photographed by H. T. Bohlman 



Love of 

 Companions 



