28 Baby Birds at Home 



exposed roots of a tree. The old birds guard 

 their secret well by calling, flying overhead 

 and generally endeavouring to lead the in- 

 truder away from it. 



The nest is made of dead grass, rootlets 

 and moss, and is neatly lined with horse- 

 hair. From four to six eggs are laid. They 

 are very similar in appearance to those of 

 the Yellow Wagtail : greyish white in ground 

 colour, mottled with varying shades of brown. 



Baby Blue-headed Wagtails are fed upon 

 small moths, caterpillars, water insects and 

 flies. Both parent birds are very industrious 

 in finding food for the chicks, and once 

 they know you have found the nest, they 

 will alight near to you and become much 

 bolder. If you should sit down so close to 

 the nest that the old birds dare not venture 

 up to it to feed the chicks, they will keep on 

 calling to them until the youngsters will hop 

 out and begin to run away, even before they 

 are able to fly. 



The young males in their first coat of 

 feathers resemble the adult female in her 

 summer dress, except for the fact that the 

 grey on the head is somewhat mixed with 

 brown. 



