102 Baby Birds at Home 



The Butcher Bird appears to be gifted 

 with wonderful eyesight, for whilst seated 

 on a telegraph wire, or the branch of a tree 

 at an equal height, it can detect a beetle 

 in the grass below and swoops down to 

 secure it. 



The nest is built in a rough hedge or 

 bush, and is formed of slender twigs, pieces 

 of dead honeysuckle, dry grass stems and 

 moss, lined with wool, hair, or rootlets. 



Four or five eggs of a pale buffish white, 

 spotted with reddish brown, are laid. These 

 are subject to considerable variation in 

 ground colour, and the tint and distribution 

 of the markings. 



The chicks are hatched in about a fort- 

 night and are fed upon beetles, bees, and 

 all kinds of winged insects. Although the 

 Butcher Bird is only some seven and a half 

 inches in length, it will defend its young ones 

 with great courage, and will not hesitate to 

 attack and drive away larger birds, such as 

 the song thrush, from the neighbourhood of 

 its nest. 



On one occasion the writer was struck on 

 the head by a male Red-backed Shrike, in 

 defence of one of its fledglings. 



