250 



Our Winter Birds. 



the still more rare great gray owl [Strtx 

 cinerea). Both these are of very large size 

 and light color. 



Sometimes we may also get sight of the 

 barred owl or smooth head {^Strix nebulosd). 

 This species is a little smaller than the 

 great horned and can be distinguished if 

 near, by the absence of eartufts and a much 

 more ashy shade than the great horned. 

 A specimen of the screech owl {Scops asio) 

 may possibly be found in some barn loft, 

 outhouse or hollow tree. This little owl is 

 very similar to the great horned except in 

 size, being only about nine inches long. 

 A peculiarity of this species is their two 

 styles of dress, the red and gray plumage. 

 Why this freak of coloration (without ap- 

 parent relation to sex, age or season) I do 

 not think has been fully explained. 



We may also look for the longear owl 

 {Asio wilsonianus), the shortear owl {Asio 

 accipitrinus) and the little saw whet owl 

 {Nyctala acadica), the latter being smaller 

 than the screecher, and resembling the 

 barred in form and color. 



As this family are all nocturnal in their 

 habits, and are trapped extensively, they 

 are not likely to be observed very fre- 

 quently. 



The bluejay {Cyanocitta cristatd) and 

 black-capped chickadee {Pants atricapil- 

 liis) are probably our best known, as well 

 as our most common winter birds. 



Perhaps the tree sparrow {Spizella moii- 

 ticola) is our next most common bird, 

 as it is often seen in this section in quite 

 large flocks. This bird resembles our chip- 

 ping sparrow, or hair bird of summer, very 

 much, but is a larger and stouter bird. 



The quail or Bob-White {Ortyx virgini- 

 ana) and partridge, or ruffed grouse {£on- 

 asa umbella), may often be seen quite near 

 buildings, or by the roadside, as we drive 

 by. A bird of the latter species flew against 

 the side of our house, a few years ago, with 

 sufficient force to kill it. At a neighbor's 

 one flew through a glass window into their 



pantry, and made sad havoc among the 

 dishes, etc. 



A few specimens of the crow {Corvus 

 frugivorus') usually remain with us all 

 winter in certain localities. The great 

 northern shrike or butcher bird {Lanius 

 ^borealis) visits us occasionally, from the 

 north. This bird is a little less in size 

 than our common jay, has a smooth head 

 and toothed bill, is of a slaty gray color, 

 with black (or dark) wings, white tipped, 

 and light breast with very fine wavy lines 

 of slate. 



The Canada jay {Perisorcus ca7iadensis) 

 may occur here rarely. I remember of a 

 specimen being shot some years ago a few 

 miles from here. Size somewhat smaller 

 than common jay, marked similar, with 

 slate in place of blue. Has no crest on 

 head. 



We may be on the watch at any time 

 for one of the two varieties of wood- 

 peckers that remain here all winter, the 

 hairy {Pic us viilosits) or the downy {Piciis 

 piibesccns). Or for either of the nut- 

 hatches, with their peculiar qiiank note, 

 and their interesting gymnastics about tree 

 trunks. 



The white-bellied nuthatch {Sitta caro- 

 iineiisis) and red-bellied {Siffa canadensis^ 

 are sometimes seen through the winter. 



The linnets of the finch family, especially 

 the redpoll linnet {^-Egiothi/s linaria), and 

 pine linnet {Chrysomitris pinus) are com- 

 mon through the winter. They may be 

 seen frequently on birch trees, feeding on 

 the seeds. 



A peculiar, and somewhat common, win- 

 ter visitor and resident is the red crossbill 

 {Loxia curvirostra americand). This bird 

 has a strong hooked bill, the upper man- 

 dible crossing over the under. They feed 

 largely on pine seeds. 



I will also mention the snow bunting or 

 snowflake {Plectrophaites nivalis), which, 

 when seen flying over, looks much like a 

 snowflake in color. Specimens vary much^ 



