MONTHLY BIRD LIFE 93 



each month. Thus, in February, it is composed of the ever-present 

 Permanent Residents together with the migrants which have 

 come from the north to spend the winter. In March, the March 

 migrants from the south are added, and a month later those which 

 may be expected to arrive in April are included. In due time the 

 winter birds are withdrawn and the transient migrants removed, 

 until in June, the collection consists of the Permanent Residents 

 and birds which have come from the south to spend the summer. 

 A similar treatment is continued throughout the year and the 

 collection always, therefore, represents the bird-life of the month 

 in which it is seen. 



The following outline of the bird-life of the year explains more 

 fully the manner in which this Seasonal Collection is arranged, 

 and at the same time, it may be used as a reference check-list in the 

 study of local migration. It should be understood that the dates 

 given represent those of a climatically normal year and that onlv 

 the commoner water birds are included. 



January Bird-Life. — Probably during no other month is there 

 less movement among our birds than in January. The regular winter 

 visitants have come ; the fall migrants which may have lingered un- 

 til December have gone, and the earliest spring migrants will not 

 arrive before the latter part of February or in early March. In fact, 

 January is the only month in the year in which, as a rule, some 

 birds do not arrive or depart. This rule, however, may be broken 

 by such irregular birds as the Pine Grosbeak and the Redpoll, and, 

 south of Xew York, the Snowflake and the Crossbill, birds which 

 may be wholly absent some winters and abundant others. 



The only birds usually to be found in January, therefore, are 

 the permanent residents and the regular winter visitants. Singing, 

 mating, nesting, molting, migrating, events which in their season 

 play so important a part in a bird's life, do not concern the birds of 

 January. With them food is the one important question, and 

 their movements at this season are governed solely by the food 

 supply. Snow may fall and winds blow, but as long as the birds 

 find enough to eat they give small heed to the weather. Food, 

 therefore, rather than temperature, is the most important factor 

 in a bird's life at this season. 



BIRDS OF THE MONTH. 



Pcnnancut Residents, see pas^c 8j. 

 ]]' inter Residents, see page 87. 

 February Bird-Life. — The conditions prevailing in the bird 



