Swamp Sparrow 1 1 1 



more graceful tail makes him appear a trifle 

 larger. Certainly not by any rowdy, bold 

 assaults, which are the English bird's specialty. 

 But by simply assuming superiority and expres- 

 sing it only by running in a threatening attitude 

 toward each English sparrow who dares to 

 alight on the roof, does he bluff him into flying 

 away again! There is never a fight, not even 

 an ill-mannered scolding, just quiet monopoly 

 for a few minutes, then a joyous outburst of 

 song. After that the English sparrows may 

 take the songster's leavings. 



SWAMP SPARROW 



Where rails thread their way among the 

 rushes, and red-winged blackbirds, marsh wrens, 

 and Maryland yellow-throats like to live, there 

 listen for the tweet-tweet-tzveet of the swamp 

 sparrow. It is a sweet but rather monotonous 

 little song that he repeats over and over again 

 to the mate who is busy about her grassy nest 

 in a tussock not far away, but well hidden among 

 the rank swamp growth. 



Some children say it is difificult to tell the 

 plain gray-breasted swamp sparrow from the 

 larger song sparrow with the streaked breast* 

 but I am sure their eyes are not so sharp a£ 

 yours. 



