40 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



mum abundance is sometimes reached around October 25th, 

 if cold weather brings many winter birds down early, which 

 thus meet the migrating Sparrow host, and a large list is 

 possible. Early in November the Horned Lark, Snowflake 

 and Ipswich Sparrow appear, and at about the same time the 

 Seaside and Sharp-tailed Sparrows depart. 



Little need be said about the bird-life of November and 

 December. The weather is the dominant factor. The species 

 which arrived in March will remain until the conditions which 

 caused their arrival are terminated by the approach of 

 winter. The forming of ice, the hard freezing of the ground, 

 or a fall of snow deprive them of their food supply, and they 

 depart southward. The end of November marks the normal 

 termination of their stay, but in very mild seasons many 

 linger until Christmas. The waterfowl on the coast are, of 

 course, hardier, and their migration is rarely concluded before 

 January 1st. Many winter visitants do not arrive in bulk 

 until after December 1st. 



THE LOCAL REGIONS 



The above discussion of the migrations of our local 

 birds during the year holds true for the immediate vicinity 

 of New York City. In the whole territory covered by this 

 Handbook, however, slight differences in climate result in 

 modifications of the statements made in those sections more 

 remote from the City. Accordingly, as a further assistance 

 to the student, the Region has been divided into three sec- 

 tions, Long Island, the balance of New York State, and New 

 Jersey. In each of these three sections the status and migra- 

 tion of each species is given in detail. In addition one or more 

 " Local Regions " are given under each section. These " Local 

 Regions" are areas of relatively small extent, in which inten- 

 sive observation over long periods of years has been conducted 

 by numerous observers. The resulting local lists probably 



