XXX111. 



Family 8. TURDIDAE. Thrushes, Robin, Bluebird. 



It can hardly be disputed that the Thrushes are the most gifted of our birds in song. There is 

 even reasonable doubt if the famed Nightingale of Europe can approach them in real musical ren- 

 dition. The songs of the Thrushes are capable of being reproduced by musical instruments, and their 

 phrases reduced to musical notation. The true Thrushes are birds of the woods, the deeper woods, 

 but the Robin and Bluebird have become nearly civilized; and their songs are less musical. 



I. Back with evident blue. 



II. Back blackish, underparts largely rufous. 



III. Back brown or olive, under parts more or less spotted. 



A. Upper parts olive brown, tail rufous. 



B. Upper parts cinnamon-brown. 



1. Under parts heavily spotted with black. 



2. Under parts pale buffy, lightly marked. 



C. Upper parts olive. 

 i. Th 



roat, breast, cheeks, deep cream-buff. 

 2. Throat, breast, cheeks, almost white. 



99. Bluebird. 



98. American Robin. 



97. Hermit Thrush. 



93. Wood Thrush. 

 9. Wilson Thrush. 



96. Olive-backed Thrush. 

 95. Gray-checked Thrush. 



Family 9. SYLVIIDAE. Old World Warblers. 



Only three representatives of this Old World group are found in Ohio, and only one of these 

 remains to nest. Next to the Hummingbirds they are the smallest of our birds, and are therefore 

 easily overlooked amid the foliage. While so small their voices are strong and carry far; particu- 

 larly the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 



I. With red or yellow on the crown. 



A. Crown with yellow or orange bordered by black. 



B. Crown with a concealed ruby patch, without black. 



II. Without red or yellow on crown. 



A. Back ashy blue, tail long. 



B. Back olive-green. 



100. Golden-crowned Kinglet. 



1 01. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 



102. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. 

 101. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 



Family 10. PARIDAE. Nuthatches, Titmice. 



These are birds of the entire year. Without them in winter our woods would be dreary indeed 

 and well nigh birdless. They are not timid, but on the contrary are more curious than the proverb- 

 ial woman. They are perfectly at home in any position on any kind of a. surface, whether horizontal, 

 inclined or perpendicular, but the Nuthatches prefer to cling head down. They will eat anything 

 in winter, and can readily be drawn to the windowsill with crumbs, nuts or suet. They soon lose 

 any fear of man which they may have had, and perch on the outstretched hand for food. 



I. Throat black, crown black. 



A. Tail over 2.30. 107. Chickadee. 



B. Tail under 2.20. 108. Carolina Chickadee. 



[. Throat not black, crown various. 



A. Head crested. 



B. Head not crested. 



1. Whole top of head brown. 



2. Top of head black. 



a. Wing over 3.25. 



b. Wing under 3.00. 



1 06. Tufted Titmouse. 



105. Brown-headed Nuthatch. 



103. White-breasted Nuthatch. 



104. Red=breasted Nuthatch. 



Family n. CERTHIIDAE. Creepers. 



Our Brown Creeper may be at once known by its habit of climbing up a tree trunk or branch 

 spirally. It looks a little like a very small Woodpecker, but the bill is slender and curved, and there 

 are three toes in front and one behind instead of two in front and two behind. 



109. Brown Creeper. 



Family 12. TROGLODYTIDAE. Mockers, Thrashers, and Wrens. 



A snap-shot judgment would separate this family into two distinct families, or return the Mock- 

 ers to the Turdidse, but more careful comparison and study reveals the logic of the present arrange- 

 ment. In song and story this group is perhaps better known than any other whole group of birds. 

 Certainly it deserves the distinction, for the Mockingbird alone might well serve to bring the group 

 into prominence. The Wrens are too nearly household birds to escape popular attention, even amid 

 the rabble of English Sparrows. The Wrens, especially, are brimming over with energy, which is 

 fittingly illustrated by the forward pointing tail. They are true Americans. 



