OUR WINTER BIRD IS. 129 



These same outrageous English sparrows are the most con- 

 spicuous, really, of all our January birds. They are spread- 

 ing widely through the suburbs of the city, especially be- 

 tween here and Philadelphia ; and I am sorry to see it, for 

 they are uncompromising enemies to all our native birds. 



It would lead me to far overstep the reasonable limits 

 of this essay if I attempted to extend to all the winter 

 birds even the brief sketch I have given of some of the 

 woodland species. A mere mention must suffice. 



Some birds besides those already noticed are residents 

 with us the year round : thus a few robins, bluebirds, crows, 

 bluejays, cedar- birds, kingfishers, flickers, blackbirds, pur- 

 ple finches, wild pigeons, quails, grouse, and woodcocks, are 

 always likely to be found in the neighborhood of New 

 York in January; while one or t\vo of the arctic wood- 

 peckers, the Canada jay, the waxwing, and some other rari- 

 ties, may be met with at long intervals. Of the birds of 

 prey, we have in greater or less numbers this month the 

 golden and bald eagles (about the Palisades), an occasional 

 osprey, the rough -legged, red- shouldered, and red -tailed 

 buzzards, the marsh-harrier, and some others ; and, among 

 owls, the fierce snowy owl, which will take a grouse from 

 its roost, or carry off a hare ; the barred, great horned, long- 

 eared, short-eared, mottled, and little saw-whet owls. Along 



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