The Thrush Family 



273 



Finley 6* Bohlman 



FIG. 163. A robin with a mouth- 

 ful of worms for its young. 



them should be between 8 

 and 1 2 feet from the ground. 

 A house without a perch is 

 just as attractive to blue- 

 birds as a house with one, 

 and it is less attractive to 

 English sparrows. 



Bluebirds rear two and 

 frequently three broods in a 

 year. How many young are 

 there in each brood? Some 

 observers say that the young 

 of the first brood assist in 

 feeding later broods. Have 



you seen them assisting their parents ? How can you 

 distinguish the full-grown young bluebirds from their 

 parents ? 



Usefulness of bluebirds. Bluebirds are prized not 

 only for their beauty and their cheerfulness, but also 

 because they do much good by devouring injurious in- 

 sects. About two thirds of their food consists of grass- 

 hoppers, cutworms, bugs, and other insects. Of fruit 

 they take little from cultivated vines and trees, but they 

 eat elderberries, pokeberries, the fruit of the red cedar, 

 dogwood, sumac, and poison ivy, and the seeds of various 

 weeds. 



THE ROBIN 



The robin is about 10 inches in length. In many states 

 it is our most common native bird ; therefore people who 

 know any birds besides chickens and sparrows are likely 

 to know robins. The male-and female are colored nearly 



