286 Trees, Stars, and Birds 



Finley & Boklman 



FIG. 172. Verdin feeding its young. This bird is a Western rela- 

 tive of the chickadee, and like the chickadee has little fear of man. 



The tufted titmouse. The tufted titmouse is a more 

 southern bird than the black-capped titmouse. But its 

 range extends north to the Great Lakes, and like some 

 other species of birds it may be found as far north in win- 

 ter as in summer. It often appears in towns, but is more 

 common in the woods. Its prominent crest makes it 

 easy to distinguish from other small gray birds, and it 

 often attracts attention by its loud, clear whistle, peto, 

 peto. 



Nuthatches. These small, bluish birds remind one of 

 the woodpeckers, for they run up the trunks and large 

 limbs of trees in search of food. They do not sing, but 

 twitter, as they work; occasionally they utter a loud 

 nasal yank, yank. Unlike the woodpeckers, nuthatches 

 at times move head first down the tree. Their beaks are 

 not such good drills as those of woodpeckers, and so they 

 do not bore as deep into hard wood. 



