90 HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



is seen. One might see a ground-builder in trees and 

 gaze upward all day, to no purpose. It is important 

 also to have in mind the approximate period when 

 each species can be expected to be nesting. 



Though the majority of the birds nest in late May 

 or June, it does not follow that the opportunities of 

 nesting-time are confined to that halcyon period. If 

 we travel, even in our own country, we can find some 

 birds breeding throughout the greater part of the 

 year. In south-east Florida the brown pelicans and 

 bald eagles begin to nest as early as November, and 

 in the North various birds are not through until late 

 in August, or even in September. 



In the Middle and Northern States the great 

 horned owl fires the opening gun, so to speak, usually 

 in late February, and the various large raptorial birds 

 follow in March and April. The woodcock has eggs 

 early in the latter month. Ordinarily the first of the 

 smaller birds to lay is the bluebird, from the tenth of 

 April and on, followed as a close second by the robin, 

 and also the song sparrow, white-breasted nuthatch, 

 hairy woodpecker, crow, crow blackbird, and Euro- 

 pean starling. This is ignoring the English sparrow, 

 which seems to be multiplying its kind during a good 

 part of the whole year. 



It is a good plan to have an eye out for these early 

 nestings, so as to save time later for other things. 

 The bluebird and nuthatch use hollow limbs or holes 

 in trees, generally near houses, unless the former con- 

 sents to occupy a box. This also is the habit of the 



