i 3 o HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



it from being buried under the snow. Unless the 

 hordes of English sparrows can be kept away, they 

 will monopolize the supply and drive off the desired 

 visitors. The shotgun is the surest remedy, and it 

 may be said in the sparrows' favor that they are 

 usually quick to take such a hint. 



With the coast thus clear, the pretty tree sparrow is 

 likely to be the most frequent guest, with numbers 

 of juncos at times, and an occasional song sparrow. 

 Sometimes on farms quail will feed around the barn 

 in severe weather, but this is too good to be more 

 than exceptional. 



Our winter land birds may be readily thought of in 

 three classes. First we may mention the species 

 which are found at all times of the year, known as 

 " residents." In a few cases, as with the ruffed 

 grouse and the quail, the same individuals are found 

 in one locality the year round. 



With most of them, however, those found during 

 the warmer seasons probably migrate southward, to 

 be replaced by other individuals of the same kind 

 from farther north. To this class belong the chicka- 

 dee, white-breasted nuthatch, song sparrow, blue jay, 

 and downy and hairy woodpeckers, already men- 

 tioned. Some others are the crow, meadowlark, 

 goldfinch, and occasionally the flicker, cedar bird, pur- 

 ple finch, red-winged blackbird, kingfisher, bluebird, 

 and robin. Many of the birds of prey also belong to 

 this category. 



[The second class are birds nesting a little north of 



