56 ] The Delightful Hobby of Bird Watching 



down its throat. Though the female has the crest and red bill of 

 the male, her plumage is light brown. 



Cardinals are not commonly seen in New England or on the 

 Pacific Coast, but in other sections of the United States you may 

 come on them anywhere in suburbs, towns, or open country. As a 

 rule they are "permanent residents" of whatever area they live 

 in, and in the northern part of their range they endure many a 

 severe winter while creating scenes of striking beauty: crimson 

 feathers against a snowy-white background. 



GOLDFINCHES OUR WILD CANARIES 



You may call them "wild canaries" as you see a group of 

 goldfinches chattering and twittering on a lawn. They suggest 

 these pet birds because of their yellow coloring, their small size, 

 and their pleasant song. Actually they are closely related to the 

 canary and also to native sparrows. 



In flight goldfinches are recognizable by their long bounding 

 motion, which may remind a youngster of a roller-coaster ride. 

 At each dip they seem to call Per-chick-o-ree, per-chick-o-ree. They 

 travel around in small groups during breeding season. Goldfinches 

 may be found in fields and meadows throughout temperate North 

 America. Like the cardinals, they are usually permanent residents 

 of one region although some goldfinches travel a bit south to 

 escape the most severe winter weather. 



CHICKADEES 



If you furnish a winter feeding station for birds, you are 

 quite likely to have chickadees among your patrons. The easiest 

 way to recognize this plump little black-and-white bird is by its 

 black cap and bib. In the South there is the Carolina chickadee, 

 only four and a half inches long; and in the West, a chestnut- 

 backed chickadee with a dull brown, rather than black, cap. 



Chickadees are commonly found around farms and country 

 homes. In warm weather they seclude themselves in the woods, 

 nesting in holes in trees; in winter they are out scouting and 

 seem especially grateful for "handouts" from human friends. 



