BIRDS USEFUL TO FARM AND ORCHARD 



637 



California Jay 



Aiihelucuiiia (.(illfuniica 



Length, 12 inches. Distinguished from 

 other jays within its range by its decid- 

 edly whitish underparts and brown patch 

 on the bacli. 



Range 



Resident in California, north to South- 

 ern Washington, and south to Southern 

 Lower California. 



Habits and Economic Status 



This jay has the same general traits 

 of character as the Eastern blue jay. He 

 is the same noisy, rollicking fellow and 

 occupies a corresponding position in bird 

 society. Robbing the nests of smaller 

 birds is a favorite pastime, and he is a 

 persistent spy upon domestic fowls and 

 well knows the meaning of the cackle of 

 a hen. Not only does he steal eggs but 

 he kills young chicks. The insect food 

 of this jay constitutes about one-tenth 

 of its annual sustenance. The inclusion 

 of grasshoppers and caterpillars makes 

 this part of the bird's food in its favor. 

 But the remainder of its animal diet in- 

 cludes altogether too large a proportion 

 of beneficial birds and their eggs, and 

 in this respect it appears to be worse 

 thun its Eastern relative, the blue jay. 

 While its vegetable food is composed 

 largely of mast, at times its liking for 

 cultivated fruit and grain makes it a 

 most unwelcome visitor to the orchard 

 and farm. In conclusion, it may be said 

 that over much of its range this jay is 

 too abundant for the best interests of 

 agriculture and horticulture. 



Blue Jay 



Cyanocitta cristata 



Length, 11% inches. The brilliant blue 

 of the wings and tail combined with the 

 black crescent of the upper breast and 

 the crested head distinguish this species. 



Range 



Resident in the Eastern United States 

 and Southern Canada, west to the Da- 

 kotas, Colorado and Texas. 



Habits and Economic Status 



The blue jay is of a dual nature. Cau- 

 tious and silent in the vicinity of its 



nest, away from it it is bold and noisy. 

 Sly in the commission of mischief, it is 

 ever ready to scream "thief" at the slight- 

 est disturbance. As usual in such cases, 

 its remarlis are applicable to none more 

 than itself, a fact neighboring nest hold- 

 ers know to their sorrow, for during the 

 breeding season the jay lays heavy toll 

 upon the eggs and young of other birds, 

 and in doing so deprives us of the serv- 

 ices of species more beneficial than itself. 

 Approximately three-fourths of the an- 

 nual food of the blue jay is vegetable 

 matter, the greater part of which is com- 

 posed of mast, i. e., acorns, chestnuts, 

 beechnuts, and the like. Corn is the 

 principal cultivated crop upon which this 

 bird feeds, but stomach analysis indi- 

 cates that most of the corn taken is waste 

 grain. Such noxious insects as wood- 

 boring beetles, grasshoppers, eggs of vari- 

 ous caterpillars, and scale insects consti- 

 tute about one-fifth of its food. 



Horned Lark 



Otocoris alpestris 



Length, about seven and three-fourths 

 inches. The black mark across the breast 

 and the small, pointed tufts of dark 

 feathers above and behind the eyes dis- 

 tinguish the bird. 



Range 



Breeds throughout the United States 

 (except the South Atlantic and Gulf 

 states) and Canada; winters in all the 

 United States except Florida. 



Habits and Eeonomic Status 



Horned larks frequent the open coun- 

 try, especially the plains and deserts. 

 They associate in large flocks, are hardy, 

 apparently delighting in exposed situa- 

 tions in winter, and often nest before 

 snow disappears. The flight is irregular 

 and hesitating, but in the breeding sea- 

 son the males ascend high in air, singing 

 as they go, and pitch to the ground in 

 one thrilling dive. The preference of 

 horned larks is for vegetable food, and 

 about one-sixth of this is grain, chiefly 

 waste. Some sprouting grain is pulled, 

 but drilled grain is safe from injury. 

 California horned larks take much more 

 grain than the Eastern birds, specializ- 



