A BIRD'S EDUCATION* 



SO far as regards the recent discussion as to how 

 animals learn, whether by instinct or instruction, 

 my study of birds leads me to take a middle posi- 

 tion ; perhaps I would better say to take sides with both 

 parties. Birds acquire knowledge partly by instinct and 

 partly by tutelage, and the same is no doubt true of all 

 other animals. This statement will be borne out by 

 several concrete cases. 



Some years ago I made a number of experiments in 

 rearing young birds taken as early as possible from the 

 nest. Among them were meadowlarks, red- winged black- 

 birds, brown thrashers, blue jays, wood thrushes, cat- 

 birds, flickers, red-headed woodpeckers, and several other 

 species. Nearly all of them were secured some time 

 before they were naturally ready to leave their natal 

 places. Without any instruction from parents or older 

 birds they soon left the nests I had improvised for them, 

 hopped about on the cage floor for a while, and presently 

 insisted on clambering upon the perches, to which they 

 clung in the regulation way. Indeed, I noted again and 

 again that the impulse to seek a perch was so strong that 



*Reprinted by permission from "Forest and Stream." 



I6 S 



