HOW TO KNOW THE BIRDS 49 



home, as one sits on the porch and watches the wrens 

 and bluebirds rear their young in the houses pro- 

 vided for them, or sees the robins and flickers that 

 dot the lawn in search of insects, or hears the bird 

 chorus that swells through the open window as one 

 awakens in the early spring morn. The pleasure 

 thus derived is the lasting, unconscious enjoyment 

 that becomes an intimate part of one's life. 



Birds also appeal to the imagination on account of 

 the annual cycle of life changes through which they 

 pass over and over again year after year. It seems 

 as though every spring birds were reborn and lived 

 their lives over again, so that youth seems forever 

 renewed with the return of the first birds. 



There are all stages of attainment possible to suit 

 every condition, from the identifying of a few birds 

 in the field up to the most careful study of bird hab- 

 its, which may occupy one's entire time. One of the 

 most satisfactory methods of studying bird life is to 

 observe close at hand hi one's yard the birds that 

 may be attracted there by nesting-houses, foun- 

 tains, and food. This will be discussed more fully in 

 the chapters on attracting birds. 



Identification. The first step in bird-study is the 

 identification of birds. Learning a bird's name is 

 much like an introduction to a person; it is a means 

 by which a new friendship may be formed. But there 

 is a great deal of pleasure in merely learning to name 

 the birds. Many people will never care to go beyond 



