12 BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



Seasonal Distribution. As every one who observes birds closely is aware, 

 many forms do not occur in a given locality at all seasons of the year. For con- 

 venience, therefore, it is usual to group birds as residents, summer visitors, winter 

 visitors, transients, and stragglers. 



As residents, reference is made to those birds which are found throughout the 

 year, familiar examples in most parts of the State being the Turkey Vulture, Caro- 

 lina Wren, English Sparrow, and Mourning Dove. We should bear in mind, how- 

 ever, that resident birds may be resident as to species, yet not as to individuals. 

 The Robins, for example, which are with us in winter, leave in spring for their 

 summer homes farther north, and their places are taken by breeding birds which 

 have wintered south of the State. 



Summer visitors occur only in summer, the term being confined mainly to birds 

 which rear their young in the State- as, for example, the Catbird, Kingbird, and 

 Purple Martin but depart in autumn. 



The name winter visitor applies to birds which come to this State to dwell during 

 the colder months. Common examples are the White-throated Sparrow, Marsh 

 Hawk, Junco, and many kinds of ducks. 



Transients are strictly birds of passage, and appear only in spring or fall. Most 

 of them appear at both seasons, but a few are found only in spring and others 

 exclusively in autumn. Many which are transient in the central or eastern portion 

 of the State are summer visitors in the mountains. Among these are the Scarlet 

 Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, and various warblers. 



A straggler is a bird which has wandered from its usual home. Among such as 

 have been recorded in the following pages will be found the Man-o'-war Bird, White 

 Ibis and Ani. 



The student should bear in mind, therefore, that the bird population of any given 

 territory is constantly changing; in fact, a little field work will reveal to an observer 

 the interesting fact that in no two months of the year is the bird life of a region 

 quite the same. 



