18 BIRDS OF SWOPE PARK 



ing the nesting season, we find that the Wood Thrush, Towhee 

 and Water-thrush, for instance, confine themselves to the 

 region of shrubs and trees, while the Quail, the Dickcissel, the 

 Meadowlark and Horned Lark hide their nests in the grasses 

 of the fields and meadows. 



Then there are the Flycatchers and the Swifts and the 

 Nighthawks and the Swallows birds that find insect food in 

 the air while on the wing. One would think that it would 

 make but little difference to them whether they were in the 

 field or wood, and to some extent, they do have a wider range, 

 but again other factors beside food give some preference as 

 to the regions they inhabit. 



Of almost equal importance with food as a factor in bird 

 distribution, is their choice of environment for their nesting 

 sites. Some species seem to prefer the protection offered by 

 proximity to man, while others shun human beings and all 

 marks of civilization, and are being driven to narrower and 

 narrower quarters by the encroachment of mankind. This 

 latter is becoming of serious consequence with reference to the 

 continuation of certain species in a community. More mention 

 will be made of this in the discussion of the different regions 

 of Swope Park. 



With the great majority of birds we find no appreciable 

 change from their nesting habits of the past. The Thrasher 

 and the Catbird will nest only in those yards that are supplied 

 with a tangle of vines and shrubbery. Bell's Vireo is found 

 only in connection with low bushes of the more open places. 

 The Meadowlark has not been known to desert the ground be- 



