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ORNITHOLOGIST 



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OOLOGIST. 



Notes on the Birds of Tioga Co., N.Y. 



Although I do not profess tliat tliis list is 

 entirely correct, yet it i^ based on what I find 

 in my note books. The numbers correspond 

 to those in Ridgvvay's nomenclature. 



1. Wood Thrush. Common. Found in the 

 woods and underbrush. Perched on some 

 tree or bush the male pours forth his beautiful 

 notes which make the woods ring. The nest 

 of this species is placed in a small bush or on 

 the ground, and is composv^d of dried grass and 

 pine needles loosely put together, but quite 

 bulky. The eggs, four in number, are of a 

 light blue color and usually measure 7-8 in. 

 by 5-8 in. 



7. Robin. Common. Arrives here on its 

 northern migration about the 14th of March. 

 During the first week in May nest building 

 commences, but I once found an industrious 

 Kobin who had her nest half built on the 5th of 

 April. This is placed in an old shed, or in the 

 crotch of a tree, and is composed outwardly of 

 dried grass, weeds, mud, and is lined with 

 dried grass. The eggs, usually four in num- 

 ber, are of a light blue color. During this 

 season the male Robins can be seen, as night 

 approaches, fighting with one another, and 

 calling to each other from housetop to house- 

 top. Their food consists of worms, bugs and, 

 during the fruit season, cherries and straw- 

 berries. At this time they are of great annoy- 

 ance to the farmers who put out fright tins, 

 which fail to drive them away. About the 

 last week in October they gather in large flocks 

 and feed on wild cherries and mountain ash 

 berries until the time of departure, which is 

 less than a week. 



12. Catbird. Common. I find the favorite 

 resorts of this bird to be along the river banks 

 and small creeks. Tiieir food consists of bugs 

 and strawberries. The nest is placed in a bush 

 or small tree, is composed of small twigs and 

 is lined with hair and sometimes leaves. It is 



deeply hollowed and is quite compact. The 

 eggs, usually four in number, are of a dark 

 green color and measure as follows: 7-8 in. by 

 11-16 in. As the last of September draws near, 

 the Catbird departs for its southern home, not 

 in flocks, however, but in pairs or singly. 



13. Brown Thrasher. This beautiful song- 

 ster is quite a common resident, desiring thick 

 brush for its nesting place. I have not had 

 much opportunity to observe these birds in 

 their haunts, and therefore cannot give much 

 of a description of them. 



22. Bluebird. This beautiful little bird is 

 one of the earliest to arrive, making its appear- 

 ance about the middle of March, and some- 

 times earlier. Immediately after mating, nest 

 building commences; this is placed in a nat- 

 ural cavity of a tree or deserted Woodpecker's 

 nest; it is very loosely constructed of dried 

 grass, and is quite shallow. The eggs, four 

 to five in number, are of a light blue color, and 

 I believe instances have been known of their 

 being found pure white. One set which came 

 under my observation was found in a tele- 

 graph pole and were all nearly white and sound 

 and the measurement of one of them is 3-4 in. 

 by 5-8 in. Two broods are often reared in one 

 season. As soon as the young can shift for 

 themselves they take to the fields with their 

 parents to search for small bugs and worms. 

 As the last of October draws near both parents 

 and young leave for the south. 



41. Chickadee. Common. Found in the 

 thick woods and groves; their food consists of 

 insects and flies. They also like the society 

 of other birds such as Nuthatches and Kinglets. 

 This little bird is one of the few who do not 

 migrate, and seems as happy on the coldest 

 day in winter as in midsummer. 



51. White-bellied Xuthatch. Common. Stays 

 with us the entire year and lives on bugs, cat- 

 erpillars and worms. 



55. Brown Creeper. Common. This is 

 another one of our winter visitors. Tiiis bird 



Copyright, 1890, by Fraxk B. Webster. 



