OUR WINTER BIRDS 139 



OUR WINTER BIRDS. 



BY BROTHER ALPHONSUS, C. S. C. 



In this study I have chosen only those species that were seen 

 in more than one of the winter months, and at least once in January. 

 Should a species only occur either early in December or late in 

 Feburary, it might rightly be regarded as an autumn or spring 

 migrant. By limiting the number to true winter species, I have 

 been able to include the following: Blue Jay, Crow, White-breasted 

 Nuthatch, Red-headed Woodpecker, Snowbird, Downy Wood- 

 pecker, Tree Sparrow, Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Song Sparrow, 

 Snowflake, Goldfinch, Screech Owl, Bronzed Grackle, Meadow- 

 lark, Cardinal, Hairy Woodpecker, Sparrow Hawk, Evening 

 Grosbeak. Total, 19 species. 



Crow 

 Carvus brackyrhynchos 



The Crow, like the Blue Jay, does not seem to be notably 

 affected by the weather in winter. If anything the Crow is less 

 influenced by the storms of winter. For eight seasons there was 

 comparative regularity in the Crow's daily appearance, only 

 occasionally one month fell considerably behind the records of the 

 other winter months. 



The Crow seems to be as gregarious in winter as at any other 

 time of the year. The necessity of finding food brings them near 

 farm houses, where they feed in the fields or gardens. They seem 

 to be less fearless in winter and may be approached while feeding 

 without being easily frightened. ' 



The Crows choose certain woods as rookeries, where they may 

 often be seen flying above the trees. Their distant cawing on winter 

 days is one of the pleasing sounds in nature at that season of the 

 year. As spring approaches, the Crows are seldom seen, for then 

 they begin to build their nests in tall forest trees. 



Blue Jay 



Cyanocitla cristala 



The observations of this species covering eight winters show 



that the Jay is somewhat irregular in its distribution. The bird 



may appear infrequently in one or more of the winter months, and 



sometimes will absent itself for a week or longer. These periods 



