6o AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



Nesting Habits of Our Birds. 



BY BROTHER ALPHONSUS, C. S. C. 



Robin. 

 Planesticus migratorius. 

 The Robin is the earhest of our birds to build its nest. I 

 have seen nests begun in the middle of March when the weather 

 was mild. These early attempts at nesting, however, often prove 

 disastrous, for very cold days are sure to follow, making it im- 

 possible for the birds to sit continuously on the eggs. So the 

 nest is abandoned, and another is built later. The Robin has 

 more than one brood, young birds appearing as late as August. 



Purple Grackle. 

 Quiscalus guiscu/a. 



The Grackle selects evergreen trees for its nesting place. 

 A grove of pines or spruces will always have a number of Grackles 

 nesting there, and they will soon let any intruder know that they 

 are in possession by flying down toward him in a rather threaten- 

 ing manner. The young appear early and make much noise while 

 waiting for food. After the nesting season the Grackles gather 

 in great flocks. 



Mourning Dove. 

 Zenaidura macroura. 



The nest of the Dove is found usually in evergreens, and 

 is built so very poorly of a few sticks that one would wonder 

 how the eggs fail to fall to the ground. June is the month that 

 the Do\e chooses for nesting, but the young may not be fledged 

 until July. I have found young Doves much earlier, however, 

 a fact that shows the nesting season of the species is sometimes 

 earlier, or that there is more than one brood. 



COWBIRD. 



Molothrus ater. 

 The Cowbird is our only bird that never builds a nest of 

 its own. The eggs are stealthily deposited into the nests of other 

 species, which have the additional care of rearing a lusty young 

 Cowbird. Frequently such species as the Chipping Sparrow and 

 the Song Sparrow are imposed upon in this manner, and the 



