HOW TO STUDY THE BIRDS 15 



wing, redpoll, white-winged and red crossbills are at this 

 season of the year wintering about the Great Lakes region, 

 feeding in coniferous trees or on orchard buds, and often 

 searching for wild berries and unpicked fruit. A few of our 

 hardy goldfinches may be in the vicinity, and slate-colored 

 j uncos in company with tree sparrows are feeding on seeds 

 in the weedy patches. In the open areas the Lapland and 

 Smith's longspurs are busily feeding and calling to each 

 other in their mellow notes. Horned larks, shore larks, and 

 snowflakes are to be seen on the prairies or often about the 

 barnyards when snow is deep. 



Old hollow trees afford ample protection for the screech, 

 barred, and horned owls. Occasionally a stray snowy owl 

 from the far north is encountered. The hardy raven often 

 reaches a latitude as far south as Illinois and Indiana, and at 

 this time of the year is apt to be feeding along the shores of 

 the lake looking for aquatic and land animals. 



The northern shrike haunts the hedges and parks occu- 

 pied by our quarrelsome English sparrow or busy tree spar- 

 row. Bands of Canada geese are living on the open water. 

 They collect there during the daj'time and just before sunset 

 we see or hear them moving in regular V-shaped flocks to the 

 fields where tliey feed by night. 



The grouse are verj' companionable at this season of the 

 year; the prairie chickens and bob-whites congregate in 

 immense flocks. The little bob-whites seek shelter among 

 the rail fences or about the underbrush, while the prairie 

 chickens frequent the fields. The ruffed grouse spend the 

 day feeding on the ground, roosting by night in the trees, 

 where no prowling animal may disturb them. 



