﻿The Rose-breasted Grosbeak 



By FREDERICK L. HOLTZ 

 With Photographs by the Author 



LAST summer the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were very numerous in 

 "I southern Minnesota. Within a radius of an eighth of a mile from my 

 house at the edge of the town I found seven Grosbeaks' nests, and 

 others in the same territory, no doubt, escaped my observation. 



One nest was located in the top of a tall box elder in my back yard, the 

 others in near-by ravines and hill- 

 sides. The nests are generally 

 placed in the central part of a 

 small shrubby tree, ironwoods be- 

 ing preferred in this section. 



Grosbeaks were frequent 

 visitors to my bird's drinking - 

 trough, and their cheery, robin - 

 like song was very pleasant. I 

 often heard them singing during 

 the night. 



The year before, I found a 

 pathetic illustration of the small 

 boy's hunting propensity. This 

 was in the shape of the cut-off 

 wings and mangled remains of a 

 pair of Rose -breasted Grosbeaks. 

 These had not only been killed, 

 but cut into small bits — why, it 

 is hard to tell. These beautiful 

 and rather tame birds make a 

 conspicuous and easy mark for 

 the hunter. But this year the 

 Grosbeaks seemed to breed in 

 peace, except that the nest in 

 my yard was destroyed by a 

 severe hail -storm. 



The Grosbeak here prefers a hillside or a ravine for the situation of its 

 home. The nest is rarely more than six or eight feet above the ground. This 

 makes the nest very easy to observe, especially if one goes on the slope above 

 the nest. The nest is built in so loose and frail a way that it is a wonder 

 that it is able to hold together as well as it does. It is composed of inter- 

 laced twigs and is lined with grass. It is so loosely constructed that one can 

 easily see through the structure. 



(161) 



FEMALE GROSBEAK ON NEST 



