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Birds That Nest at Tamakoche 



Tamakoche, an Indian word meaning 

 "my own country," is the name of the 

 writer's home. The place is situated three 

 miles from the thriving little city of 

 Atlantic, Iowa, on the divide between two 

 small streams. There still remains a small 

 grove of native timber surrounded by open 

 fields and meadows. As a naturalist 

 would be expected to do, every attraction 

 has been provided for the birds. Fruit of 

 every kind hardy in the region is growing 

 so that there is an abundance of both culti- 

 vated and wild fruit through a long season. 

 The list includes about fifty varieties of 

 apples, peaches, plums, cherries, grapes, 

 pears, gooseberries, currants, raspberries, 

 blackberries, and other cultivated fruits; 

 elderberries, mulberries, sumac, choke- 

 cherries, blackcherries, and numerous 

 other wild fruits, nuts, etc. Fifteen acres 

 of timber and underbrush are fenced with 

 a high woven-wire fence, and no animals 

 allowed to pasture therein. During the 

 growing season the undergrowth is so 

 dense that one can with difficulty force 

 his way through, and during winter it 

 furnishes splendid protection for hundreds 

 of Sparrows and other winter birds. This 

 enclosure is preserved expressly for the 

 birds and wild flowers. 



The location being high, and the near- 

 est water a small stream half a mile dis- 

 tant, few water-birds are included in the 

 list, and these (the Kingfisher and 

 Green Heron) do not nest strictly within 

 the limits of the writer's grounds. Neither 

 does the list include nearly all the birds 

 native to the region. Many more, includ- 

 ing various Sparrows, Flycatchers, and 

 Warblers, as well as the larger birds of 

 prey, etc., are to be found nesting nearby, 

 and probably numerous species not in- 

 cluded in this list have nested unnoticed 

 on our grounds. 



Birds are very numerous here at almost 

 all seasons, and one can usually find as 



many birds here within the limits of a few 

 acres as will be seen in half-a-day's drive 

 through the surrounding country. One 

 intent on the study of ornithology can 

 usually find fifty to one hundred nests, 

 within a few hours' time, during the sum- 

 mer season. Not all the birds listed nest 

 here every year, although most of them do. 

 i. Wood Thrush. A regular visitor, 

 nesting in the grove and in the preserve. 



2. Robin. A common summer visitor. 



3. Bluebird. Entirely disappeared for a 

 time after the coming of the English 

 Sparrow. Now coming back, to occupy 

 the tomato-cans, put up in numerous 

 situations on fence-posts, under eaves, etc. 



4. White-breasted Nuthatch. Common 

 in the preserve. Frequently seen about 

 the grove and orchard. 



5. Chickadee. A common resident. 



6. Catbird. Nests in the blackberry 

 patch, and underbrush of the preserve. 

 Common, and a delightful singer. 



7. Brown Thrasher. Common, and 

 very tame. Nests in the underbrush and 

 in the vines about the house. 



8. House Wren. One of our most com- 

 mon birds. They occupy many of the 

 tomato-cans, which have proved so 

 popular with the Bluebirds, and various 

 other nooks and crevices about the build- 

 ings. From a dozen to twenty families 

 are reared annually. 



0. Yellow Warbler. Prefer the apple- 

 trees for nesting-sites. 



10. Maryland Yellow-throat. Common, 

 but rather shy. 



11. Redstart. To be seen only in the 

 deep shadows of the large trees in the 

 preserve. Very shy, and not very common. 



12. Barn Swallow. Occasionally nest- 

 ing about the buildings, but getting rare, 

 owing probably to the persecution of the 

 English Sparrows. 



13. Bank Swallow. A small colony 

 usually to be found nearby. 



14. Scarlet Tanager. Now rare, but 

 usually a pair is to be found in the pre- 



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