40 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



is thus evident that only the order Raptores, of all our native birds, is 

 characteristically carnivorous. 



Piscivorous species. Many families of water birds subsist largely 

 on a diet of fish, as is the case with the loons, grebes, auks, gulls, jaegers, 

 cormorants, pelicans, mergansers and herons, as well as fish hawks and 

 kingfishers. In addition, some families have a few representatives which 

 partake to some extent of a fish diet whenever they have the opportunity. 

 Here are included many of the larger shore birds like the Yellow-legs; 

 a few of the Accipitres, as the Bald eagle and Red-shouldered hawk; some 

 of the owls, like the Snowy, Great -horned and Barred owl; and crows 

 and grackles, both of which I have observed capturing minnows in the 

 shallow water of ponds and streams. 



Granivorous species. A cursory glance at the bird kingdom will 

 reveal the fact that the most characteristically granivorous of our native 

 birds are the pigeons, grouse and pheasants. Of these, undoubtedly the 

 pigeons are more granivorous than the grouse, and all these families at 

 the same time feed to considerable extent on fruit and insects. Of our 

 common perching birds, the larks, blackbirds, sparrows and finches are 

 the most addicted to granivorous diet, in fact subsisting for the most part 

 on seeds of various kinds except during the breeding season. To these 

 families we might add a few which feed to a slight extent on seeds in 

 addition to their other diet. Here belong many of the ducks and geese, 

 especially the river ducks and our wild goose, which feed mostly upon 

 grain and seeds during the fall and winter; likewise, the rails, gallinules, 

 crows, and jays, and to a slight extent the pipits, titmice and nuthatches. 



Frugivorous species. As the season of ripe fruit in this State is of 

 comparatively short duration, except for trees and shrubs which retain 

 their fruit late into the winter, we could scarcely expect to find any 

 families of native birds characteristically fruit eaters, but of those that 

 seem to prefer the fruit diet while it is obtainable, we might mention 

 the thrushes and waxwings. Other birds which partake to a considerable 

 extent are the rails, gallinules, pigeons, grouse, pheasants, woodpeckers, 



