THE NESTING HABITS OF SOME BIE^S 



Our illustration of bird's eggs in this 

 issue represents those of interesting birds, 

 some of which a,re welj known, and 

 others are those of species that are not 

 commonly seen. Many of them are 

 those of birds which are of great econ- 

 omic value because they are insect eaters. 



The Great-crested Flycatchers (Myi- 

 archus crinitus) nest quite throughout 

 their range, which covers the United 

 States east of the Great Plains. They 

 nest in the woods as far north as south- 

 ern Canada where they arrive early in 

 May. Their homes are built in the hol- 

 lows of trees and in post-holes. They 

 will also, at times, occupy the boxes pre- 

 pared for bluebirds and martins. The 

 nest consists of fine twigs, weed stems, 

 rootlets and grasses. They frequently 

 also use cast-off snake skins, and feathers 

 are used as a lining. The sets of eggs 

 vary from three to six in number. They 

 are noisy birds, especially when they first 

 arrive from their winter home in the 

 south. 



The Kingbirds (Tyr annus tyr annus) 

 nest quite throughout the United States 

 east of the Rocky Mountains and are 

 rare west of them. The nests are usu- 

 ally built near the extremity of a branch 

 and from about eight to twenty-five feet 

 above the ground. They seem to enjoy 

 building in fruit trees, and the nests are 

 compact and well constructed with 

 "weeds, grass, moss, fine roots, strips of 

 grapevine bark, leaves, string, and cat- 

 kins, lined with thin strips of bark and 

 horse hair." The common number of 

 eggs is five, though the sets vary from 

 three to five. 



The Nighthawks (Chordeiles virgini- 

 anus), also called the Bull-bats, breed 

 quite throughout their range, from the 

 Gulf States east of the Great Plains 

 northward to Labrador. They build no 

 nests. The eggs, two in number are laid 

 on the bare ground in fields, on flat 

 rocks in open places or, at times, on the 

 flat roofs of either country or city 

 houses. 



The American Crows {Corvus ameri- 

 canus) have an extensive breeding range 

 covering the whole of the United States, 

 and as far north as the Fur Countries. 

 Their bulky nests are quite variable in 

 size and are made of sticks, vines, frag- 

 ments of bark, which are firmly inter- 

 laced; and weeds and grass, frequently 

 with clods of earth adhering, are often 

 used. The nests are built in trees, usu- 

 ally not lower than thirty feet above the 

 ground, and are usually lined with leaves 

 and fine grasses. They are occasionally 

 built in tall bushes. The number of eggs 

 in the sets vary from two to seven. 



The Red-headed Woodpecker (Mela- 

 nerpes erythrocephalus) nests from 

 Florida to northern New York and Man- 

 itoba, practically throughout the east- 

 ern United States. The nests of these 

 familiar birds are found in both deep 

 and open forests, in groves and orchards, 

 and in solitary trees of fields, roadsides, 

 or prairies. The nesting holes are 

 sometimes excavated by the birds in 

 large, living trees but usually in the de- 

 caying trunks of partially or fully dead 

 trees, or in stumps. They often use 

 holes made by other birds or animals and 

 have been known to lay eggs in buildings. 

 Telegraph poles are sometimes selected 

 for a nesting place. The sets of glossy 

 white eggs vary from four to six in num- 

 ber. 



The Yellow-billed Cuckoo {Coccysus 

 americanus) builds a nest which seems 

 far too slovenly for such a beautiful bird. 

 It is usually built in low trees or briar 

 bushes which are generally covered with 

 growing vines. The nests vary both in 

 size and in the method of construction. 

 Sometimes it is a mere platform of sticks, 

 covered with a few leaves and a small 

 amount of grass or a few catkins. 

 Others, which are generally larger are 

 more carefully lined with leaves, catkins, 

 dry ferns, mosses and feathers. While 

 the sticks used in the foundation are 

 usually quite short, they are sometimes 

 from ten to fifteen inches in length. The 



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