JUNCO, OR SNOWBIRD 



Upper parts, neck, wings and, breast slate-color tinged 

 with brown ; belly white with dark color on sides ; tail dark with 

 outer feathers white. Length, six and ojie-fourth inches. 



Nest, of coarse grass mixed with rootlets and lined with 

 feathers, moss or hair, usually on the ground but occasionally 

 in low bushes. Eggs, four to five, dull white or tinted blue 

 and having reddish-brown spots, .75 x .60 inches. 



These common, hardy birds come down from Canada 

 into the United States in October in lar^e numbers to spend 

 the winter. The most of them pass on to .the Southern States, 

 yet numbers from the extreme north find the climate of the 

 Northern States none too severe for them and there they 

 remain until May. Like the brave little Chickadees with which 

 they sometime associate, they enjoy a snowstorm and whirl 

 about in it with delight. 



Out in the open fields on the coldest days of winter one 

 may come upon flocks of Snowbirds hopping about, if the 

 ground is bare, picking up grass seeds which have been 

 scattered by the wind. If the earth ia covered with snow, 

 they will be seen clinging to the lifeless stalks of last summer's 

 weeds while pecking at the seed^pods for food. As they 

 flit away to the nearest bushes, they appear to be as plump 

 and vigorous as any other bird is in midsummer. 



If the ground is too deeply buried ip snow, hunger often 

 forces them to leave their usual haunts to obtain food. Then 

 they may enter the farmer's barnyard to feed upon the waste 

 grain to be found there. They have the strong, short bill of 

 the Sparrow family. This classes them among the seed eaters ; 



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