328 BIRDS 



THE GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW* 



It is very disappointing to the lover of the beautiful in 

 nature that the exquisite Golden-crowned Sparrow is con- 

 tent to remain in so small an area as its range covers. One 

 need hardly wonder, however, that it is attracted to that 

 narrow strip of country lying along the Pacific Coast from 

 Alaska to southern California. There this sparrow finds 

 on the foothills and on the sides of the ravines and canyons 

 a luxurious growth of shrubbery unmarred by the hand of 

 man. There, also, unmolested in the quiet sohtude of 

 nature, it finds an abundant supply of food. 



It is a shy bird during the breeding season, but later on, 

 when with its young and its only care is that of obtaining 

 food, it becomes more fearless and will often visit the vicin- 

 ity of dwellings. It resembles the white-crowned sparrow 

 of eastern North America, but may be easily distinguished 

 from that bird by its golden crown. During the cooler 

 months it associates with the white-crowned sparrow, though 

 it is much less familiar and not as inclined to visit inhabited 

 localities. 



Observers describe the nest of the golden-crowned spar- 

 row as being composed of the "coarse stalks of weeds and 

 lined internally Mdth fine roots." Mr. E. W. Nelson says 

 that *' Its breeding-ground in Alaska is in the alder patches 

 along the hillsides, where the various bush-loving species 

 make their homes in the matted thickets, well protected 

 from birds of prey and most other foes by an almost 

 impenetrable wall of gnarled and twisted branches." 



