120 NATURE-STUDY 



A large number of bird species feed upon the seeds of 

 weeds, such as ragweed, pigweed, the buckwheat family, 

 hemp, mullein, and wild grasses. The great group of 

 sparrows especially eat the seeds of weeds. So do the black- 

 birds, cowbirds, bobolinks, quail, grouse, pigeon, and wild 

 ducks. 



Cultivated grains are eaten by crows, jays, blackbirds, 

 pigeons, prairie chickens, ruffed grouse, quail, sparrows, 

 meadow larks, bobolinks, ducks, and geese. Nuthatches, 

 woodpeckers, crows, jays, pigeons, blackbirds, grouse, and 

 quail feed upon corn. 



Wild rice in the swamps is a favorite food with many birds, 

 especially red-winged blackbirds, bobolinks, rails, and wild 

 ducks. The same birds commit great havoc in the southern 

 fields of cultivated rice. 



The dry seeds or fruits of many trees are relished. The 

 white elm nutlets, the fruits of birches and maples, and the 

 seeds of conifers (especially pine) are eaten by finches, 

 sparrows, woodpeckers, chickadees, and nuthatches. They 

 constitute, with the seeds of weeds, the chief winter diet of 

 many birds. 



Nuts are eaten by crows and bluejays, which peck them 

 open. But the pigeon, grouse, ducks, and quail shell them 

 in their gizzards. 



The dried fruits of the sumach, bayberry, rose, Virginia 

 creeper, grape, and barberry, that remain on the winter 

 shrubbery and vines, afford food for the winter residents — 

 chicadees, nuthatches, sparrows, snowbirds, jays, and crows. 



There are many birds that relish juicy fruits, and in the 

 ripening time they sometimes do damage to fruit and berry 

 plantations. The catbirds, brown thrashers, robins, sparrows, 



