INDIGO BUNTING (Passerina cyanea) LAZULI BUNTING (Passerina amcena) 



I,cn,!4lli, alMiit 5'j inclus. T]ie male is easily 

 iilenlilied by tile rich Miie cnl(ir, with black- 

 wings and tail. The female is warm brown. 



Range: Breeds from eastern North Dakota, 

 central ]\Iinnesota, northwestern Michigan, 

 southern Ontario, and southern New Bruns- 

 wick to central Texas, southern Louisiana, 

 central Alabama, and central Georgia: winters 

 from southern Mexicn to Panama. 



The indigo bird is the brightest colored spar- 

 row that visits the north, but one can hardly 

 liclie\-e that the sprightly dandy, clad in his 

 rich blue suit, is the mate of the inconspicuous 

 brown bird that seeks assiduously to conceal 

 herself in the leafy cover, as though a bit 

 ashamed of the contrast between her working 

 suit and the holiday garb of her spouse. The 

 indigo is a frequenter of sprout land, of 

 brushy thickets, and of open woodland, and the 

 male is fond of singing his cheerful lay from 

 the topmost twig of a tall shrub or tree, as 

 though challenging the world to produce his 

 equal. For such a dainty bird, the nest is a 

 singularly inartistic structure and very care- 

 lessly built. It is placed in the crotch of some 

 low leafy bush and is not at all difficult to find. 



The line feathers nf the male are iint the 

 only claim of the indigo binl to our interest. 

 Its food consists largely of weed seed, but it 

 e;its many insects, including a goodly propor- 

 tion of grasshoppers and caterpillars. 



Length, from 5^^ to 5j4 inches. Male blue 

 above, breast brownish; wing bars white. Fe- 

 male brownish. 



Range: Breeds from southern British Co- 

 lumbia, southern Alberta, southeastern Sas- 

 katchewan, and western North Dakota to 

 southern California and southwestern Texas; 

 winters in ^Mexico. 



The lazuli finch is a near relati\e of the in- 

 digo bunting and the nonpareil, and its habits 

 are in a general way very similar. There is 

 the same disparity between the dress of the 

 sexes, the color of the female being compara- 

 tively dull and homely. The male, however, ^ is 

 a gay plumaged dandy in his suit of turquoise 

 blue, and is likely to surprise the stranger who 

 meets him for the first time, since his colors 

 suggest a tropical setting :md are somewhat 

 out of keeping with his surroundings. Not- 

 withstanding his fine feathers, he is not so 

 fond of displaying himself as is his cousin, the 

 indigo bird, but seems to think that^ the cover 

 of brush and chaparral is essential to his 

 safety. This song is vivacious and pleasing and 

 the Easterner wdio hears it for the first time 

 will have no difficult\- in guessing at the iden- 

 tity of the chorister, from the resemblance of 

 his la\' to the dittv of the indigo bird. 



WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 

 (Zonotrichia albicoliis) 



Length, about 6.J4 inches. The white throat 

 and yellow before the eye are its distinguish- 

 ing colors. 



Range: Oxer most of eastern North Amer- 

 ica. Breeds in much of Canada south to south- 

 ern Montana, central Minnesota, central Wis- 

 consin, and in the mountains of northern Penn- 

 sylvania, New York, and Massachusetts ; win- 

 ters south of the Ohio. 



This is one of the bird lovers' favorites, as 

 well it may be. Its beautifully variegated plu- 

 mage, its jaunty ways, its f.'imiliarity, and its 

 sweet and plaintive whistle all combine to 

 commend the bird to our interest. In the fall 

 it conies to us m large flocks associated with 

 other species, especially j uncos and various 

 other sparrows. The "peabndy bird" is singu- 

 larly prodigal of its sweet song, :iiid tlu* _\'Ouiig 

 white-throats liegin to try their voices in the 

 fall as if practicing for the more ex.acting de- 

 mands of spring. When a number join in the 

 fall chorus the result is singularly sweet and 

 inspiring. Many a canijjer in the north woods, 

 as he lies in his blanket under the stars, pays 

 tribute to the sweet voice of this songster, as 

 it is borne on the midnight air to his ears from 

 some leafy retreat. 



The food habits of this sparrow give it a 

 place among the farmers' friends. It is a gre:it 

 destroyer of weed seed .ami is especially fcmd 

 of those of ragweed and bindweed. In the 

 cotton belt, where many white-throats winter, 

 it includes among its insect food the boll 

 weevil. 



SLATE-COLORED JUNCO (Junco 

 hyemalis) 



Length, about 6'<t inches. Prevailing color 

 gravish slate, belly white; outer tail feathers 

 tipped with white. 



Range : Breeds in much of Alaska and Can- 

 ada and in the mountains of New York, Penn- 

 s\d\'aiiia, and Massachusetts, while a nearly re- 

 lated form (the Carolina junco) breeds in the 

 southern Alleghenies ; winters throughout the 

 Eastern States to the Gulf. 



Only one junco inhabits the eastern United 

 States, but several species live in the west. All 

 of the members of the group resemble each 

 other in a general way and all have similar 

 habits. Alost of us know the junco only in the 

 fall and when, after having summered in the 

 mountains of the more northern districts, the 

 birds gather in large flocks and forsake hi,gh 

 altitudes for more congenial surroundings. 

 The junco associates with other sparrows, 

 usually far outnumbering them, but its slate- 

 colored plumage and white tail feathers reveal 

 its jiresence unmistakably. Its familiar "tsip" 

 may be easily recognized among the medley of 

 notes, but its low sweet song is to be heard at 

 its best only in its alpine home. When snow 

 is on the ground, the j uncos are often hard 

 pushed for food, and on such occasions a flock 

 will readily respond to an invitation to visit 

 the dooryard and dine on table crumbs or 

 small seeds of any kind. 



The junco is one of our most persistent 

 gr.ass and weed seed eaters and in winter and 

 spring seeds constitute much the greater part 

 of its fare. 



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