BIRDS OF NEW YORK STATE 23 



Chickadee (continued) 



Call no. 

 Nu Ci2 Adult at Entrance to Nest in Hollow of an Ailanthus Stub 

 About Two Feet from the Ground. Ithaca. (May 29, 

 1915) Allen 



Nu Ci3 Nest with Eight Eggs in Hollow of Tree. Geneseo. (May 

 28, 1910) Bailey 



Notice the amount of lining in the nest, which is composed of 

 grass, feathers, hair, moss and plant down. This nesting site 

 was the winter home of a downy woodpecker the year before. 

 There being no good standard of measure in view, the picture 

 is apt to leave the impression that the eggs are larger than their 

 actual size, the diameters of which are given by Eaton as .60 

 by .47 inches. 



Nu Ci4 Brood of Nine Young, Posed in a Row on a Perch. Chapman 

 Do they resemble their parents? 



Nu Ci6 Adult at Entrance to Nest in Stump; Food in Mouth for 

 Young. Geneseo. (May 1905) Bailey 



The nest of the chickadee is commonly in a small cavity of a 

 dead tree near the ground. In this case it is in a deserted downy 

 woodpecker's home. The food of the chickadee during the nest- 

 ing season is mainly caterpillars. Note the string that holds the 

 old stump together. The nest was exposed in making Nu Ci3. 



Nu Ci8 Adult Pecking a Kernel under Its Foot. Ithaca. (March 20, 

 1915) Allen 



The chickadee does not swallow large pieces of food. Holding 

 a kernel under one foot, he hammers it into pieces. 



Nu Ci82 Adult at a Window-box. Ithaca. (March 25, 1915) Allen 



The box protects the food from the snow. The birds do not 

 mind the wooden sides of the box. The back is made of glass to 

 admit plenty of Hght. Note how the frame is attached to the 

 window casing. Many different species of birds will feed at such 

 a box. The evergreen boughs are nailed beside the box tp 

 advertise it to the birds. 



