Alabama, ipi8. 43 



CAROLINA CHICKADEE 



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THE Carolina chickadee ranges through the southern portion of 

 the United States from the Atlantic to the Rockies and north 

 to the Ohio River and to some extent beyond. Its nest is built in 

 hollow trees or posts, or in boxes set up for its special accommoda- 

 tion. A bird of forests and groves, it is not found on treeless areas, 

 and does not often alight upon the ground. From this it follows 

 that its food is mostly of the kind that can be taken on trees or 

 bushes, and, therefore, excludes such ground-inhabiting insects as 

 ants and grasshoppers. 



The study of the food habits of the Carolina chickadee is based 

 upon an examination of the contents of 210 stomachs collected in 

 the Southeastern States. The food consisted of 71.94 per cent ani- 

 mal matter and 28.06 per cent vegetable, the former being made up 

 of insects and spiders with a few sowbugs, found in one stomach, 

 and the latter of berries and several kinds of seeds. 



Beetles, being rather terrestrial in habit, escape the chickadees 

 to some extent, forming only 3.67 per cent of their food. Nearly 

 half of these were snout beetles, or weevils, of which practically all 

 species are more or less harmful and many are pests. The preda- 

 cious ground beetles apparently elude these birds completely, for not 

 a trace of one was found in any of the 210 stomachs. 



A few ants were taken in the months from February to June, 

 except May, but the average for the year is only 0.36 per cent. Bees 

 and wasps (4.48 per cent of the food of the year) were taken 

 oftener and more regularly. The month of greatest consumption 

 was February, which would appear to be rather early for bees and 

 wasps to be out extensively, and March stands next. 



Bugs seem to be a favorite food in the four months from April 

 to July, during which the great bulk is eaten. The average for 

 these months is 15.13 per cent, but for the whole year it is only 5.68 

 per cent, as bugs were eaten in only three of the other eight months 

 and then but sparingly. This item of food is made up of stink- 

 bugs, shield bugs, leafhoppers, tree-hoppers, plant lice, and scales. 



