QOLDEh EAGLE 79 



North America it is now most common in the region From the Rockies to 

 the Pacific coast, although it is Found as Far east as Maine. 



Golden Eagle ... . , ,. , ■ 



_ Stones to the contrary notwithstanding, the eagle never 



Grou P 11 



attacks man even though the nest, is approached. 



Its food consists of rabbits, squirrels, woodchucks and occasionally 



sheep. (Reproduced from studies near Bates Hole, Wyoming.) 



The abundance of bird life in this western lake beneath Mt. Shasta, 



which is seen in the center of the background, is astonishing. Here is an 



example of how the normal nesting habits of a bird may be 



changed by its being driven into a different locality. In 



the group are white pelicans which usually make a nest of 



pebbles, Caspian terns which commonly build their nests on sand, and 



cormorants that nest on rocks, all nesting together here on the tule or 



rush islets of the lake. (Reproduced from studies at Klamath Lake, 



Oregon.) 



The scene represented in this group is above timber line on the crest 



of the Canadian Rockies — 8,000 feet above the sea. Al- 



T , rc , 1 ^" pme though these mountains are in the temperate region the 

 Bird Life . . . . .. . ... . ■ _ . , ° . . 



Gr altitude gives climatic conditions that would be found in 



the far north, and the bird life is arctic in character. Here 

 are nesting the white-tailed ptarmigan, rosy snow r finches and pipits. (Re- 

 produced from studies in the Canadian Rockies.) 



This group show r s a stretch of western plateau covered with sage bush. 



In this bush is seen the male sage grouse strutting and wooing 



J a mate. (Reproduced from studies at Medicine Bow, 



Wyoming.) 



The prairie chickens are akin to the common grouse. The group 



represents a typical scene during the mating season. The 



"^Jf o 1T*1 ^ 



male birds go through most surprising antics in their efforts 



Group to attract the females. They inflate the orange-colored sacs 



on the sides of their necks, dancing and strutting about and 



uttering a loud, resonant, booming note. (Reproduced from studies near 



Halsey, Nebraska.) 



The wild goose is one of the first birds to migrate north in the spring. 



It nests in the lakes of Canada even before the ice is melted, 

 wild Goose ^ . , . , „ , . 



Gr lo secure the young birds for this group it was necessary 



to hatch the eggs of the wild goose under a hen, so difficult 

 is it to find the young in nature. (Reproduced from studies made at Crane 

 Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada.) 



The grebe is another of our aquatic birds which builds its nest near the 



w r ater. During the incubation period the parent bird 

 Grebe Group usually covers the eggs w T ith grass and reeds w T hen leaving 



the nest. Nesting at the same lake w^ith the grebe w T as the 



