- 2 - 



You wonH want to confine yourself to birds at rest* Leam to 

 "bring down the facts on the wing, as it wore. However, Dr. Bell suggests 

 tho.t when you get a chance you sliould note the size, and form, and general 

 color, and any special markings, such as spots or stripes or "bars or bor- 

 ders or bands on the bird^s head, and back, and breast, and wings, and 

 tail. Notice the length and shape of the bill, the neck, the wings, the 

 body, tail, legs, and toes. Some bird investigators carry crayons or col- 

 ored pencils and sketch the birds as nearly as possible in the natural 

 colors to fix these features in the memory. 



Note whether the biird walks, runs, hops, or swims. When you saw 

 it, was it on a tree trunk, among the limbs or leaves, cm the ground or in 

 the air or water? 



Watch its take off. Npte how it starts its flight, and v/hether 

 that flight is li^t or heavy. Notice whether the wings are flapped con-ii 

 stantly or at intervals with a glide in between. If the wings are flapped 

 at intervals, how does the bird hold them in the meantime. 



There are a lot of these points also that are very useful in learn- 

 ing to recognize birds in the air at sight. 



Does the bird soar? Is its flight in a straiglit line, an undulating 

 line, a zig»-zag, or a circle? How does it carry its legs and neck during 

 the flight? Does it usually fly singly or in flocks? With some bitds you 

 will find this varies with the season; so you need to date the notes you 

 take. 



Then another important point i s how far the bird flies. That is, 

 does it usually fly long or short distances? 



Watch the way it alights. Some birds land lightly and well-bal- 

 anced. Others make more ai^fcward landings. ' 3ome seem to 

 have a hard time adjusting wings aiid feathers after alighting. Also note 

 where the bird alights - in trees, on the ground, or in the water. If it 

 alights in water, does it comedown with a splash, a dip, or does it set- 

 tle gently on the water? 



Then there is the matter of the way it takes food. Does it catch 

 insects or other prey in the air, from the surface of the ground, or be- 

 neath Water? 



This matter of food liabits is one of the most important things to 

 know about birds. The usefulness of the different kinds of birds is large- 

 ly a question of what they eat and where they get their food. Controversies 

 as to whether any particular kind of bird should be protected or extermin- 

 ated most often rage about whether their beneficial food habits - outweigh 

 their destructive habits. 



For instance, do they eat weed seeds, or grain or insects or such 

 rodents as mice and pocket gophers? Do they eat standing grain, grain in the 

 shock, or merely scattered waste grain. On that point. Dr. Bell suggests 

 uhat you be sure to find out whether they are really eating grain or picking 

 off insects. Those field glasses may help in deciding that point. 



