INDIGO BUNTING (Passerina cyanea). 



LAZULI BUNTING (Passerina amoena). 



Length, about 5| inches. The male is easily iden- 

 tified by the rich blue color, with black wings and tail. 

 The female is warm brown. 



Range : Breeds from eastern North Dakota, central 

 Minnesota, northwestern Michigan, southern On- 

 tario and southern New Brunswick to central Texas, 

 southern Louisiana, central Alabama and central 

 Georgia; winters from southern Mexico to Panama. 



The indigo bird is the brightest colored sparrow 

 that visits the north, but one can hardly believe 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 carelessly built. It is placed in the crotch of 

 some low leafy bush and is not at all difficult to 

 find. 



The fine feathers of the male are not the onlv claim 

 of the indigo bird to our interest. Its food consists 

 largely of weed seed, but it eats many insects, in- 

 cluding a goodly proportion of grasshoppers aud 

 caterpillars. 



WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (Zonotrichia 

 albicollis). 



Length, about 6| inches. The white throat and 

 yellow before the eye are its distinguishing colors. 



Range: Over most of eastern North America. 

 Breeds in much of Canada south to southern Mon- 

 tana, central Minnesota, central Wisconsin and in 

 the mountains of northern Pennsylvania, New York 

 and Massachusetts; winters south of the Ohio. 



This is one of the bird lovers' favorites, as well it 

 may be. Its beautifully variegated plumage, its 

 jaunty ways, its familiarity and its sweet and plain- 

 tive whistle all combine to commend the bird to our 

 interest. In the fall it comes to us in large flocks 

 associated with other species, especially juncos and 

 various other sparrows. The " peabody bird " is 

 singularly prodigal of its sweet song, and the young 

 white-throats begin to try their voices in the fall as 

 if practicingfor the more exacting demands of spring. 

 When a number join in the fall chorus the result is 

 singularly sweet and inspiring. Many a camper in 

 the north woods, as he lies in his blanket under the 

 stars, pays tribute to the sweet voices of this song- 

 ster, 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 great destroyer 

 of weed seed and is especially fond of those of rag- 

 weed and bindweed. In the cotton belt, where many 

 white-throats winter, it includes among its insect 

 food the boll weevil. 



Length, from 5\ to 5| inches. Male blue above, 

 breast brownish; wing bars white. Female brownish. 



Range- Breeds from southern British Columbia, 

 southern Alberta, southeastern Saskatchewan and 

 western North Dakota to southern California and 

 southwestern Texas; winters in Mexico. 



The lazuli finch is a near relative of the indigo 

 bunting and the nonpareil, and its habits are in a 

 general way very similar. There is the same dis- 

 parity between the dress of the sexes, the color of 

 the female being comparatively 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 and are somewhat 

 out of keeping with his surroundings. Notwith- 

 standing his fine feathers, he is not so fond of dis- 

 playing himself as is his cousin, the indigo bird, but 

 seems to think that the cover of brush and chap- 

 parral is essential to his safety. The lazuli finch is 

 a cheerful singer, and its song may be heard at fre- 

 quent intervals. This song is vivacious and pleasing 

 and the Easterner who hears it for the first time will 

 have no difficulty in guessing at the identity of the 

 chorister, from the resemblance of his lay to the ditty 

 of the indigo bird. 



We know comparatively little about the food 

 habits of this finch. It is known, however, that it is 

 a confirmed seed eater and also devours many insects. 



SLATE-COLORED JUNCO (Junco hyemalis). 



Length, about 6| inches. Prevailing color grayish 

 slate, belly white; outer tail feathers tipped with 

 white. 



Range: Breeds in much of Alaska and Canada and 

 in the mountains of New York, Pennsylvania and 

 Massachusetts, while a nearly related 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. Most 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 high altitudes for more congenial sur- 

 roundings. The junco associates with other 

 sparrows, usually far outnumbering them, but its 

 slate-colored plumage and white tail feathers reveal 

 its presence 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. Nevertheless, as the late 

 migrants shape their course for the northern woods, 

 it is not uncommon to hear the males of a flock 

 burst into song, as if they really could not be con- 

 tent to remain silent any longer. When snow is on 

 the ground the juncos are often hard pushed for 

 food and on such occasions a flock will readily re- 

 spond 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 grass and 

 weed seed eaters and in winter and spring seeds con- 

 stitute much the greater part of its fare. Taking the 

 year around about one-fourth of its food consists of 

 insects, including leaf beetles, weevils, caterpillars, 

 grasshoppers and many others. 



(See Biol. Surv. Bui. 15, pp. 80-82.) 



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