CHAPTER III 
THE STUDY OF BIRDS IN NATURE 
The Distribution of Birds 
The Migration of Birds 
The Voice of Birds 
The Nesting Season 
The Plumage of Birds 
The Food of Birds 
General Activities of the Adult Bird 
For one person with the time and equipment essential to research 
in systematic ornithology, there are hundreds, equally ambitious, but 
handicapped by limited opportunity and inadequate material. To 
what problems can these amateur students turn their attention? 
How can they gratify their ambition to make some noteworthy contri- 
bution to the science of birds? 
Large collections and museum facilities are within reach of com- 
paratively few, but living birds are everywhere; even the Sparrow 
of our streets is worthy of our attention, and anyone who can get 
out-of-doors has the opportunity to add to our : knowledge of birds. 
Indeed, observations of real value have been made from a window 
or from an invalid’s chair. 
It is proposed, therefore, to present here at least an outline of those 
branches of ornithology which relate to the habits of birds, with the 
object of suggesting some field to which the student may devote his 
attention. To do this at great length, however, would require a volume 
alone, and I have therefore dwelt fully on only those two branches of 
bird study which especially interest the field student — migration and 
nesting — treating other phases of the subject in less detail. 
The importance of specialization, with a definite end in view, 
cannot be too strongly emphasized. Select a subject for investigation, 
or a species, preferably the most common one in your vicinity, for 
continued observation, and your studies will acquire a character, 
importance, and interest which they lacked before. Not only will you 
pursue your field work with renewed pleasure and enthusiasm, but 
your researches will lead to the reading of publications which before 
seemed unattractive, and your search for information will develop a 
correspondence with fellow students throughout the country, widen- 
ing your horizon and leading to those delightful associations born of 
kindred tastes. 
It must not, however, be supposed that one cannot enjoy an 
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