HOW BIRDS MIGRATE 
49 
feed in open, exposed situations, and in their daily excursions for food 
often cover considerable distances. As a rule they are of bold, restless 
disposition, and when alarmed or pursued seek safety in long flights 
rather than by concealment. 
“3. Species which migrate exclusively by day habitually feed 
either on the wing or over very extensive areas. In disposition they 
are either trustful and unsuspecting, or wary and self-reliant. Without 
exception they are birds of strong, easy flight, and rely solely on their 
wings for escape from danger.” 
A wedge of honking Geese, a close-massed flock of chattering 
Grackles or Red-wings, a straggling train of Crows or Hawks, are 
familiar evidences of diurnal migration; while the passage, by day, 
of the Wild Pigeon was one of the most pronounced and impressive 
of daylight travels by migrating birds of which we have any record. 
Other of our land-birds “which migrate freely, chiefly or exclusively 
by day” (Brewster, l. c.) are the Hummingbird, Chimney Swift, Horned 
Larks, Blue Jay, Waxwing, Shrikes, Swallows, Pipit, Robin and Blue- 
bird. To this list may be added certain gregarious Finches, like Cross- 
bills, Siskins, Redpolls, Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finches 
and Snow Buntings. I have also seen Dickcissels, high in the air, 
traveling in compact bodies by day, though they apparently also 
migrate by night. 
Ducks, Shore -birds (Limicolae) and Sea-birds (Alcidse, Longi- 
pennes, and Tubinares) migrate both by day and by night. The sports- 
man is first made aware of the passage of Plover or Yellow-legs by their 
mellow calls, as they journey through the air beyond the reach of 
unaided vision. 
An interesting note on the diurnal migration of birds at an appar- 
ently high altitude, is supplied by R. A. Bray (’95) who records a 
flight of birds observed through a telescope, directed toward the sun, 
at 3 p. m. on September 30, 1894, at Shere, England. Every few seconds 
a bird was seen to pass slowly across the sun, and there was no decrease 
in their numbers during the ten minutes of observation. The birds 
were flying in a southerly direction and were invisible to the naked 
eye. 
The daily flight of vast numbers of Sea-birds along the Pacific 
coast is recorded in detail by L. M. Loomis (’06, p. 280) who states 
that on one occasion (September 23, 1896) “not less than a quarter of 
a million” Dark-bodied Shearwaters “passed in review during two 
hours and a half.” “There were several divisions — each a solid phalanx 
about an eighth of a mile deep — following closely one upon the other,” 
low, over the water. 
Loons may be seen migrating by day, but the weaker winged Grebes, 
relying on their diving powers for safety, evidently travel by night. 
Other water-birds, like the Bitterns, Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, Rails, 
Coots, and Gallinules, whose habits do not lead them over the sea or 
its shores, migrate, as Brewster has said, by night. 
