70 
BIRD LIFE IN WASHINGTON 
FLY CATCHERS 
Here we shall have hard work to do. It 
vvill take sharp-eyed boys and girls to 
ell the difference between the fly catchers. 
«/ 
Several species of these plain colored 
birds are about the same size and color. 
Their markings are also very similar : “An 
0 ty 
ash colored bird live inches long, with 
white Aving bars, a short neck and a small 
crest;" and you may be describing the 
Western Fly Catcher, Traill's Fly Catch- 
er, the Western Wood PeAvee, or Ham¬ 
mond's Fly Catcher. 
Any one of these Avill sit upon an ex¬ 
posed limb and patiently wait for flies. 
At midday, when most birds are concealed 
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among the leaA T es, a fly catcher Avill be 
seated upon a dead limb in the bright 
sunshine. He looks as though he Avere 
half asleep. He is really very wide 
awake. 
Suddenly out he darts, catches an in- 
sect and returns to the same perch. 
Each species has its OAvn language and 
most species have localities which they 
love best. If Ave love to Avander through 
Birdland, our ears, rather than our eyes, 
Avill help us to distinguish the fly catch¬ 
ers— eA r en those which resemble each 
other most. 
As these birds are insect eaters, they 
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are, of course, summer birds. 
After Ave have worked a few years 
«y 
