AGRICULTURAL NATURE STUDY OUTLINES 
77 
Linnet or House Finch ( Carpodacus mexcanus frontalis). —Male with red head 
and lump; otherwise gray, streaked with brown; female, grayish obscurely 
streaked with light brown. Usually seen about houses, gardens, and 
orchards, and about weed patches; often perched on telegraph wires. Per¬ 
manently resident. Destructive to fruit; during the winter feeds on weed 
seeds. Not protected by law. 
English Sparrow or House Sparrow ( Passer domesticus). —Head gray bordered 
with stripes of chestnut in male; back brown streaked with black; under¬ 
parts gray; throat black; female, less brightly colored and lacking black 
throat patch. Usually seen feeding on the ground in streets or about houses. 
Permanently resident. Introduced from England many years ago, it has 
spread rapidly and now is to be found throughout the state. Destroys grain, 
fruit, and vegetables, and drives away native insectivorous birds; a bird 
pest not protected by law. 
White-crowned Sparrow ( Zonotrichia leucophrys). —Ashy gray, the black 
streaked with brownish; a white crown patch bordered by bands of black 
which in turn are bordered on each side with successive streaks of white 
and again of black. Usually seen on ground about brush piles or bushes. 
One white-crowned sparrow, the Nuttall Sparrow, is a permanent resident; 
another, the Intermediate Sparrow, is a winter visitant. Sometimes destroys 
sprouting vegetables and fruit buds, but feeds largely on weed seeds. 
Green-backed Goldfinch ( Astragalinus psaltria liesperopliilus). —Top of head 
black; back olive green; white bar on wing; underparts yellow; often called 
“wild canary.” Usually seen feeding in weed patches but often in gardens, 
orchards, and fields. Permanently resident. A fine singer and valuable as 
a destroyer of weed seeds. 
California Towhee or Brown Bird ( Pipilo crissalis). —Plain brown above and 
below; a bright, reddish brown patch beneath tail. Usually seen feeding 
on ground near shrubery in yards, orchards, or bushy areas. Permanently 
resident. Food chiefly weed seeds. 
Black-headed Grosbeak ( Zamelodia melariocephala). —Head and back black; 
breast and rump cinnamon brown; white patch on wings; female lacks 
black, which is replaced by brown. Usually seen in orchards or in trees 
along streams. A summer visitant. A fine singer and beneficial in the 
destruction of black scale and codling moth; destroys some fruit. 
Cliff Swallow ( Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons). —Back bluish black, fore¬ 
head whitish or brownish; a gray collar on neck; chin, breast, and rump 
brown; tail, short and square. Usually seen flying about buildings or cliffs 
where it builds mud nests. A summer visitant. The food is composed of 
flying insects; many mosquitoes are eaten. 
California Shrike or Butcher Bird ( Lanius ludovicianus gambeli). —Above, 
slate gray; below, grayish white; wings black with white patches; bill 
hooked; black stripe through eye. Usually seen perched on tree, telegraph 
wire, or fence post. Permanently resident. Beneficial as destroyer of mice 
and injurious insects which are often impaled on thorns and barbed wires; 
occasionally kills small song birds. 
Western Warbling Vireo ( Vireosylva gilva swainsoni ).—Above, olive gray; 
below, whitish; white superciliary stripe. Usually seen in foliage of trees 
along stream. A summer visitant. Food is made up of insects and larvae 
taken from foliage of trees. 
