eee ASU DUR OrNe Be relate dolN 9 
PRICE 
30c¢ each 
postpaid 
The new IAS decal 
is more than 
twice this size. 
Our cardinal is pictured in blazing red. The 
background colors are beldly green and 
blue. Around the circle, “Illinois Audubon 
Society” is printed in a solid black. These 
new decals are for sale now. They can be 
mounted quickly and easily on the inside of 
any kind of window. They’re especially 
suitable for your car. Order several. 
Illinois Audubon Society Bookstore 
By Mail From: 
1017 Burlingion Ave. 
Downers Grove, Ill. 60515 
nests because this is a State Park. 
I also observed a bag shaped nest, 
some 20 feet from the ground, in 
a gum tree, some 15 inches high 
and 12 in diameter. This nest was 
occupied by young on August 22, 
1962, but I could not determine if 
it belonged to the European Tree 
Sparrow or the House Sparrow. 
Both species roosted in this tree, 
and I was assaulted by both 
species after climbing to the nest. 
I could see no birds enter or leave 
the nest, due to concealment of 
the entrance by leaves. Although 
I tried to keep track of the nests 
in the shelter, I was never able 
to collect a clutch of eggs and ob- 
served only one which contained 
six eggs. The spots were darker 
and smaller than the House 
Sparrow. 
The nesting habits of the Eu- 
ropean Tree Sparrow limit its 
habitat preference to some extent. 
It prefers holes and cavities near 
good food supplies e.g. feeders, 
farms. This may explain its pref- 
erence to bird boxes in the urban 
areas since a feeder is usually ac- 
cessible. Food is no problem on 
farms, and they can find numerous 
cavities in which to rear their 
three broods. 
SUMMARY 
Since the time of its introduction 
in 1870, the European Tree Spar- 
row has held its own against the 
encroachment of urbanization and 
has somehow managed to expand 
its range under tremendous odds. 
This expansion followed that of 
the St. Louis area in former 
times, but recently it seems to be 
limited to rural areas. They have 
penetrated the river valleys which 
are natural migration routes. In 
these bottomlands are fertle farm- 
ing areas, rich in food as well as 
suitable nesting or roosting areas. 
The southern portion of their 
range has habitat unsuitable for 
their expansion. Shifts in popula- 
tion within a small area from year 
to year are very common, especial- 
ly in winter when they flock and 
wander erratically although not 
far. 
The range of the European Tree 
Sparrow extends south to Wash- 
ington, Missouri and Modoc, and 
north to Springfield, Beardstown, 
