Nests and Eggs of Birds of The United States

Nesting usually commences within a week after the birds have reached the accustomed haunts. Whether mating is accomplished preparatory to leaving their southern homes, or subsequent thereto, we are not prepared to assert, but incline to the belief that they arrive already paired, since we have never been able to observe the sexes engaged in their amours. Perhaps these are performed within the sheltering walls of the flues which they choose for their homes. The labor of nest-building requires the united efforts of the builders for three days. The structure is a rather curious and remarkable affair. Its composition consists of small twigs, nearly uniform in dimensions, which are severed from the living branches of trees, by the birds while upon wing, with considerable dexterity and adroitness. They sweep upon the coveted twig much after the fashion of a hawk in rushing upon its prey. These twigs are fastened to each other by the saliva of the builders, and by the same cement the entire fabric is made to adhere to the side of the chimney in which it is placed. This saliva, after a slight exposure, hardens into a glue-like material, which becomes as firm as the branches it joins together. In separating these nests from their reposing surfaces we have even known fragments of the bricks to give way, rather than the cementing substance. When rendered moist by long-continued rains, they often become precipitated to the bottom of the chimney solely by the weight of their own contents. In such emergencies the young cling with considerable tenacity to the chimney-side by means of bill and claw. In configuration the nest resembles a neat, semi-circular basket, and measures about three and a half inches in diameter, one and a half in width, and about one in depth. Some are found to exceed the above dimensions, and others to fall considerably short of them. Building operations are ordinarily entered into during the early morning hours while the air is cool, the birds then working with praiseworthy diligence, but seldom during the hot, summer noontide. All the time the work is going on the builders are the happiest of creatures, and judging from the continual chatter which they make, there is never an angry word spoken, nor a quarrel indulged in with each other, or with any of their near neighbors who occupy the same chimney. Their lives seem to be as gay and felicitous as the days are long.

A few days elapse after the completion of the fabric, not usually more than two, in which mutual congratulations are passed. Then comes the drama in which the female is the principal actor – namely, the laying of the eggs. This requires four days, in ordinary instances, one egg being deposited daily. Incubation then succeeds, and lasts for eleven days. Here the female displays her true motherly instinct. She enters the nest, and with unwearied perseverance continues thereon, save during brief intervals of absence in quest of food, until she has achieved her heart's desire. The male is said to relieve her, but if such is the case, we have never been a witness of the fact. But while keeping aloof from such fatiguing duty, he is nevertheless a very faithful and devoted father when the young have quit their narrow prison-houses and welcomed the light of a new life. He is now as solicitous for their safety and well-being as the mother, and in case of molestation, unites his cries with hers to frighten away the intruder, or to cause him to desist from any assault he may have in contemplation. When twelve days old the little Swifts are able to climb to the summit of the chimney and receive their food. This always occurs a few days before their wings are sufficiently developed for flight. Even while quite young, in case of accident to the nest, they are able to make their way to the top of the chimney. In some cases they are carried beyond the reach or notice of their parents. When such occur they stubbornly refuse, human assistance, although uttering the most pitiful cries of hunger. When placed upon the roof contiguous to their native chimney, Dr. Brewer has known them to descend to its base, and there receive parental attention. In a fortnight they leave the nest, and are able to care for themselves. As this species is double-brooded in Pennsylvania the young are necessarily forced to self-maintenance at an early age, the thoughts of the parents being engrossed with preparations for a second family. These arrangements are perfected about the middle of June. In New England, and further north, but one brood is raised.

Like the old birds, the young are crepuscular rather than nocturnal in their habits, preferring to hunt for their prey early in the morning and late in the afternoon, or during cloudy weather. At times these predatory excursions occur at noonday in the broad glare of a full-orbed sun. The period for hunting is apparently regulated by the abundance or scarcity of appropriate insects. The adult birds, when with young, have often been known to protract their search for food long after night-fall. Caterpillars, diptera, beetles and lepidoptera of various kinds, constitute their menu, vast numbers of injurious, as well as beneficial species, being destroyed. Mature insects are chiefly in demand, which the birds, from being constantly on the wing, procure without much difficulty. Their flight then is varied and difficult of description. It consists of rapid sailing, and divers turnings, with occasional quickly repeated strokes of the wings. They never rest except in their roosting-places, to the walls of which they cling with great tenacity, being partially supported by their rigid tails. When tired of flight, they seek their homes, which they enter by falling headforemost, without any apparent concern. Their only note in these gastronomic explorations is a simple chip, uttered with considerable force, and at times so quickly, as to give rise to a confused twittering.

In the days of Wilson these birds were known, in the more unsettled parts of the country, to repose in large hollow trees, which were open at the top. Swallow Trees, as these roosting-places were commonly designated by country people, were fancifully supposed to be the winter-quarters of the Swifts, where, in vast heaps, they slept away the winter in a condition of torpidity, and whence, on the return of spring, they came forth to enliven us with their animated expressions. But in the present enlightened age, the intelligent take no stock in these statements, but consign such rubbish to the domain of oblivion. With the ignorant and superstitious it is different. They are invested with peculiar charms, which make them matters of pleasant reflection. Attempts have recently been made to revive these beliefs, but with slim chances of success. An instance may occur where some hapless individual has been left behind by his companions, and been forced to seek protection from the inclemency of the season in the cavities of trees, as the result of a sad emergency, which the vivid imagination of some visionary person might magnify into a hundred birds, but of such a case, we have no authentic knowledge.

For the benefit of those of our readers who have never examined these birds closely, but only while in flight, we shall mention a few of the characters by which they are readily distinguished by the real student of Nature. The same description will apply to the female as to the male, as her resemblance in plumage is so strong as to baffle the critical eye of the systematist to point out any well-marked distinctions. Both birds have a sooty-brown dress, which, however, is not uniform. The throat, from the breast to the bill, is considerably lighter than the general color, the rump a trifle paler, while above there is a slight greenish cast. Their length is five and a quarter inches, wing five and one-tenth, and tail two and three-twentieths.

The eggs of these birds are somewhat elliptical, rather less obtuse at one extremity than the other. Their ground is a pure, unspotted white, and in dimensions they vary but little. The average measurement from five localities is .77 by .52 inches.

Plate XXXIX. – OXYECHUS VOCIFERUS, (Linn.) Reich. – Killdeer

The above species is one of the most abundant, the most widely distributed, as well as the best known of all our Plovers. It is a denizen of the whole of temperate North America, where suitable localities abound, and, unlike the most of its kin, breeds pretty generally in the United States. Throughout the Missouri region, and even as far west as Salt Lake, Utah, it has been observed by parties connected with the different exploring expeditions of the National Government. It is found in the West Indies, and in the fall extends its migrations into Central and South America, where it passes the winter. These journeys are chiefly performed at night, not quietly, however, but with considerable clamor. In the time of Wilson it never entirely deserted the United States during the season of snow and ice, but retired to the seashore, where it managed to eke out an existence. No sooner had the rivers been released from their icy fetters than their shrill cries would be heard as they wended their way high overhead, or nestled among the partially submerged meadows that lined their banks. This was mainly the case in the South Atlantic States, where, amid the rice-fields they were to be seen in February and March.

With the return of mild weather our Southern friends, having their ranks possibly swollen by fresh accessions from sunnier climes, diffuse themselves over the higher latitudes. While some remain in the vicinity of the sea, and establish their homes in dry, sandy fields, the majority, as though tired of its wearisome monotone, strike for the interior, and lay claim to a piece of newly ploughed ground, or to some low stretch of laud, devoid of vegetation, and covered with shallow pools. Their arrival in the old haunts generally dates from the twentieth of April to about the middle of May, and is quite true to time in any given locality. For a short time subsequent thereto the sexes are concerned with the procurement of food, and may be observed wading knee-deep in the water of gravelly brooks and sandy streams for aquatic insects which contribute largely to their maintenance. While fond of such pursuits, the inclination to bathe within the limpid element to which they resort, is one which they cannot very well resist, for these ablutions are of frequent daily occurrence, and are enjoyed with great satisfaction. When disengaged from such occupations, they squat upon the ground, or stand erect upon both legs. If disturbed they seek to escape by running, or by vigorous application of the wings. Their alarm, on these occasions, is best shown by the peculiar cries of killdeer, kildeer which they emit. These expressions are sometimes varied to te te de dit, or simply te dit.

When the sexes have grown weary of surfeiting, they seem to come together by common consent, and, without much pomp or show, enter into marital relations. The union thus formed is one of purest devotion, based upon mutual sympathy and affection. Jealous of his spouse, the male throws around her his aegis of protection, and stands ready to wreak vengeance upon any of his feathered brethren who should dare intrude upon her presence, or offer her the slightest insult. While thus regardful of her honor, he is none the less thoughtful of her comfort and wants, and seems ever ready to obey her slightest mandates, whether expressed by word or gesture. When she is ready to nestle, he accompanies her in her explorations, and assists in the selection of a site for a home. This business is seldom delayed later than the middle of May, and, although of immense moment, is protracted but for a brief period. The spot chosen for a nest is a barren field by the seaside, a piece of ploughed ground, or some pool-ridden, grass-lacking plain in the interior. The nest is usually a slight hollow, and is lined with bits of grass, straw, sea-weed, pebbles, or such other substances as may be convenient to the builders. In some cases the birds evidently go to considerable trouble, and manifest a taste for the beautiful. A case in point is given by Wilson. In one of his travels he came across a nest that was literally paved with oyster and clam shells, and which, in addition, was neatly surrounded by a wall of the same, closely and curiously arranged. These birds were doubtless possessed of higher mental capacities than are common to their tribe, or they would not have gone to so much pains to beautify and improve their domicile. Again, nests are often found which do not show the least vestige of a lining. Scarcity of materials, or absolute lack thereof, might be offered as an explanation of the circumstance, but we have observed such apparently incomplete abodes in situations where there could have been no difficulty in procuring the necessary articles. Such-a simple affair, as the nest ordinarily is, cannot certainly occupy the builders for any great length of time. Consequently, we find that the female is ready to commence laying on the day succeeding the establishment of her home. Her complement of eggs being but four, usually at the expiration of the fourth day, she is prepared to incubate. Like most birds that lay their eggs in similar situations, the heated sand or pebbles have much to do with the hatching-process. This is presumably the case in fair weather. On cloudy days, during stormy weather, and at nights, it is necessary that they should be covered. Upon the female devolves this duty, and right cheerfully does she assume it. The time required to hatch the eggs depends upon various circumstances, such as seasonal warmth, condition of weather, and devotion of the sitting-bird. At any rate, in about sixteen days from the time of the deposit of the last egg, the young birds are ready to appear. Their deliverance is hailed with joy. Nothing can exceed the attachment of the parents to their charges. Let the nest be approached by a person, and the birds resort to various expedients to draw him away from the spot, or to infuse a feeling of fear into his bosom. They beat the air above his head with swiftly-plying pinions, or run along the ground with counterfeited lameness, uttering incessantly and loudly their shrill, but unmistakable call-notes. These movements are kept up for a long time, until the enemy is led over considerable scope of country, and the young are safe in places of concealment. The latter are fed upon insects of various kinds which the birds obtain in places they visit. Besides those which inhabit water, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, worms, etc., form a large percentage of their food. Being somewhat crepuscular in habit, not many of the insects which affect twilight escape their close scrutiny.

The young are soon able to take care of themselves, but instead of deserting the family-circle when arrived at the age of responsibility in bird-life, they continue to frequent the same haunts with their parents, and, at the close of summer, descend with them to the seashore (thus constituting the small flocks which we then observe), or retire with them beyond our borders, to try their fortunes in brighter and more prolific regions. Whether they attain the adult plumage in the autumn, or in the following spring, it is not in our power to say; but when the birds make their appearance during the latter season, it is difficult to distinguish the young from their older brethren. By referring to the picture a strong similarity will be found to exist between the sexes. The rump and upper tail-coverts are of an orange-brown color; the tail feathers are white at base and tip, with a suffusion of orange-brown for a portion of their length, and marked with from one to three black bars. The secondary wing-feathers are mostly white, while the primaries have simply a white space. There is a black band across the forehead, and two broader ones on the neck and breast. The bill is black, and the feet pale grayish-blue. The length is about ten inches, wing six, and tail three and one-half.

The eggs are pyriform in shape, somewhat elongated, creamy-buff in ground, and marked with numerous speckles, blotches and scratches of a dark-brown color, which are larger and more generally distributed around the greater end, although abundant over the entire surface. The actual measurements of a set before us are as follows: 1.53 by 1.05, 1.50 by 1.06, 1.45 by 1.04, and 1.43 by 1.09 inches, giving an average size of 1.48 by 1.06 to an egg. The species is single-brooded.

Plate XL. – QUISCALUS PURPUREUS, (Bartram) Licht. – Purple Grackle

Not to be familiar with this species, which country folk usually club the Crow Blackbird, would argue an amount of ignorance and stupidity, hardly excusable. We doubt whether there is a single boy, who is old enough to exercise his observing faculties, that has not had his attention called to these creatures – their strange manoeuvres and shrill cries – as they cast their shadows across his path, or noisily perch high-up in the trees that shelter his father's roof in the sweet springtime. Of course there are localities where these birds do not abound. But throughout the extended range of the species, it seems to be well known, and by some is nearly as severely persecuted as its very near cousin – the Common Crow – which it strongly resembles. It is a denizen of the eastern parts of North America, from the Gulf coast on the south to Labrador, Hudson's Bay and the Saskatchewan. On the west, the Rockies intercept its progress, and form an insuperable barrier. Various writers have accredited it to California, but the evidence rests on an insufficient basis.

In the lower counties of Virginia, Georgia and the Carolinas, immense armies of the birds, running up into the thousands, pass the winter. From these quarters they take up the line of flight when the weather warrants, and spread themselves over the country, reaching the Middle States about the fifteenth of March, the New England a fortnight later, and the Northwest on or about the same time. So strongly are they attached to the old haunts that, when once arrived, they endure the greatest inconvenience of weather and hunger, rather than desert them. We have known them to appear in the midst of a violent snow-storm, although somewhat disconcerted however, but apparently as jolly as when fair weather prevails. The snow has little dread for them, but if long-standing, often puts them to the direst extremity so far as food is concerned. But they manage to live through the ordeal, some at least, and carry out their nature-appointed projects.

Seldom do we observe in our Northern States very large flocks of these birds during the vernal migration, but loose, scattered parties of a hundred, or less. Upon arrival they keep aloof from wooded regions, and manifest a predilection for ploughed fields and meadows, where they destroy large quantities of worms and beetles. Few species are more hated by the farmer. This hatred is to be attributed to the injuries which it commits. When the corn has been planted, it visits the fields in great numbers, and makes terrible havoc with the hardly germinated grains. It does not stop here. The tender blades themselves, as soon as they have sought the light, are seized by the caitiffs, for the treasures which they hold concealed in the earth. The grains are detached, and the blades are scattered to the winds. So fond of this diet are these birds, that they defy the efforts of the husbandman to check their devastations. Ingenious, devices in the guise of scare-crows, and even the shot-gun, have no fears for them. Driven from one section of the field, they instantly seek another remote from danger, and ply their nefarious occupation with remarkable industry. When in ear, invested with its close-fitting wrapper of husks, the corn is not then safe, for the birds strip off the cover with the bill, and extract it from the cob. At first these attacks are made with great caution, but love of appetite soon triumphs-over fear and every other feeling, and a spirit of reckless boldness succeeds. In the Southern States, in the winter, they visit the corn-crib in swarms, and coolly peck the partially dried grains from the cobs through the air-openings along its sides. When denied such luxuries, they collect in the woods, and feed upon the mast of the beech and the fruit of the oak. While condemned as a nuisance and a pest to agricultural industry, on account of these repeated devastations, they are possessed of many good qualities which should commend them to public favor. For a long time after their arrival their fare consists entirely of grub-worms, and other injurious insects, which they pick up from the loosened soil, or search for in their hidden retreats. So persistently do they glean, that they do not hesitate to scratch the soil aside with their feet. What would be the fate of the corn if the grubworm were allowed to run riot, we do not presume to say. But when we come to consider the thousands of these creatures that are annually destroyed by the Grackles, we question whether the destruction and waste perpetrated by the birds would be one-half as great as the insidious worms would have wrought had they been permitted to carry on their work unchecked. Our experience has been that the benefits derived from these birds largely outweigh the mischief which they commit.

When disturbed in the midst of its pillaging, the Grackle is known to emit a harsh, unmusical sound, expressive of anger and vexation, which may be aptly likened to thïc-kè-yâh, slowly repeated and at rather long intervals. Impatience may be denoted by the dissyllable të-oo pronounced as a sharp whistle. The ordinary call-note, which may be heard by an individual that has lost sight of his companions, or when one bird wishes to call the attention of the flock to something that is then transpiring, is a simple tchuck. Among the variety of its natural notes, there is often heard a somewhat strange and affected sibillation, which Nuttall compares to that of the Starling. This sound, which resembles the word wôttïtshee, twice repeated, is often accompanied by a peculiar whistle. Strictly speaking, these birds may be considered as songless.

In some instances, when we are favored with an early spring, the Grackles have been known to visit us during the first week of March, and to commence nesting about the fifteenth of the month, but then only in sheltered localities on the south slopes of hills. On the branches of coniferous trees they are then accustomed to place their nests. Usually but a single brood is annually raised, but when mating commences early, a second brood has been known to appear early in July. Nidification, however, ordinarily commences from the twentieth to the twenty-eighth of April-This is always preceded by a brief period of courtship. When the sexes are prepared to enter upon the new relation, the event is always announced by the loud and almost deafening clamor which the birds emit while circling in endless confusion above the roosting-tree. This usually occurs in the early morning, when they have shaken off the toils of sleep, and in the evening twilight before seeking rest. In the middle of the day comparative silence prevails. But when the weather is cloudy the noise and turmoil are kept up for nearly the entire day. They all seem to be in a perfect furore of excitement, and, to the inexperienced person, a crowd of angry and infuriated birds. This scene is enacted every day for nearly a week, when the tumultuous rabble, so to speak, dissolves into pairs, and silence reigns once more.

Where suitable trees exist, a preference being manifested for those of the pine family, as many as fifty nests are often to be seen in the same clump. My son, Alan F. Gentry, actually took three nests from one tree, all within a few feet of each other, besides one nest of the Robin, and another of the Dove. This shows the social character of the species, as well as the friendship which it evinces towards others. Individual cases have been met with where birds have manifested selfish dispositions, as shown by their preference for solitary situations, and their desire to dwell alone. Where the birds live together in communities the utmost good-will everywhere abounds. The very wicked character which is attributed to the Grackles, has been imputed to the whole species, on account of the mean behavior of some of its members. Like the Common Crow, some of these fellows show great fondness for birds' eggs and tender fledglings, many of which, especially those of the Robin, are heartlessly destroyed. Coward-like, these villainous wretches lurk in the vicinity of the home they wish to pillage, until its occupants are safe out of sight, when they pounce upon it with great speed, seize an egg or a young bird, and beat a precipitate retreat. But wary and vigilant as they generally are, they are sometimes caught in the act, and forced to seek safety in flight from the impetuous attacks of the enraged owners. We have been aware of this fondness for eggs for many years, but the carnivorous propensity which is doubtless the outgrowth of the other, has been observed by us frequently since 1876. Where the birds dwell together in well-regulated societies, there is no desire to interfere with their neighbors of different family-connections who choose to take up their abodes within their territory. These assaults are always made by their less social brethren whose selfish propensities lead them to pass comparatively isolated lives.