Title: Report on the birds of Pennsylvania : with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations
Identifier: commercialpoultr11 (find matches)
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Warren, Benjamin Harry, 1858-
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Harrisburg : E. K. Meyers, State Printer
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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262 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. along" the roadside, and were from ten to twelve feet above the ground. One nest contained five fresh eggs ; parent bird setting on nest."" When I was securing this nest and eg-g-g the old birds flew near me uttering- sharp, rasping- cries. The notes of the young shrikes are not unlike the squeak of a mouse. Indeed, m)^ friend Mr. Sennett, yesterday when I was killing- the young- we had captured, stepped on a strap, and hearing- the squeaky voices of the birds in my hand, thoug-ht at first that he had trod on a mouse. When taking the nests of shrikes which contained young, the old birds were quite bold, and when the squeaky cries of the young were heard, they flew directly at my head, but after finding it im possible to drive me away by these attacks they alig-hted close by, and remained silent witnesses to the despoliation of their treasures, which were soon secured by me, and then both the old birds were shot.' When feedmg these birds repair to fence-rows, bushes in fields and along the marg-ins of woods or thickets; they also frequent grass fields and mead- ows and perch on fences or tall weeds, and they likewise visit plowed grounds m quest of food. They sometimes hover over their prey in a manner very similar to the SpaiTow Hawk (Falco sparverius). The race known as the Wliite-rumped Shrike (Lamus ludovicianus excubitorides. Swains.), is very similar to the Loggerhead, from which it differs chiefly in being paler above, more like horealis, and with whitish rump and upper tail-cov(n-ts ; and it is stated that the wings, tail and tarsus average a little longer, and the bill a trifle smaller than in the Loggerhead. Family VIREONID.^. Vireos. THE VIKEOS OK GREENLETS. These birds frequent chiefly woods and thickets, yet some, particularly the Red. eyed and Warbling, are common during migrations about yards and gardens in towns Both of these species also often breed in the trees <,f parks and gardens. The Vireos are rather plainly attired, and were it not for their delightful and musi cal notes, they would much oftener escape our notice than they do ; few of our woods' birds are equal to them as songsters. They live almost constantly in the leafy re reats of trees and shrubbery, rarely, if ever, do they rest on the ground. They subsist a most exclusively on insects, chief among which maybe mentioned flies, spiders, beetles and various larva3; in the late summer and autumn some species feed to a small extent on a few kinds of berries. We haye in Pennsylyania six species viz: the Red-eyed, Wangling, Blue-headed, Yellow-throated, Vhite-eyed and Philadelphia Vireos, and all, with the exception of the Philadelphia Vireo are common as summer residents or spring and fall migrants. Their beautiful cup- shaped, or basket-like and pendulous nests, are composed of pieces of bark, lichens rootlets, tine grass stems, bits of paper, etc., and suspended from forked twigs! \ ireos nest in trees and bushes, usually in groves or forests ; some build close to the ground; others erect their pensile homes on the highest twigs of tall forest trees, rheir elongate-ovate eggs, commonly flye, are white, thinly speckled or dotted usually about the larger end with black or brown. They measure generally a little more Uian three-fourths of an inch long by half an inch wide. The Red and Wh te- eyed Vireos breed abundantly with us, and in a large proportion of their nes s especially in nests of the Red-eyed species, you will find Cowbirds' eggs or young Plate 64. ^ ( ? ^ ^
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Wild Goose. Male.

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