Wild Birds in City Parks Part 8

Olive-green; head ashy with throat darker; _white ring_ around eye; belly yellow; wings long and pointed; low bushes and swampy places; penetrating call-note. *Mourning Warbler.

114. RED-BELLIED WOODp.e.c.k.e.r. 9-1/2 in.

(Centurus carolinus. 409.)

Black and white, back, wings and tail _barred transversely_ and very evenly; below grayish-white, _tinged with red_; top of head and back of neck crimson; female, crown gray; rare. *Red-headed Woodp.e.c.k.e.r. *Hairy Woodp.e.c.k.e.r.

Table of Occurrence.

In this table the birds are arranged according to the order of their comparative frequency or rarity, based upon personal observations in _Lincoln Park_. The abundance of the birds--that is, the number of individual birds of different species--is in no wise shown, but simply the relative representation of each species. For instance, out of a total of 454 mornings, covering observations during six years, the _Robin_ was seen on 383 different mornings.

The record for 1902, during the absence of the authors, is that of Mr. H.

V. Bozell.

NUMBER OF MORNINGS SEEN IN LINCOLN PARK.

1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 Total 1 Robin 62 52 57 69 61 82 383 2 Bronzed Grackle 57 58 57 60 57 72 361 3 Blue Jay 49 58 61 65 40 51 324 4 Cowbird 41 34 44 44 39 54 256 5 Junco 33 35 32 32 51 42 225 6 Towhee 35 18 24 44 45 48 214 7 Song Sparrow 27 33 19 38 37 36 190 8 Flicker 29 18 21 33 37 46 184 9 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 31 28 23 30 22 39 173 10 White-throated Sparrow 30 23 23 31 26 35 168 11 Bluebird 26 1 7 31 35 50 150 12 Wilson Thrush 34 35 23 21 11 20 144 13 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 23 12 15 30 27 34 141 14 Yellow Warbler 27 30 24 18 13 27 139 15 Belted Kingfisher 25 21 24 27 21 19 137 16 Red-headed Woodp.e.c.k.e.r 23 23 16 26 16 26 130 17 Myrtle Warbler 19 25 11 21 22 31 129 18 Brown Thrasher 27 8 20 21 16 29 121 19 Brown Creeper 18 15 19 14 28 27 121 20 Catbird 22 27 16 17 10 17 109 21 Golden-crowned Kinglet 18 14 13 26 15 23 109 22 Chipping Sparrow 25 11 11 12 17 32 108 23 American Goldfinch 21 19 12 20 5 18 95 24 Tree Swallow 13 11 16 19 13 22 94 25 American Redstart 18 16 19 8 10 20 91 26 Barn Swallow 15 14 10 19 14 19 91 27 Fox Sparrow 11 9 14 9 27 21 91 28 Chimney Swift 16 11 14 15 11 22 89 29 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 18 16 11 10 16 17 88 30 White-crowned Sparrow 9 5 18 22 16 17 87 31 Palm Warbler 8 21 7 11 19 20 86 32 Hermit Thrush 13 9 10 18 9 27 86 33 Black and White Creeper 15 15 11 13 12 18 84 34 Least Flycatcher 18 18 8 14 7 18 83 35 Magnolia Warbler 13 13 13 5 16 20 80 36 Black-throated Blue Warbler 12 14 9 13 12 16 76 37 Olive-backed Thrush 8 4 14 16 11 23 76 38 Phoebe 15 4 5 16 15 19 74 39 Baltimore Oriole 18 6 10 15 11 13 73 40 Grinnell Water-Thrush 17 6 9 14 8 17 71 41 Field Sparrow .. 2 12 17 23 17 71 42 Swamp Sparrow 4 4 14 12 17 17 68 43 Crow 4 11 7 11 16 18 67 44 Chestnut-sided Warbler 11 6 11 13 9 16 66 45 Ovenbird 9 11 11 12 11 11 65 46 White-breasted Nuthatch 12 6 17 21 6 2 64 47 Western Yellow-throat 18 17 10 8 3 15 61 48 Wood Pewee 12 14 9 6 7 13 61 49 Downy Woodp.e.c.k.e.r 14 7 4 8 17 10 60 50 House Wren 1 .. 10 11 13 24 59 51 Red-eyed Vireo 13 10 5 6 6 16 56 52 Loggerhead Shrike 5 1 16 13 7 13 55 53 Indigo Bunting 12 17 2 6 5 11 53 54 Black-throated Green Warbler 4 9 4 9 6 12 44 55 Blackburnian Warbler 11 4 9 7 5 6 42 56 Black-poll Warbler 6 7 8 3 3 15 42 57 Kingbird 8 1 5 3 6 17 40 58 Scarlet Tanager 7 3 7 4 3 10 34 59 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 7 9 4 3 1 10 34 60 Mourning Dove 5 3 6 10 2 8 34 61 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5 2 6 8 6 6 33 62 Tree Sparrow .. .. 10 3 12 8 33 63 Winter Wren 3 5 11 .. 3 10 32 64 Meadowlark 3 .. 7 13 5 4 32 65 Purple Martin 1 .. .. 6 4 20 31 66 Cape May Warbler 3 2 9 2 6 7 29 67 Warbling Vireo 7 1 4 3 4 10 29 68 Mourning Warbler 5 8 2 4 4 5 28 69 Wilson Black-cap Warbler 9 1 3 2 5 8 28 70 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 8 7 1 3 1 7 27 71 Great-crested Flycatcher 5 2 .. 1 10 9 27 72 Bobolink 2 .. 9 10 1 4 26 73 Canadian Warbler 8 3 6 4 1 4 26 74 Red-winged Blackbird 4 .. 2 8 3 7 24 75 Wood Thrush 8 3 .. 5 3 3 22 76 Orchard Oriole 4 3 5 1 1 6 20 77 Red-breasted Nuthatch .. .. 10 .. 3 7 20 78 Marsh Hawk .. 2 1 8 5 4 20 79 Hairy Woodp.e.c.k.e.r 3 1 4 .. 4 7 19 80 Bay-breasted Warbler 1 1 2 1 4 10 19 81 Parula Warbler 6 .. .. 2 9 2 19 82 Chickadee 3 .. 7 8 .. .. 18 83 Pine Warbler .. .. 3 1 5 9 18 84 Henslow Sparrow 3 2 1 2 3 6 17 85 Nashville Warbler 1 1 4 1 .. 9 16 86 Yellow-throated Vireo 2 .. 2 2 3 7 16 87 Cedar Waxwing 6 5 .. 1 2 1 15 88 Purple Finch 4 .. 4 .. 1 5 14 89 Vesper Sparrow .. .. 6 .. 4 3 13 90 Blue-headed Vireo .. .. 2 1 6 4 13 91 Gray-cheeked Thrush .. .. .. .. 3 10 13 92 American Sparrow Hawk 1 1 .. 4 2 4 12 93 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher .. .. 5 .. 2 4 11 94 Nighthawk .. 2 1 1 .. 7 11 95 Lincoln Sparrow .. .. 1 .. 1 8 10 96 Black-billed Cuckoo .. 1 2 2 2 2 9 97 Rusty Blackbird .. 2 .. 3 .. 2 7 98 Yellow-breasted Chat .. .. .. .. 1 6 7 99 Long-billed Marsh Wren 1 2 .. .. .. 3 6 100 Louisiana Water-Thrush .. .. 1 .. 3 2 6 101 Prothonotary Warbler .. 1 .. .. 3 1 5 102 Savanna Sparrow .. .. .. .. .. 5 5 103 Blue Golden-winged Warbler 1 .. 1 1 1 .. 4 104 Whip-poor-will 1 1 .. 1 .. 1 4 105 Connecticut Warbler .. .. .. .. .. 3 3 106 d.i.c.kcissel .. .. .. 1 2 .. 3 107 Tennessee Warbler 2 .. .. .. .. .. 2 108 Mockingbird .. .. .. 2 .. .. 2 109 Cerulean Warbler .. .. 1 .. 1 .. 2 110 Summer Tanager .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1 111 Cardinal .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 112 Red-bellied Woodp.e.c.k.e.r 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 113 Hooded Warbler .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 114 Yellow-headed Blackbird .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 Total number of days 66 77 74 78 72 87 454 Av'ge number of kinds seen daily 18.83 12.75 14.59 16.23 16.45 19.53 16.34

Table of Arrival.

Note.--The following table gives the dates of the first arrival of each bird mentioned in the preceding list of one hundred and fourteen for the seven years from 1897 to 1903 inclusive, _as observed in Lincoln Park_.

The birds are arranged in their respective families, and s.p.a.ce is left for recording their first appearance in any succeeding year.

The record for 1902, in the absence of the authors, was kept by Mr.

Harold V. Bozell.

Attention is called to the fact that many birds which are common summer residents in the neighboring country are rare migrants in the Park. Among these may be mentioned the _Red-winged Blackbird_, _Bobolink_ _and_ _Warbling Vireo_. Some fine singers also, for example, the _Vesper Sparrow_, _Yellow-throated Vireo_ and _Hermit Thrush_, are usually silent in the Park.

|1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 _____| Family COLUMBIDAE | | 35 Mourning Dove | .. 5/9 3/25 4/6 4/10 4/26 4/1 _____| Family FALCONIDAE | | 33 Marsh Hawk | .. .. 4/25 4/19 3/25 4/21 4/1 _____| 43 Sparrow Hawk | .. 5/18 4/25 4/18 3/24 3/21 4/30 _____| Family CUCULIDAE | | 103 Yellow-billed Cuckoo | .. 5/19 5/1 5/16 5/17 5/17 5/12 _____| 109 Black-billed Cuckoo | .. .. 5/27 5/12 5/15 5/16 5/12 _____| Family ALCEDINIDAE | | 22 Belted Kingfisher |3/28 3/25 3/22 4/10 3/26 4/11 4/10 _____| Family PICIDAE | | 29 Hairy Woodp.e.c.k.e.r | .. 4/11 5/24 4/19 .. 3/25 3/6 _____| 16 Downy Woodp.e.c.k.e.r | 4/7 4/8 3/27 4/25 4/5 3/10 3/6 _____| 23 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |4/25 3/30 4/8 4/6 3/19 3/27 4/1 _____| 114 Red-bellied Woodp.e.c.k.e.r | .. 5/22 .. .. .. .. .. _____| 57 Red-headed Woodp.e.c.k.e.r |4/26 4/29 4/28 5/6 4/27 4/27 4/28 _____| 18 Flicker |4/15 3/25 4/11 4/7 3/23 3/24 3/18 _____| Family CAPRIMULGIDAE | | 99 Whip-poor-will | .. 5/21 4/30 .. 5/9 .. 5/17 _____| 108 Nighthawk | .. .. 5/10 5/13 5/18 5/18 5/18 _____| Family MICROPODIDAE | | 59 Chimney Swift | 5/1 4/30 5/11 4/30 4/17 4/22 5/5 _____| Family TROCHILIDAE | | 107 Ruby-throated Hummingbird | .. 5/19 5/9 5/13 5/16 5/17 5/13 _____| Family TYRANNIDAE | | 69 Kingbird |4/29 4/30 5/10 5/6 5/10 4/21 5/5 _____| 61 Great-crested Flycatcher | .. 5/3 4/30 .. 5/11 4/21 4/29 _____| 14 Phoebe | 4/7 3/20 4/17 4/1 3/18 3/15 3/17 _____| 91 Wood Pewee |4/27 5/19 5/10 5/11 5/16 4/28 5/12 _____| 72 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | .. .. .. 4/29 .. 5/1 5/12 _____| 63 Least Flycatcher |5/12 4/30 4/20 4/30 5/6 4/21 5/9 _____| Family CORVIDAE | | 1 Blue Jay | .. .. .. .. .. .. .. _____| 6 Crow | .. 3/9 3/26 3/12 3/3 3/6 3/8 _____| Family ICTERIDAE | | 92 Bobolink | .. 5/14 .. 5/8 5/4 5/12 5/8 _____| 11 Cowbird | 4/4 3/16 4/10 4/1 3/19 3/1 3/14 _____| 111 Yellow-headed Blackbird | .. .. .. .. 5/17 .. .. _____| 27 Red-winged Blackbird | .. 5/7 .. 4/18 3/22 3/26 3/17 _____| 5 Meadowlark | .. 3/14 .. 3/27 3/19 3/10 3/13 _____| 87 Orchard Oriole | .. 5/15 5/6 5/11 5/10 5/2 5/5 _____| 70 Baltimore Oriole | .. 4/30 5/2 5/6 5/4 5/2 5/5 _____| 24 Rusty Blackbird | .. .. .. 4/19 4/5 .. 3/17 _____| 9 Bronzed Grackle |3/29 3/14 3/20 3/24 3/23 3/10 3/14 _____| Family FRINGILLIDAE | | 40 Purple Finch | .. 4/24 .. 4/15 .. 4/11 4/15 _____| 67 American Goldfinch |4/25 5/6 4/28 5/7 4/30 5/2 5/7 _____| 37 Vesper Sparrow | .. .. .. 4/22 .. 4/18 4/1 _____| 8 Savanna Sparrow | .. .. .. .. .. .. 3/19 _____| 50 Henslow Sparrow | .. 4/29 4/26 4/21 4/30 4/24 4/15 _____| 48 White-crowned Sparrow | 5/5 5/9 4/29 5/2 4/20 3/11 4/29 _____| 32 White-throated Sparrow |4/26 4/13 4/19 4/21 4/17 3/24 3/21 _____| 12 Tree Sparrow | .. .. .. 4/6 4/5 3/7 3/13 _____| 34 Chipping Sparrow |4/15 4/13 4/18 4/8 4/8 4/13 4/12 _____| 25 Field Sparrow | .. .. 4/23 4/17 4/5 3/11 3/19 _____| 4 Junco |3/28 3/9 3/14 3/23 3/18 3/8 3/13 _____| 10 Song Sparrow | 4/8 3/15 3/19 3/27 3/18 3/8 3/12 _____| 106 Lincoln Sparrow | .. .. .. 5/10 5/23 5/12 5/10 _____| 39 Swamp Sparrow | .. 5/7 4/20 4/21 4/18 3/11 4/12 _____| 13 Fox Sparrow | 4/8 3/30 3/14 4/5 3/18 3/10 3/17 _____| 15 Towhee | 4/7 3/17 4/11 4/7 3/25 3/10 3/18 _____| 31 Cardinal |3/28 .. .. 4/25 .. .. .. _____| 80 Rose-breasted Grosbeak | .. .. 5/10 5/11 5/4 4/28 5/9 _____| 94 Indigo Bunting | .. 5/14 5/10 5/21 5/10 5/2 5/6 _____| 112 d.i.c.kcissel | .. .. .. .. 5/16 5/18 .. _____| Family TANAGRIDAE | | 78 Scarlet Tanager | .. 5/14 5/4 5/2 5/5 5/3 5/5 _____| 71 Summer Tanager | .. .. 5/4 .. .. .. .. _____| Family HIRUNDINIDAE | | 81 Purple Martin | .. 5/25 5/30 .. 4/27 4/23 4/17 _____| 44 Barn Swallow |4/18 5/1 4/23 4/26 4/10 4/18 4/24 _____| 30 Tree Swallow | .. 5/11 4/12 4/18 4/12 3/11 4/1 _____| Family AMPELIDAE | | 41 Cedar Waxwing | .. 4/11 3/27 .. 5/16 4/24 4/5 _____| Family LANIIDAE | | 2 Loggerhead Shrike | .. 3/14 4/11 3/9 3/3 3/9 3/1 _____| Family VIREONIDAE | | 75 Red-eyed Vireo | .. 5/10 4/29 5/12 5/4 5/2 5/4 _____| 85 Warbling Vireo |4/27 5/15 5/12 5/6 5/11 5/7 5/5 _____| 79 Yellow-throated Vireo | .. 5/1 .. 5/12 5/5 4/28 5/12 _____| 86 Blue-headed Vireo | .. .. .. 5/17 5/5 5/2 5/8 _____| Family MNIOTILTIDAE | | 55 Black and White Creeper |4/28 4/30 4/21 4/26 5/4 4/28 4/27 _____| 95 Prothonotary Warbler | .. .. 5/16 .. .. 4/27 5/19 _____| 93 Blue Golden-winged Warbler | .. 5/14 .. 5/12 5/12 5/2 .. _____| 84 Nashville Warbler | .. 5/10 5/4 5/9 5/19 5/2 5/1 _____| 96 Tennessee Warbler | .. 5/11 .. .. .. .. .. _____| 90 Parula Warbler | .. 5/11 .. .. 5/12 5/3 5/9 _____| 77 Cape May Warbler | .. 5/13 5/1 5/2 5/5 5/2 5/9 _____| 68 Yellow Warbler |5/11 4/30 4/29 4/30 5/6 5/2 4/29 _____| 83 Black-throated Blue Warbler |5/11 5/11 5/4 5/8 5/5 5/2 5/5 _____| 38 Myrtle Warbler |4/14 4/16 4/14 4/19 4/14 4/17 4/8 _____| 66 Magnolia Warbler |4/26 5/11 4/27 5/8 5/6 4/21 5/5 _____| 100 Cerulean Warbler | .. .. .. 5/12 .. .. .. _____| 98 Chestnut-sided Warbler |5/21 5/10 5/30 5/3 5/7 5/2 5/9 _____| 89 Bay-breasted Warbler | .. 5/20 5/4 5/11 5/15 4/22 5/9 _____| 102 Black-poll Warbler | .. 5/19 5/10 5/13 5/16 5/12 5/6 _____| 73 Blackburnian Warbler |5/12 5/10 5/3 4/28 5/10 4/28 4/30 _____| 56 Black-throated Green Warbler |4/18 5/17 4/23 4/27 4/26 4/28 5/2 _____| 53 Pine Warbler | .. .. .. 4/26 4/30 4/21 4/22 _____| 49 Palm Warbler | .. 4/29 4/20 4/27 4/26 4/21 4/22 _____| 74 Ovenbird |5/11 5/1 5/3 5/5 5/5 5/1 5/6 _____| 51 Grinnell Water-Thrush | .. 4/30 4/28 4/23 4/17 4/21 4/29 _____| 62 Louisiana Water-Thrush | .. .. .. .. .. 4/27 5/5 _____| 113 Connecticut Warbler | .. .. .. .. .. .. 5/20 _____| 97 Mourning Warbler | .. 5/20 5/13 5/6 5/16 5/2 5/11 _____| 65 Western Yellow-throat |4/26 5/1 4/28 5/5 5/5 5/2 5/1 _____| 82 Yellow-breasted Chat | .. .. .. .. .. 5/2 5/11 _____| 101 Hooded Warbler | .. .. .. .. .. .. 5/12 _____| 105 Wilson Black-cap Warbler |5/21 5/6 5/22 5/10 5/16 5/3 5/17 _____| 104 Canadian Warbler | .. 5/19 5/16 5/12 5/16 5/6 5/12 _____| 76 American Redstart |5/11 5/1 4/28 5/11 5/6 5/2 5/5 _____| Family TROGLODYTIDAE | | 58 Mockingbird | .. .. .. .. 4/29 .. .. _____| 52 Catbird |4/26 5/1 4/28 4/30 4/28 3/26 5/5 _____| 45 Brown Thrasher |4/26 4/24 4/27 4/16 4/24 4/22 4/12 _____| 46 House Wren |4/14 5/4 4/30 .. 4/21 4/23 4/12 _____| 36 Winter Wren | 4/8 4/25 4/30 .. 3/22 4/19 4/8 _____| 88 Long-billed Marsh Wren | .. 4/14 .. 4/12 .. .. 3/29 _____| Family CERTHIIDAE | | 19 Brown Creeper | 4/7 4/7 4/6 4/2 4/4 3/21 3/18 _____| Family PARIDAE | | 21 White-breasted Nuthatch | 4/7 3/29 4/11 4/2 3/18 3/31 4/2 _____| 54 Red-breasted Nuthatch | .. .. .. 5/3 .. 4/22 4/28 _____| 20 Chickadee | .. 4/1 .. 3/19 4/13 .. .. _____| Family SYLVIIDAE | | 17 Golden-crowned Kinglet | 4/7 3/14 4/11 4/6 4/5 3/28 3/19 _____| 28 Ruby-crowned Kinglet |4/14 4/1 4/13 4/7 4/17 4/13 3/19 _____| 47 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | .. 4/25 4/22 4/18 4/28 4/22 4/25 _____| Family t.u.r.dIDAE | | 64 Wood Thrush |4/18 5/3 5/1 .. 5/4 4/29 5/12 _____| 42 Wilson Thrush |5/11 4/10 4/12 4/7 4/11 4/26 4/8 _____| 110 Gray-cheeked Thrush | .. .. .. .. .. 5/21 5/11 _____| 60 Olive-backed Thrush | .. 5/1 5/4 5/8 4/30 4/22 4/29 _____| 26 Hermit Thrush | .. 3/31 4/11 4/7 4/5 4/13 3/19 _____| 3 Robin |3/28 3/9 3/4 3/24 3/14 3/10 3/7 _____| 7 Bluebird |3/28 3/8 4/4 3/31 3/17 3/7 3/7 _____|

WATER AND Sh.o.r.e BIRDS.

General Hints.

The _Loon_ and _Grebes_ are common representatives of the order of Diving Birds. Their legs are set far back on the body, making it difficult for them to walk at all.

*Grebes look like small, tailless ducks. They have long, slender necks, short wings, smooth glossy plumage and flat, lobed feet. They rarely leave the water and can dive or sink out of sight instantly when disturbed, swimming to a distance with only the tip of the bill out of water.

*Loons are very large, with flat, heavy bodies, short tails and long, tapering bills. They are never crested, but are conspicuously marked, and are equally expert with the grebes in diving and sinking.

_Gulls_ and _Terns_ belong to the order of the _Long-winged Swimmers_, but are better described by the name of _Skimmers_.

*Terns are much slenderer and usually smaller than gulls, have very pointed bills and wings, and forked tails. They rarely if ever swim, but skim swallow-like over the water, bill downward, plunging into the water for their prey.

*Gulls are plumper than terns, with heavier bills and tails usually even.

They do not dive or plunge suddenly into the water, but fly and soar or float about on the surface, sitting well up out of the water.

_Ducks_, _Geese and Swans_ have webbed feet and short legs, and in walking carry themselves almost horizontal. As a rule they have very strong wings, enabling them to fly long distances at great speed. Our ducks are most easily remembered in three groups:--

*1. The fish-eating Mergansers, whose plumage is largely black and white and which have saw-edged bills and, usually, conspicuous crests.

*2. The Sea Ducks, which are conspicuously marked but plainly colored, frequent open water or the sea coast, diving, often to great depths, for their food. Descriptions are given of the _Lesser Scaup_, _Redhead_, _Canvas-back_, _American Golden-eye_, _Old-squaw_ _and_ _Buffle-head_.

*3. The River Ducks, which have broad, rounded bills, are much variegated in color and markings, and have a peculiar habit of feeding head downwards, as though standing on their heads with the body tipped up. The _Teals_, _Mallard_, _Wood Duck_ and _Pintail_ belong to this group. The females of these ducks, though differing noticeably in size, may easily be confused.

*Geese are larger than ducks, feed mostly on land and are usually seen during migration flying at a height in regular ranks after a leader.

_Herons_ and _Bitterns_ belong among the _Wading Birds_. They have long, pointed bills, long legs, loose, baggy plumage, broad wings and long necks, curved s shaped in flight.

*Herons are tall, crested birds, with very long legs, bills and necks and small tails. Their notes are harsh and squawking. Large numbers sometimes nest together.

*Bitterns have shorter legs, necks and bills than herons and are very rarely crested. They utter hoa.r.s.e, resounding calls, and are ordinarily solitary in habit.

_Rails and Coots_ are known as _Marsh Birds_, although the latter are fine swimmers.

*Rails as a rule are smaller than bitterns and frequent gra.s.sy marshes where they steal stealthily about, effectively concealed by their dull streaky plumage. Short turned-up tails, short wings and long legs are noticeable characteristics of these rapid runners.

*Coots are ducklike in appearance and smoothly plumaged. Lobed feet enable them to swim easily. Their bills spread out at the base in the form of a plate or s.h.i.+eld which extends up on to the forehead.

_Plover_, _Sandpipers_ and the _Woodc.o.c.k_ are strikingly different representatives of the great order of _Sh.o.r.e Birds_. The plover family have stout, short bills, while the sandpipers and woodc.o.c.k belong to a family which have soft probing bills of greatly varying length, for obtaining their food in soft mud.

*Sandpipers have pointed wings, are dull-colored, and are usually found slipping gracefully along the water's edge in search of food.

They skim rapidly over the water on outspread wings, and their clear, reed-like notes are distinctly musical.

*Plovers are small and plump, with long pointed wings, short necks and rather flat heads. They run and fly very rapidly, generally in flocks piping loudly but sweetly. They frequent the inland as well as the sh.o.r.e.

_Sh.o.r.e_ and _Water Birds_ are often extremely shy and they can detect the presence of an observer at a distance. The caution is therefore emphasized to approach them slowly and quietly.

Particular Hints.