USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Littleton > History of Littleton, New Hampshire, Vol. I > Part 8
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The Pewee, or Phebe (Sayornis phoebe), serves well to introduce the other members of the Flycatcher family, both in regard to coloration and temperament. Its bill is black. Its upper parts are ashy olive, darker on crown and tail; below it is whitish. Its length is seven inches, and extent eleven or more. The coming of the Pewee in spring is a cheering sign of the season, hailed with delight by all who hear his joyous note. This is another spe- cies that has found mankind friendly, and left its primitive home in the forest to enjoy better privileges about human dwellings. This is rather a nervous bird, evidenced by the continual jerk- ing of its tail, but has little of the pugnacity that characterizes the larger varieties already mentioned.
The Wood Pewee (Contopus virens) is chiefly confined to wood- land, though after the breeding season it is a frequenter of orchards and shade-trees very often. It is smaller than the Phebe, and darker colored, being dark olive above, shaded on the sides to
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History of Littleton.
white below. Its length is six and a fourth inches. Its lower mandible is straw-color, the upper being black. Its note is pe wee', drawled, with accent on the last syllable.
The Olive-sided Flycatcher ( Contopus borealis) is another arbo- rary species, far less common than the last, yet closely resembling it in everything except size. It prefers swamps or the vicinity of water, where it may usually be seen on some high dead branch watching for its prey. Its every action proclaims a Flycatcher, while its tired pe wee, uttered lazily with a falling inflection, recalls the notes of both the Phebe and Wood Pewee. Its upper parts are slaty olive, throat and abdomen white, sides olive. Its length is seven and a half inches.
The Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) is an arrogant little denizen of the orchard that flies officiously from branch to branch, crying chebec, chebec, with an upward jerk of the head that threat- ens decapitation. Perhaps the most striking portions of its dress are a narrow white ring round the eyes and white wing-bars. Its sides and upper parts are olive, and under parts white. Five inches is the average length.
Traill's Flycatcher (Empidonar pusillus trailli) lives near water, usually in the seclusion of living tree-tops, unless devoting itself to singing, when it chooses a dead branch. Its colors are hardly to be distinguished from the Least Flycatcher's, but its notes are entirely different, and its measurements are greater, its length being six and three-fourths inches. It is nowhere abundant.
The Green-crested Flycatcher (Empidonax arcadicus) is a rare species, having its upper parts olive green, growing dark on the head ; and wing-bars, eye-ring, and under parts yellowish. Its length is six inches.
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) is another rarity, colored like the last, but having the yellow bright and distinct all the way from the bill over the breast to the under side of the tail. Its length is five and a quarter inches.
One of the birds that comes irregularly to visit us in winter is the Horned Lark ( Octocoris alpestris). It may appear any time from September to May, but is most often observed individually or in pairs during the winter, on exposed spots where the wind has uncovered weed tops, or in highways, looking over horse manure for undigested grain.
Its upper parts are a pinkish brown, thickly streaked ; a cres- cent on the breast and a line under the eye are black ; throat and line over the eye yellowish ; the hind claw is long and straight; bill of medium length. A small tuft of black feathers over each
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ear, projecting backward, give the bird its name. Its length is a trifle over seven inches.
The Crow ( Corvus americanus) needs no introduction. It is perhaps the only bird that everybody knows. Concerning the food habits of the crow, however, something ought to be said. A thousand crow stomachs have been examined by experts for the Department of Agriculture at Washington, and the evidence is that while some sins have been committed against birds' nests and cornfields, these are insignificant when compared with their depredations in the insect world. The June-bug, parent of the large white worm that gnaws potatoes, is a common victim. Through July and August grasshoppers are eaten in great quan- tities. Cut-worms, in their season, are always on the bill of fare. The thoughtful farmer tars his corn at planting, and allows the crows to go unmolested.
The Blue Jay ( Cyanocitta cristata) is a worthy relative of the Crow, and a good second in resourceful tactics ; but being smaller and more retiring, its habits, good and evil, are less prominent. As a vocalist, its stronghold is versatility rather than melody. None of our birds can produce so many noises as this. It is par- tially migratory, though many pass the winter here. Taken alto- gether, the Blue Jay is a handsome bird. Its clear blue upper parts, black necklace, and quill bars, and white points are effectively combined, not to mention its cap, which is a prominent feature.
The Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) is hardly more than a casual visitor from the North. Its size is slightly less than the Blue Jay's. It is chiefly gray, - darkest on the shoulders, wings, and tail, and lightest on the head, neck, and breast. It is a noto- rious thief about the camps of trappers and lumbermen, and bears the name of Whisky Jack in their parlance.
The Purple Grackle, or Crow Blackbird ( Quiscalus quiscula), is the largest of our blackbirds, having a length of twelve, and an extent of eighteen inches. Its head and neck are iridescent pur- ple ; the body a lustrous bronze, and the tail black. The iris is straw-color. The Crow Blackbird is fond of suburban life, and is likely to be found breeding in pines that serve to shade the streets or lawns toward the outskirts of towns.
The Rusty Grackle, or Rusty Blackbird (Scolecophagus caro- linus), is known to us only as a migrant, whose summer is passed in Northern Maine and Canada. Its length is about ten inches. Adult males are lustrous black ; females are dull black ; and young birds are rusty brown, whence the name. They appear in flocks in April and October.
VOL. I .- 6
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History of Littleton.
The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula), frequently called the Golden Robin, is a bird of exceptional interest to ordinary human- ity. Its beauty, its song, its activity, and its weaving are all of especial interest. Its head and back are black ; its rump, most of its tail, and under parts are bright orange. The female is similar to the male, but much duller. They measure seven and three- fourths inches in length. During the month of June the elms of the village and the apple orchards on the farm resound with the clear notes of the oriole ; and through the long cheerless months of cold weather their pouch-like nests, swinging in the wind, serve to remind us of the brilliant builder now in the tropics, but as sure to return again as he lives unharmed.
The Meadow Lark ( Sturnella magna) is a local bird, common in favored neighborhoods and unknown in others. It is essentially a ground bird, yet, when inclined to sing, it often alights in trees and repeats its mellow lay by the half hour. Its back is gray ; breast yellow, with a black arrow head, point downward, in the middle. Its outer tail feathers are white, and show plainly as the bird flies. The Lark is ten inches long, and sixteen in extent.
The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoniceus) is an abundant species among the reeds and rushes that hedge ponds and streams. The male, with his bright red shoulder patches set off against his black suit, is a strikingly handsome bird. The female is quite different, being dark brown streaked with whitish, and without. the gaudy epaulets which are her husband's glory. The male Red- wings, usually in company with Cow Birds, are in the van of re- turning migrants. Unlike most of the early comers, however, they are among the first to disappear after the nesting season is over.
The Cow Blackbird (Melothrus ater) was named from its habit of following cattle at pasture. It is notorious as a parasite upon other birds. Female Cow Birds never build nests for themselves, but deposit their eggs in the nests of smaller varieties, such as the Goldfinch or Vireo, and leave them to be hatched by an unwilling host. When hatched, the young Cow Birds grow rapidly, and are soon able to crowd the lawful children out of the nest to perish, and thrive on the bounty of their foster parents. This despicable habit of the Cow Bird has brought it into ill repute. The male is glossy black, with brown head and neck ; females are slaty, more or less streaked. The male is eight inches long, while the female is a little smaller.
The Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) is as prominent in spring as " a city on a hill." The male's song and his antics during the
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The Birds of Littleton.
nuptial period are familiar, - more familiar by far than the ways of the gray wife that hides shyly in the grass. No bird is more pop- ular with us than the Bobolink ; but in the rice fields of the South they are said to cause a damage of from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 per year, and there he is subjected to the most violent persecu- tion. Literally millions of Bobolinks are slaughtered every year as they make their way from their Northern homes to their winter resorts in South America. The color changes of these birds are interesting. When they return from the South, the males are black and white, and the females are yellowish brown, streaked above. Some time in August the males change their dress for one like the female's. The young are also clad in the same garb. All retain this plumage till about the time the northward journey commences, when the distinctive colors of the males begin to appear, and by the time they reach this latitude the change is complete.
The Pine Grosbeak ( Pinicola enucleator) is a winter visitor whose irregular coming seems to be regulated by food supply rather than by the weather. They normally belong to boreal America. This grosbeak nearly equals the robin in size. It has a short thick bill for crushing seeds. Adult males are carmine, with slaty wings and tail. The majority that are seen are females and young males, which are slaty, with yellowish head and rump.
The Purple Finch ( Carpodacus purpureus) is a sociable bird, usually found in company with several of its fellows. It has a goodly degree of the vocal powers for which the finches and spar- rows are noted. There is a large family of these thick-billed birds which live chiefly upon seeds. They are among the hardiest of our birds, and as they do not depend upon insect life for food, they are able to remain here much longer than the strictly insec- tivorous species. Purple Finches are likely to be seen any time from March to November. Males, two years old or over, are rosy- red, with dusky wings and tails. Females and young males are olive brown above and whitish beneath, everywhere streaked. Six inches is their average length.
The Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) is a curious kind of finch, with falcate mandibles which act, toward the points, like a pair of shears. It feeds largely upon the seeds of pine and other conifer- ous trees, using its peculiar bill to extract the winged seeds from between the laminæ of the cones. Males are brick red, with dusky wings and tail. Females are dark olive, tinged with greenish- yellow. This species may be seen at any time in the year, as they are very erratic in their movements. They do not usually appear,
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History of Littleton.
however, in warm weather, being mostly winter visitors. They measure about six inches in length.
The White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) is a much rarer species than the last, occurring under similar circumstances. It is similar in size and habits. This Crossbill is distinguished by two white bars on each wing. The males are rose red, with black wings and tail ; females are brownish olive, specked with dusky, and with rump yellowish.
The Red-poll Linnet (Acanthus linarius) is a winter visitant of irregular occurrence. Some years large flocks of Red Polls are here from November to April, mostly among birches, the seeds of which seem to be much relished by them. They are gray, with many dark streaks above; the crown is crimson, and chin black. Males have rump and breast rosy. They measure five and three- fourth inches in length.
The Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), also called the Yellow Bird or Thistle Bird, remains here the whole year long. In summer they are familiar objects in yards and highways, where they gather seeds of the dandelion and thistle. The golden yellow of the male, set out by black crown, wings, and tail, attracts more than a passing notice. The female is less showy, being of a yellowish brown color with dusky wings and tail. In winter Goldfinches assemble in flocks, and roam about in search of seeds. They visit weed patches and such trees as birches and hemlocks, where they find plenty of food, and manage to keep quite fat in spite of cold weather. Like Bobolinks, they all change their plumage in the fall for a winter dress. This resembles ordinary female attire, but is rather browner, and differs in having two conspicuous white bars on each wing. About five inches is the average length of this species.
The Pine Siskin, or Pine Finch ( pinus pinus), is oftenest seen in winter, sometimes in company with Goldfinches, which it re- sembles at that season. The dress of a Siskin is continuously streaked above and below with varying shades of olive brown suffused with yellow. The basal portion of the tail and wing quills are lemon yellow. In size it does not materially differ from the Goldfinch.
The English Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a parasitic humbug, foistered on the American public by certain well-meaning but ill- informed persons, who failed to understand that a seed-eating bird would continue to feed upon its natural food, even though there might be a superabundance of some other kind. It was first in- troduced about 1850 to destroy canker worms, which threatened to
.
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The Birds of Littleton.
ruin the shade trees in cities. The experiment was a thousand times worse than a failure, as everybody knows. . To-day the bird is a noisy, filthy pest in all parts of the Union.
The White Snow Birds (Plectrophanax nivalis) come sweeping down from the North each winter, like great animated snow-flakes, with no other apparent design than to while cold weather away in ceaseless wanderings. Their dress, as we see it, is gray across the shoulders ; more or less black on the wings ; elsewhere white, slightly shaded with buffy brown across the breast and on the head. Their length is seven inches. The hind toenail is long and nearly straight.
A much rarer species than the last is the Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus), which is sometimes found in company with Snow Birds. It is a trifle smaller, and is readily distinguished by black on head, throat, and breast, and a chestnut collar.
The Vesper Sparrow, Grass Finch, Bay-winged Bunting (Poœ- cetes gramineus), is the common sparrow that lives in fields, and shows white outer tail feathers as it flies. Its color is gray with a chestnut patch on the bend of the wing. Its length is six inches. This is the commonest sparrow that lives in the fields and closely cropped pastures.
Another bird found in the same situation is the Savanna Sparrow (Ammodramus sandwichensis savanna). Its feeble song of chip, chip, churr, has none of the music for which its family is famous. The Savanna is gray above, with a line of yellow over each eye and on the bend of the wings, and white under parts, sharply streaked on the breast and sides. Its length is five and a half inches.
The Yellow-winged Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) is a citizen of weedy meadows and damp pastures overgrown with shrubbery. It is never common, and being quite shy is rarely observed. Its song is even more stridulent than the Savanna's, and has gained for it the name of Grasshopper Sparrow. Its bill is short, and thicker than the common sparrow's. Its back is streaked, brown and black. The edge and bend of the wing, and a line over the eye, are bright yellow. The breast is buffy, un- streaked. Its length is five inches.
A near relative of the last named is known as Henslow's Yellow- winged Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowi). The plainest difference between them is in the coloration of the breast, which on this bird is sharply streaked with black. The size and habits of the two species are identical.
The White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) is a fine
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History of Littleton.
large sparrow, with a good voice. It is most common during the migration seasons, as many pass the summer farther north. Its home is among thick bushes, such as spring up after a piece of woodland has been cleared. But when family cares are over, White-throats like to come out to the brush fences that skirt the highway, where seeds are plentiful. They are brown above, streaked with black across the shoulders. The crown is black, with a white medial line. A yellow line extends from the bill to the eye. The neck, breast, and sides are ashy. A large spot of white on the throat gives the bird its name. Its length is seven inches.
The White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a more northerly bird than the last, and less common. The two are of the same size, and appear to have similar tastes. The White- crowned passes beyond our latitude to breed. Its back is ashy, mottled, with dark brown ; under parts light ash, fading insensibly to white on the belly and throat. The head is white, with two black lines running lengthwise.
The Tree Sparrow ( Spizella monticola) is the only sparrow that winters here. Its summer habitat is in Northern Canada, and it comes here to spend the winter the same as our sparrows go to the Southern States. It considerably resembles the common Chip- ping Sparrow, but is larger and rustier, and has two bars of white on each wing that are distinctive. Its under mandible is yellow, and its plain breast is marked by an obscure spot of dusky in the middle. Its length is six and a quarter inches.
The little Chipping Sparrow (Spizella socialis) has so thoroughly given itself to the society of man as to be in a state of semi-domes- tication. Its chestnut crown and gray back have an undisputed place in orchards, about door-steps, on sidewalks, or wherever human hands have cleared and adorned the earth. Its trusting nature has not been abused, and increase has been the reward. No bird is so common as the chippy, and few more beneficial to agriculture.
The Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) is found among the shrub- bery of upland pastures. It is a common summer resident, but owing to its diminutive presence and retiring disposition, is better known by its clear ringing whistle than otherwise. Its color characteristics are ruddy brown above ; a tinge of buff across the breast ; a white eye ring, two white wing bars, and a reddish bill. In size it is a bit larger than the Chippy.
The Black Snow-Bird, or Junco (Junco hyemalis), is abundant spring and fall, in flocks by roadsides and in stubble land, gleaning
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The Birds of Littleton.
weed seed. It is a summer resident among the mountains. Its outer tail feathers and belly are white ; otherwise it is of a dark slate-color. Its length is six and a quarter inches.
The Song Sparrow (Melospiza fasciata) is the first of its tribe to return as a herald of spring. Its sweet trilled song is heard with those of the Robin while yet the ground is nearly all white. It is a brisk active bird, not wild, but making a great show of caution as it flies noisily from bush to bush, peeping this way and that, and jerking its tail as if in a fret at being disturbed. It is an abundant species, favoring moist localities with plenty of brush. Its upper parts are brown ; and lower white, distinctly streaked with dark brown on the sides and breast, the breast- markings merging into a spot at the centre. Its length is six and a half inches.
The Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) does not ordinarily venture far from water. It resembles the Song Sparrow in size and actions, but has heavy black streaks on its back, a chestnut crown, and an unmarked. ashy breast, which makes a difference in coloration.
The Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) equals the white-throated, in size. It is a migrant, coming south from its Canadian home about November 1st, and passing us on its northward trip early in April. Its upper parts are bright reddish brown; and lower parts white, heavily blotched on the breast with the shade of the back. It stays in the woods, and for that reason is not so well known as other species that are not more plentiful.
The Chewink (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) makes its home in scrub land or among the hazels and sweet ferns of neglected pastures. It usually keeps pretty close to the ground, and is a hard bird to get a good look at. Its wings are small, relatively, which accounts for the great fluttering when it flies. Males are black above and in front, as far down as the middle of the breast, where the color abruptly changes to white. The sides are chest- nut. The female is brown where the male is black, otherwise the sexes are alike. The outer tail feathers are white, and the iris is red. The length is eight and a half inches, nearly half being tail.
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak ( Habia ludoviciana) is recom- mended by several features. It is undeniably handsome, it sings well, and it is the only bird known to habitually eat the potato bug. In the southern portions of New Hampshire it is a fairly common variety, but this is rather beyond their normal limit, and it is not often observed here. Its bill is white, short, and enor- mously thick. The male is black above, with white rump, wing
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History of Littleton.
spots, and portion of outer tail feathers. The under parts are white, with breast and wing linings carmine. The female is streaked above with dusky and olive brown, and is white below, with a tinge of tawny on the breast and saffron wing lining. Eight inches is their average length.
The Indigo Bird ( Passerina cyanea) is a familiar roadside songster, that likes to sing in the hottest of weather, and show his fine clothes. The male is indigo blue, with dark wings and tail. The female is plain brown, with just a suggestion of a blue suffusion when viewed in the proper light. The difference in the coloring of the sexes is equalled by the difference in their tem- peraments ; for while the male is always in sight, the female is exceedingly shy. The length of the Indigo Bird is six inches.
The Scarlet Tanager (Piranga erythromelas) lives mostly in the tops of tall forest trees, especially in oak timber. Its secluded habits make it seem less common than it really is. If one knows the bird's song, which sounds much like a robin's pronounced very quickly, he may find a tanager any day. The male is scarlet, with black wings and tail. The female is olive green, turning yellowish below. Tanagers are about seven inches long.
The Barn Swallow (Chelidon erythrogaster) is the commonest and most evenly distributed of its family. It formerly nested on cliffs or in caves, but was quick to recognize the advantages offered by buildings, and completely changed its habit. Now, instead of being confined to such localities as offer natural sites for their nests, they find nesting opportunities wherever the settler has pushed his way, and the result is a wide distribution and a probable increase of numbers. Barn swallows have deeply forked tails, steel blue backs, and buffy under parts, chestnut forehead and throat, and a blackish collar. They are seven inches long.
The Eave Swallow ( Petrochelidon lunifrons) is a social bird, almost invariably found in colonies. They used to attach their odd mud nests to cliffs, and are still called the Cliff Swallow by many. They now build to the rafters of open sheds or beneath the eaves of barns. Their gregariousness makes them somewhat local. In size, disposition, and color they have a strong resem- blance to the Barn Swallow. But their tails are nearly even, and there is a large spot of buff on the rump, which serves to distinguish a Cliff Swallow at quite a distance.
The White-bellied Swallow ( Tachycineta bicolor) is the first swallow to come north. It comes the first week in April, and directly pre-empts a bird-house for a home. If houses are scarce, it is willing to put up with any odd crevice, such as a rat hole in
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The Birds of Littleton.
the corner of an old house, or an unused gutter, or even a hollow tree, - the only house its progenitors knew. They are intolerant of other birds of any species, and rarely allow a large house to be occupied by a second pair. White Bellies are bluish green above and clear white beneath.
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