File:Baby birds at home (1912) (14728470526).jpg

Identifier: babybirdsathomebb00kear (find matches)
Title: Baby birds at home
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Kearton, Richard, 1862-1928
Subjects: Birds -- Behavior Birds -- Juvenile literature
Publisher: London, New York (etc.) Cassell and company, ltd.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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on insects in thesummer, catching and killing even thelargest species of dragon-flies, and in thewinter roams, over stubble fields and wastelands, in search of grain and seeds. The Reed Sparrow is not a very accom-plished musician, but repeats his few simplenotes with wonderful persistency. The nest is generally built, on or nearthe ground, amongst rushes, coarse grass,heather, or in a stunted bush. It is madeof dry grass and moss, with an inner liningof fine dead grass, hair, and the featherytops of reed stems. Five eggs are generally laid, although asmany as seven have been found in a clutch.They are pale olive or purplish grey inground colour, spotted and streaked withrich, dark, purple brown markings. Theeggs are smaller than those laid by anybunting breeding in our country, and arethus easily distinguished from those of theyellow-hammer and corn-bunting. The male sits on the eggs whilst thefemale is away searching for food, and helpsto feed the chicks after they have beenhatched.
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DIPPER. The Dipper THE Dipper, or Water Ouzel, as itis sometimes called, is one of themost interesting birds to be found inour country. It is not quite so large asa song thrush, and is shaped somewhatlike a wren. Its head, and upper partsgenerally, are black, breast snowy white, andunderside chestnut. If you did not know you would neverguess from the birds appearance how itobtained its food. Without webbed feet orany other advantage of structure not pos-sessed by a blackbird, the Dipper goes underwater in search of the insects that form itsfood. In olden days it was thought thatthe bird could literally walk along thebottom of a stream, but this is not so.Upon going under water it uses its wings,as it does when in flight, but, of course, itsrate of progression is much slower. The Water Ouzel is by no means a 127 128 Baby Birds at Home sociable bird, and you never see more thantwo together unless it be in the breedingseason, when you may come upon a family.A pair of these birds will tak

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