File:Bird neighbors. An introductory acquaintance with one hundred and fifty birds commonly found in the gardens, meadows, and woods about our homes (1904) (14752520825).jpg

Identifier: birdneighbors00blan (find matches)
Title: Bird neighbors. An introductory acquaintance with one hundred and fifty birds commonly found in the gardens, meadows, and woods about our homes
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Blanchan, Neltje, 1865-1918
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: New York : Grosset & Dunlap

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species, at least, has a soft, mellow voice thatseems to indicate an embryonic songster. K-k-k-k, kow-kow-ow-kow-ow ! is a familiar sound in many localities, but the large,slim, pigeon-shaped, brownish-olive bird that makes it, securelyhidden in the lov/ trees and shrubs that are its haunts, is notoften personally known. Catching a glimpse only of the grayish-white under parts from where we stand looking up into the treeat it, it is quite impossible to tell the bird from the yellow-billedspecies. When, as it flies about, we are able to note the redcircles about its eyes, its black bill, and the absence of black tailfeathers, with their white thumb-nail spots, and see no brightcinnamon feathers on the wings (the yellow-billed species dis-tinguishing marks), we can at last claim acquaintance with theblack-billed cuckoo. Our two common cuckoos are so nearlyalike that they are constantly confused in the popular mind andvery often in the writings of ornithologists. At first glance the 140
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YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO Brown, Olive or Grayish Brown, and Brown and Gray Sparrowy Birds birds look alike. Their haunts are almost identical ; their habitsare the same ; and, as they usually keep well out of sight, it isnot surprising if confusion arise. Neither cuckoo knows how to build a proper home; a bunchof sticks dropped carelessly into the bush, where the haplessbabies that emerge from the greenish eggs will not have far tofall when they tumble out of bed, as they must inevitably do,may by courtesy only be called a nest. The cuckoo is said tosuck the eggs of other birds ; but, surely, such vice is only therarest dissipation. Insects of many kinds and tent caterpillarschiefly are their chosen food. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyius americanus) Cuckoo family Called also: RAIN CROW Length—ii to 12 inches. About one-fifth longer than the robin. Male and Female—Grayish brown above, with bronze tint infeathers. Underneath grayish white. Bill, which is aslong as head, arched, acute, and

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