. The birds of California : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds found in the state. Birds; Birds. The Western House Wren As a consequence, our California House Wren is rather a bird of the woods; and there are ten times as many nests in holes in trees as there are attached to human domiciles. Once upon the scene, however, one little House Wren goes a great ways, East or West. He is bursting with energy, and music escapes from his busy mandibles like steam from a safety valve. The first task after the spring return is to renovate last year's qua
. The birds of California : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds found in the state. Birds; Birds. The Western House Wren As a consequence, our California House Wren is rather a bird of the woods; and there are ten times as many nests in holes in trees as there are attached to human domiciles. Once upon the scene, however, one little House Wren goes a great ways, East or West. He is bursting with energy, and music escapes from his busy mandibles like steam from a safety valve. The first task after the spring return is to renovate last year's quarters; but there is always time on the side to explore a new brush-heap, to scold a cat, or to indulge innumerable song-bursts. In singing his joyous trill the bird reminds one of a piece of fireworks called a "cascade," for he fills the air with a brilliant bouquet of music, and is himself, one would think, nearly consumed by the violence of the effort. But the next moment the singer is carrying out last year's feather bed by great beakfuls, or lug- ging into some cranny sticks ridiculously large for him. During the nesting season both birds are perfect little spitfires, assaulting mischievous prowlers with a fearlessness which knows no caution, and scolding in a voice which expresses the deepest scorn. The rasping note produced on such an occasion reminds one of the energetic use of a nutmeg grater by a determined housewife. Wintering birds, or at least young ones, in Southern California have a note which, though still rasping, seems quite different from any- thing I have heard in the breeding season. It is a loud, harsh, compelling note of com- plaint, uttered either singly, wuzeeeerp, or in a breathless series, zeerp, zeerp, zirp zirp. Taken in San Bernardino County Photo by Pierce NEST AND EGGS OF WESTERN HOUSE WREN PORTION OF INVESTING WOOD REMOVED 677. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for
Size: 1299px × 1924px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1923
