. Baby birds at home . e Nightingale is closely related to therobin, and the two birds are very similar inpose, and also in disposition and habits. Iftheir eggs are exchanged they will rear eachothers chicks without any difficulty. The nest of this species is made of drygrass stems, dead leaves, moss, and rootlets,with an inner lining of fine dry grass andhorsehair. It is built on or close to theground near a stump, trunk of a tree, or ina bank. Four, five, or even as many as sixeggs are laid, of a dark olive green or olivebrown colour. The nestlings are fed by both parent birdsupon small cate


. Baby birds at home . e Nightingale is closely related to therobin, and the two birds are very similar inpose, and also in disposition and habits. Iftheir eggs are exchanged they will rear eachothers chicks without any difficulty. The nest of this species is made of drygrass stems, dead leaves, moss, and rootlets,with an inner lining of fine dry grass andhorsehair. It is built on or close to theground near a stump, trunk of a tree, or ina bank. Four, five, or even as many as sixeggs are laid, of a dark olive green or olivebrown colour. The nestlings are fed by both parent birdsupon small caterpillars, moths, flies, and allkinds of insects. The male Nightingalegenerally ceases to sing as soon as the chicksare hatched. The writer has, however, onmore than one occasion, heard one singimmediately after having fed the chicks. Young birds of this species are, in theirfirst coats of feathers, somewhat similar inappearance to fledgling robins. During Julyand August young and old wing their waysouth for the %■•■ •* «- -> ** <# STARLING The Starling NEARLY everybody knows the Starling,for it is almost as common as thehouse sparrow. Although an alert, warybird, it is by no means shy, especially duringthe breeding season, or severe weather inthe winter, when it will visit gardens andcontend with any other feathered pensionerfor a share of our bounty. At such seasonsthe bird is especially fond of fragments ofsoaked dog biscuit. The Starling feeds upon worms, grubs,beetles and all kinds of injurious insects, butin the cherry season it varies this diet byvisiting gardens and orchards in search ofdessert, to the anger of their owners, who donot, alas! always remember the old adagethat one good turn deserves another/ Flocks of Starlings may often be seenfeeding near sheep. Sometimes the birdsalight on the backs of these animals, hencethe name Sheepster we often hear this 87 88 Baby Birds at Home species called by farmers in the north ofEngland. As a singer t


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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectbirdsju, bookyear1912