. 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 Russet-backed Thrushes converse with these brothers of the air,—may, indeed, pro- voke them to trebled utterance in passing. Russet-backed Thrushes are among the later arrivals of the season. Those which nest in southern latitudes, how- ever, arrive first; and others bound for Alaskan ports are sometimes passing over their heads while the local birds are sitting on their nests. Late May, therefore, is the nesting month for such as remain at the
. 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 Russet-backed Thrushes converse with these brothers of the air,—may, indeed, pro- voke them to trebled utterance in passing. Russet-backed Thrushes are among the later arrivals of the season. Those which nest in southern latitudes, how- ever, arrive first; and others bound for Alaskan ports are sometimes passing over their heads while the local birds are sitting on their nests. Late May, therefore, is the nesting month for such as remain at the lower levels; but June nests are the rule in Transi- tion areas, and July nests in the upper mountain valleys. In home building this Thrush makes no effort at nest conceal- ment, trusting rather to the seclu- sion of its haunts. The materials which enter into the construction of the nest are themselves in a measure protective, especially in those numerous instances in which the exterior is composed entirely of green moss. At other times, twigs, bark-strips, and grasses are used; but the two things which give character to the nest of this Thrush are the mud-cup, or matrix, of mud and leaf-mold, and the lin- ing of dried leaf-skeletons. I have surprised a mother Russet at her task of cup-moulding, and verily her bib was as dirty as that of any child making mud pies. For although the beak serves for hod and trowel, the finishing touches, the actual moulding, must be accomplished by pres- sure of the bird's breast. In favored regions the nests of this Thrush are excessively common. A small party of us, working together, found twelve in two hours on the Pajaro River bottom. During a season's nesting in the northern humid belt (of Washington) Mr. D. E. Brown located about a hundred sets of the Russet-backed Thrush, taking no account of nests in other stages of occu- pation. In distance from the ground, nests varied from six inches to forty feet, although a four or five-foot elevat
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1923
