. The book of birds, common birds of town and country and American game birds . the Iniied Stateswest to Texas, Colorado, and Montana, and insouthern Canada; winters in the southern halfof the breeding range. Habits and economic status: This lilackbirdis a beautiful species, and is well known fromits habit of congregating in city parks and nest-ing there year after year. Like other specieswhich habitually asseml)le in great flocks, it isca])able of inflicting much damage on any cropit attacks, and where it is harmful a judiciousreduction of numbers is probably sound policy. It shares with the
. The book of birds, common birds of town and country and American game birds . the Iniied Stateswest to Texas, Colorado, and Montana, and insouthern Canada; winters in the southern halfof the breeding range. Habits and economic status: This lilackbirdis a beautiful species, and is well known fromits habit of congregating in city parks and nest-ing there year after year. Like other specieswhich habitually asseml)le in great flocks, it isca])able of inflicting much damage on any cropit attacks, and where it is harmful a judiciousreduction of numbers is probably sound policy. It shares with the crow and l)lue jay the evilhaliit of pillaging the nests of small birds ofeggs and young. Nevertheless it does muchgood by destroying insect pests, especiallywhite grubs, weevils, grasshoppers, and cater-liillars. .Among the caterpillars are and other cutworms. When blackbirdsgather in large flocks, as in the MississippiValley, they may greatly damage grain, eitherwhen first sown or when in the milk. In win-ter they subsist mostly on weed seed and 16. CHIIIMNt; Si>ARR«>WWhITI-CROWN ID SPARROVV Knclism SIARROUCrow HORNED LARK (Otocoris alpestris) Length, about 7H inches. The black markacross the breast and the small, pointed tuftsof dark feathers above and behind the eyesdistinguish the bird. Range: Breeds throughout the United States(except the South Atlantic and Gulf States)and Canada; winters in all the United Statesexcept Florida. Habits and economic status: Horned larksfrequent the open country, especially the plainsand deserts. They associate in large flocks,,are hardy, apparently delighting in exposedsituations in winter, and often nest before snowdisappears. The flight is irregular and hesi-tating, but in the breeding season the malesascend high in air, singing as they go, andl)itch to the ground in t)nc thrilling dive. Thepreference of horned larks is for vegetal)lefood, and a))out one-sixth of this is grain,chiefly waste. Some
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Keywords: ., bookauthorfuer, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectbirds
