File:The book of birds; common birds of town and country and American game birds (1921) (14749345801).jpg

Identifier: bookofbirdscommo00hens (find matches)
Title: The book of birds; common birds of town and country and American game birds
Year: 1921 (1920s)
Authors: Henshaw, Henry W. (Henry Wetherbee), 1850-1930 National Geographic Society (U.S.) Fuertes, Louis Agassiz, 1874-1927 Kennard, Frederic Hedge, 1865- Cooke, Wells Woodbridge, 1858-1916 Shiras, George, 1859-1942
Subjects: Birds -- United States
Publisher: Washington, D.C., National geographic society

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red. So expertare they on the wing that no insect is safefrom them, even the swift dragonfly being cap-tured with ease. Unfortunately their erraticflight tempts men to use them for targets, andthis inexcusable practice is seriously diminish-ing their numbers, which is deplorable, sinceno birds are more useful. This species makesno nest, but lays its two spotted eggs on thebare ground, sometimes on the gravel roof ofthe city house. The nighthawk is a voraciousfeeder and is almost exclusively insectivorous.Some stomachs contained from 30 to 50 dif-ferent kinds of insects, and more than 600kinds have been identified from the stomachsthus far examined. From 500 to i.ooo ants areoften found in a stomach. Several species ofmosquitoes, including Anopheles, the transmit-ter of malaria, are eaten. Other well-knownpests destroyed by the nighthawk are the Colo-rado potato beetle, cucumber lieetlcs, chestnut,rice, clover-leaf, and cotton-boll weevils, bill-bugs, ))ark beetles, and squash bugs. 18
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Horned J.arxKingbird Arkansas Kincjhird NiGHTIIAWK 19 MAGPIE (Pica pica hudsonia) Length, from about i8 to 21 inches. Theblack head and body and the white belly, whitewing patches, and long tail arc distinguishingfeatures. The yellow-billed magpie is smaller,with a yellow bill. Range: A characteristic • western species.Breeds from Aleutian Islands and Alaska, cen-tral Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, and Win-nipeg Lake south to northern Arizona and NewMexico, and from the Cascades and Sierra towestern North Dakota and western Texas;resident. There are two species of magpies, the yellow-billed being confined to California, where it isvery local. In general the habits of the twoare similar. Maggie, as this bird is famil-iarly known in the West, possesses dual traits.He is beautiful of plumage and adds much tothe interest of the landscape as he flies fromfield to held, his long tail extending behind likea rudder. Of eminently sociable disposition, this birdis rarely seen alone. He prefe

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