| To many uninitiated persons the difficulties of | | | | wing-beats, but sometimes he sails, and for the |
| identifying and recognizing birds seem insurmountable. | | | | moment would make one think he was a hawk, till he |
| Size, form and manner of flight tell a great deal, even | | | | starts on again. |
| before we can distinguish color. The use of their wings | | | | Birds likewise reveal themselves through positions in |
| by birds in flight varies very greatly. The chimney swift | | | | standing, and in their paces or other motions. |
| moves its wings quite rapidly and continuously, with | | | | Flycatchers and bluebirds stand very erect, as do |
| intervals of gliding, and they are shaped long and | | | | thrushes and the cedar waxwing. But the flycatcher |
| narrow throughout. The little hummer has long narrow | | | | soon reveals himself by darting out after an insect. |
| wings, but they are very tiny and move so fast as to | | | | The thrush stands still for quite a while, in the woods, |
| blur to the sight. The swallow's wings are pointed and | | | | unless it be a robin, while the bluebird will more likely |
| broader at the base than the swift's, nor do they | | | | take an apple tree, fence, or wire, and he is smaller |
| move quite so fast or so irregularly. The nighthawk, | | | | than the robin. The waxwing has a pronounced crest |
| "hawking" about overhead, is larger, and the long wings | | | | and usually goes in flocks. The spry movements in the |
| have a noticeable bend, with a white bar on each. The | | | | foliage will distinguish a warbler from the sedate vireo. |
| meadowlark, with short, rounded wings, flutters and | | | | The blackbird walks, as do the larks, starlings, pipits, |
| sails alternately. The kingbird poises with rapidly | | | | oven-birds, and water thrushes, while the robin, |
| quivering, extended wings, as does the kingfisher, but | | | | sparrows, and others, usually hop. The fox sparrow, |
| when the latter starts on, it proceeds with rather | | | | the thrasher and the chewink scratch away among |
| slower and more decisive flappings. Most sparrows | | | | the dead leaves, but the variegated chewink can |
| and finches have a quick, continuous flight, with rapid | | | | never be mistaken for the other brown bird, nor could |
| wing-beats in succession and short pauses, but some, | | | | the fox sparrow for the big thrasher, even if he had |
| like the gold-finch, go by jerks, rising and falling in deep | | | | not left for the north before the thrasher arrives. The |
| undulations, usually calling as they fly, as though each | | | | birds that climb thereby distinguish themselves from all |
| jerk forced air through the larynx. The woodpeckers | | | | others. One will know that the nuthatch is not a |
| also have a wavy flight, but they are larger, and can | | | | woodpecker when he persists in running down-hill on |
| be readily distinguished. | | | | the tree-trunk. The slender brown creeper, climbing in |
| The warblers are slender little birds with a sort of | | | | upward spirals, appears different from the robust |
| flickering flight. The cuckoos have a rather steady, | | | | woodpecker, and the black and white creeper or |
| gliding progression, and a very noticeable length of tail. | | | | warbler will not be taken for the brown creeper |
| The blue jay's long tail attracts notice, and he | | | | because it is so distinctly black and white, as well as |
| progresses by a regular series of flappings. His relative, | | | | because it leaves the trunk to investigate the various |
| the crow, goes by a slow, regular series of separate | | | | branches. |