Bird Notes, Part 1, v658
Page 191
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
listen to the "other" bird. April 14th. At about 7:20 Brown-eyes had a good meal of soft food and worms and ,when finished, took two worms down to Green-eyes at the nest, havig first called to let him know that she was coming. I was next in the vicinity of t the nest about 10 O'clock , Green-eyes being off duty. He refused to take food from my hand, but would take worms toss- ed to him at my feet. When ready to relieve his mate, he called and went to the nest without taking food with him, Brown-eyes appearing at once for food. The difference in the tameness of these two birds is very marked. April 15th. This morning Brown-eyes came and looked me up where I was pruning in the garden , announcing her coming by her "bluebird" calls. At 1 P.M. she was on the oval lawn and had a good meal of soft food. When finished with this I held out to her the tin box of worms. She took three, taking one at a time and holding all in her bill at once-- not an easy thing to do without dropping at least one of them --started for the nest about . While doing this she commen- cd giving her "approach signal" (the 'bluebird' call)-- a sure sign that she intended taking them to Green-eyes on the nest 200 feet way. She then ran rapidly toward the nest, flying only when there were open spaces with to cross with no trees overhead. This is "standard" prac- tise. When Green-eyes is off duty he does not wander around so openly, although I suspect that he may range farther. He certainly does his full share of incubating. Brown-eyes is more likely to take food to her mate than Green-eyes, although he does it occasionally. Brown-eyes is once more sleek and glossy without a misplaced feather and looks as if she were getting fat. While pecking about