A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Science
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Birds -- North America
The observations of Dr. Kennerly, if they are to be received as
characteristic of the Western Creepers, do not correspond with those
of our Eastern birds, as far as we have observed them. None of our
birds are more easily approached, and when they are pursuing their
search for food, none are more regardless of observation. The
statement that our Creeper, when watched, moves to the opposite side
of the tree from the looker-on, has found a certain currency in our
books. We are, however, of the opinion that this is owing to its
restless activity, prompting it to constant changes of place and
position, and not to its timidity or caution. We have uniformly found
them either unconscious or regardless of our near presence.
They are solitary in their habits, and frequent, especially in the
summer, deep woods, searching for their favorite food in high places
where it is difficult to reach them, but this is no necessary evidence
of their shyness. They often hunt for their food in very exposed
places, with equal courage and recklessness. It is an active, restless
bird, associating with Titmice and the smaller Woodpeckers, moving
with great rapidity from side to side and from place to place. They
breed in hollow trees, in the deserted holes of the Woodpeckers, and
in the decayed stumps and branches of trees. Their nest is a loose
aggregation of soft, warm materials, not interwoven, but simply
collected with regard to no other requisite than warmth.
In the summer of 1851 our party, in their visit to one of the smaller
Grand Menan Islands, was so fortunate as to meet with the nest of this
bird. It was built in a decayed birch-tree, only a few feet from the
ground, and contained five eggs nearly ready to hatch. This was on the
20th of June. The nest was an intermingling of decayed wood, the fur
of small quadrupeds, and feathers, but with so little adherence or
consistency of form that it was impossible to retain the materials in
position after removal.
So far from evincing any timidity, the birds refused to leave their
nest, and could hardly be prevented from following it when removed
from the woods to a house on the island. One of our companions,
returning to the woods in order to secure the birds for the sake of
identification, found the pair still lingering round the place of
their rifled nest. Upon his approach they began to circle round his
head with reproachful cries, and continued to keep so close to him
that it was impossible to shoot one without mutilating it. At length
one of the birds alighted on a small branch held over his head by a
lad who accompanied him, and in this position was secured by shooting
it with a pistol loaded with the finest shot. Its mate could have been
secured, as she persisted in pursuing them, but she was not molested.
Throughout there was not a trace of timidity on the part of either
bird, but the most reckless and daring devotion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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