Our Migrant Birds And How to Know Them
INTRODUCTION . THE flattering reception accorded to my previous volume, Our Resident Birds, and How to Know Them, encourages me to follow it up with the present work dealing with our summer and winter visitors. I have adhered to the same general plan as that followed in the first book. First, to group the birds under their main habitats, as follows I. Birds of the gardens, orchards and cultivated districts. 11. Birds of the woods and well-wooded districts. III. Birds of the commons, downs, moqrland and mo- ntainousd istricts. IV. Birds of the streams, rivers, lakes and marshy districts. v. Birds of the sea, seashore and cliffs. Secondly, to sub-divide these groups under A Colour. B Size. In the two volumes I have endeavoured to cover the whole subject of British Birds, and it has been my aim to provide two little companions which will enable the bird-lover to identify without trouble any bird he may see at any season of the year. If this result be achieved, I shall feel that the work e
...ntailed in com - p ilation has been amply repaid. E. F. M. E. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK WHEN seeing a bird you do not know, first of all make a mental note of your environment. This will decide which of the five Habitat Headings you should look under. At the same time try and visualise the colourappearance of the bird, and also its size-whether small, medium or large. Then turn to one of the appropriate Tables--see pages 12 to 14-and you should without much difficulty be able to place your bird or at any rate find a clue to its identity. If at this stage you are not convinced as to the species turn to the body of the book and read carefully. In addition to noting its colour and size, you may have observed some characteristic habit, in flight, gait or language, and reference to such will be found which will enable you to settle the question. To take an example of three of our commonest summer visitors Habitat-the garden, etc. Observed several small, dusky birds flying rapidly in the air during the summertime. Consult table of Migrant Birds of the Garden, etc. Look under column l Black or black and white, and you will find five species mentioned. You saw one or other of these-the first two you can probably eliminate as the White Wagtail is only a casual visitor, and the Pied Flycatcher is local in distribution. The three remaining possibilities are our old friends the Swallow, the House Martin and the Swift. Consult the information as to these birds in the body of the book, and you should soon be able to decide which of the three species you saw. 9 B LIST OF CONTENTS Page MIGRANTB IRDS O F TRE Gardens, Orchards and Cultivated l Districts - - - - - - 17 MIGRANTB IRDS O F THE Woods and Well-Wooded Districts 31 23 dbo, c Ckrrj- 30nl, wiiry k e k v u . MIGRANTB IRDS O F THE Commons, Downs, Moorland and Mountainous Districts - - - - 55 l3 h a y J., wP--, tr. A, q. rc c DI U - 1e-pL I A-. MIGRANT BIRDS OF THE Streams, Rivers, Lakes and , 69 pc. d I - 97 NOTES Sp. Spring. A. Autumn. S. Summer. W. Winter. MIGRANT BIRDS OF THE GARDEN, ORCHARDS AND CULTIVATED DISTRICTS. Black or Black and White. Small-White Wagtail sp l Small-Swallow Sp. to A. Pied House Martin Sp. toA . Flycatcher Sp. to A. Swift - - Sp. to A. Black and Pink. Medium-Rose-coloured Starling - S. Brown. Small-Spotted l Medium-Quail - - Sp. to A. Flycatcher Sp. to A. Landrail - Sp. Jo A. Medium-Redwing - A. to Sp. Green and Yellow. SmalZ-Blueheaded I Small-Yellow Wagtail - S. Wagtail SP. to A. Variegated Colours. SmalC-Redstart - Sp. to A. Medium-Fieldfare - A. to SQ. Black Redstart A... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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