that serves as a nest is saddled； four or five buff…speckled eggs are laid； and by some special dispensation rarely fall out of their insecure cradle。
A sharp； loud whistle； wheuo…wheu…o…wheu…o； rings out from the throat of this olive…sided tyrant； warning all intruders off the premises； but however harshly he may treat the rest of the feathered world； he has only gentle devotion to offer his brooding mate。
LEAST FLYCATCHER （Empidonax minimus） Flycatcher family
Called also： CHEBEC
Length 5 to 5。5 inches。 About an inch smaller than the English sparrow。 Male Gray or olive…gray above； paler on wings and lower part of back； and a more distinct olive…green on head。 Underneath grayish white； sometimes faintly suffused with pale yellow。 wings have whitish bars。 White eye…ring。 Lower half of bill horn color。 Female is slightly more yellowish underneath。 Range Eastern North America； from tropics northward to Quebec； Migrations May。 September。 Common summer resident。
This； the smallest member of its family； takes the place of the more southerly Acadian flycatcher； throughout New England and the region of the Great Lakes。 But； unlike his Southern relative； he prefers orchards and gardens close to our homes for his hunting grounds rather than the wet recesses of the forests。 Che…bec； che…bec； the diminutive olive…pated gray sprite calls out from the orchard between his aerial sallies after the passing insects that have been attracted by the decaying fruit； and chebec is the name by which many New Englanders know him。
While giving this characteristic call…note； with drooping jerking tail； trembling wings； and uplifted parti…colored bill； he looks unnerved and limp by the effort it has cost him。 But in the next instant a gnat flies past。 How quickly the bird recovers itself； and charges full…tilt at his passing dinner！ The sharp click of his little bill proves that he has not missed his aim； and after careering about in the air another minute or two； looking for more game to snap up on the wing； he will return to the same perch and take up his familiar refrain。 Without hearing this call…note one might often mistake the bird for either the wood pewee or the phoebe； for all the three are similarly clothed and have many traits in common。 The slightly large size of the phoebe and pewee is not always apparent when they are seen perching on the trees。 Unlike the 〃tuft of hay〃 to which the Acadian flycatcher's nest has been likened； the least flycatcher's home is a neat； substantial cup…shaped cradle softly lined with down or horsehair； and placed generally in an upright crotch of a tree； well above the ground。
THE CHICKADEE （Parus atricapillus） Titmouse family
Called also： BLACK…CAPPED TITMOUSE； BLACK…CAP TIT； ＇BLACK…CAPPED CHICKADEE； AOU 1998＇
Length 5 to 5。5 inches。 About an inch smaller than the English sparrow。 Male and Female Not crested。 Crown and nape and throat black。 Above gray； slightly tinged with brown。 A white space； beginning at base of bill； extends backwards； widening over cheeks and upper part of breast； forming a sort of collar that almost surrounds neck。 Underneath dirty white。 with pale rusty brown wash on sides。 Wings and tail gray。 with white edgings。 Plumage downy。 Range Eastern North America。 North of the Carolinas to Labrador。 Does not migrate in the North。 Migrations Late September。 May。 Winter resident； permanent resident in northern parts of the United States。
No 〃fair weather friend〃 is the jolly little chickadee。 In the depth of the autumn equinoctial storm it returns to the tops of the trees close by the house； where； through the sunshine； snow； and tempest of the entire winter； you may hear its cheery； irrepressible chickadee…dee…dee…dee or day…day…day as it swings Around the dangling cones of the evergreens。 It fairly overflows with good spirits； and is never more contagiously gay than in a snowstorm。 So active； so friendly and cheering； what would the long northern winters be like without this lovable little neighbor？
It serves a more utilitarian purpose； however； than bracing faint…hearted spirits。 〃There is no bird that compares with it in destroying the female canker…worm moths and their eggs；〃 writes a well…known entomologist。 He calculates that as a chickadee destroys about 5；500 eggs in one day； it will eat 138；750 eggs in the twenty…five days it takes the canker…worm moth to crawl up the trees。 The moral that it pays to attract chickadees about your home by feeding them in winter is obvious。 Mrs。 Mabel Osgood Wright； in her delightful and helpful book 〃Birdcraft；〃 tells us how she makes a sort of a bird…hash of finely minced raw meat； waste canary…seed； buckwheat； and cracked oats； which she scatters in a sheltered spot for all the winter birds。 The way this is consumed leaves no doubt of its popularity。 A raw bone； hung from an evergreen limb； is equally appreciated。
Friendly as the chickadee is and Dr。 Abbott declares it the tamest bird we have it prefers well…timbered districts； especially where there are red…bud trees； when it is time to nest。 It is very often clever enough to leave the labor of hollowing out a nest in the tree…trunk to the woodpecker or nuthatch； whose old homes it readily appropriates； or； when these birds object； a knot…hole or a hollow fence…rail answers every purpose。 Here； in the summer woods； when family cares beset it； a plaintive； minor whistle replaces the chickadee…dee…dee that Thoreau likens to 〃silver tinkling〃 as he heard it on a frosty morning。
〃Piped a tiny voice near by； Gay and polite； a cheerful cry Chick…chickadeedee！ saucy note Out of sound heart and merry throat； As if it said； 'Good…day； good Sir！ Fine afternoon； old passenger！ Happy to meet you in these places Where January brings few faces。'〃 Emerson。
TUFTED TITMOUSE （Parus bicolor） Titmouse family
Called also： CRESTED TITMOUSE； CRESTED TOMTIT
Length 6 to 6。 inches。 About the size of the English sparrow。 Male and Female Crest high and pointed。 Leaden or ash…gray above； darkest on wings and tail。 Frontlet； bill； and shoulders black； space between eyes gray。 Sides of head dull white。 Under parts light gray； sides yellowish； tinged with red。 Range United States east of plains； and only rarely seen so far north as New England。 Migrations October。 April。 Winter resident； but also found throughout the year in many States。
〃A noisy titmouse is Jack Frost's trumpeter〃 may be one of those few weather…wise proverbs with a grain of truth in them。 As the chickadee comes from the woods with the frost； so it may be noticed his cousin； the crested titmouse； is in more noisy evidence throughout the winter。
One might sometimes think his whistle； like a tugboat's； worked by steam。 But how effectually nesting cares alone can silence it in April！
Titmice always see to it you are not lonely as you walk through the woods。 This lordly tomtit； with his jaunty crest； keeps up a persistent whistle at you as he flits from tree to tree； leading you deeper into the forest； calling out 〃Here…here…here！'； and looking like a pert and jaunty little blue jay； minus his gay clothes。 Mr。 Nehrling translates one of the calls 〃Heedle…deedle…deedle…dee！〃 and another 〃Peto…peto…peto…daytee…daytee！〃 But it is at the former； sharply whistled as the crested titmouse gives it； that every dog pricks up his ears。
Comparatively little has been written about this bird； because it is not often found in New England； where most of the bird litterateurs have lived。 South of New York State； however； it is a common resident； and much respected for the good work it does in destroying injurious insects； though it is more fond of varying its diet with nuts； berries； and seeds than that all…round benefactor； the chickadee。
CANADA JAY （Perisoreus canadensis） Crow and Jay family
Called also： WHISKY JACK OR JOHN； MOOSE…BIRD； MEAT BIRD； VENISON HERON； GREASE…BIRD； CANADIAN CARRION…BIRD； CAMP ROBBER； ＇GRAY JAY； AOU 1998＇
Length 11 to 12 inches。 About two inches larger than the robin。 Male and Female Upper p arts gray； darkest on wings and tail； back of the head and nape of the neck sooty； almost black。 Forehead； throat； and neck white； and a few white tips on wings and tail。 Underneath lighter gray。 Tail long。 Plumage fluffy。 Range Northern parts of the United States and British Provinces of North America。 Migrations Resident where found。
The Canada jay looks like an exaggerated chickadee； and both birds are equally fond of bitter cold weather； but here the similarity stops short。 Where the chickadee is friendly the jay is impudent and bold； hardly less of a villain than his blue relative when it comes to marauding other birds' nests and destroying their young。 With all his vices； however； intemperance cannot be attributed to him； in spite of the name given him by the Adirondack lumbermen and guides。 〃Whisky John〃 is a purely innocent corruption of 〃Wis…ka…tjon；〃 as the Indians call this bird that haunts their camps and familiarly enters their wigwams。 The numerous popular names by which the Canada jays are known are admirably accounted for by Mr。 Hardy in