One day early in the spring, while taking bird notes I discovered a pair
of chickadees busily engaged in constructing a home. They had chosen an
old peach tree that stood just back of the yard and were rapidly
excavating a beautifully rounded circle in the decayed stump.
Perching in the mouth of the cavity the chickadee’s body would almost
disappear within and then he would withdraw himself and fly away with a
tiny chip of rotten wood in his beak. After the cavity was
satisfactorily completed they began lining the interior, which formed
the nest proper. These fastidious little feathered architects consider
nothing less than soft clean fur suitable material for a bed for their
delicate speckled eggs. In this instance rabbit’s fur was used, which
was identified by the fringe of loose hair that clung to the entrance,
for the hollow was too deep to look down into the nest.
Some time after the discovery of the chickadees’ habitation, when the
peaches and plums were in blossom and the air soft and balmy the wrens
arrived from their winter home.
These inquisitive little creatures peer out very knowingly from their
retreat amidst the verdure, at anyone who comes near, and they win the
heart of all by their pert manners and love of human companionship.
These modestly attired little warblers are extremely lively and nimbly
search among the foliage for food, destroying many harmful insects.
In scanning every possible and impossible place about the premises for a
suitable nesting site, one of these dapper little fellows spied the
snuggery in the stump which captivated his fancy, and he forthwith
proceeded to try to take possession. But such outrageous trespassing was
not to be allowed for a moment by the chickadees and whenever the little
brown rogue crept up to the entrance to peep in, out would pop the
proprietor, in his jaunty black cap, and put him to flight. The intruder
would then perch on a branch near by, stretch himself to his full
height, with tail erect, as though to appear of as much consequence as
possible, and alternately scold and pour forth defiant song at his
opponent. This antagonism was kept up for several days, till finally the
wrens gave up the contest and began furnishing a neat little bird house
in a maple tree close by.
When they had nearly completed their labor the young chickadees left the
nest to follow their sprightly parents about the orchard, whereupon the
whimsical but industrious wrens immediately abandoned their pretty
summer cottage to occupy the now vacant cavity in the stump. These two
little birds (chickadee and wren), much alike in some respects, show a
very decided difference in the choice of nesting material. The hollow
was soon filled to overflowing with sticks, the main substance of every
wren’s nest.
In due season a brood issued forth, followed by another later, to swell
the young bird population, then at its height. Only think of the amount
of extravagant activity and drollery that was reared in that cavity
nursery!
As the Creator did not implant the migratory instinct, except in the
very slightest measure in the chickadee’s nature, his travels are mostly
local and his spruce little form may be seen in all seasons. During the
fall and winter, after the fidgety wrens have departed for the sunny
southland, is the most favorable time to study the habits of the
chickadee. His actions may then be observed most readily, as he flits
among the bare branches in search of prey, occasionally taking time to
utter his cheerful chick-adee-dee.
He is a great aid to the fruit grower. Let anyone that doubts this
repair to an orchard and observe a company of them taking their meals.
And it is an interesting sight to watch a merry party of these little
creatures, as with never-ceasing activity they dexterously explore the
trees for food. With the greatest nicety they poise in every conceivable
attitude; from the trunk they dart to the topmost spray, now to the
center of the tree and then instantly to the outside branches. While
searching the trunk or a perpendicular branch, the head may be upward or
the reverse; or if a horizontal branch is undergoing examination his
feet are as likely to point heavenward as not; or he may hang suspended
from a swaying twig. Ever in motion, flitting, hopping, swinging to and
fro, they investigate every nook and cranny and draw numberless
injurious insects, their eggs and larvae from their lurking places. The
chickadee’s tongue, a fork-shaped instrument, is admirably adapted to
prying its prey out of crevices of bark.
They by no means confine their work to the orchard, but all kinds of
trees and shrubs are alike visited. In thus performing the duty assigned
them by Nature they are of inestimable service to man.
Addie L. Booker.