Bill, moderate, conic; wings, short, rounded, usually with the fifth and
sixth quills slightly longest; tail, lengthened, rounded at the tip;
tarsi and toes, lengthened, strong; claws, short, curved. A genus of
birds related to _Zonotrichia_, and containing several species, all of
which are American.
Embernagra Blandingiana. (Gambel.)
Fringilla Blandingiana. Gamb., Proc. Acad. Philada. I. p. 260, (April,
1843)
Fringilla chlorura. Aud. Orn. Biog. V. p. 336?
Form. Rather robust, bill strong, wing short, second, third and fourth
quills nearly equal, third slightly longest, tail rather long, legs and
feet strong, claws well developed, that on the hind toe large.
Dimensions. Adult. Total length (of skin) from tip of bill to end of
tail, about 7 inches; wing, 3⅛; tail, 3¼ inches.
Colors. Head, above, fine rufous chestnut. All other upper parts,
yellowish green, tinged with ashy. Throat, white, which color is
bordered on each side by a line of ashy black. Sides of the neck, the
breast and sides of the body, and flanks, light cinereous, tinged with
ochre on the latter and under tail coverts. Middle of the lower part of
breast, and of the abdomen, white. Wing, at its flexure and under wing
coverts, yellow. Quills and tail-feathers, light greenish yellow on
their outer webs.
Hab. California and Texas. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada., and Nat. Mus.
Washington.
Obs. This species resembles somewhat several others which are natives of
the Southern extreme of North America, though not sufficiently to be
readily confounded with either of them.
The description of _Fringilla chlorura_, Aud. in Orn. Biog. V. p. 336,
consists of extracts of letters from Dr. Townsend, in which a bird is
described, of which he procured no specimens, but evidently like the
present, in some respects, but not with sufficient precision to be
determined. He represents it as “a true _Fringilla_. The head of light
brownish color spotted with dusky, back varied with dusky and greenish
olive, rump brownish spotted with dusky, &c.” Our present bird is by no
means a true Fringilla, nor does the description otherwise apply to it
with such degree of probability as to be relied on.
[Illustration: Plate 13
The American House Finch
Carpodacus familiaris (_M‘Call_)]
CARPODACUS FAMILIARIS.—M‘Call.
The American House-Finch.
PLATE XIII.—Male and Female.
When the winter of our northern climes has abated its rigors, and the
season of brighter skies and returning flowers approaches, none of its
early tokens are welcomed with more pleasing associations, than the
reappearance of those familiar birds, which, like the Wren, the Blue
Bird, and the Pewee Flycatcher, come pleasantly into the immediate
vicinity of our dwellings, to select accommodations for the construction
of their nests, and for rearing their young. They share the hospitality
of the splendid mansion and the humble cottage, and are made welcome
alike in each.
Of birds of this description, no species is more remarkable for its
confiding disposition, than the little Finch now before the reader, and
which is a native of the western countries of North America. It not only
approaches the abodes of men without hesitation, and occupies habitually
the suitable parts of houses and other buildings, but resorts in large
numbers to such uncongenial localities as one might think them, as towns
and cities. In several of those in New Mexico, and California, this bird
is very abundant, and is a great favorite.
Several species of the same genus to which the present belongs, all of
which present considerable similarity, inhabit northern countries of
this continent, and others are found in the same latitudes of the old
world. The males of all the species are clothed in plumage of fine
crimson, or of purple of various and delicate shades, when they have
attained maturity. The females are however of much plainer appearance,
and generally present little similarity of color to their more gay
consorts. The Purple Finch (_Carpodacus purpureus_) is the best-known
American bird of this group. It is common as a winter visitor in the
middle and southern States, and at that season its habits are such only
as are adapted to a roving life in the woods. It retires in the spring
to the northern states, and the mountains of Pennsylvania, and is there
regarded with much favor on account of the beauty of its plumage and its
agreeable song.
A species of the old world (_C. erythrinus_), which is one of several
that are natives of northern Russia, of Siberia and Kamtschatka, is very
similar in its general appearance to the Purple Finch, and, like it too,
it has an extensive range of migration, appearing throughout European
and Asiatic Russia, and the northern countries of India. Of the Asiatic
species, one is remarkable for having been discovered on Mount Sinai, by
an European naturalist, and in reference to that fact, has been named by
him the Sinai Finch (_Carpodacus sinaiticus_.)
Our present bird appears to be the species alluded to by Dr. Gambel as
the crimson-fronted Finch, _Erythrospiza frontalis_ (Say), in the
Journal of the Philadelphia Academy, Quarto, I. p. 53, in the following
passage: “This handsome songster we first observed in New Mexico,
particularly about Sante Fé, where it is an abundant and familiar
resident, keeping about the _corrals_ and gardens, and building its nest
under the portals and sheds of the houses. In July the young were ready
to fly, which must have been a second brood, or else they begin to lay
much later than in California. Under a long shed or _portal_, in the
Plaza or Square of Sante Fé, they had a great many nests; and the old
birds would sometimes fly down about our feet while sitting at the
doors, to pick up crumbs, &c. for their young.
“In California, it is also an extremely abundant and familiar resident,
and is called by the inhabitants _Buriones_. During winter they assemble
in flocks, frequenting the bushy plains and hill-sides, hedges,
vineyards and gardens, living on the various kinds of seeds which are so
abundant, and also sometimes doing considerable damage among the grapes.
Early in March they commence pairing, and soon are busy building their
nests; placing entire confidence in man (which is but too often
misplaced) they persist in building about the houses; on the projecting
planks under the portals, under the eaves, in sheds, boxes or in any
nook they can find. I once found a nest in a small box of seeds which
had been stuck up over a door. They will also build on the horizontal
branch of a tree in the garden, and a great many nests are made in the
willow hedges of the vineyards, but they prefer by far the rafters under
the sheds and houses, repaying the inmates for the privilege, with their
most melodious song, which is continued during summer, from the roof
near the nest. The nest is made of small sticks, or stems of weeds,
willow catkins and down of the willow, and lined with horse-hair. They
usually lay five eggs, sometimes of a plain bluish white color only, but
generally having a few scattering streaks and specks of dark brown on
the larger end. Some nests are made principally of feathers, cotton or
wool, with a few sticks and dried grass, and lined with horse-hair.
Frequently only four eggs are found in the nest, and they often have a
very few specks or streaks on one side only.
“It would be impossible, with words, to describe the song of this
western Orpheus; and although California contains many song-birds, among
others the Mocking-Bird, yet there is none more exhilarating to the
feelings, or melodious and tender to the ear, than the song of this
Finch.”
This bird was first described satisfactorily as a distinct species, by
Col. M‘Call, in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy, VI. p. 61,
(April 1852.) In a previous paper in the same periodical, V. p. 219
(June 1851) he thus alludes to it:
“I found this charming little Finch abundant at Sante Fé, where it
commenced nesting in March, although the weather was still wintry, and
so continued, with frequent snow-storms, for more than a month.
Notwithstanding this, the song of the male failed not to cheer his mate
during incubation, with the liveliest melody. The notes often reminded
me of the soft trill of the house-wren, and as often of the clear warble
of the canary. The males of the last year, though mated and apparently
equally happy and quite as assiduous as their seniors, were not yet in
full plumage, having little or nothing of the red colors that mark the
adult birds.
“The nests, which were stuck into every cranny about the eaves and
porticoes of the houses throughout the town, were variously composed of
dry grass, fine roots, horse-hair, long pieces of cotton twine, or
strips of old calico; in fine, of countless odds and ends, that were
picked up about the yards;—these were curiously and firmly interwoven,
so as to make a warm and comfortable abode for the new-comers. Eggs,
four or five, pale blue, slightly marked on the larger end. The young
were able to fly by the middle or latter part of April. A second brood,
and in some cases, I believe a third was raised during the summer, as
not a few of them continue to incubate until some time in the month of
August. Before the latter part of September, however, nearly all of them
had disappeared from about Santa Fé.”
For the following additional account of this species, prepared expressly
for the present article, we are also indebted to Col. M‘Call:
“Whilst residing in New Mexico, I always remarked a gentle amity in the
character of this lively little songster which failed not to bespeak for
him the kindly regard of all with whom he made his abode, whether the
wealthy proprietor of the manor-house, or the humble _peon_, whose
miserable hut stood aloof from the mansion. For, the same cheerful
melody that soothed the noontide of the former while idly swinging in
his hammock, welcomed the appearance of the latter as he came forth at
the dawn of day to resume his toil; the same confiding familiarity was
observable in his approach to both, and the same merry pranks were
played, whether feeding on the bounty of the one, or gleaning a more
scanty meal near the ill-furnished table of the other. It was this
pleasing trait in his character which prompted me in the choice of his
name.
“His disposition also towards other birds, appeared to be mild and
peaceful, as I had many opportunities to observe. I will mention one
instance: In the piazza of the house I occupied, quite a colony of these
birds had their nests: here the work of building and incubation had gone
on prosperously for several weeks, although the weather at times was
stormy and cold, and ere the genial warmth of spring was fairly felt,
the colony might have been said to be fully established. As the season
advanced and birds of less hardy nature began to arrive from the south,
a pair of Barn-Swallows (_H. rufa_) made their appearance, and forthwith
entered the territory of the Finches. And here they at once, very
unceremoniously, began to erect their domicil. This act of aggression
would have been fiercely resented by most birds, and violent measures
would have been promptly resorted to, to eject the intruders. The
conduct of the little finches was quite different: at first they stood
aloof and seemed to regard the strangers with suspicion and distrust,
rather than enmity. In the mean time the swallows went quietly to work,
without showing any inclination to intermeddle; and in a day or two
[their mud-walls all the time rapidly advancing] they gained the
confidence of their neighbors, and finally completed their work
unmolested. Indeed, a perfect harmony was established between the
parties, which I never saw interrupted by a single quarrel during the
time they remained my tenants.
“This incident, and I would mention others were it necessary,
illustrates the character of this species in strong contrast with that
of its relative, the Purple-Finch, (_C. purpureus_,) which both Wilson
and Audubon agree in representing, from personal observation, as
quarrelsome, tyrannical and domineering in the extreme. This species
may, moreover, be considered as a more southern bird than the
Purple-Finch, its northern range probably not extending much beyond the
limits of New Mexico, on the eastern slope of the Rocky mountains; while
that of the other stretches to the Fur countries.
“On the western slope, it is common throughout California, but not in
Oregon. At the Missions of San Diego and San Gabriel it nested in the
hedge-rows, as well as in the buildings. I often saw it in numbers on
the edges of the immense fields of wild mustard, a plant which,
introduced by the early Spanish missionaries, now overruns whole
districts of that country, and in size and vigor of growth is almost
arborescent; but whether it nested in these thickets or not, I did not
ascertain. Yet I found the nests of the Red-winged Black-bird (_A.
phœniceus_) in numbers, placed at the distance of 6 or 8 feet from the
ground, in the branches of the wild mustard.
“The food of this species, like its congeners, consists at different
seasons of buds, fruits, the seeds of various grasses and wild plants,
which it often plucks from the capsules while hanging inverted or
sidewise on the bending stalk. Insects are also eaten, I believe, at all
seasons. But in its half-domesticated condition at Santa Fé, nothing
edible seemed to be amiss.”
This species appears to congregate into flocks at the close of the
summer season, and to adopt the wandering habits of its near relative
the Purple-Finch previously alluded to in this article. They migrate at
that period and during the winter to Mexico, and probably to the
countries of Central America. The following notice is from Dr.
Heermann’s Notes on the Birds of California, (Jour. Philada. Acad.
Quarto, II. p. 267,) and relates to this bird:
“Very abundant and found in large flocks in the fall season, feeding on
the buds of young trees. I found this species abundant at Guaymas, where
it breeds under the eaves of houses, in the branches of the small cactus
plants; and one nest I discovered in a deserted woodpecker’s hole, made
in the body of an upright cactus, one and a half feet in diameter and
about fifteen feet high, with which species of plants the country near
Guaymas is covered. In California I found its nest on the dwarf oaks,
composed of coarse grasses and lined with fine hair. The eggs, from four
to six in number, are pale blue, marked with spots and delicate lines of
black.”
Dr. Woodhouse also notices this bird as abundant in New Mexico and
California, (Sitgreaves’ Report, Zoology, p. 88.)
The figures in our plate are about two-thirds of the size of life.