Historical Article
Our American Birds
By Michael K. Boyer
Godey’s Magazine, September, 1889, p. 237.
Aside from the canary, America can well take the lead in song birds. Let us take a look at some of our own pets.
The American goldfinch, like the canary, is an excellent cage bird, and becomes very tame. He is of a beautiful lemon color, with a black and lemon cap, and white wings. His song is not varied, but sweet and charming, and he is well worthy of a place in the list of our caged pets.
The indigo finch is another beautiful American, but not so well known. Its color is a very attractive blue, all the more attractive about the head. He changes his coat twice a year, assuming a dull grey in winter, and going back to the blue in spring. The female keeps the grey attire throughout the year. This finch is even known to sing in the dead of the night, its melody being very pleasing.
But of all the finch family, to our taste, the Nonpareil is peer. With his violet hood and neck, yellowish green back, and liberal dabs of bright red and green on the body feathers he is, without a doubt, a perfect little dandy. His low, soft and bewitching song, and his hardiness as a caged bird, is fast crowding the canary to close quarters.
The bobolink is a merry bird and sings most delightful ditties. His coat of black and his yellow epaulets, in spring, look all the prettier for the russett brown he wore in the autumn. In the springtime we know him as the bobolink, autumn christens him the reed bird.
The Cardinal Grosbeak, the red bird, the Virginia nightingale, under which aliases he goes, is an American that well may feel proud. For beauty he is not excelled, while for a real melodious whistle he stands alone. He, too, like the indigo finch, sings at mid-night. His plumage is a very rich red, while the face, cheeks, throat, feet and legs are black, the bill is red. A tuft of bright red feathers surmount the head, which in case of excitement or ecstasy he raises up in a very pretty manner.
But here is the mockingbird. We could write a volume concerning it. For years we lived in a country which the cardinal and mockingbird claimed as their home. We saw him perched on limbs and fairly captivated us with his mimicry. We saw him, and his good wife, build their home, raise their young, and turn them out to hunt husbands and wives. In fact, we just lived with these gay companions, and time hung heavy when they were not at home. There has been so much said of the mocking-bird's ability to imitate sounds and cries of all kinds, that we will not tire the reader with it here. In general appearance we cannot say that the mocker is an attractive bird, unless it be in a neat form and graceful motions. A good specimen, well developed, will measure nine and one-half inches in length, and expand his wings thirteen inches. The color, with occasional black and white, is a dark brownish-ash.
The Blue jay takes a seat with the Mocking bird as a mimic. He can give the softest, sweetest notes imaginable, and again pour out the harshest sounds. As his name indicates, he is a blue bird, bearing a crest of light blue feathers. He makes a good cage bird—tame and is easily taught innumerable tricks.
The Cat bird is a quaint old fellow, and is a close relative to the Mocking bird. He is not much of a favorite; yet, for cunningness, he has no equal. He is of a dull, sober color, and derives his name from the cat-like sounds he utters. When kept in confinement he changes these to more musical notes.
The Baltimore Oriole derived his name from the fact that in plumage, a brilliant orange and glistening black, with stripes of black upon the wings, in honor of Lord Baltimore, the first proprietor of Maryland. It also goes under the names of Hanging bird, Singing bird and Golden Robin. The song is loud, but changeable and amusing.
The Robin is not without friends, by any means. His delightful whistle, beauty and grace will ever keep him to the front. We regret that we have no laws enforced for the protection of this valuable winged companion.
Perhaps the only bird that can claim a close tie in the family is the parrot. Certainly, if a mere cage bird is missed from a household, how much more is the absence of a talking parrot noticed? A bird that can talk is like a human being in the house, and I have known many tears to be shed over the death of “poor Poll.”
The parrot is a large-billed, harsh-voiced, gaily-attired bird. Its tongue is thick and fleshy, and highly sensitive of taste. They bring forth their young twice a year, laying two eggs each time, and taking three weeks for incubation. The young are never full grown until they are a year-and-a-half old, and they do not have the full extent of the beauty of their plumage until they are at least two years of age. They become very old, with an average of fifty years.
Of the many varieties of parrots, the yellow headed Mexican bird stands first as a talker, with the grey African as a whistler.
In buying, always choose a young and healthy bird. They learn rather slowly at first, but by persistent teaching they woon will be able to imitate. Both sexes look alike, and have the same imitative powers.
The Cuban parrot has the largest sale, in the main because it is cheap. It cannot be relied upon as a talker, and yet I know some to be very good. You have to run chances on their variety.
To have a healthy bird, you must see that everything is kept in a clean condition. With dirty and careless surroundings sickness will invariably follow. You must also be careful on what you feed your bird. Such fruits as cherries, grapes and apples are very good; roasted peanuts are a relish; crackers and boiled hominy are a staple diet; hemp, canary and sunflower seeds are a treat. Avoid all greasy food - it promotes impurity of the blood, and leads on to feather pulling and gouty feet. Besides it makes birds irritable, snappish and peevish. Let the bottom of the cage be thickly strewn with gravel, and always keep the bird in the warm air, avoiding draughts.
The diseases of parrots are nearly all occasioned by improper feeding. When your bird has gouty feet, which is brought about by greasy food, apply a lotion of common salt, dissolved in spring water, once a week, and give an exclusive diet of bread and milk.
When birds are exposed to draughts of air, or have been fed too much on hemp seed, asthma may follow. In this event keep the bird extra warm, and feed a paste made of a piece of white bread, about the size of a walnut, made by boiling it in four tablespoonfuls of milk, stirred with a wooden spoon until it becomes an even pulp; a few grains of cayenne pepper can be added. Feed fresh for several days. A little lettuce or water-cress will also be found beneficial.
When the parrot commences to pull out her feathers, give her something to do. It is generally idleness that gets her in this mischief. Give her a stick of wood to gnaw at, and she will busy herself right along.
One more bird, and then we are done. We would like to review them all, but space forbids. We dare not close this article without a line about our American Thrush. Competent judges claim that for sweetness, not even the Throstle or Mairs of England can equal it, it is so loud, bold and full of originality.
The American goldfinch, like the canary, is an excellent cage bird, and becomes very tame. He is of a beautiful lemon color, with a black and lemon cap, and white wings. His song is not varied, but sweet and charming, and he is well worthy of a place in the list of our caged pets.
The indigo finch is another beautiful American, but not so well known. Its color is a very attractive blue, all the more attractive about the head. He changes his coat twice a year, assuming a dull grey in winter, and going back to the blue in spring. The female keeps the grey attire throughout the year. This finch is even known to sing in the dead of the night, its melody being very pleasing.
But of all the finch family, to our taste, the Nonpareil is peer. With his violet hood and neck, yellowish green back, and liberal dabs of bright red and green on the body feathers he is, without a doubt, a perfect little dandy. His low, soft and bewitching song, and his hardiness as a caged bird, is fast crowding the canary to close quarters.
The bobolink is a merry bird and sings most delightful ditties. His coat of black and his yellow epaulets, in spring, look all the prettier for the russett brown he wore in the autumn. In the springtime we know him as the bobolink, autumn christens him the reed bird.
The Cardinal Grosbeak, the red bird, the Virginia nightingale, under which aliases he goes, is an American that well may feel proud. For beauty he is not excelled, while for a real melodious whistle he stands alone. He, too, like the indigo finch, sings at mid-night. His plumage is a very rich red, while the face, cheeks, throat, feet and legs are black, the bill is red. A tuft of bright red feathers surmount the head, which in case of excitement or ecstasy he raises up in a very pretty manner.
But here is the mockingbird. We could write a volume concerning it. For years we lived in a country which the cardinal and mockingbird claimed as their home. We saw him perched on limbs and fairly captivated us with his mimicry. We saw him, and his good wife, build their home, raise their young, and turn them out to hunt husbands and wives. In fact, we just lived with these gay companions, and time hung heavy when they were not at home. There has been so much said of the mocking-bird's ability to imitate sounds and cries of all kinds, that we will not tire the reader with it here. In general appearance we cannot say that the mocker is an attractive bird, unless it be in a neat form and graceful motions. A good specimen, well developed, will measure nine and one-half inches in length, and expand his wings thirteen inches. The color, with occasional black and white, is a dark brownish-ash.
The Blue jay takes a seat with the Mocking bird as a mimic. He can give the softest, sweetest notes imaginable, and again pour out the harshest sounds. As his name indicates, he is a blue bird, bearing a crest of light blue feathers. He makes a good cage bird—tame and is easily taught innumerable tricks.
The Cat bird is a quaint old fellow, and is a close relative to the Mocking bird. He is not much of a favorite; yet, for cunningness, he has no equal. He is of a dull, sober color, and derives his name from the cat-like sounds he utters. When kept in confinement he changes these to more musical notes.
The Baltimore Oriole derived his name from the fact that in plumage, a brilliant orange and glistening black, with stripes of black upon the wings, in honor of Lord Baltimore, the first proprietor of Maryland. It also goes under the names of Hanging bird, Singing bird and Golden Robin. The song is loud, but changeable and amusing.
The Robin is not without friends, by any means. His delightful whistle, beauty and grace will ever keep him to the front. We regret that we have no laws enforced for the protection of this valuable winged companion.
Perhaps the only bird that can claim a close tie in the family is the parrot. Certainly, if a mere cage bird is missed from a household, how much more is the absence of a talking parrot noticed? A bird that can talk is like a human being in the house, and I have known many tears to be shed over the death of “poor Poll.”
The parrot is a large-billed, harsh-voiced, gaily-attired bird. Its tongue is thick and fleshy, and highly sensitive of taste. They bring forth their young twice a year, laying two eggs each time, and taking three weeks for incubation. The young are never full grown until they are a year-and-a-half old, and they do not have the full extent of the beauty of their plumage until they are at least two years of age. They become very old, with an average of fifty years.
Of the many varieties of parrots, the yellow headed Mexican bird stands first as a talker, with the grey African as a whistler.
In buying, always choose a young and healthy bird. They learn rather slowly at first, but by persistent teaching they woon will be able to imitate. Both sexes look alike, and have the same imitative powers.
The Cuban parrot has the largest sale, in the main because it is cheap. It cannot be relied upon as a talker, and yet I know some to be very good. You have to run chances on their variety.
To have a healthy bird, you must see that everything is kept in a clean condition. With dirty and careless surroundings sickness will invariably follow. You must also be careful on what you feed your bird. Such fruits as cherries, grapes and apples are very good; roasted peanuts are a relish; crackers and boiled hominy are a staple diet; hemp, canary and sunflower seeds are a treat. Avoid all greasy food - it promotes impurity of the blood, and leads on to feather pulling and gouty feet. Besides it makes birds irritable, snappish and peevish. Let the bottom of the cage be thickly strewn with gravel, and always keep the bird in the warm air, avoiding draughts.
The diseases of parrots are nearly all occasioned by improper feeding. When your bird has gouty feet, which is brought about by greasy food, apply a lotion of common salt, dissolved in spring water, once a week, and give an exclusive diet of bread and milk.
When birds are exposed to draughts of air, or have been fed too much on hemp seed, asthma may follow. In this event keep the bird extra warm, and feed a paste made of a piece of white bread, about the size of a walnut, made by boiling it in four tablespoonfuls of milk, stirred with a wooden spoon until it becomes an even pulp; a few grains of cayenne pepper can be added. Feed fresh for several days. A little lettuce or water-cress will also be found beneficial.
When the parrot commences to pull out her feathers, give her something to do. It is generally idleness that gets her in this mischief. Give her a stick of wood to gnaw at, and she will busy herself right along.
One more bird, and then we are done. We would like to review them all, but space forbids. We dare not close this article without a line about our American Thrush. Competent judges claim that for sweetness, not even the Throstle or Mairs of England can equal it, it is so loud, bold and full of originality.
If you liked this article you might also enjoy:
A Plea For Pussy and Her Possibilities as a Pet (1889)
Purrings (Poem—1888)
What Three Little Kittens Did: A FACT (Poem—1889)
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