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Title
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The Omaha Bird Room
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Date
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1903
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Creator
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Frank Shoemaker
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Description
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Frank Shoemaker - Omaha, Lincoln, and Nebraska Narratives
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Identifier
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321301
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Transcription
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[Page 15] The English sparrows -properly European House Sparrows; no are no more distinctively English than Spanish or Russian -were brought to us at different times in the spring of 1900; they will be 3 years old in May. They are both waifs from the pavement. They like each other pretty well, but without the devotion of the grosbeaks, and get along with the other birds most peacefully; in fact, we have never noted an instance of aggression on their part toward a bird in the room of another species, though it is obviously their natural program to pull plenty feathers from each other. It can not be said that they sing, but they certainly are vocal at all seasons of the year, and contribute much of the interest of the room during the great part of the year when most of the other birds are silent. The cardinal grosbeak has a peculiar history. She was brought to us two years ago the coming spring, a boy having found her in a vacant house. Whether she was left there by the occupants when they moved out, which would seem cruel beyond belief, or whether she got into the house from outside, which would seem highly improbable, we do not know. She was terribly in need of food and care; she was little more than a shadow, the keel of her sternum projecting like the prow of a boat. For days it was a question of mere survival, but under careful attention she gradually became strong and healthy, and is now one of our most handsome birds -large, well feathered, graceful, and, at least by contrast with the cut-ups in the room, dignified. She long puzzled
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Rights
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To inquire about usage, please contact Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. These images are for educational use only. Not all images are available for publication.
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Is Version Of
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image-305.jpg
The Omaha Bird Room