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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 16] us as to sex, but the plumage has never approached the brilliancy of the male, and her notes never reach exuberant height. She is our lady of mystery. The wood thrush was taken the nest two years ago last summer; the age is therefore 2½ years. We are really not so positive as to sex, as the moderation of the song may be due to confinement. The notes, however, are rich and beautiful, and frequently we hear the exquisite phrases even in the small hours. The catbird was brought to us by a friend, 2½ years ago; he had found the baby unattended by parent birds, and, no nest being discoverable, decided that the bird had been abandoned by boys. We assume that the bird is a female because she has no song; that is to say, no catbird song, though she has practiced diligently for over two years. The vocal effort consists of a series of execrable squawks, and we are regaled with it many, many times a day, the year round. On some occasions the other birds consider this an incentive to melody, and all tune up; at other times they are spellbound, and neither take any part in the proceedings nor so much as move a muscle while the spasm lasts. The chickadee is the life of the party, and if we dared whisper a preference he might stand first in our affection. He will be 2 years old the coming spring; we tacitly call the bird "he" without definite
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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-316.jpg
The Omaha Bird Room