File:Everyday birds; elementary studies (1901) (14752875004).jpg

Identifier: everydaybirdsele00torr (find matches)
Title: Everyday birds; elementary studies
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Torrey, Bradford, 1843-1912
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton, Mifflin and Company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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for sev-eral years, often with an opera-glass in my hand,one day hailed me to ask whether the nighthawkand the whip-poor-will were the same bird, as hehad heard people say. I assured him (or ratherI told him — it turned out that I had not madehim sure) that they were quite distinct, and pro-ceeded to remark upon some of the more obviouspoints of difference between the two, especiallyas to their habits and manner of life. He lis-tened with all deference to what I had to offer,but as I concluded and turned to leave him, hesaid : Well, some folks say they re the same.They say ones the he one and t others the sheone; but I guess they aint. Verily, thought I, popular science lectures aresometimes a failure. Not long afterward I wastelling the story to a Massachusetts man, aman whohad made a collection of birds eggs in his time. Why, said he, are nt they the same ? Ialways understood that they were the male andfemale of the same species. That was the com-mon belief where I was brought up.
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NIGHTHAWK NIGHTHAWK AND WHIP-POOR-WILL 61 The confusion of the two birds is widespread,in spite of Audubons testimony that he had sel-dom seen a farmer or even a boy in the UnitedStates who did not know the difference betweenthem. But, while they resemble each otherclosely, they are sufficiently unlike to be classi-fied not only as separate species, but as speciesof different genera. As for the difference intheir habits, it is such as any one may see andappreciate. The nighthawk, for all its name, isnot a night bird. It is most active at twilight,— in other words, it is crepuscular instead ofnocturnal, — but is often to be seen flying abroadat midday. The whip-poor-will, on the contrary,is quiet till after dark. Then it starts into full-ness of life, singing with the utmost enthusiasm,till the listener wonders where it can find breathfor such rapid and long-continued efforts. Thenighthawk is not a musician. While flying itfrequently utters a single note, of a guttural-nasal qualit

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