Bird lore - Project Puffin

196 Bird - Lore
OBSERVATIONS OF ADULT AND NESTLING ROBINS
Early in June a baby Robin fell out of its nest into the yard of my neigh-
bor. The children picked it up and brought it into their house. They soon grew
tired of feeding it. The next day the poor little Robin was given to my daughter.
She was very happy to have the care of it. We put it on the scales and found it
weighed three ounces. We fed it on worms and crumbs. It soon learned to
open its mouth when a worm was held all ready to drop in.
At the first peep of day "Rob" made the most insistent chirps for food
and would not be quiet until fed. After a week "Rob" became very tame. We
had made a perch for him by putting a branch into a pail of sand. There he
would sleep at night.
At this time our strawberries began to ripen and we took "Rob" out, and
he would hop about and eat his fill of the ripe berries.
If he got out of sight we would chirp and he would answer and hop out so
we could see him. He enjoyed this freedom very much. Soon he grew strong
enough to fly as high as the pine tree. He rested on the lowest branch at first.
On gaining courage he one day hopped clear to the top. This feat was something
he was justly proud of. He chirped in answer to our calls to come down
but he had gotten to the top of the tree and was perfectly satisfied. After much
coaxing he hopped down and finally flew back to my hand. The next day this
performance was repeated. After a day or two we knew he would be strong
enough to take care of himself. He spent his nights in the house but all day he
hopped about the strawberries.
One night he insisted on staying in the tree and sleepily chirped in answer
to us but he had made up his mind to stay where he was. Then we knew he
intended to take care of himself.
For a week after this every day he would fly down to us as we picked the
berries, and after being fed, he would fly away. He stayed about all summer.
We had a vacation of two weeks in August, and on arriving home we called
"Rob," "Rob," and chirped. He immediately answered us and we knew he
was safe. He did not come to say good-bye when he went South, but we hope
to see him again this summer.
—
Mrs. N. A. Wood, Merrimac, Massachusetts.
[The return of birds to their former nesting-sites or to the vicinity of their birth is a
subject which has long aroused wonder on the part of observers. Careful records kept
in limited areas ought to throw much light on the matter.
It is probable that when the young Robin described above made its initial explora-
tion of the pine tree, the strangeness of its position and the unusual exertion of reach-
ing it induced some fear and fatigue. All young birds the writer has had experience with
exhibited like behavior in similar conditions.—A. H. W.]