The Fly-Catching Habit Among Birds
The Fly-catching Habit Among Birds
How extensive is the fly-catching habit among American birds other than members of the family Tyrannidae? The observation of this habit by the writer among members of different families of our land birds prompts the question. During the summer and fall of 1915 while engaged in field work in the Yosemite National Park and vicinity I specifically saw the following species flycatching. California Woodpecker (a common habit, frequently observed elsewhere); Clarke Nutcracker (several seen on various dates in late July flying out as much as 100 yards or more from the tops of tamarack pines at the side of a high mountain meadow) ; Western Lark Sparrow (one seen flycatching at dusk one evening early in June, at the edge of a meadow in the pine forest east of Coulterville); Audubon Warbler (a common habit, frequently observed elsewhere); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (once seen so engaged); Townsend Solitaire, Alaska Hermit Thrush, Western Robin, and Western and Mountain biuebirds. Thus all members of the thrush family except the Russet-backed and Northern Varied thrushes have been seen fly-catching; the habit is a regular one with both bluebirds and seems not uncommon in the case of the Solitaire.
Tracy I. Storer
Berkeley, February 7, 1919
