Roosevelt High School - Bwana Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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F' 'lf' ' x QT , ff .,, , WILD LIFE IN MISSOURI V1 HEN Missouri was first settled its many birds amazed the newcomers The State with its forests, prairies, wooded Ozarks, streams, and rii1.gQ swamps was an ideal region for birds. Many species have now been exterminated throughout the state. Among those that are rapidly nearing extinction are the pileated woodpecker-a large bird known as the cock of the woods-the prairie chicken, the wood-cock, the wild turkey, the bald and golden eagles, and the wood duck. Over Missouri's broad acreage birds fly to and fro from one part of the country to the other: golden plovers from Argentina, humming birds from the tropics, pigeons from Palestine and Egypt, bobolinks from Brazil, red- wings from the Mackenzie Valley, and many others from far-away places. Probably the most-loved and most common bird in Missouri is the blue- bird, the official bird of the State. It and the robin are mentioned in Missouri literature more than all the other birds together. The bluebird is. seven inches long. The upper parts of the male bird, including wings and tail, are a bright blue, less bright in autumng his throat, breast, and sides are cinnamon- colored. The female has duller plumage. There is no sign of spring quite so welcome as the first bluebird. No wonder it has become the symbol for happiness! Before the farmer begins to plough the wet earth, often while the snow is still on the ground, this hardy little bird is making himself very much at home in our orchards and gardens. The first cool days of autumn find the bluebirds collected in flocks, often with song sparrows, robins, orioles, and kingbirds,in sunny places where there are many insects. A few sometimes remain throughout the winter. The robin's cheery song is heard on the first warm days and continues through the summer. The robin is ten inches long. The male robin is brownish olive-gray above. His head is blackg his tail, brownish black with white feathers at the tip, his breast, rusty redg his wings, dark brown. The robin prefers low-branching orchards or shade trees near homes rather than the tall, straight trees of the forest. The cardinal sings in summer and winter, regardless of storm and cold. lt is from eight to nine inches long, being a little smaller than the robin. The male is a brilliant cardinal with a dash of gray in the Winter, the female is dove-colored above, with dull red belowg both retain their colors throughout the year. Cardinals never migrate as many of our other birds do. This is because they can live on Weed seeds and buds of trees and bushes in winter, as comfortably as on insects in summer. Qeese were formerly quite common in Missouri: now they are becoming rare. The Canada goose is from one yard to forty-three inches in length. The head and neck of the male are black with wings of grayish brown: the breast is gray, fading to soiled white underneath. The female is paler with tail, bill, and feet of black. The Canada goose nested along all our streams, but now spring shooting has driven it to nest along Hudson Bay. Thirteen