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Black-Capped Chickadee

The Black-Capped Chickadee needs little introduction. It breeds Canada—wide and is a permanent resident of Prince Edward Island.

Though small, it is never inconspicuous and its song is common in our woodlots, particularly in winter when it is at its cheerful best.

Six to eight eggs are laid in a small cavity lined with moss, hair, and feathers. Both parents participate in incubation and care of the young. The Chickadee is an insect eater and contributes much to the control of harmful forest insects.

Blue Jay

The Blue Jay is a permanent resident in most provinces of Canada, being replaced in British Columbia by Stellar's Jay.

In P. E. I. it is commonly seen collecting a winters food supply in autumn and is a handsome addition to winter feeding stations. In summer it becomes more secretive, retreating to the spruce woods to raise its young. From 4 to 6 eggs are laid and incubated 18 days.

The Blue Jay eats a variety of foods including the eggs and nestlings of other birds.

Common Tern The Common Tern breeds in most of Southern Canada.

A total of ten known colonies exist on Prince Edward Island, most of them located on remote sandspits where the young can be raised without disturbance. Though the tern rarely troubles to build a nest, it is not unconcerned about its young (usually 3). Invaders of a tern colony are greeted by dive-bombing adults, uttering an accompanying "machine-gun" threat.

While the tern is often mistaken for a gull, it small size and scissors tail make it easily identifiable. This handsome sea—bird migrates south to winter in Mexico, Central and South America.

Herring Gull

Herring Gulls are among the world's most widely distributed birds and breed throughout most of Canada. Most commonly called "seagull" the Herring Gull is a noted scavenger and is credited with keeping our beaches clean.

Four breeding colonies of Herring Gulls are known on P. E. I., all of which are located on off-shore islands. Three eggs are laid, usually in a straw mound on theqround,but sometimes in a tree-top nest. Once fledged the young bird travels considerable distances until it reaches maturity at three years.

The Herring Gull is a year-round resident of P. E. I. and not surprisingly is the subject of many photographs and conversations.

The Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron is the largest, most widely distributed and most common heron in Canada.

In P. E. I. there are 12 known heron colonies where large tree— top nests of sticks are located in close proximity to one another. Three eggs are laid and incubated for 20 days. By August the young have gone through the transition from "ugly duckling" to the magnificent motionless fisherman and picturesque flier so often seen