The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-04-15
For the Jef!crsonian Democrat.
Birds of the Farm for March.

hlalCD,
ROBIN, TarduS Migrotorius.
The males arrive here on the 4.h, but
the females will not make their appear
ance till about The first of April. From
the time Of their arrival ill June, their
food is, exclusively, insects in their va.
rious stages, and worms. For manv
kinds OF larvae and earthworms, they
search most diligently, and, though they
do not dig into the soil for them, can
easily procure all they need BY striking re.
pealedly The soft ground with their feet.
Disturbed by the pressure and jar, these
objects Of their search soon come TO the
surface, when they are speedily seized and
devoured. In this way, they would do
much towards riddiog our gardens Of
eafthworms and larvae, il wewould give
them fair chance. Later in the season,
they devour, in addition TO these, several
kinds OF caterpillars, sriders, beetles, but
teiflies, grasshoppers, field cricke,s, &c.
Alter about the first Of June, they eat
4 with these sparingly OF some OF the smaller
fruits and berries. Their young, however,
eat nothing but insects while they remain
in the nest. The little fruit they eat is look.
ed upon by some as an evil, to be abated
by. their destI ucl:on. But there is gain in
this that The farmer should not overlook.
They attack the aoormy fruit first, and
three fourlhs Of all they do eat contains a
worm, that is destroyed, and so check
is given to the increase, according 10 the
design Of Providence, who assigned TO
this work, not the robin only, but wood
pecIers, thrashers. cedarbirds, and few
others, that, by their joint labors against
that class OF insects. in their several stages,
they might render Embarrassing possible
But, il it were wholly an evil, the farmer
could we'll afford it, in consideration of the
great good it does. Take one instance {:
Remove the thrush chars, (of which there
are here six species, the robin being one,
away from the county, and, as every nat
uralist knows, your gtass would soon be-
gin to fail, and the second summer would
not probably have passed away before
you could as easily "roll up" much o
.he sod in your old meadows, as you could
Il bedblanket, the roots being eateu off by
larvae OF q rapid y.ncreasinG insect, helt
in check, principally, by thelabors Of the
robin and other :hrushes. A pair. ant
their young, it is said, require from three
to five thousand insects daily, and, raising
at leas; three broods in season, must o.
necessity be- OF great value to the farmer
BLuEBIRD, Sialia Stalls.
i. This little bird arrived on the 9th, abou
, week later than usual 1t is a noted
insect eater, devouring gnats. musketoes
, millers, files, beetles, &C., which it is ca
: pable Of capturing and devouring upoI
, the wing. The numbers OF these pest
t. may be greatly diminished about oul
dwellings, by calling to our aid the assist
i, ance Of these birds. Make box like 6
martin box" with several apartments
and you may have a half dozen pair oc
cupying it at the same time. Since they
rear three or four broods each year, ant
will keep the old nest, unless disturbed
you may, at little cost, secure their join
J labors for the entire season, and, in add
ton, have your premises made vocal will
their cheerful songs. To avoid their be
: ing driven out by the wrens. when the.
: arrive place the box upon your house o
e barn, and make the openings into th
t apartments about two inches in diameter
b | he little wren will not then think it 70
1 its interest TO quarrel with the bluebrC
e for its house, for it prefers one lower ant
q with smaller enhance. Those who de
y sign putting up these boxes, should do 81
4 soon, as the bluebird selects its first nest
p ing place. generally, by The 18th of April
Y Crow BLAcKBIRp, Oniscalus VerSicolor
3 RUSTY BLACKBIRD, Scolecophagas Fer
: ragineus, RED WINGED BLACKDIRD
a Agelaius Phanicens.
i These birds arrived here on the III
}. and 9th. While they eat various kinds g
II seeds. they are eminen.ly insect destroy
e ers. consuming immense quantities c
q field crlckets, locusls, grasshoppers, bee
n ties and worms. The iarvae and worm
6 they procure from the SOIL by striking tn
3. ground with their feet or bill, then waitin
a moment, ill head appears. when the
seize or devour it. This is their chic
y employment till June. Later comes the
n feast of locusts and grasshoppers, &c
a which, if not held in check, would 500
q largely diminish some Of the farmer
IN crops. These birds, sometimes, to suppl
80 present needs, levy contributions on som
:, of our grain crops, but it is only whe
7 their accustomed food becomes scarce
~ Under such circumstances, it would b
), greatly for the farmers interest TO fee
% them, rather than have them destroyed
aO driven away, for the intelligent cultivate
20 20 OF the soil would soon see, on comparin
- "a the little harm done with the great good Al
=. - complished, that he could not afford to pa
\. with them at any price. These birds al
~ undoubtedly essential to successful farm
n ing.
is WHITE SNowDIRD, Plectrophanes Nivali
or LApLAND LocK,PUR, Plectrophanes Lal
4, ponieus, TRUE SPARRCw, Spigella MOI
rit tana.
g. The food and habits of these little spa
es rows are similar. They are winter vi
ilors only, arriving here from the nor;l
s, in December. and departing again
O; oh,-ihe first two about the 10Th. Il
n; last abou. the 30th. Their place of sun
pt mer resort is British America, and the
a food, while here, consists Of the seeds
i'd various weeds and other plants, and j
d. sects, which they search for indusxioasl
Sc both in the woods and cleared lands, fr
m. nuentlv comino IN our farmvards q,