The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-05-20
For the Jcilersonian Democrat.
Birds on the Farm,

Hhich drrtre or depart daring The month Of
.8Pr't, and their Il(luence upon .Agyicul.
fure. ...... .... ..... .
FmNoiLLIpAE, Fnches, Sparro,os, S.c.
Those Of this family that spend tho win
TOR IN this County, md go north during
tho present month, are Pine Grosbeak,
Rod poll hunct and CrossbiIls, which are
vory rare, and Purplo Finch, Pine Finch
and Fox coored Sparrow. These are onl,
winter residents, driven south by lack Of
food. during the severity of tho Arctic win.
tor, and returning again on tho approach O,
mild weather. These benefit the farmipo
community hore in two ways. Tbey foed
largely upon insects injurious to crops. and
upon eeds of various troublesome woods
that would otherwise germinate in our
holds. much to our annoyance. The Striped-
headed sparrows arc gonoraly simply
spring aud Autumn vistants. They arrive
mere from tho south towards tho last Of the
mouth, and, alter stay of two or ,hrco
weeks, pass on to tho north. Their STAY
hero is beneficial to the community; for
they assist in holding in check several species
OF troublesome insects, till the arrival of tho
regular Summer resident BIRDS s.'s
Those OF this family that arrive this
month, aud remain till Fall, arc Chewiuk or
Ground Robia, Chipping Sparrow, Savanna
Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow and Grass Finch
These arc tho ever. faithful friends of tho
farmer. 1t is estimated that pair OF
those birds, during the season, viii! DESTROY
from 100000, to 200 900 insects-a largo
proportion Of which arc the destructive
loat-eating to'rae found on our trees, shrubs
and plants. The Chipping or House Spar :.
row delights to locate itself near the resi-
dence of man, and will become Of great scr.
vice to tho gardener, il carefully protected,
in removing insects from his vines and
plants, for II consumes thom at tho rate of
l2Oo or 1900 daily, for each pair of birds.
Tho Slate colorod Snowbird, Song Sparrow
and Fold Sparrow are moro or loss resi-
don't oil tho year, though many pass north
or south, according to tho season, like the
regular migratory birds, Thoy arc similar
to the aforementioned in their food aud
habits, and arc equally valuable to the
f,rmots Of this County. '
TRoGLoDYTINAE; Wreas.
Three species OF this family usually
change their places of residence between
tn. 29th of April and 10Th of May. The
Winter Wren is q wintor resident, passing
tho summon north of the Lakes, but Ber.
wick's Wren and tho House Wron arrive
from the south tho last week in tho month,
and spend tho Summer here. Tho first two
choose situations remote from tho farm
house, and may DO found along the bowers
Of damp woods, or in ravinos and rocky
places, whilo the House Wren delights to
nest near our dwellings, and will occupy
any little box, with only one small opening
into it, that we may fix in our cherry or
other troe, or about our grape-vines. flower
gardens, bco-hves, &c, and hence, if wo
choose, wo can easily control tho labors of
this little bird, and direct them to any do
sired end for tho soason--a privilege we
would do we'll to avail ourselves of. since
it consumes, of the insect class. about 10 600
month, for each pair of birds with tneir
young.
1crERIDAE; Orioifs, Btackbirds, &c.
Tho Cowbird, or Cow-backbird, which ar
rived on the 18th, is tho only species of this
family that changes its place of residence
tbs month. II resembles the blackbird
but is much smaller. Its insect eating
habits are about the same, and it would bo
equally as valuable to the husbandman,
were il not for the fact that the manner its
young are raised occasions tho death of
great numbers of tho young of othor birds
very useful to agriculture. This is the on
ly bird of the United States that does not
hatch and rear its own young. If you ex-
amino tho nests of the smaller birds, YOU
will frequently find an ogg much larger
than the rest, and on trely unlike them in
appearance, being of a dull color, and finely
sprinkled over with small brown spots
This is the cowbrds egg, dropped into the
nest, in the absence Of the owner, and then
left to its fate.
A few birds break tho egg on finding it,
and throw it out of their nest few con.
trive to bury it up SO deep il will not hatch,
by building new nest over it--(the yellow
bird is of this class, and, in consequence,
has its nest sometimes or 8 inches high,
which is simply, or nests ono above an
other, with a cowbird's egg in each of the
lower ones)--much the largest number,
however, hatch them with their own. But