The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-15
USES OF SOME BIRDS.
THE POSITION THEY OCCUPY IN
THE ECONOMY or NATURE.

Curious Ways in Which the Water Birds.
Hawks, Owls and other Fowl Are an
Assistance to Mankind-Babsts of Many
Well Known Feathered Creatures.
In recent years much attention has been
paid by naturalists TO examining the stom-
achs Of various birds in order 70 ascertain
the character OF their food In those Of
most water fowl percentage Of seeds and
roots Of aquatic plants has been found. 4
subject well worthy of consideration is
whether the migratory instincts of all
water fowl is not partially utilized TO carry
these seeds and roots to points far distant
from one another, which could not be
reached by water currents, thus perform
ing the part for water plants that air cur
rents do for terrestrial growths.
Shore birds, such as snipe, sand pipers,
yellow legs, plover, devour large quantities
of beetles and worms injurious to shore
and shallow water plants. They also assist
in the transporting of seeds from place TO
place. On toast their Transporting quail
ties affect Us in another way.
Owls and hawks until within late years
have had only the monumental value, Of
wisdom and sharp sight allotted them.
But bya shorter method than the stomach
pump Investigators have clearly shown
that few more valuable birds TO the agri-
culturist exist, and now, instead of offered
premiums for their scalps, they are allowed
- retain them, and are protected by law in
their possession. Their chicken thieving
is an epicurean eccentricity not worth con
sidering when compared with their habit
ual consumption of mice and other small
animals which DO great injury to the
farmers trees and, crops The farmers
poultry is under his immediate protection,
but he cannot we'll go housing 10 save his
products.
MANY KINDS OF HAWKS.
Undoubtedly the entire falcon family
demonstrate that bird viii eat bird, but
the varieties devoured bytmost of them in
any appreciate quantity are such as are
indirectly useful to man as insect killers
only. The appetite and capacity of one
hawk for insects much more than cpmpen-
safe for those of all the birds it,kills.
The sparrowt hawk is by lar the most
numerous OF its species. Its chief food is
grasshoppers. When this insect is TO be
had the most tempting morsels in feathers
are eschewed.
The red shouIdered or chicken hawk, az
it is miscalled, seldom eats chickens; then
in winter only. Its food consists of small
quadrupeds, small birds, lizards, frogs,
snakes and insects.
The marsh havk-the sportsman's spe-
cial antipathy-never preys upon the game
for which sportsmen seek. It is rapacious
ta,. tic hill ~ 70 7rncrc
coleopterous insects and diminutive mem
bers of the feathered tribe.
The sharp Skinned or partridge hawk is
the Robespierre Of the air-blo0d blood, no
matter whence it comes. He has liking
for spring chicken, raw, garnished with
feathers. He finds quails toothsome and
ducks pre-eminently to his taste. he passes
sentence upon almost everything that flies,
yet the number of these be kills is unim>
portant when compared with the entrees
of his bill of fare. IN fact the sharp
Skinned and the cooper's hawk are the only
members of large family that have few
tastes in common with man. Because Of
this alleged sin the immense good they do
should not be forgotten.
THE USEFUL OWL.
Owls continue by night the good work Of
the hawks by day; mice, moles and reptiles
are their regular food. The barred or boot
owl and the great horned owl are the only
members of the family having an unsavory
reputation. The barred owl claims right
of priority to an occasional partridge, and
retaliates upon the sportsman's encroach-
ment upon its preserves by foraging upon
the chicken yard. 1t feeds principally upon
mice and small birds and reptiles
The great horned owl is singular in its
Partially for skunk mo one should enter
tain malice toward it for that. It's chill
dren cry for it. It's nests are invariably
infected by its odor While it's food con
sists of pheasants, large game, ducks and
poultry, the dining on a single skunk gives
it respectable standing as friend to the
poultry raiser and sportsman, together
with all having noses in any degree more
sensitive than wax ones.
The barn owl outrivals the cat az a
and as a nerve stirring musician
by the eloquence Of its silence.
For fifteen years within the writer's
knowledge a neighborly pair Of screech
owls have dwelt upon west PhiladelphiA
lawn, in the midst Of an unusual quantity
Of nesting birds and ir close contiguity to
a chicken yard, without routing a nest or
a chicken, So far rs any indica-
ton has ever shown.
BIRDS THAT EAT INSECTS.
Birds other than owls, that care FOR
mems interests while men sleep are tho
and night hawk They live
upon butterflies and moths, bat enterpris-
ing experimente-s have been known 10 try
the potato beetle, and it is TO he hoped that
they were pleased. Dr.. Warner found them
in the stomach of 4 whip poor-will, which
indicates fondness for them
Or two inconceivable plumbers in success .
sion.
Insects are such rapid breeders and SO
prolific that without the insect eating birdr
we would have ten thousand plaques
[ pon excellent authority the ancient EEyp- /
5ians found ene-that Of the grssshoppers- .
70 be enough, and occasionally In our owl.
good time we have had bitter experience Of /
what the tsny pests can do when helped by |
.svoring seasons, or are unchecked in their /.
Droclivities for large families. The army 4
worm, grasshopper. potato beetle, wheat /
veevil cUrcRiio, the ubiquitous mosquito +
md unrivSiied leaf dest oye<-sC<esrn rals- /
ng-anstheulstlzed measuring worm, the .
TarioUs ca%erpillsrS, nave devasez t@d vast /.
regions, injured entire crops. stripped citlee 4
If their Ieafy lungs and protecting shads .
rees, and kept human wrath q a nonop- /
,lizing TEN peratUre.