Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-02-13
Friends and Foes.


our best friends. They beautify and
enliven the landscape, and fill the
air with their glorious music. Their
chief subsistence is the insect army
that desolates our fields, orchards and
gardens. Early and late, wet or dry
for their own maintenance, and
seeking food for ever hungry nest
lings-they remorselessly thin the
ranks of our insect scourge. Our
love of the beautiful, as well as self
interest in preserving our field and
garden crops, should lead US to CO.
courage their increase and save them
from destructive enemies.
The great majority of several in
sectiverous birds lay about four eggs
for a setting. They sit one, two,
three or more times each season. 1t
would seem that being thus prolific
their number would rapidly increase
and that they would become very
abundant. No doubt this would be
the case but for the numerous enc
mics that prey upon them. The enc
my most frequently mentioned but
comparatively harmless is mankind.
Some birds are shot wantonly. Bad
BOYS rob nests. Scientists, making
collections, kill many. But in spite
of all this they would soon be plenty
but for their merciless, never-ceasing
slaughter by small owls and hawks.
Hawks, hunting by day, capture
many old birds, and it is wonder
that any of the poor, helpless fedg-
lings escape destruction. When
night comes and the hawk can not
longer pursue his prey the silent,
blood-thirsty, and more deadly owl
floats out from his covert and gathers
to its capacious nav old and young
alike, all equally helpless to fight or
flee from the deadly foe. More than
all other causes combined, the hawks
and owls slaughter our insect-eating
friends. Ninety-four screech owls
were shot in different parts of the
United States and sent to Washing
ton for examination. Seven were
empty. OF the eighty-seven remain
ing twenty contained the remains of
small birds. Thus it was ascertained
that twenty-three per cent of the food
of these owls was our best friends,
the small birds. Surprising each one
Of these birds had eaten only one
bird (it could be no less) we have an
average of eighty-four small birds
per annum killed and eaten by each
owl. Now, if the average age of an
owl is say four years, we shall reach
the conclusion that the existence of
one contemplate screechy owl has
cost us three hundred and thirty-siX
small birds. Careful observation OF
their habits, for more than a genera
ton, leads me to fully believe that
this estimate is below rather than
above the number actually consumed
by these nocturnal marauders. With
these facts before us can any sane
man for one moment compare the val
ne of one screech owl to 1856 small
birds? No. If you love, esteem and
value the small birds, relentlessly STAY
their destroyers. Never let hawk
or owl escape.
When | settled in the woods of
Florida, years ago, owls and hawks
were abundant, and small birds con-
sequently very few, My thirty-four
inch breech-loader always sets at
hand loaded with six-dram coarse
powder and an ounce Of shot. When
a hawk or owl visits this plantation
on a plundering expedition he gets
the full benefit of my half century of
experience in handling a shot gun.
The result is owls and hawks are
scarce, and my orange grove and
house surroundings are vocal with
countless mocking birds, cardinal
grosbeak, phoebe and other feathered
friends that guard my crop, and sing
songs of gratitude to the owner of the
big breechloader. Numerous and in
creasing focks of quail gather insects
by the million and in autumn fur
ish excellent sport and welcome
table luxury. If you love the birds
kill the owls and hawks, for you can
not have both.
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