The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-17
THE WHOLE FLOCK EATEN.
kestreIs Found Room for sparrOvYs
Who IHtruded Upon Native Birds.


From the Chicago Times
In the spring a big flock of English spar
rows appeared on the farm Of Nathan p.
Shuts, in Eldred, Pa, and began at once
to harrass the native song birds. They at
tempted TO take possession of a row Of
swallows nests beneath the caves of the
barn and at first the swallows made as if
they were going to permit it. A few hours
later, though the swallows decided to go
to housekeeping in their old quarters and
in less than a day they whaled the spar
rows so thoroughly that the intruders
were forced to quit. Next the sparrows
squatted on the cornices and all the avail
able crannies of the dwelling There they
ran up against the house wrens The cheer
full and confding little song birds had
already established homes for the sum-
mer and the coming of the quarrelsome
sparrows made their lives miserable. They
fought like fury to obtain possession of
their cosey abodes, but the unruIy Eng
lish birds out-numbercd them ten to one
and the songsters were obliged to move
out.
When the sparrows had settled they
started to raise hob with the robins The
redbreasts were numerous in the neghbor-
hood and they had the reputation of not
meddling with the affairs of other birds
They were not used to being molested and
they marshalled their forces ana soundly
thrashed the sparrows whenever the chfrp
ing squattsrs undertook to interfere with
them. In June Mrs Shut saw two spar
rows claw a baby robin from nest in the
yard and pick ii to pieces. The parents of
the dead fedgling returned to the nest
Just in time to spy their little one in the
claws of the murderous sparrows on the
grass. With cries of anger they started
down and attacked the cruel birds. one
OF the sparrows got away but the enraged
ROBINS cornered the other in some tan
grass, where they thumped and peclxed
TIL II couldn't fly. A lot of squaIling SPAR
rows came to the rescue of the cripDle
and the robins retreated to their nests
other robins flew to the spot shortly and
a pitched battle between them and the
sparrows ensued. The robins whipDad the
sparrows, drove them into their holes
and killed the crippled murderer.
AFTER several more Unsuccessful af
tempts TO master the robins the sparrou,s
began to worry the swallows again. They
stole eggs from the nests under the caves
and tore the Innings from the nests. They
also interfered with some native song
sparrows and they drove a pair Of orioles
away from the yard. Later in June the
sparrows ran up against family of king
birds and got a worse whipping than from
the robins.
Early in July Mrs. Shuts noticed that
the sparrows We're not so numerous as they
had been. A day or so later she saw a
pair of kestrels lowering over the road
at point near the yard where the spar-
rows had been in the habit of walIowine in
the dust. The little hawks We're almost
motionless. They looked as if they were
suspending from cords and they peered
downward intently. Presently n bunch
of sparrows sailed out of the ward. aliehted
in the road, and proceeded to dust Them
selves vigorously. simultaneously the
watchful kestrels shot earthward as
though they had been fired from guns.
diving into the midst of the fluttering
group of sparrows. Each hawk nailed a
sparrow ine a twinkling and was up and
away with his prey before the others re-
allied that something unusual had hap
pened to two of their companions The
wide awake kestrels sailed to the woods.
and the astonished sparrows flew to the
house.
In the afternoon the kestrels lowered
over the road for nearly half an hour he
fore the sparrows settled down to dust
their plumage. They had no sooner done
so than the fierce little birds of prey tived
like lightning, swooped upon a pair of the
pugnacious English birds, and bore them
swiftly away toward the timber The
flock of sparrows continued to decrease
from day TO day. the surviving members
not seeming to guard themselves against
the swooping of their nerciless enemies
The kestrels kept nabbing the sparrows
until they had slaughtered the whole
flock and during the rest of the season the
native song birds ON Mr.. SHUTS place
enjoyed life as they had done before the
foreigners appeared on the farm,