Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-06-25
SHARING THE REoBlRp.
The Pluck of tho Bird Leads Him Ine&
Captivity.

The Pluck OF tho Bird Loads Him 1ntG
Captivity.
The redbird, when 1t has gotten down
hard to home-making, develops q re-
marlable tendency to fight. Atall other
times of the year he is as docile and
gentle as any in the woods, indeed.
rather inclined to take great deal
from other birds; but as soon as the
installed queen thereof, he gets on his
war paint, and will fight anything that
comes along. 1t is by taking advantage
of this bravery of the redbird in defend
ing the home that the hunter is enabled
to ensnare it. The trap used is small
wire cage. Within this cage is a tame
bird, one which has been in captivity
for year or two, and sings freely.
The hunter wanders into the woods,
and slowly takes his way through the
swamps until he reaches dense por-
ton, when he halts. Pretty soon the
bird in the cage, delighted, doubtless,
at being again in its native woods, even
II bars stand between 1t and liberty,
begins singing with all its might. IF
there is a redbird anywhere within the
sound of the callers voice it hastes to
investigate. One of the peculiar habits
Of the redbird, hunters say, is that there
seems by common consent to be di.
vision of the woods among them, each
bird having appropriated to his especial
jurisdiction a certain allotment Of
woods. Sometimes other birds, either
by mistake or for the purpose of acquir-
ing more territory, invade the domain
Of another, whereupon there is fierce
fight, which is called off only when one
or the other of the birds conquers. in
which case the victor becomes the pos
SCISSOR of the territory of the two, to-
gether with the defeated birds mate,
who it seems is no longer willing to
share fortunes with her former lord
after he has proven himself poor
fighter.
The hunter has on one side of his
cage a light net, bound about by a light
frame, and to the center of light iron
rod stretched perpendicularly across
this frame is attached in swinging
position short, rounded stick about
six inches in length. This gate OF net
ting is opened and kept in that position
by the wooden trigger, which is braced
against another similar trigger attached
to the sides of the cage wherein is the
call bird. This connection of the two
triggers is very delicate, and the slight
est touch will suffice to throw it, where
upon the netting frame door is quickly
closed by a spring against the sides of
the cage. This is what holds the red
bird captive.
AS soon as the huntsr has set the trig-
gers of his cage he hangs it to a limb
somewhere or places it on the ground,
and goes away some distance to await
results. The imprisoned redbird soon
begins to sing, and presently, IL there
is redbird anywhere within hearing
distance, there Is futter of wings,
series of sharp cries, and before the
hunter can say scat! the wild redbird
flies headlong at its supposed enemy
within the cage, throws the trigger
and is captured. 1t takes very little
longer to capture redbird at this time
of the year than it does to catch fish.
If once the Gagged bird is placed in the
right spot within the territory of the
other redbirds, and he hears it's singing,
the rest is very easy, for, regardless of
all personal safety and everything else,
he PUSHES madly to the fight.-N. o.
Picayune