Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-06-17
WHAT THE BIRDS EAT
Bulletin on the Relation Of Common
Birds to Agriculture.

! The United States department of
agriculture has just sent out a bulIe-
TIN on common birds in their relation
TO agriculture, the bulletin being the re-
suits of long-continued series of ex-
periments by the biological survey on
the stomachs of birds to ascertain upon
What they feed. Thousands of birds
StOmachS have been examined in the
laboratory and all the available data
respecting the food brought together.
An idea of the amount OF labor in
| VolVed may be estimated by the fact
that in the single group of birds of
! prey published in 1893 the stomachs of
over 5000 birds of this class were ex-
ahmed. The present bulletin contains
brief abstracts of the results of the
studies on about 80 grain and insect
eating birds belonging to 10 different
| families.
vi the two species of cuckoos, the
yellow-billed and the black billed, the
latter OF which is much the more COM
mon about this city, little difference
is shown as to their diet. These birds
are much given to eating caterpiIIars,
and unlike most birds do not refuse
Jnose covered with hair An examina-
ton of the stOmachs OF 16 black-biIled
cuckoOs taken during the summer
months showed the remains of 1923
CaUeTpillars, II beetles, Is grasshop-
rers, 63 sawflies, three stink-bugs and
ICur spider, most of the caterpillars
being hairy.
The rose breasted grosbeak was
found to have honestly come by the
equation OF eating the Colorado or
potato beetle more freely than any
other bird. 1t is rather rare in New
England, and is more common farther
vest. Unfortunately Tor this bird the
male wears a pIumaSe Oh great beauty
mat is much priced lor Women's hats
IL consequence Ol winch 1T is marvel
C"a that any are lett at all. In few
instances is the folly OF this method
/ OI CfnamGntdLIUn SHOWN mOle pIaiuly:
IOr EXPERIMENTS prove that wherever
/ CneSe Dll Us exist i'll any number the
/ pest CI Lne COIOrauO UeeLle has abated
L he cedar bird eats more vegetable
Lnan animal tOOd, out has TINS goUQ
point That 1t often LEEDS upon the elm
oGetle. he huI ~ m4eA, once common
"DCuL AeIe, has uuIILs Lue last lew
years become rare ana only lew nest
@DOut here. They are Il very useful
Clrd, the analysis vi their stomachs
showing that 80 per cent OF tnelr 1000
is insects or their allies.
Ut the birds that do harm to vege-
tables and fruits are mentioned the
DODOlink, which is estimated to have
destroyed $2,OOO,0 900 worth OF rice ID
Tie sOuLn IN d season, where it passes
der the name OF the rice bird; The
gov, blackDlrd or grackle, which is
/ d Voraclous eater OF grain, and the
u4o", whose character III pulling up
UUl Ii ana eating gram Is confirmed by
Z CIIe Investigations. IN the caaos OF
Tie later Two, however, the gr1cKIe Is
hearty FEEDER upon gruDs anu other
lnaecCS, ana Lne crow also destroys
nany harmful insects The klugDlrd,
J the blue jay, the rOUIu ana the blue
/ ono are among OLneIs mat are pro-
nuunced On the Whole to Ue benencia!
III that they eat more than enough
IoXIous insects to pay Tor what little
damage they do to crops or fruits.
! investigation shows that the kingbird
eats but comparatively few bees, and
most OF them drones.