Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05
THE VALIANT klNGBiRD
BE is the Policeman of the Whole Bird
Family.
His PIucky Defense of His Own Home
and Those of His
Neighbors.
From the New York Sun.

Any one who is at all interested in mu-
nicipal regulations and devices for defend
ing the public from the ravages of thieves
and vagabonds would do well to study the
bird methods of policing New York state
orchard. If this seems a peculiar sugges-
ton to any person, let him go forth and
use his powers of observation. No place
Is more popular with birds than an old
orchard. The various insects that conduct
such a thriving business In destroying the
fruit growers chances for crop make very
palatable food for the feathered kind, while
the bushy treetops contain the finest of
sites for summer homes. Now and then a
decayed limb neglected by the pruner, fur
nishes a place wherein woodpecker may
carve out his habitatioB, a little round
room, whose owner, st. Nicholas-like, al
ways comes and goes by the chimney.
To see this police work at it's best walk
quietly into an orchard on some sultry sum-
mer day. Cautiously as you make your
entrance, you cannot do it unannounced
1t may escape your notice, but sundry twit-
ters and chirps have gone the rounds from
tree to tree, saying: Here comes a fellow
who will bear watching" Sit down in the
shade OF tree and see what happens
AFTER while suspicion seems withdrawn
and not chrp breaks the silence. No
BIRDS are visible save on dead branch that
stands out above the top of an old apple
tree in front of you, where a trim-looking
apparently doing in the sunshine. He is a
sober gray-colored chap with a glistening
white breast, and dark crest that can be
raised and depressed at will. A moments
attention, however, convinces you that he
is anything but a dozer. His body is STILL
but those quick, alert turns of the head
soon show that nothing in his part of the
n,eighborhood escapes his notice. Nor
Snohid 1t, for is he not the chief of police
OF the orchard, and has not his title of
KING bird been won by deeds of nerve
and daring unsurpassed? He is quiet
enough just now, but let a fly or MOSQUITO
or little moth miller try to pass within ten
feet of him and see whether he can hunt
on the wing or not.
There is noise and hubbub at the other
end of the orchard A robin chirps, gold
finch complains loudly and little fly catch
er says 'Chebec' in very rapid and sur
prised way. Some reason for all that row.
A great red-shouldered hawk big enough
to carry away spring chicken, comes flap
ping along just above the treetops See
MIR. kingbird now. AT the first warning
chlrp his crest goes up to peak. At the
second he is circling in the air uttering a
sharp, metallic chirp that seems to say "All
right, boys. I'm here. Don't be scared
but lie low and watch me run him out of
town.
An instant's pofse, and then. as a tor
pedo boat might dash at a battle ship he
Is of Keeping well above the hawk, from
TINS point or vantage he makes a series of
sallies, dashing down between the great
wings, swapping his beak within hands
breadth of the robbers eyes, the while ut
terinS volley of strident vocal billings
gate that would shame a cab driver. The
hawk seems to feel the truth and Justice of
the remarks, for in the most shaepish and
nasty way he flaps along, showing no sign
OF hostility, now and again darting to this
side or that, as If to avoid his insignificant
per secutor, who follows him in every turn
and twist until III has escorted him Wen
out of the orchard and several fields be-
yond. Then Mr.. kingbird returns to his
perch on the dry branch, firts his wings
II rom time to time, and utters an occasional
indignant chirp, as though to say, Did
one ever see such inpudence? Didn't put
him out in a hurry?"
If you care to know just how the hawk
fflt walk over to yOnder apple tree and
climb up among its branches. Out toward
the end of a limb you see a shallow but
compact nest containing four eggs of rich
cream color blotched and dashed with dark
brown Get a little closer and now you
can appreciate the hawks position for
there is such confusion of tongues around
your head and within yard of your eyes
that you nearly fail out of the tree. Not
only the chief of police, but his wife also,
resents your familiarity, and, like some
other animals, the females can even out
talk the males You begin to feel thor
oughly ashamed of yourself. and you de-
scend TO the ground with much respect for
the pluck of the kingi ird and sympathy
for the hawk, who cacnot fly within a
hundred yards of orchard without this
and disturb his meditations.
The kingbird is not all fight. Between
times he is very busy exterminating in
sects that come his way. and the amount
of execution he does makes him valuable
friend to the fruit grower But no matter
how busy he may be with entomology
domestic duties. he is always on the alert,
and let any suspicious-looking stranger ap-
preach, be it hawk, crow or other enemy,
and all business is suspended until the in
teriCper is escorted to safe distance and
the peace of the community is assured. He
is sure to detect any signs of danger.
There other birds that will fight well
when their own homes are attacked. A
robin will make life miserable for a red
squirrel or a crow or jay. a wren will
swear as vile a string of oaths as one can
imagine, and even the modest vireos can
sceid. But the kingbird differs from all in
his wider point of view. Not his home
Only, but the homes of his neighbors are a
care to him. He takes pride in his own
doOryard, but also in the condition of the
whole settlement. He is a public-spirited,
aggressive citizen, who is not afraid of re-
sponsibility, and hesitates at nothing that
the dignity of the commonwealth may be
maintained.