Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-05-24

10 tne grasses growing Oh our pralrleS.
But if insects are the natural enc
mics of vegetation, birds are the ma
tural enemies of insects"
"In the air swallows and swifts are
coursing rapidly to and fro, ever in
pursuit of the insects which constitute
their sole food. When they retire, the
nighthawks and whip-poor-wills will
take up the chase, catching moths
and other nocturnal insects which
would escape day-hying birds. Fly
catchers lie in wait, darting from
ambush at passing prey, and with a
suggestive click of the bill returning
to their post. The warblers, light, ac-
tive, creatures, fiutter about the term.
inal foliage, and with almost the skill
OF hummingbird, pick insects from
the leaf or blossoms. The vireos
patiently explore the undersides OF
leaves and odd hooks and corners to
see that no skulker escapes. The
woodpeckers, ruthatches, and creep.
ers attend to the trunks and limbs,
examining carefully each inch OF bark
for insects eggs and larvae, or exca-
waiting for the ants and borers they
hear within. On the ground the hunt
is continued by the thrushes, sparrows
and other birds that feed upon the
innumerable forms of terrestrial in
sects. Few places in which insects
exist are neglected; even some species
which pass their earlier stages or en-
tire lives in the water are preyed upon
by acquatic birds"
In nearly every case where the food
habits of our birds have been care.
fully studied, do we find that the good
done far exceeds the possible harm
that might be inflicted by our birds.
Allowing twenty-five insects per day
as an average diet for each individual
bird, and estimating that We have
abont one and one. half birds to the
acre, or in round numbers $75, ,0OO, 900
birds in Nebraska, there would be re-
quired 1875, 100000 insects for each
days rations.
Again estimating the number of in
sects required to fill bushel at l20.-
600, it would take 15,625 bushels of
insects to feed our birds for single
day, or 937 800 bushels for 60 days or
2.342. $50 bushels for $50 days. These
estimates are very low when we take
into consideration the numbers of in.
sects that various OF our birds have
been known to destroy in single day.
For example, the stomachs of four
chickadees contained l,O2S eggs OF
cAnkerworms. Four others contained
about GOO eggs and los mature females
OF the same insect. The stomach OF
single quafr contained 1Ol potato
beetles; and that Of another upwards
OF 500 chinch-bugs. A yellow-billed
cuckoo shot at 6 o'clock in the morn
ing contained forty-three tent cater
pillars. A robin had eaten IT'S larvae
OF Bibio, which feed on the roots of
grasses, etc.
Birds, like all other animals, feed
upon that food which is most readily
obtained, hence the insectivorous
kinds destroy those insects which are
most numerous-the injurious species.
Estimating that there is a single
grasshopper, katydid or cricket to
each square yard of surface, it would
require at least 650,O00 bushels Of
these insects to cover the State. Not
taking into account any OF the myriads
OF other insect forms nor the rapid
rate OF reproduction which is going on
among them, these alone would be
nearly one-third enough insect food
for our birds during the year. This
being true it is plain that at least
twice as many birds could find the
proper insect food in our State each
year.
A perusal OF the various works that
| have been written on the economic re-
lations OF birds to man will support
the statement that, if we were de-
prived of the services of birds, the
earth would soon become uninhabit-
able.
In addition to the actual good that
birds do rs recorded above in the
destruction of noxious insects, many
of them are engaged for at least one
half of the year in hunting out and
devouring the seeds of various weeds
and other, TO us, useless plants. Such
is the mission OF the various sparrows
snowbirds, finches, and long.spurs
which often occupy our fields IN
flocks OF thousands during the winter
months.
If, after ascertaining such truths a:
the above regarding birds, we continue
to slaughter them, it is not due te
thoughtlessness on our part. We dc
it willfully and maliciously. The
schoolboy may thoughtlessly rob
birds nest or kill bird or two. 1t il
the duty of teacher and parent alik'
to teach him better, to show him hoV
wrong it is to destroy lite uselessly
1t is especially their duty to preveD
the destruction of birds. If eacl
school-boy in the State OF Nebrask
we're to rob nest of say five bird
eggs, what would be the result? Ye
the making OF bird egg collections
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