River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-06-04

paramount service of the birds lies
in their power to destroy insects.
For this work we have a vast
mechanism in nature, an army plas-
tic almost as air, on wings powerful
and beautiful, able to carry their fly
ing squadrons hundreds and even
thousands of miles whittier food
abounds and insects threaten destruc-
ton. Then why do we not have
more birds than we find about us?
Why have we not, hundreds where
we have but one? The food supply
for all seasons of the year is one of
the serious drawbacks to this posi-
bility. The natural enemies to bird
life is another. In connection with
each element in nature which tends
to decrease our valuable bird life, we
should endeavor to discover the
means of preventing its operation.
We learn that during the past fifteen
years our birds have decreased 46
per cent. in thirty states and terri
tories. Three states, North Caro-
lima, Oregon and California show
neither increase nor decrease, and
only four states, Kansas, Wyoming,
ashington and Utah, have had an
increase of bird life. In Wisconsin
the birds have decreased 40 per cent.
Our severe climatic influences in
this country are highly destructive
of bird life. Great numbers of birds
are killed in heavy rains and hail
storms. Whole species are decima-
ted in sleet and snow storms within
the range of their southern migra-
tons. Thus our bluebirds were
killed off in 1896, and fearful havoc
was wrought in number of our
most valuable species in the south
ern states during the winter Of 1893
90. With these elements it is diff
cult to contend. To what extent
man is responsible by reason of
clearing out natural shelter and de-
stroying natural food supplies it is
impossible to say. Again in times
of great drought in regions where
our common species breed, both food
and water may become SO scarce
that numbers of nestlings famish or
starve. If birds were tanned suffi-
GENTLY to come to man as their
friend in times of great need, little
food and shelter might tide them
over the hard time, and their SER
vice afterwards would repay the
outlay a thousand fold. About the
house and barn and shade trees safe
places of shelter might save great
numbers of birds every year.
Cats are generally recognized as
the worst enemies of our native
birds. Professor Forbush has esti-
mated that a cat is responsible on
the average for the death of about
fifty song birds year. All the
wild, stray or worthless cats of
neighborhood should be destroyed,
and people who have cats that they
value ought, for love of nature, to
see to it that they are provided with
other food than yonug robins, orr
oles, thrushes, and song sparrows.
Next to the cat the English spar
row is responsible for great decrease
among certain of our native birds,
especially of some of our most use
full and desirable species about the
cities and towns. They will break
up the nests and devour the eggs of
our robins, bluebirds, wrens, tree
swallows, martins, song sparrows
and verios. This 'rufian in feathers
is bird too pestiferous' to mention.
The sparrows begin nesting in Feb
ruary or March, thus preempting
available bird houses before the ma
tive birds arrive, and rearing, as they
do, five or six broods a season, they
increase with incredible rapidity. 1t
has been estimated that a pair in ten
years might produce 275,7I6,o83,6o8
sparrows. What are we to do with
this enemy of our valuable native
birds? The one preliminary to hav-
ing our valuable native birds numer-
Gus in our cities and towns, and in
many parts of the country as we'll,
is practical determination of the
English sparrow. If at the time
the pest was imported general at
tention had been aroused to the
necessity of protecting our native
birds and of giving them a chance
to do the work of insect destruction
for which our natural conditions