The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-11
BIRDS AND AGRICULTURE
GOVERNMENT HAS INVESTIGATED
THEIR ROOD HABITS.
Most Birds Are Insectivorous and
Beneficial To the Farmer-Speci-
-fic Information.


Whether a bird is injurious beneficial
depends entirely upon what it eats. and IN
The case OF species which are usually album
dant. or which depend in part upon the
farmers crops for subsistence, the charac-
Ter Of the food often becomes a very prac-
sical question II crows or blackbirds are
seen in numbers about corn fields, or If
woodpeckers are noticed at work in an or
chard IL is perhaps not surprising that
they are accused Of doing harm. Careful
Investigation, however, often shows that
they are actually destroying noxious in
sects and also even those which do harm
At one season Of the year may compensate
for II by eating noxious specimens at an
other Insects are eaten at all times by
the majority OF land birds and during the
breeding season most kinds subsist largely
and rear their young entirely on this food.
When insects are unusually plentiful they
are eaten by many birds which ordinarily
do not touch them. Even birds of prey re-
sort 10 this diet. and when insects are more
easily obtained than other fare the smaller
hawks and owls live them almost en-
tirely This was we'll illustrated during the
recent plague OF Rocky Mountain locusts
Ia the Western States, when it was found
that Iocusts were eaten by nearly every
almost the entire food of a large majority
OF the species.
Within certain limits. birds feed upon the
kind OF food that is most accessible. Thus,
as rule, insectivorous birds eat the insects
that are most easily obtained, provided they
90 not have some peculiarly disagreeabls
property. II is not probable that bird
habituaIy passes by one kind of insect to
look for another which is more appetizing,
and there seems little evidence in support
OF the theory that the selection of food is
restricted TO any particular species of in
sect, for il IS evident that bird eats
those which by its own methods OF seeking
are most easily obtained. Thus a ground
feeding bird eats those il finds among the
dead leaves and grasses; "A hy-catcher,
watching for its prey from some vantage
point. captures entirely different kinds. and
the wOodpecker and warbler, in the tree
tops, select stiH others; it is thus apparent
that birds diet is likely to be quite
varied and to differ at different seasons of
The year.
In investigating the food habits of BIRDS
field observation can be relied on only to a
little extent. for it is not always easy to
determine what bird eats by watching it,
In order TO be positive on this point, it is
necessary TO examine the stomach contents
When birds are suspected of doing injury
field crops, a few individuals should be
shot and their stomachs examined. This
win show Enthusiastically whether or not the
birds are guilty.
OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION
In response to a general demand for def
mite information regarding the food habits
OF our native birds. the biological survey OF
the Agricultural Department has for some
years past been conducting a systematic in
vestigation OF the food of species which are
believed to be of economic importance.
Thousands OF birds stomachs have been
examined in the laboratory, and all the
available data respecting the food brought
together. The practical value of birds in
controlling insect pests should be more gen.
orally recognized. 1t may be an easy mat
ter TO externinate the birds in an orchard
grain field. but it is extremely difficult
one TO control the insect pests. 1t is GER
tain, too. that the value OF our native spar
rows as wood destroyers is not appreciated.
Weed seed forms an important item for the
winter food OF many of these birds and 1t is
impossible TO estimate the immense num-
bers of noxious weeds which are thus annu-
ally destroyed.
nest about the farm and garden they will
do their share in destroying noxious insects
and weeds. and few hours spent in putting
up boxes for bluebirds, martins and wrens
will prove a god investment. Birds are pro-
tected by law in many States. but it re-
mains for the agriculturist to see that the
laws are faithfully observed.
An examination OF stomachs has shown
that cuckoos are much given TO eating
caterpillars. and. unlike most birds do not
reject those covered by hair. In fact
cuckoos eat so many hairy caterpillars that
1.-The hairs pierce the inner lining of the
stomach and remain there, so that when
the stomach is opened and turned inside
out it appears TO be lined with a thin
coating OF fur.
Five or six species of woodpeckers are
Familiarity known throughout the eastern
United States and in the West are replaced
by others of similar habits. Several spe-
cies remain in the Northern States through
the entire year, while others are more or
less migratory. Farmers are prone TO look
upon wOodpeckers with suspicion When
the birds are seen scrambling over fruit
trees and pecking at the bark and fresh
holes are found in the trees it is concluded
that they are doing harm. Careful OBJ
servers have noticed. however. that except
ing a single species these birds rarely leave
any marks on healthy tree. but that when
tree is affected by wood boring larvae
the insects are accurately located dis
lodged and devoured. In case the holes
from which the borers are taken are after
ward occupied by colonies of ants these
ants In turn are drawn out and eaten. An
examination Of many stomachs of these
birds shows that from two-thirds to three
fourths OF the food consists of insects.
chiefly nOxiOus.
The kingbird is essentially a lover of the
orchard and wherever the native groves
have been replaced with fruit trees this
pugnaciOus bird takes up its abode IL
breeds In all of the States east of the
Rocky mountains and less commonly in the
great basin and on the Pacific coast. IL
migrates south early in the fall and gen
orally leaves the United States to spend
the winter IN more southern ATTITUDES. The
Aingbird manifests its presence in many
ways IL IL somewhat boisterous and OBJ
trusive and its antipathy for hawks and
crows Is well known. IL never hesitates