Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-11-09
RISKS OF FEATHEREb TRIBE
birds Liable to az Many Accidents
as other Creatures.

birds Liable to IA Many Accidents
as Other Creatures.
OF all creatures birds are most ex-
empt from liability to accident, yet
| they not infrequently lose their lives
in most unexpected ways. Once above
trees and buildings they have the whole
upper air free of every obstacle and
| though their flight sometimes equals
the speed of railroad train they have
little to fear when well above ground.
| Collision with other birds seems scarce
| ly possible, but it sometimes occurs.
| When covey OF quail are flushed oc-
| caslonally two birds Will collide, at
| times meeting with such force that
both are stunned. Flycatchers dart
| ing Mt the same insect will now and
| then come together, but not hard
| enough to injure either bird. In the
English papers few years ago rare
| accident was reoorded-a heron had
spiked Itself on one of the pointed iron
arms Of cross surmounting a church
steeple Even the smallest and most
wonderful of all f1iers, the humming
bird, may come to grief in accidental
ways. as was recently shown by the
case of tiny bird of the ruby throated
variety which became entangled in the
hooks Of burdock bur and died pris-
oner before help could free it.
Young ph9bes sometimes become en-
tangled in the horsehairs which are
used in the lining of the nest When
they are old enough to fly and attempt
to leave they are held prisoners or left
dangling from the nest. When mink
traps are set in the snow in winter
owls frequently fall victims, mice be-
ing scarce and the bait tempting.
Lighthouses are perhaps the cause of
more accidents to birds than any other
obstacle they encounter on their noe
turnal migrations north and south.
Many hundreds are found dead ut the
base of such structures. The sudden
glare is SO confusing and binding as
they shoot from intense darkness into
completely bewildered and dash head
long against the thick pnnes Of glass.
Telegraph wires are another menace
to low flying birds. especially those
which. like quail and woodcock, enjoy
whirlwind and attain great speed
within few yards. Such birds have
been found cut almost in two by the
force with which they struck the wire
The elements frequently catch birds
unawares and overpower them. A
sudden wind or storm will drive coast
flying birds hundreds of miles out to-
sea, and oceanic birds may be blown as
far inland Hurricanes in the West
Indies are said to cause the deaths of
innunaerable birds, as we'll as other
creatures. Small islands are known to
have become completely depopulated
OF their feathered inhabitants from
such cause. Violent hailstorms. COM
ing without warming in warm weather,
are quite common agents in the de-
strnction Of birds, and thousands OF
English sparrows have been stricken
In city during such s.or1n.
Ruffed grouse have a habit of bur.
rowing deep beneath the snow In win
ter and letting the storm shut them in
They spend the night in this warm,
cozy retreat, their breath making its
way out through the loosely packed
crystals. But this becomes fatal
trap when cold rain sets in during
the night and an impenetrablc crust
cuts off their means of escape.-New
York Post