Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-06-03
Respectful,
Acting chief, biological survey
THE ROBIN.

scented farther west by slightly different
subspecies. 1t extends far porth through
Canada, and Is found even in Alaska. Although
the great bulk of the species leaves the northern
states in winter. few individuals remain in
sheltered swamps. where wild berries furnish
an abundant supply of food.
The robin bulbs It's nest in orchards and
gardens, and occasionally takes advantage of a
| nook about the house, or under the shelter of
the roof of a shed or outbuiding. Its food
habits have sometimes caused apprehension to
the fruit grower, for It is fond of cherries and
other small fruits. particularly the earlier
varieties. For this reason many complaints
have been lodged against IT, and come persons
| have gone so far as to condemn the bird. The
robin Is, however, too valuable to be extermi-
mated, and choice fruit can be readily protected
from its depredatioBs.
| An examination Of $50 stomachs shows that
over ~ per cent. of its food is animal matter,
principally insects, while the remainder Is made
up largely of small fruits berries. Over 10
per cent consists of beetles, about one-third of
which are useful ground beetles, taken mostly
In spring and fall, when other insects are scarce.
Grasshoppers make up about One-tenth of the
whole foot, but in August comprise over 80 per
cent.
CaterpiIlars form about six per cent while the
rest of the animal food. about seven per cent, is
| made up of various insects, with few spiders,
| snails, and angle worms. All the grasshoppers,
caterpiiltrs, and bugs, with large portion of
the beetles, are injurious. and 1t is safe to say
that noxious insects comprise more than one
third of the robins food.
| Vegetable food forms nearly ffty-eight per
| cent. of the stomach contents, over forty.seven
being wild fruits, aud only little than four
per cent. being possibly cultivated varieties.
Cultivated fruit amounting to about twenty five
| per cent. was found In the stomachs In June and
July, but only trlhe in August Wild fruit,
on the contrary. is eaten in every month, and
constitutes a staple food during half the year.
No less than forIy-one species were identified
in the stomachs; of these, the most important
were -four species of dogwood, three of wild
cherries, three of will grapes, four of green
brier, two of holly. two of elder; and cranber-
ries, huckleberries, blueberries, barberries
service berries. hackberries and persmmons
with four species of sumac. and various other
seeds not strictly fruit.
The depredations of the robin seem to be con
fined to the smaller and earlier fruits. and few
If any, complaints have been made against it on
grapes, or even late cherries. BY the time these
are ripe the forests and hedges are teeming with
wild fruits. which the bird evidently finds more
to its taste.
The cherry, unfortunately, rip,ns so early
that 1t is almo L the only fruit accessible at a
time when the birds appetite has been sharpened
by long-continued diet of Insects, earth
worms. and dried berries. and it is no wonder
h.t Al fh,,y sh i,tfe 1
eaten.
In view of the fact that the robin takes ten
times rs much wild AS cultivated fruit, 1t seems
unwise to destroy the birds to save little
Nor is this necessary, for by a little care both
may be preserved. Where much fruit is grown
1t is no great loss to give up one tree to the
birds; and iu some cases the crop can be pro
tected by scarecrows.
Where wild fruit Is not abundant. a few frui
bearing shrubs and vines judiciously planted
will serve for ornament and provide food for
the birds. The Russian mulberry is vigorous
grower and profuse bearer, rpenng at the
same time as the cherry. and, SO far as observa
ton has gone. most birds seem to prefer it's
fruit to any other 1t is believed that a number
of these trees planted around the garden or
orchard would fully protect the more valuable
fruits.
Many persons have written about the delicate
discrimination of birds for choice fruit, assert,
ing that only the finest and costliest varieties
are selected. This is contrary to all careful
scientific observation. Birds, unlike human
beings. seem to prefer fruit like the mulberry,
that is sweetly insipid, or that has rome astrin.
gent or bitter quality like the chokecherry or
holly.
the socalled black alder (Ile1 uerticilLata)
which is species of holly, has bright scarlet
berries. as bitter as quinine. that ripen late in
October, and remain on the bushes through
November, and though frost grapes. the fruit of
the Virginia creeper. and several species of dog
wood are abundant at the same time, the birds
eat the berries of the holly to considerable
extent. as shown by the seeds found in the
stomachs.
1t is, moreover, a remarkable fact that the
wild fruits upon which the birds feed largely
are those which man neither gathers for his
own use nor adopts for cultivation.