Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1904-01-01
BIRDS OF THE WINTER TIME
Birds Of Great Value which Should
be Protected and Cared for
During the Winter

curing hAo " AAecA
Certain small birds that remain
with us during the winter time are
Of very great value, although their
economic effects are not generally
known. Those birds are very bene-
fetal for their destruction OF both
weed seeds and insects. Some, like
the sparrows and horned larks, feed
during'the winter upon seeds alone,
most Of which are the seeds Of weeds
that are more or less obnoxious
others, like the quail, feed upon both
seeds and insects, and some feed up
on insects alone, even during the
winter, when it is popularity thought
that no insects are to be found. It
is to these and the necessity OF pre-
serving them that we wish TO call
especial attention at this time.
Two very important birds that
remain with as all winter and feed
entirely upon insects, especially in
orchards, are the Downy and Hairy
woodpeckers. Members Of this
family can be known by their dip
ping fight, their short, sharp notes,
their sharp rigid tail feathers pressed
against the tree for support, two
toes in front and 2 behind insuring a
firmer grasp, their hard pecking
against wood, their modest white
and black colors, snd the patch of
red on the head Of the male They
are found mostly on the trunks and
larger limbs of the trees, head up
ward, searching for grubs, chrysa-
lids, etc. They are erroneously
called 'sapsuckers, and are killed
through ignorance of their own
value. They do not suck sap, nor
injure the trees. Protect the small
woodpeckers Of the winter time and
thus protect your fruit crops.
Two other valuable winter birds
are the two species of nuthatches.
These can be known by their drab
and grayish coIors, no red, the call
which is a nasal 'pank, and their
alighting OH the trunks and larger
branches of trees, mostly head down
ward. They do not peck into wood,
as do the woodpeckers, but they pry
into every crack and crevice and
under every possible scale OF bark
in search of insects Of any and all
kinds of stages, and will freely eat
eggs, such as those of the pear tree
. Psylla, Apple Aphids. eto., Larvae
( such as hibernate beneath loose
bark, pup@ or ohrysalids Of all
) kinds Of insects that are to be found
) in cracks and under bark, and
} adults or mature insects that are
! alternating. For the extraction Of
) such pests these nuthatohes have
4 bills that are especially long, sleder
. straight and pointed.
! Another remarkable valuable bird
Of the winter time is the common
3 Chickadee. It can be known by its
5 small size, black cap on its head
/ BLUSH gray back, and lighter under
( side, and especially by the fact that
( it generally aiights on the twigs o.
trees and swings head downward
f. and every way. while clinging with
!, its feet, like veritable acrobat. Il
s lives altogether upon insects, aDt
8 eats an immense number of them
g Its chief food consisting Of the egg
{ of plant lice, small chrysalids, etc
4 A study Of its stomach contents hal
proven beyond a doubt that it is one
8 Of the most valuable birds known {,
4 the ia rmer and fruit grower.
q The brown Creeper also Otter
8 occurs in our orchards during th.
/ winter. It is small bird, slightl.
9 larger than the Chickadee, with
, very long, slender, curved bill, will
[. which it extracts insects Of all kind
d and in all stages from their winte
.e hiding places where none but al
Ie expert sntomologist would think {
d find them. It is one Of the feV
n kinds Of birds with stiff and pcinte
10 tail feathers upon which it rests a
times, as upon a third leg. All q
these birds can be aided by putin
fat meat, suet or trimmings fror
"a butcherings in trees for them. Plac
bands of tin around the trees an
- cats and squirrels will not get Ga
food put up for the birds, which al
~ our most useful allies.
10 Tor quails it is necessary, Will
there is prolonged snow. 10 fee
them by setting sheavos OF al
threshed grain Of any kind In brus
piles and scattering stFaws wit
grain Ia the head over brush so tl
u falling snow will not cover it.
=. this Be not done most Of the Quai
y, In this state ara likely to die
~ -, istarvation. Prof III. A. Surlac
- State College, Penna.
~ A Cesaly Mistake
" Blunders arc sometimes very O.
81 ponsivo. OCCASIONALLY life itself
80. 49, .~Irn - q ...aaaah- E.rs c.oe.