Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-19
Lovers of Feathered Song
sters Take Notice.
COLD WEATHER COMING
THE SNOW WILL COVER UP TIE
FOOD SUPPLY.
Ninety-Fiv Per Cent Of the Quail
Perished One Severe
Winter
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
DO not let us forget that within very
short time now the ground will be covered
with snow, and that our friends the wild
birds, VIII be glad to have tangible proof
OF our friendship. Last winter bird lovers
IN many parts of the country made a good
beginning, and saved many thousands of
birds. Had their work been initiated
Wherever the winter was severe many more
hNes would have been saved; as Il was,
great numbers of birds persisted from star
walton or from cold. which they might
nave withstood had they been able to OBJ
tain food. The state ornithologist of Mas
Sachusetts estimates that ninety-iye per
cent of all the quail In the state persisted
from starvation last winter and that even
hVe per cent survived is due to the fact
that they were fed by the bird lovers. To
near OF birds dying of starvation is one
thing; to the birds themselves is an
oSher, and L am sure that If the nublic
could see some of the sights which were
seen by certain students in the woods and
he!as last winter. there would be but small
need or making this appeal. Those who
We're out on snowshoes every now and then
discovered the stiff little form of some
Junco, chickadee or tree-sparrow, and now
and then an observant man would notice
dozen or twenty little hummocks of snow
lying close together. Beneath would be
round as many quail. which. when all hope
OF obtaining food was gone, had died as
they mad lived gently and together In
some cases help had been given but II had
come too late. and the BIRDS exhausted by
their last brave efforts. lay dead upon the
food which they were too weak to pick up
SUCH sad incidents these should make us
more anxious than ever that there shall be
as little suffering as possible during the
coming winter. and | am going to make
suggestions concerning the best way TO
dies.
The Preparations.
OF course every one, old and young rich
and poor. can do some good by fleeing the
birds at home They can put out rough
wooden trays, and keep them well supplied
with seeds, cracked oats. wheat, bread and
table scraps; they can tie Jumps of suet to
the shade trees and then can clear wide
spaces on the lawns and in the yards. and
keep these spaces covered with different
kinds of bird food. This will be a great
help to many kinds of BIRDS but there are
many other kinds which will not come near
the house, and these perhaps, are the ones
which suffer most In order to save these
regular relief parties should be organized.
If there is a bird club in the town OF
course the feeding of hungry birds should
be directly in the line of it's work, and
surely there is no womans club which
would refuse to assist in such an Under
taking
The actual work in the woods and fields
is not for women, of course. but women
can help in the organizing of the relief par
ties, aud in the collection of food and the
money to buy food There are hundreds IF
people in every town who, while unable,
for one reason or another, to actually do
the work of birdfeeding. would be glad TO
assist by donating food or money. And each
town itself should be willing TO appropriate
a certain sum each year TO be expended in
some way for the benefit of the birds
Birds are of immense value to town, not
only by reason of the pleasure they give
to the inhabitants. bu; because they are per
sistenty waging war upon the insects
which destroy the crops, and which tend
to make human life unpleasant Besides
1t is worth much to any town to have for
It's Inhabitants people who are generous and
thoughtful
School Children.
Perhaps there is no better medium
through which TO distribute food TO the
birds than through the students of colleges
academies and high schools, and the pupils
or the public schools. Bodies of students or
pupils should work under the leadership If
either an individual a committee. VINO
should divide up into sections all the terri
tory to be covered. and assign to each sec
ton one or more squads Of from two To six
men. These men should set out provided
with plenty of bird food which may easily
be carried either in baskets or in bags
which have straps to go over the shoulders.
and they should be armed with snow shov-
els, and with string for tying the suet to
the trunks and branches Of trees. Tho
II ain, seeds, etc, should be placed in the
middle Of fields and other open places,
which are plainly visible to birds which
may be flying over. On reaching such Il
place. squad should begin by marking
out a space perhaps twenty feet square,
and from this they should clear the snow,
right down to bare ground. on which the
grain should be scattered. If it Were pat
Il
in the first thaw and be out of the reach
of the birds.
1t is hardly necessary to say that these
spaces should be cleared after every snow
Storm, and if this is done regularly. the
work of clearing them will not be severe.
This plain is one | can Vouch for, as | have
seen 1t thoroughly tested, and the results
were gratifying from every point OF view.
ERNEST HAROLD BAGNES.