Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-07
RETURN OF THE WILD BIRDS.
Interesting Observations of a Ere
quenter of the City Parks.

'Eird life in cities constitutes an interest
ing If not very extensive field of study as
regards the feathered species that may
dcisn to abide temporarily or permanently
III our parks. said an invalid Washing
tonian VINO spends much of his time in
Franklin and Lafayette squares, to a Star
reporter.
Il have made two interesting observations
concerning the birds in our parks, and one
Is that when 1t comes to fight the wild bird
Will put the alleged fierce and reputed pug
Eacious sparrow TO flight in much less time
than the regulation twenty rounds The
other observation is that the wild birds are
coming back to our parks and building their
nests there. If not in large numbers, in SUI
hcient quantity to show that they are max
ing abiding places for the season in the
heart OF the city.
Several families of blackbirds and two
or three pairs of robins have taken M
Their summer abode in Franklin Square.
nave noticed with much amusement that
poth of these species sail into the f1ocks of
sparroWs which swarm in the park when
1t comes to a dispute over food in a man.
ner which upsets all past theories about the
sparrow being the master of the wild bird
In fact, 1t has been my conclusion that the
sparrows show visible fear of the robins
ana blackbirds when the latter come around
for crumbs of bread, and they take f1fp hit
rather than stay and fight it out
The blackbrds are particularly savage
IN thelr attacks upon the sparrows when
1t comes to question of food, and they
nave adopted several little tricks with
these imported pests which would fill a
native bird lover with delight could he
witness them. When a flock of sparrows
are gathered around a handful of bread
crumbs thrown upon the asphalt walks the
blackbirds Will swoop down upon them and
seEd them flying In a hurry. The black
Dlros then emit squawks of evident pleas
ure, eat crumbs and carry them to the
young In their nests. A favorite pastime of
the blackbirdS is to pursue sparrow who
may be flying toward it's nest with a large
crumb OF bread in its beak, utter hoarse
'croaks OF rage. peck at the luckless spar
row with their bills, causing the sparrow to
drop the crumb in terror the blackbirds
usually catching the morsel before it
reaches the ground.
In Lafayette Square there are four
mounted cannon placed at the corners Of
the jackson monument. SparroWs have
taken possession of these historic pieces of
ordnance in the Mexican war; and have
oullt nests inside of the bores of these old
field PIECES 1t is an odd sight to see the
mother birds perched on the muzzles of
these now silent dogs of war, calmly sur
veying the landscape and keeping weather
eye open to the approach of vagrant cats
and mischievous small boys who might dis
turp their young in the dark recesses of
the cannon.
LAS local students of the habits of birds
the Smithsonian grounds are favorite rest
Ing places for focks of blackbirds and rob-
ms In their migrations north and south
During these times the blackbirds are es-
pecially numerous. and their shrill, piping
cry attracts the attention of freQuenters In
these grounds The fact that some of the
families of these birds now stop In the
city is matter of interest to professional
and amateur ornithologists.
AS wild birds instnctively careful
to select safe place for the rearing of
their young. 1 have always considered that
they gave city parks a wide berth more on
account of the prevalence OF vagrant cats
and insufficient feeding grounds rather than
to the presence of the sparrow. The latter
stay in the parks because the city may be
said to be their natural habitat rather than
the fields. The proposition to stock Rock
Creek Park with wild game birds and the
law to prohibit their killing in the District
meet with the special approval of all of our
citizens who love the bird and wish it's
preservation as against those who would
seek its destruction"