Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-26
Feeding the Birds. -
BY GEORGE BANCROFT SMITH.

BY GEORGE BANCROFT SMITH.
Probably few of my young readers know
that pumpkin seeds are the most accept
able food for chickadees during the win
ter. They prefer them even to meat. For
a number Of years I have fed my four
chickadees on pumpkin seeds. I put the
seeds. a small handful at time, In half
pint tin cup. and set the cup on the win
dowsiil. In the morning. at daybresk. q
chickadee lights upon the edge of the cup,
utters his "teet-teet" Of thanks, looks in at
the window a moment, and jumps down into
the cup; he takes a seed hops out, and
flies to the nearest tree to eat his break
fast. Another bird Immediately takes his
place, until all four have had their break
fast.
Thus. almost every hour of the day. from
december to May. and sometimes to June,
the chickadees delight us with their pres
ence. They become tame enough to peck
at ones fingers held against the glass.
Once put out my hand and rubbed one
on the breast several times before 1t took
wing.
The nuthatch and the small red-headed
woodpecker are less tame. For these I
hang up hah-picked bones by string, to
a limb Of q tree few feet from the win
dow.
The ehickadee manages a pumpkin seed.
which you know Is quite a large seed, in
two ways: Sometimes he graSpS each end
of the seed with his claws and small
twig at the same time, and pecks. upon
the middle OF the seed until he has made
hole through the shell; or he thEusts the
seed, point first, into a crack of board
or under the rough bark of a tree, hammer
ing 1t down we'll to make 1t secure, and
then proceeds to break the rim of the seed.
chickadees get mischievous and throw out
chickadee get mischievous and throw out
every seed In the cup. eating only the
plumpest ones The rest are not wasted,
however, as they pick them up afteFward.
It is amusing to see these birds stand on
the windowsill and watch the people with
IN, as they are at their various occupa-
ttons. In May or June they generally leave
for the woods, but return occasionally dur
ing the summer and search through all the
trees in the dooryard for worms or cater
pillars.
There Is q barber in Kensington. Pa,
who has trained a number of common
sparrows from the street to fly In and out
of his shop. The birds are never molested
by the BARRIERS customers. who are as fond
of them as the barber himself. The spar
rows simply own the shop whenever they
want to, and they have learned some very
amusing tricks under the tutelage OF their
friend
Sometimes when the room is we'll filed
with the chirping little fellows. the barber
will make sweep with his hand and pre-
tend to catch a fly. Immediately all the
birds will fiutter over to him and perch
watch the hand in which the fly is supposed
to be imprisoned. The barber opens his
hand gradually, one finger at a time, while
the birds sit with heads cooked on one side
expectantly waiting for the prize. If there
should be fly there is grand rush and
scramble Of the chirping rivals. 70,
Three or four years ago, during storm
in winter, pair Of bluejays came near the
library door of a naturalist where the snow
had been removed, seeking something to
eat. He threw out some corn. and, although
rather large grains for such small birds.
,nsy s ssa front to day ss day. ssey
remained all winter roosting in the
dooryard evergreens. In spring, IN
stead of taking to the woods. they tarried
and raised brood OF young IN Norway
spruce tree, not fifty feet from the house.
Every year the family increased with new
babies, All nesting in the trees about the
grounds. During the cold months they
are fed daily with grain and scraps. In
summer these birds go to the woods almost
every pleasant day, but before leaving IN
the morning they seem to have great deal
of talking to do and are heard to chatter,
something like colony Of crows as they
collect in a group OF evergreens nearby, ana
then they all fly away to the deep forest,
mile or more distant. Their chatterfng In
the morning is conducted in rather low
tone. but as they return In the evening their
note Is kind of screech.
An English gentlersaan has tame robin
which carries his mate plentiful supplies. OF
oatcake crumbs butter, bits of candy and
other delieacies. And when he has to cater
for the little ones as well, he is really to be
pitied SO busy Is he that he neglects his
toilet and his generous donor in the man.
sion has to be satisfied with hurried scraps
Of song. He gets quite fearless in his anxi-
ETY. for his family and will join his human
friend at breakfast and help himself to but
tered toast without invitation. 1t IS no use
to break piece for Robin; bis way is to
hop on the plate and peck off for himself
what he considers the daintiest bits. he.
has been known to come in five times dur
ing breakfast. At night window il left
open that he may come In for crumbs when
he pleases Should all the windows be Shut
Robin sits on the window sill and sings
he knows from experience. And when he
wishes to get out he hutters from room to
room utterfng a little frightened "Chick.
chick!' And as the family know that the
cat often lies In wait for him. 30 one will
rush to the rescue at once. Robin Is q very
amusing and CHEEKY little fellow s4S-- =.