Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1907-03-08
WHAT THEY SAY.
In Regard to Birds of Oregon
Much Discussion Aroused.

Because of the widespread iu-
terest that has been aroused by
the defeat of House Bill 3o7,
space is requested in the Gszette
by William L. Finley. president
of the Oregon Audubon Society,
in which tc explain why this So
ciety made such a strenuous ef-
for to defeat the bill. He says:
We understand that many of
thu orchardists in the state want
ed this law in order to protect
themselves from the ravages of
certain birds. 1t passed the
house and senate, but was vetoed
by Governor Chamberlain. -,
Our present Model Bird law
was passed in 1903. This law
has been adopted and is used in
every state in the Union except
ing thi1teen. 1t was strongly
recommended by the Biological
survey of the department OF agri-
culture. At the time it was pass
ed, it was so amended to meet
the needs of Oregon. We are
emphatically opposed to abolish
ing protection to all our useful
birds on account of the sins OF
three or tour species. This is
what House Bill 3o7 proposed to
do
The last provisien in this bill
reads: ''Prsvided further, that
this act shall not be construed as
preventing farmers, gardeners
and orchardists from destroying
any birds, other than game birds
when necessary to prevent the
destruction OF crops from the
ravages of birds" This seems
fair at fir t glance, but it is in
direct colh,ct to the spirits of
the very law to which it was
added, because this law precludes
that many song birds are not in
furious, but of positive benefit to
the farmers, gardners and or
chardists, and the general good
of the state demands that they
shall not be killed.
This proviso is too sweeping to
become law, because it nulli-
6es all preceding song bird leg
islatiou. Under it, any land
owner can claim any bird on his
premises is harmful to his crops
People can shoot any or all song
birds on their own property and
pursue these birds to other parts.
This bill opens our song birds
throughout the state to the
slaughter of Italian gardeners,
gunners and all others who wish
to shoot larks, robins. thrushes
and other species for pot-pie.
Another proviso OF House Bill
367 reads: "Provided, that the
protection afforded birds under
this act shall not apply to crows,
bluejays, owls, hawks, butcher
birds, magpies, blackbirds, the
English or European house spar
| row, woodpeckers and apple
u birds"
: There are six or seven varieties
OF owls that inhabit Oregon, only
one of which, the Horned Owl,
is in any way detrimental to
poultry interests. The other
owls are recognized by all as
birds of the most economic im
portance. Our present law pro-
tects all owls except the horned
owl. House Bill 367 permits
the indiscriminate killing of all
owls, which is great mistake.
House Bill 367 permits the 50.
called "apple bird" to be oe.
stroved without limit. "Apple.
bird is local application known
. only to the trainers of this bill
1t may refer to robin, chick
/ adee, sparrow, aycatcher, thrush
! grosbeak, or any o,hel
bird that lives about a,
| apple tree. Many of these spec
| les are OF the highest ecouomi,
ivalue,-why permit their des
I trucsion?
J Under our present law, W.
have a check on the tendency O
- the boy to kill useinl song bird
for sport. Under House Bill
\ 367. the gate we have lied up