Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-06-13
JUalloUs ,fmonq Our Most Useful Of Birds

hence, in the North, the bird is muc3l
less common than formerly. Under
the mistaken idea that cliff swallows
are not desirable ncighbors, the nests
especially when near houses, are often
1 destroyed and the birds driven away
All birds are more or less subject TO
parasites, especially when nesting,
put the parasites are not bedbugs nor
the kinds obnoxious to man, and no
one need Danish the swallows for fear
CT trouble from this source. In CIR
many the presence of swallows around
houses is so much desired that artif-
cial nests made of clay or other mate
birds by saving them the labor of ,on-
structing their own domiciles. No
doubt our own cliff swallows would
be quick to RESPOND to a similar offer
of ready-made dwellings,, rent-free, and
in this way the range of this extreme
ly useful species might be materially
increased. The cliff swallow is one
of the most indefatigable insect de-
stroyers extant, and every motive of
patriotism and humanity should
prompt communities among which
they live to protect and foster them
! in every possible way.
| Purple martin. This. the largest
and in many respects the most beau-
tiful of all our swallow tribe, is the
most local and the least numerous. In
New England and perhaps in most OF
the northern states generally. this fire
bird is steadily diminishing in num-
bers. The English sparrow often
takes possession of its boxes, ruth
lessly kills the young martins or
throws out the eggs, and usually SIC
ceeds in routing the colony and ar
propr.ating the boxes When meas
ures are not taken to abate the spar
row nuisance in the immediate vicinity
OF martin colonies, the usual result is
that the martins are forced to abandon
their houses. The habit of putting up
horses for the accommodation of mar
tin colonies is not as common in the
north as it formerly was. and to this
indifference to the martins presence.
to persecution by the sparrow, and
to losses due to the prevalence of
cold storms during the nesting season.
no doubt, is due the present scarcity
of the bird.
simply to put UP martin boxes in
localities where the birds do not now
1--we may or may not ultimately result
IN the formation of new colonies. for
the martin is conservative by nature
and loves its birthplace to well to,
coionize strange localities until
forced away by lack of accommoda-
ticns in the old home More active
measures, therefore. have been sug-
sested to induce colonization, particu-
larly the transfer at night of one or
more martin houses, with both parent
birds and nestlings, from their old
homes to new ones.
Having their nest'ings to care To-.
the old birds probably will not always
desert them, but are likely to resume
parental duties i'll the strange neigh
borhood, especially if the cd home S
far distant. The theory is that the
following spring on their return from
the south the young martins, ana
possibly their parents, will 60 back
to the new home. As the young can
be raised by hand without serious
difficulty. il may prove easier to start
the new colony with nestlings alone.
feeding them on meal worms, grass
hoppers, and the like Six or eight.
pairs can well be spared from strong
colony without unduly weakening it.
This method promises well. and if
the experiment can be tried from
year TO year, even on small scale,
gradual increase in the number Of
martin colonies is likely to result and
new centers of distribution to he
formed most useful
From the standpoint of the farmer
and the orchardist perhaps no birds
more useful than the swallows exist.
They have been described as the light
cavalry of the avian army Specially
adapted for flight and unexcelled i'm
aerial evolut,ons. they have few rivals
in the art of capturing insects in mid
ar They eat nothing of valne to-
man except few predaceous wasps
and bugs. and in return for their serv-
ices in destroying vast numbers Of
noxious insects ask only for harborage
and protection. 1t is TO the fact that
they capture their prey on the wing
that their peculiar value to the cotton
grower is due. Orioles do roFal serv-
ice in catching weevils on the bolls;
and blackbirds wrens. fiycatchers, AMI
Others contribute to the good work
but when swallows are migrating over
the cotton feds they find the weevils
flying in the open and wage active war
against them. AS many as AZ adult
weevils have been found in the stori-
ach of single elf swallow
What may be termed the interstate
relations of birds are not always as
simple as in the case of the swallows.
Some birds are most desirable summer
residents of northern states. but when
migrating greatly damage certain
cronS in the southern states Not en-