The Democratic advocate., 1909-07-30
USE OF RIRDs no FARMERs.
Scientists Say Harm Birds do is Small
to Their Good.

10 Iheir GOOds
Complaints often come from farmers
OF the damage done by certain birds
but before birds as a class are cod.
demned 1t might be well to examine
the stomachs of few to see what
they are feeding upon. In this way
the farmer can readily ascertain which
birds are benefit and which detri-
ment
II must not be forgotten that, nc
matter what the parent birds feed on
they must provide insect food for their
young, and In seeking this food birds
do not consider If they are benefltine
the farmer or not. In this search they
are apt to gather some OF our friends
as we'll as many of our enemies.
In the spring bros very often feed
on injurious beetles, as at that time
they are about the only insect food a.
yailable At times birds are compelled
to discriminate in the kind Of insects
they consume for the reason that
some are not so easily caught, and
not because they can discriminate be-
tween the injurious ones TO the farm
er.
The king bird has been accused OF
being injurious as he has a habit OF
catching bees, and yet an examina-
tion Of his stomach will prove that Il
contains more Injurious insects than
bees. The red wing blackbird eats
many seeds OF noxious weeds, when a
supply OF grain can easily be found,
and the robin, though considered a
grain eater, destroys many seeds and
berries OF noxious weeds and plants.
The Colorado potato beetle has been
found in the stomach OF these varlea
ties OF birds. The Grosbeak feeds
largely on the potato bug, but this
variety OF bird is very scarce in this
section OF the country.
The best bird friend the fruit grow.
er has Is the woodpecker. which feeds
on the beetles that infeBt trees, and
also on ants that are found on trees.
The blueiay lives on the tent caterplI-
lar In winter. Nearly half OF the food
OF the cuckoo consists OF caterpiilars
OF various kinds; Professor r. r. l..
Beal gives an instance OF where ESQ
specimens OF caterplllars we're found
In the stomach OF a single cuckoo.
This bird feeds 80 largely on the fuzzy
caterpillar that the fuzz has been
known 10 pierce the stomach, and the
inner lining Of the stomach has been
thoroughly covered with fuzz.
Professor Beal. of the New Jersey
State horticultural Society. says com
plalnt has been mnde Of birds destroy.
Ing fruit and grain. but. on inyeatign.
tion, n has been found that the birds
have been so abundant that each ones
eating small quantity amounts TO q
great deal In the aggregate. yet there
has been found hut little IN the Htom-
ach Of each. and they we're doing more
good than harm the weed seeds
amounting TO 81 per cent, OF their
food. II IS hard 20 strike o balance.
AZ II a bird eats n quart Of berries and
also o quart of injurious Insects. no
man can tell the harm that migh, have
been done by the insects aud their
progeny, while We can put q market
value on the fruit What the horti-
cuIturist ii demanding IN general
lowering OF this injurious insect life.
In no better way can this be done
than by encouraging the increase OF
birds by providing suitable resting
places and by protecting them ~ every
way.
The English sparrow. imported
from another country. was not a very
beneficial bird ia i,s natural home.
and on being transferred 10 new envi.
ronmenta has become an Injurious
specie here II ~ not desirable 10 Inn
port foreign species TO this country.
as Il has proved 20 be a failure where.
ever attempted Protect our own birds.
which every farmer can do on bis own
premisea il he will