Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1909-07-22
BELLED BUZZARD
HAS REAPPEARED
Vultnre Famous in Indiana for
Thinking Notes Returns After
Years Absence.
STUNNED BY ALL BIRDS
Feathered Fellows Look Askance,
Show Fight and Are Repulsed |:
by Bell-Ringer.

PRINCETON, Ind, July 13. The
famous belled buzzard that for years
has tinkled at intervals over southern
Indiana made its appearance and dis
appearance yesterday in most spec
tacular manner, according to the story
of Henry McFadden, we'll known
farmer living in the vicinity of the
big buzzard roost on the lower end of
Long Pond, northwest Of here. Nc
Fadden also solved the question that
has been an issue for years as to why
this belled buzzard is always a solita-
ry traveller. 1t seems the tinkling lit
tie sheep bell fastened to its neck
makes it an enemy in the sight of all
the rest of its kind.
Hundreds of buzzards congregate
each evening at the Long Pond roost.
Yesterday while passing near the roost
McFadden heard the faint tinkl ing of
bell and was at loss to account for
it, but finally realized that it must be
on big buzzard circling high up in
the air
Gradually the bell sounds became
more distinct as the big bird circled
lower and lower and McFadden realiz-
ed it was coming to the roost. He
quickly secreted himself so that he
might get good view of the grounds
At least 100 buzzards were on the
ground and in the scrubby trees of the
roost, and meantime, as the belled
bird came slowly down to them, they
had ceased all else and were giving
the strange conner their entire atten-
tion.
There we're no welcoming calls. The
scavengers sat utterly silent. Then,
with friendly call, the tinkling buzz
zard. settled to the ground with a
swoop, and as he walked across the
sand his bell still tinkled. There was
an instant quiet and then, as though
by signal from big bird perched on
a scrub limb overlooking the rest all
began to ruffie their feathers and in
another instant they were calling
fiercely and rushing at the belled one,
full of spirit of fight which is usual
ly stranger to this big and clumsy
bird as large as turkey.
With claws and talons they sailed in
and soon the feathers were flying in
all directions But the attackers
found to their sorrow that the big bell
ed bird was an old hand at this game,
as his bell had evidently led him into
similar scrapes before and it WASH t
long until he was fighting with such
energy that space was slowly being
cleared around him and some of the
more cowardly birds were futtering
around and flying up into the scrub
limbs.
The belled one was not satisfied
with defeating the common herd and
appeared to utter a call of defiance to
the big buzzard cock that was the
leader, for at once all the others got
back out of the way, and these two
went at it hammer and tongs, the bel
tinkling and rattling constantly.
Buzzard fights are almost unknown,
but McFadden says these vultures put
into their struggle all the ferocity of
the eagle and tapped their wings and
dug viciously into each other with
claws and talons until both were sorry
sights.
Then came the end. With a lungt
of his beak the belled bird punctureC
An eve of the other, and the beak evi
IDENTIFY penetrated the head into the
brain, for the big buzzard cock rolled
over on the ground dying. When the
Others saw this many of them started
to renew their united attack and ex
terminate the belled invader, but ht
was too quick for them, and, though
evidently crippled, his feathers tori
out and the blood running in places
he tapped quickly up with mockinG
call and SCARED away before the othel
sluggish and astonished birds could re
alize what was happening. McFaddeI
saws the victor was badly, but not fla
tally hurt
He believes the bell had made thu
buzzard an outcast, and his continua
struggles among its kind had given i
much of the prowess and strength o
the eagle, in spite of the fact that tb'
buzzard or vulture is usually coward
ly bird, too lazy TO fight. The call
given we're also unusual as buz
zard rarely makes a sound Of an!
kind.
The belled buzzard has been fre
ouenting southern Indiana at time
for the last twelve or fourteen years
who caught it and put the bell on j
NOT definitely known, but it is general
" understood to have been Martil
county farmer. The bel seems to h