Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-05-31
Chicago Is Regular Migrating
Point for Feathered Tribe.
Henry oIdys, Assistant Biologist Of
United States Biological Survey,
Delivers Lecture Before
Audubon Society.

Chicago.-Birds flock to Chicago the
same as Chicagoans flock to Europe.
This city is regular migrating point
for the feathered creatures. and for
a number Of reasons. Pre-eminent
among them Is the fact that the Mis-
sissippi valley is the regular route Of
migration of all birds coming from the
south to the colder chimes of the north
land. Flying far above Chicago during
the night, the vast glare Of thousands
of electric lights attracts them. They
al!ght in Washington park, Lincoln
park or some other alluring spot, and
at once begin their semi-annual work
of homebuilding.
Henry Oldys. assistant biologist Of
the United States biological survey,
delivered a lecture on birds and bird
music before the members Of the ILL
nois Audubon society at the Academy
of Sciences in Lincoln park. In the
course of his dissertation upon the
subject he made remarks of which the
foregoing paragraph is only Brief
\ summary.
Chicago is an ideal place for birds.
Mr.. Oldys declared. ''fOr 1t is directly
in the path of their fight north and
south. The Mississippi valley is
known as the bird route you know.
| The fact that Chicago is Chicago, that
1t is city stretching miles one way
and miles in other ways and that 1t
4 has thousands and thousands of cleo
4 trtn MuI, &c er1o rfr OFT vfChf m If
one of the largest towns. speaking In
terms OF bird habitation. In the coun-
try.
And If 1t were not for the fact thai
there is SO much smoke hanging over
i Chicago" Mr.. Oldys declared. y com
4 menting upon his talk delivered before
the society. there would be many
more birds here OF course. the lit
tie creatures will shun smoke. as q
human being will. Can you blame
them?"
| BIRDS are attracted to city in 8
strange manner" Mr.. Oldys went on
"At night they are drawn by the glare
Of the lights, as have explained. and
in the daytime they are lured by tai
spires. Lighthouses are especially at
tractive to them and many of the lit
tie animals meet their death eact
year by showing too much curiosity
and flying against the framework OF
pnnes Of the lamps.
"Of my own knowledge can speal
Of one bright morning where the stiff
I ened bodies Of $50 birds were picked
4 up from the base of the Washington
monument in Washington. On an av
erage of seven hundred month di,
by flying against the statute OF LIB
erty in New York harbor."
! Another interesting observation
made by MIR. Oldys was the effect o
weather upon birds. He declared tina
Y bright day and lots Of sunshine sen
the little warblers high to the topmos
branch of the tallest trees in thu
neighborhood, while on day rain,
and cloudy, the songsters stayed Il
the lowest limbs or often ran abou
on the ground.
Put birdhouse in your backyard.
urged the speaker. IF you do you'll
have some wrens or some swallow
living In 1t within day or two. an,
I'll warrant that you will be repai'
for the trouble you took by the pleas
ure you'll derive from watching tn
little creatures"
Commenting upon the voices Of tn
various birds, Mr.. Oldys made the dec
laration that In many instances tn
voice Of the human musician and tn