The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-05-23

This rapid Increase is result
he birds hardness, extraordinary fecundlty,
versity OF food. aggressive disposition. and
most complete immunity from natural enem
through its sagacity and It's preference for thi'
iy settled communities.
Its natural diet consists of seeds but II ct
great variety Of other foods. While much
its annual fare consists OF waste material fro
the streets In autumn and winter II consum
quantities of weed seed. and In summer NUM-
GUS Insects. Aside from the destruction OF we
seed. there Is very little to be said In the sp.
rows favor
1t destroys small fruits as cherries. crap.
pears and peaches. 1t also destroys buds a
flowers of cultivated trees. shrubs, and vines
the garden II eats seeds as they rpen and nj
of tender young vegetables as they appear abo
ground, peas and lettuce being especially subjs
TO attack 1t damages wheat and other graf
when newly sowed, ripening and in shocks
reduces the numbers OF some OF our most usei
native species, such as bluebirds, house wrei
purple martins, tree swallows, cliff swallows, a
barn swallows, by destroying the eggs and you
and by usurping the nesting places. II attac
other familiar native birds as the robin, VIZ,
reyeyed vireo, catbird and mocking bird cal
Ing them to desert parks and shady streets
towns Unlike our native birds whose places
usurps. 1t has no song. but is noisy and vitup
shrubs, and vines with its excrement and wi
its bulky nests
The evidence against the English sparrow
is overwhelming. and the present unfrIendy
attitude Of the public toward It ia reflected in
our state laws. Nowhere is 1t included among
the birds that are protected In response to
frequent inquiries for means of abatng the
sparrow nuisance received by the United
States Biological Survey, few approved
methods applicable to different conditions are
here described.
Sparrows frequently give annoyance by
roosting in ornamental vines and in crevices
about buildings II driven out late at night,
several nights in succession they will Usual.
ly desert the roost A Jet OF water from n
garden hose is a potent disturber particularly
on frosty nights Where water is not avail.
able. small Roman candles may be employed
Though sparrows may be driven from
given neighborhood the relief thus obtained
is only temporary, and has the further obIec.
tion that the nuisance is simply transferred
elsewhere, More drastic action is therefore
preferable.
The most effective method of preventing the
increase of sparrows In locality is to destroy
their nests at intervals Of ten or twelve days
throughout the breeding season. Occasionally
they build large covered nests In trees, but
as rule they build open nests In bird
houses. electric-light hoods. cornices. water
spouts. and similar places While 1t Is often
difficult to reach nests with the hand, they
can usually be torn down by means of a long
pole having an iron hook at the tip. by a
concerted and continued movement to destroy
every nest after the eggs are laid. English
sparrows In any locality may be gradually
reduced without resorting to shot or poison,
The sparrow's habit OF nesting in cavities
ha turn nj IN Nv
viding one-room bird-houses. even packing
boxes or tin cans. and putting them in trees
or on poles or buildings at a height OF about
ten feet, the birds may be captured after dark
with the aid OF long.handed net This net
should have a deep bag and small hoop
made to 1T the front OF the boxes closely.
After the net has been quietly placed over the
entrance, few raps on the box will send the
tenant into It. Dllapidated buildings may
sometimes be fitted up for catching sparrows
in this way, as we'll as for destroying their
nests and eggs. The Illustration herewith shows
how this can be done. An ordinary wooden
box may be nailed to the inside of the build.
ing over a hole made to admit the sparrows.
The box should be arranged so that the top
or upper part OF the back can be lifted to
gain access to the inside.
The box, also illustrated on this page, 10 de
signed to be hung a building or a tree.
It's hoo- should be about six inches square
and fits height at the caves about eight inches.
The roof should be hinged at the top for re-
moving the eggs young. Such boxes may
be built Of rough boards at slight cost. BY
distributing a number Of them about orchards,
shade trees. and outbuildings. and catching
the sparrows that occupy them. or by destroy.
ing eggs the work of determination may be
carried on at a season when other methods
are least effective
Preliminary to the following destructive
measures, sparrows should be baited until
they are attached to the spot selected for
their execution. Seeds. grain. or waste from
the table. II supplied regularly. will soon es.
tablish a feeding place. II general campaign
10 to be undertaken. enough such feeding
places should be maintained to attract to
them practically all the English sparrows In
the neighborhood. This Gun easily be done
in winter when food ia scarce. After thus
batting the sparows they may be trapped. shot,
or poisoned.
Traps alone are inadequate to cxterminate
sparrows, but q reduction Of numbers can
be effected by using a shallow box not less
than four feet square. open on one side and
covered with woven wire on the other. One
side of this trap rests on the ground. while
the opposite side In supported by a stick IS
inches long. Near the upper end OF this stick
Is attached long cord. and between the top
.s.l