The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-08-08

structive bulletins ever issued by the
United States department Of agri-
culture is Farmers bulletin No. 513.
It's caption is given above and it deals
with fifty we'll known American birds.
The Introduction gives the following
information:> . 4.asn. e.. ~a 4%sq, .rg
This bulletin is intended. to serve
the very practical purpose Of enabling
u farmers and their boys and girls
to Identify the birds hat frequent the
farm and orchard. The material pros
perity Of state and nation depends
largely on agriculture, and any agent
that serves to increase the size of
crops and insure their certainty is of
direct interest and Importance to the
farmer. Birds constitute one of the
most valuable of these agents, since
they depend largely for their food on
insects which are among the farmers
most dreaded foes.
Entomologists have estimated that
insects yearly cause a loss of upwards
of $500, 600, 900 to the agricultural in
t%erestso of the United States. Were it
not for our birds the loss would be
very much greater, and indeed it is
believed that without the aid of our
~feathered friends successful agricul-
ture would be impossible. A knowledge
of the birds hat protect his crops is,
therefore, as important to the farmer
as a knowledge of the insect pests that
destroy them. Such knowledge is the
more important because the relation of
birds to mans interests is extremely
complex. Thus, while 1t may be said
that most of u birds are useful. there
are only a few Of them that are always
and everywhere useful and that never
do harm. InsectiVorous birds, for in
stance, destroy, along with a vast
number of harmful insects, some par
asitic and predatory kinds. These lat
ter are among natures most effective
agents for keeping destructive insects
in check. To the. extent then. that
birds destroy useful parasitic INSECTS,
they are harmful. But, taking the year
round, the good they do by the de-
.struction Of insects injurious to mans
interests far outweighs the little harm
they do. 1t may be said too hat of the
birds usually classed as noxious there
are very few that do not possess re-
deeming traits. Thus the crow is mis-
chievous in spring and sorely taxes the
farmers patience Int ingenuity to
prevent him from pulling up the newly
planted. corn. Moreover the crow de-
stroys the eggs and young of useful
insectivorous and game birds; but, on
the other hand, he eats many insects,
especially white grubs and cutWorms,
and destroys many meadow mice, SO
that in much (although not ally of the
region he inhabits the crow must be
considered tt" be mo useful than
harmful. Most OF the hawks and owls
even-birds hat have received SO bad
a name that the farmers boy and the
sportsman are ever On the alert to kill
them--are very useful because they
destroy numbers of insects and
harmful rodents. 80
Birds occupy a unique position
among the enemies of insects since
their powers of flight enable them at
short notice, to gather at points where
there are abnormal insect outbreaks.
An unusual abundance Of g~rasshop-
pers, for instance, in a given locality
area, and as a rule their visits cease
only when there are nj g~rasshoppers
left. So also a marked increase in the
number Of small rodents In a given
neighborhood speedily attracts the at
tention of hawks and owls, which, by
reason Of their ~voracious appetites,
soon produce a marked diminution OF
the swarming foe. sre II
America is greatly favored in the
number and character Of it's birds.
which not only include some of the
gems of the bird world. as the wafb-
lers and humIning birds. but on the
whole embrace but few destructive
species. Not only do many birds salts
fly our esthetic sense through their
beautiful plumage and their sweet
voices. but they are m~arvelously
adapted to their respective fields Of ac-
tiyity. No other creatures are SO well
fitted to capture flying insects as sWal-
lows. swifts, and nighthawks. Among
the avian ranks also are wrens trim
Of body and agile of movement that
creep in and out OF holes and creyices
and explore rubbish heaps for hidden
insects. The woodpecker, whose whole
body exhibits wonderful adaptation Of
means to end, is provided with strong
claws for holding firmly when at work,
a chisel-like bill driven by powerful
muscles to dig out insects and d long
tongue to still further ex-
plore the hidden retreats of insects
and drag forth the concealed larvae,
safe from other foes. The creepers,
titmice. warblers. tiycatchers, quafIs,
doves, and other families have each.
their W special field Of activity.
However unlike they may be iii APP
pearance, structure, and habits, all are
iii one respect-4tiley possess a.
never fIagsitlg appetite for insects and
weed seeds.
One Of the most useful groups of
native birds Is the sparrow family.
While some of the tribe wear gay suits
OF many hues most OF the sparrows
are clad In modest brown tints. ana as
they spend much OF the time Ill grass
and weeds are commonly overlooked.
UrootruSive as they are, they lay the.
under b heavy debt of gratitude
by their food habits since their chosen