The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-10-21
Protect Thrushes
Investigations Show That They Do a
Great Deal Of Good and Little
Harm to the Farmer

That thrushes-the group of birds
In which ale included robins and blue
birds-do a great deal of good and
very little harm to agriculture is the
conclusion reached by investigators
of the department who have careful.
ly studied the food habits OF these
birds. Altogether there are within
the limits CT the United States IL
species of thrushes. 3 Of which are
commonly known as robins and blue
birds. The other include the
Townsend solitaire, the wood. the
very, the gray cheek, the olive back
and the hermit thrushes.
The robins and bluebirds nest close
TO houses, and even the shiest of the
other species are content with the
seclusion of an acre or two of wood
thrushes are among the best known
and most carefully protected of ma
tive American birds, and at times
their numbers become so great that
1t is feared they will do much harm
to crops and fruit. The recent in
vestigations Of the department, how
ever, show that there is very little
ground for this fear. On the other
hand, they destroy such a vast mum.
Der of insects each year that 1t Is
probable that without them many OF
the crops would suffer serious dam.
age.
or all the thrushes, the robin Is
probably the best known. 1t mas been
frequently accused of destroying the
fruits and berries, but 1t has now
been ascertained that this only oc-
ours in regions that are so thickly
settled that there is no wild fruit
upon which the robin may subsist. In
some years the bird is a great pest
n the olive orchards of California,
but it is probable that they are driv'
on to the orchards because of the
scarcity of native berries at these
times. Where a wild fruit is avail
able, the birds seem to prefer this
to the cultivated varieties.
Like the robin, the bluebird is very
domestic, but unlike the robin II
does not prey upon any cultivated
product Or work any injury wnatso
ever to the fruit grower. During the
fruit season in fact, FIVE sixths of III
food consists of insects. 1t seems
therefore, that the common practice
of encouraging the bluebird to mes
near houses by placing convenien
boxes in which It may build its hom
is thoroughly justified.
A detailed description Of the nal
its of the robins and bluebirds l
contained in Department Bulletin Nc
III. Bulletin No. $50 which ha
Just been published, takes up tn
habits of the six other species of tn
thrush group which are not quite S
well known. These birds also fee
principally on insects and fruit, bu
great portion Of the fruit whic
they consume is wild berries. Dc
nestle fruits are eaten so sparingl,
by these species that the damag
done is quite negligible.
The bird known as the Townsen
solitaire Is noted chiefly for its son
which Is said to be at times the FIJI
est of any of the thrush family. Thi
thrush, however, confines itself a
most entirely to the mountains an
gorges of the far West. The WOO
thrush, on the other hand is distril
uted over the eastern part OF tn
United States and Is frequenter
open groves and bushy pastures
This thrush is also noted for Its yer
sweet song, especially in the earl
evening. 1t does not nest in ga
dens or orchards, however, and
seldom seen about farm building
SO that many people who are famil
ar with its song would not know tn
, bird by sight. The wood thrush col
, sumes a number of very harmful il
, sects, such as the Colorado potat
beetle and white grubs. The fru
which 1t eats it usually picks u
from the ground instead of takin
fresh from the tree. There is Their
- fore no reason why the wood thrus
| ,hould pnt ha ripidlv nrOtectad