The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1915-05-18
Bird Census ShOz0S That
American Birds Too FeU

Sixty pairs of English sparrows To H.
square mile, or seven to every 100 nativo
birds, is the average throughout the Unitad
States, according to the preliminary cenSna
of birds in the United States,' taken undor
the direction of government biologists. RirI
lovers may obtain Bulletin No. 1877. which
tells about this census, by writing to the
United States Department of Agricu1tura
Washington, D. C.
The census seems to show that the hird
most abundantly found in the United States
is the robin, with the English sparrow q
close second. In the northeastern United
States, where the census was most thorough
there were, on an average, six pairs of RON
ms to each farm of So acres. English snar
rows average five pairs per farm. No other
bird is anywhere nearly so abundant as eth
er of these, but some are numerous enough
to make their total run well into the mil
lions. Taking 100 robins as unit other
desirable birds were noted in the following
proportions:
Catbirds. ..... ............ ..... 40
House wrenS. ..... %
Brown thrashers. .......... ........3 81
Kingbirds .,.... ...... ..........27
Blueb1rds. .......26
The statistics regarding bluebirds are par
ticularly gratifying. Only a few years ago
nearly the whole bluebird population of tide
Eastern United States was destroyed by 4
severe WlQLeT, DuC Iu6I6 are now several
million bluebirds in this locality.
AS for density of population, on each acre
of farm land covered by the census there
was an average Of one pair of birds. The
record for density comes from Chevy Chase
Md, where 161 pairs were found nesting on
23 acres Thirty-four species Of birds were
represented.
While there are no previous official cen
suses of the federal government thai are
comparable with this one several cen3uses
have before been taken by individuals on
more or less limited areas. One census tax
en- in 1901 by specialist agrees very closely
with the governments census as far as the
total number of birds is concerned. 1t diff
fers however, regarding the number of Eng
lish sparrows, showing 106 pairs to the
square mile or Is to every 100 native BIRDS
while the new census, as previously stated
showed only 60 pairs to the square mile or
seven to every 100.
The present bird population is much less
than it ought to be, according to the bolo-
gists. If birds were given more protection
and encouragement there would be an in
crease in numbers which would be accom-
panied by a corresponding decrease in the
number of insect pests. That breeding birds
prefer thickly-inhabted centers of popula-
ton to forests is one of the conclusions of
the census. This seems to refute the wide
spread belief that humans and birds are nat
III any oHC@5oHl"'IC' II a!oo 000,hi" PI0N""40
that as our human population increases so
will our bird population.
The biologists of the department plan to
repeat this census for several years and on
much larger scale if bird lovers throughout
the land are willing to aid in the work The
departments biological survey furnishes the
necessary instruction and report blanks to
whoever wishes to cooperate. There are no
funds to pay for this work and it therefore
depends on volunteer observers. Farmers
in the West and South are particularly re
quested to help, as these sections did not
receive sufficient attention during the past
year. The 1915 circular of instructions will
be sent early in the spring to the volunteer
census takers.