The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-05-20
100 SP ARROWS TO MILE.

Bird Census Seems To Show That American
Birds Are Too Few But That Their Mum.
Der will Increase With The Human Popu.
lation.
Sixty pairs of English sparrows to the
square mile. or to every 100 native
United States, according to the "pre-
States" taken under the direction of
Government biologists. Bird lovers may
obtain Bulletin No. 1877, which tells about
this census, by writing to the United
States Department of Agriculture,
Washington, D. C.
The census seems to show that the bird
most abundantly found in the United
States is the robin, with the English
sparrow close second. In the north
eastern United States, where the census
was most thorough, there were, on an
average, six pairs of robins to each farm
of So acres. English sparrows averaged
five pairs per farm. No other bird is any
where nearly so abundant as either of
these, but some are numerous enough to
make their total run we'll into the mil
lions. Taking 100 robins as unit, other
desirable birds were noted in the follow
ing proportions:
House Wrens
hhg
BlueplfuS .......26
The statistics regarding bluebirds are
particularly gratifying. Only a few
years ago nearly the whole bluebird pop
ulation of the Eastern United States
was destroyed by severe winter, but
there 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 16l pairs were found
nesting on % acres. Thirty-four species
OF birds were represented.
While there are no previous official CEN
suses of the Federal Government that
are comparable with this one, several
censuses have before been taken by in
dlvlduals, on more or less limited areas.
One census. taken in 1901 by specialist,
agrees very closely with the Govern
ment's census as far as the total number
of birds is concerned. 1t differs, how
ever, regarding the number of English
sparrows, showing 106 pairs to the square
mile or Is to every 100 native birds.
while the new census, as previously stat
ed, showed only 60 pairs to the square
mile or 7 to every 100.
The present bird population is much
less than it ought to be, according to the
biologists. If birds were given more pro-
lection and encouragement there would
be an increase in numbers which would
be accompanied by a corresponding de-
crease in the number of insect pests
That breeding birds prefer thickly-ir-
habited centers of population to forests
is one of the conclusions Of the census
This seems to refute the widespread be-
lief that humans and birds are naturally
antagonistic. 1t also seems probable that
as our human population increases SO will
our bird population.
VOLUNTEER CENSUS TAKERS DESIRED
FOR 1915.
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 instruc-
ton 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 request
ed to help, as these sections did not re-
ceive sufficient attention during the past
year. The 1915 circular of instructions
will be sent early in the spring to the
volunteer census takers.