Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-07-09

The red-winged blackbird eats very |
little fruit and does practically no
harm to garden or orchard, according |
to the United States department of
agriculture's biologist. In a new
Farmers Bulletin mo. 630), entitled
Some Common Birds Useful to the
Farmer" 1t is explained that nearly
seven-eighths of the red-wings food
Is made up of weed seeds or of insects
injurious to agriculture. This indi-
Gates that the bird should be protect
ed, except perhaps in a few places
where it is overabundant.
The red-winged or swamp blackbird
in its various forms is found all over
the United States and the region i'm
mediately to the north. While com
mon in most of it's range, its distribu-
ton is more or less local, mainly on
account of its partially for marshes.
1t builds it's nest over or near standing
water, in tall grass, rushes or bushes.
Owing to this popularity the bird may
be absent from large tracts Of country
which afford no swamps or marshes
suitable for nesting. 1t usually breeds
III AaA 80 COAOhlCol IuOu6h 5lh6AO A0AA-
lies, consisting of male and several
females, may sometimes be found in a
small slough, where each female
builds her nest and rears her own little
brood, while her hege lord displays his
brilliant eolors and struts in the sun
shine. In the upper Mississippi valley
the species finds most favorable condi-
tions, for the countless prairie sloughs
and the margins of the numerous shall
low lakes afford nesting sites for thou
sands of red-wings; and here are bred
the immense fiocks which sometimes
do SO much damage to the grain fields
of the West. After the breeding sea-
son the birds congregate preparatory
to migration, and remain thus associ-
Rted throughout the winter.
Three species and several subspe-
cies of red-wings are recognized, but
practically no difference exists in the
habits of these forms either in nesting
or feeding, except such as may result
from local conditions. Most Of the
forms are found on the Pacific side
of the continent and may be consid-
cred as included In the following state
ments as to food and economic status.
Many complaints have been made
against the red-wing, and several
states have at times placed a bounty
upon its head. 1t is said to cause
great damage to grain in the West,
especially In the upper Mississippi
valley. but no complaints come from
the northeastern section, where the
bird is much less abundant than in the
West and South.
Examination of 1893 stomachs
showed that vegetable matter forms
II per cent of the food, while animal
matter, mainly insects, forms but rs
per cent. A little more than ten per
cent consists of beetles, mostly harm
full species. Weevils, or snout beetles,
amount to four per cent of the years,
foot, but in June reach rs per cent
As weevils are among the most harm
full insects known, their destruction
should condone some, at least, Of the
sins of which the bird is accused
Grasshoppers constitute nearly five per
cent of the food, while the rest of the
animal matter is made up of various
AAbCOSHs q low bua1Aby anu CIubLdCGhno
The few dragon flies found were prob
ably picked up dead. for they are toe
active to be taken alive, unless by g
bird of the fiycatcher family. So far
az the insect food as a whole is con
cerned, the red-wing may be consid
cred entirely beneficial.
The interest in the vegetable fooC
Of this bird centers around grain. Only
three kinds, corn, wheat and oats
were found In the stomachs in appreci
able quantities. They aggregate bu
little more than thirteen per cent o.
the whole food, oats forming nearly
half Of this amount. In view Of tbs
many complaints that the red-winl
eats grain, this record is surprisingly
small. The purple grackle has beer
found to eat more than three times al
much. IN the case OF the crow, corr
forms one-third of the food, so that tn,
red-winged blackbird, whose diet Il
made up OF only trife more than one
Feighth Of grain, is really one of tn
east destructive species. The mos
important item of the birds food, how
ever. is weed seed, which forms praC
tically all of its food in winter ant
about fifty-seven per cent of the far
of the whole year. The principal wee
seeds eaten are those of ragweed, barn
yard grass and smartweed. That thes
seeds are preferred is shown by the fac
that the birds begin to eat them Il
August. when grain is still readily oil
tainabIe. and continue feeding on ther
even after insects become plentiful 4
April.
Growing Pepper Plants.
The conditions the pepper plant d.
mands for favorable development ar
very similar to those Of the tomato
except that when young the pepper
are more sensitive to cold, wet or VI
favorable conditions Of the soil. Pei
pers. like many other crops, bring ID
best results when their growth is vi
checked from the starting seed to th