New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-23
Befriending Birds

THE Birds about our windows and
our doorsteps are considered
- dumb because we do net under
,,s,6 their language. Could we but
,omprehend the meaning Of their ehirp-
me and twittering we should doubtless
hear tales Of suffering.
Birds suffer FAR more from lack OF
,ooa IN winter than from the cold
rh,eh we imagine lie their chief enemy
nature has clothed their tiny bodies
nth warm garments Of feathers, which
,,o+set them from the cold ss we'll as
,ron the wet, but nature has not en-
lowed them with thrift Unlike the
hs... which toll during the summer TO
,svvps store Of honey for the months
chen flowers no longer bloom, or the
,ou,rrsls. which hll their homes IN
ho,low trees with nuts, the birds fit
,hout With little care or thought for
~. DAYS OF winter. And therefore
,bsv need our help and sympathy.
Food Supply Ceases in Winter
food for the birds 10 easily obtained
,,-t,S the greater part Of the year
Worms are easily had from the GROUND
cd insects from the air, and from open
windows and doorwsys there are thrown
,,rv fragments which are valued by
~. Birds. But with the approach OF WIN
"a, there come freezing Of tho ground
md tbs total Disappearance Of IN
,.s.,. and windows and doors are kept
eshty closed, go there comes An AL
most total cessation Of the food supply
81 lust the time when the cold OF win
ter renders the need for abundant FOOD
EVAN more insistent than sveh
IN the country there arc sources OF
food supply which are not often avail
abb. for birds IN the city. Bsrnyards
and stables afford much Of their susie
nance, and even wind-swept corn fields
are ant 10 offer some small amount OF
food, but these resources are denied 10
n. birds which hit about the eitys
streets, building their nests and raising
,hdY Young In hooks and ersnntss
among city roofs and IN the erevfess
between buildings.
BefriendIng the birds costs barely
nothing and involves only the slightest
.x.rtion. The scattering Of few bread
crumbs or a little barley, rice, oatmeal
or almost any kind Of grain or cereal
r,oo a window sill will attract the
birds IN throngs; and II they And that
IN. dole 10 70 be given each day they
will appear at the proper time and wait
until the window is opened and the
food laid out for them.
At any meat market one may oo'e'n
~, ~ .uet. which the birds value 81
q rare delicacy. The animal fst sup
D,,os to their tiny bodies an added
v,rrtb. which Is q protection against
~, cold. II the suet be tied or nailed
n some place where It will be easy OF
.,,.s. there will be a constant succes-
sion Of birds in attendance at "ns' \"
them Is noIluhy Ni
Suffer from Thirst.
p,,ds suffer from thirst as well as
from hunger during the winter iol
during the cold weather most OF 'neif
.ou,,., Of water supply are frozen up
small and very shallow pan hiieo
With water sufficiently warm to remain
rnfro,so for an hour or two Will
op,nch the thirst Of the throns OF NJ
Il. testhered creatures who appear az
N, window sill 20 be fed
Many friends Of the birds VINO misn'
proyide houses for them are apt 70
d.,.r their benefsctions until the com
inc Of the mating season, in the early
ming. hut Q bird house will be quickly
,snsnt.d at any time during the year
o,s nssd not wait for the passing OF
N. winter 70 effer the shelter which
n. birds would so value. Often
vh.r. q real bird house cannot be had
the mersst roof, beneath which the
b,rds may take refuge from the driV-
Ing storms, may easily DO arranged.
A small wooden box may be hxed 70
an outside wall-perhsps Just outside
a xindcw-to serve tho dual capacity
a, shelter and q feeding place Such
boz should be 30 placed that the open
side Is toward the south, for In that
cas-. II would usually be protected IRON
the wind and the rain.
Such smsll hndnesseS, which even
IN. children can bsstow upon the birds
about cur homes, Will save many h'''s
l,ves. Birds have q purpose very h1ed
and definite IN the economy OF nature
and we have an obligation TO them
which can be paid In no way 30 accept
able to the birds as our remembering
.k.l. 800 In xaytpfaF