The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-12-01
low 70 ATTRACT BIRDS
OF TAE NORTHWEST,


lion of the United States who wish to
attract the feathered Wild creatures
TO live and nest about their homes
may receive valuable suggestions as
may receive valuable suggestions as TO
the provision of nesting places from
Farmers Bulletin 100 recently pub. |
lished by the L, S, Department of |
Agriculture The publication relates |
to Washington, Oregon, Idaho. north. |
ern California, and the western half
of Montana, and is the second of a
series OF bulletins suggesting meth
ods of attracting birds in various sec.
tions of the country.
Protection.
one of the first steps a householder
must take If ne wishes TO attract
fea thered wild life about his place is
TO provide protection from natural
foes. especially cats II complete
bird sanctuary is to be created, the
area set apart for this purpose should
be iuclosed by vermin.proof fence
when can neither be dug under nor
climbed. The principal feature of such
a barrier is Il top curved outward OF
bent outward at right angles. II the
construction of such "A fence Is I'M
practicable, a more limited protection
may be supplied by placing guards on
| trees to prevent cats and other ami
mails from climbing them. Sheet met.
al cuffs, completely encircling the
tree, OF cones of like material. fitting
| tightly at the upper edge and tiaring
downward, will serve the purpose.
Another essential is to furnish
breeding places, Close growing shrubs
make excellent sites for nests They
should be trimmed back severely
when young to produce numerous
crotches. Bird houses also should be
placed about the home for the species
which will use such nesting places,
but care should be taken that too
many such houses are not furnished.
AS a rule, birds do not like being
crowded II breeding places are to
be provided for ground,nesting birds
such as bobolinks. meadow larks, and
bobwhites, grass should be allowed TO
grow thickly and long in appropriate
locations.
Water Supply.
For all birds some sort OF bathing
and drinking pools should be furnish.
ed. These may be either on the
ground or raised and may be OF pot
terry, stone, metal or cement. Both
|
what rough The water receptacle
SHOULD be shallow and should slope
up gradually toward the edge,
Food.
The vital factor in attracting birds
} is food supply This may be fur
nished either by providing artificial
food such as crumbs, suet, chopped
nuts. and the like, or by planting
} trees shrubs, and herbs which will
} produce fruits or seeds that the birds
themselves may gatheT. Winter feed
} ing is the most familiar phase o.
} blrd feeding, but there is no reason
why birds should not be attracted
} throughout the year by a supply o
} food
For artificial feeding the biologis
0 of the u. s. Department OF Agricul
D poppieS, suntiOwers, tafw eds forget
0 vices food shelf may be place.
against the side Of the house near
D window, or a food ray may be hxet
D to the top Of post An excellen
food receptacle may be- made by cut
q ting a hole in a COcOanut and stun
n ms the shell full of chopped suet ant
n nuts or some other food mixture Tn
shell can be hung from limb. Hole
n bored IN pieces OF thick lumber ma
q br used instead Of "A cavity In Cocoa
a nut Feeding hoppers like those use
q TOR poultry may be employed fo
a birds on food shelves or on tn
q ground. A wooden house open on on
a side. mounted on pivot. and proViC
N ed with yanes TO keep the open sid
N away from the wind also may b
10 used as a feeding place.
70 Natural Feeding.
70 II il is desired to feed the bird
naturally there are a number {
20 plants that may be grown which wi
be- ornamental and, at the same tim
10 Rill furnish good proycnder for IN
20 Ceathcred guests For seed-eatin
20 birds in the northwest the list SUI
10 eCsted by the Department of Agricu
10 luTc includes princes feather, low
10 lies-ble"ding, asterV, Calandrinia
70 blessed thistle, CentauTcas. CalifornI
pOppics sunfOwrrs. tarweeds forge
10 me.nols. PolyRonum oricntals,
~ sachaln"se. portulaCa, Slene, an
80 sugar cane. other scod.bearlng sma
70 plants that may be grown are the va
60 iGus millots. Canary grass. and II
various species of P"nnIsetum Amor
% the trees bearing seeds relished
20 birds are the alders and birChe
me req polls. NiAkluHr anu EbluHntb'
% are particularly fond of ihes" tr'
80 seeds during the winter Ashes AZ
90 box elders furnish seed relished
80 evening grosbeakh. while larChes Al
90 pines and other cunlf"rs are altra
tive to crossbllls as well as to son
% Of the species Just mentioned
90 The fruiteatinE birds may b" q
90 'racted IN great numbers BY plar
rng Of fruit-bearing shrubs and tree
0Oi Tn" best of the long persisting tTui
o0I ln tho northwest are juniper bayb'
O0I ry. thorn apples and related irui
0OI holly and snow berry. A large nuI
oOl ber Of other fruit bearing plants a
n0l listed In The bulletin already mentio
ID and tho period Of fruitinR Of ea
00I Is shown on chart. one OF the a
lantages of planting wild fruit be;
oo ng trees and shrubs. 1t Is point
.oa out. rs that the birds are fonder
wy these than of the cultivated fruI
Cd and the later. herofore. Will be p
'' lcr'ed
Copies Of the bulletin may be- h
'VR free on application 70 the L. S.
,UN 90. yttn.ps ~ Agriculture - long