The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-17
BIRD LIFE DENSEST
WHERE MANKIND IS
Some Interesting Facts Dis.
covered by Nation Wide
Bird Count.

WASHINGToN, D. c., Nov. 16-
One hundred and twenty.four pairs Of
birds nest and raise their families on
he average farm Of 10s acres in the
SNortheastern States, according to es-
ittmates based upon the second an
goal5 bird count conducted by the Bio
LOGICAL Survey OF the T. S. Depart
inlent Of Agriculture. In that part of
meridian the counts would Indicate
almost exactly the same density Of
bird population, 125 pairs Of nesting
birds TO each 100 acres. In the South
ern States, where the counts we're
4 limited TO part Of the farm surround
ing the home, which naturally sup
.ports more birds than titled areas.
there seem to be on the farms where
counts were taken 131 pairs OF nesting
birds TO each 100 acres. The counts
20 far received. however, from these
sections do not furnish sufficient
basis for estimating the birds on the
sremainder OF the farm.
In the Northeastern States it was
estimated that the average bird popu.
i1atton Of each 100 acres OF isolated
woodland under observation was 1893
paiSs, while the average bird populat-
Ion for each 100 acres Of the area COW
sred was 125 pairs. The reports from
the Rocky Mountain States would in
d1cate that the bird population is
nrnnJfar q, khfo oact;o1
Three 80-acre tracts in New Mexi.
90 indicated II pairs to 50 acres, or
81 pairs to each 100 acres. Still far
ather west In the irrigated district Of
western Colorado two reports indicat.
sd that irrigated land in orchard and
In fields Of grain and root crops sup.
ported bird population OF &c pairs
per 100 acres. but on contiguous non.
sirrigated land the bird life shrank to
5 pairs for 100 acres. In Arizona a
i40-acre tract containing only a few
houses, and for tho most part covered
with desert shrubs. showed bird pop.
nlation Of so pairs OF &c species. OF
which 20 were insectivorous A semi.
Desert tract Of the same size covered
with. brush mostly less than 6 feet
high. showed 81 pairs Of Is species.
IN the mountains of Arizona. near
f1agstaff, a tract OF 20 acres covered
with yellow pine and Gambel oak sup.
ported bird population Of 81 pairs
of IS species.
In California 20 acres Of the campus
pf the University of California show.
ed 81 pairs Of % species. A tract
near Gilroy, Cal, containing 20 acres
Of fruits and about s acres OF pasture
and creek bottom, gave the unusual
figure Of 176 pairs OF "a species on
b6 acres. A similarly dense. though
less varied, bird population was found
In 52-acre peach orchard near Port
Clinton, Ohio. This showed 10S pairs
Of common farm birds, SO pairs Of pur-
pie. martins, and pairs Of English
sparrows, Q total OF loo pairs OF 90
species.
In the South the counts showed an
average Of n pairs OF 20 species and
pairs Of English sparrows on So
: acres in Florida: in Louisiana an
average Of IS pairs of 90 species on
80 acres; and the counts from Texas
indicate an average of 81 pairs OF
birds Of u species on so acres. The
/. average of all counts received from
the Southern States is rs pairs OF
birds Of 23 species on a farm OF IS
acres.
u On the 256 acres on the Cornell
University campus at Ithaca. <. Y. a
very careful study indicated 573 pairs
Of nesting birds. an average of 166
pairs Of native nesting birds per 100
acres, and Sc uujting pairs OF English
sperrows per 100 acres, or a total Of
226 nesting birds per 100 acres. A
similar count made near Rhinebeck.
N. Y. in 210-acre section indicated
"a different kinds represented by 366
pairs, nearly the same per acre as
shown at Cornell University.
The result of the 1915 bird count
Just published by the Biological Sur.
yey indicate an average OF S pairs OF
robins and 6 pairs Of English sparrows
on each farm of 10S acres where the
s count was made in the Northeastern
States. The average OF all reports for
two years show Z pairs Of robins and
~ pairs Of English sparrows for each
Z sarm covered in this section