The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-01-18
OUR NATIVE 7HRUsHEs.
We Have Eleven Species and All Are
Friends Of the Farmer.

We Have Eleven Species and All Are
Friends Of the Farmer.
Prepared by United states department OF
agricultural
Altogether there are within the limits
of the United States eleven species OF
thrushes. Eve of which are commonly
known as robins and bluebirds. The
other six include the Townsend soli-
taire, the wood. the veery. the gray
cheek. the olive back and the hermit
thrush.
The robins and bluebirds nest close
to houses, and even the shiest OF the
other species are content with the Sc
clusion of an acre or two of woodland
or swamp. For this reason the thrush
es are among the best known and most
carefully protected of native American
birds. and at times their numbers be-
come so great that ii is feared they
will do much harm TO crops and fruit.
The investigations of the department
of agriculture, however show that
there is very little ground for this fear.
On the other hand. they destroy such a
vast number of insects each year that
IL Ia lbIODIDIe lDut Wlluoul tutu Iuduy
crops would suffer serious damage.
OF all The thrushes the robin is prob
ably the best known. Ii has been fire.
quently accused of destroying fruits
and berries. but 1t has now been ascer-
tanned that this only occurs in regions
that are so thickly settled that there is
no wild fruit upon which the robin
EIIhSict In fhn hirIl 10
great pest in the olive orchards of
California. but it is probable that they
are driven to the orchards because of
the scarcity of native berries at these
times. Where wild fruit is available
the birds seem to prefer 1t to the culti-
waited varieties.
Like the robin. the bluebird is very
domestic: put. unlike the robin. it does
not prey upon any cultivated product
or work any injury whatever to the
| fruit grower During the fruit season,
| in fact, five-siXths of its food consists
| OF insects 1t seems. therefore. that the
common practice of encouraging the
| bluebird to nest near houses by placing
| convenient boxes in which ii may build
I its home is thoroughly justified.
The six other species of the thrush
| group also feed principally On insects
| and fruit. but n great portion of the
fruit which they consume is wild ber-
ries. Domestic fruits are eaten so spar
ingly by these species that the damage
done is quite negligible.
The bird known as the Townsend
solitaire is noted chiefly for its song
which is said TO be at times the finest
of any of the thrush family. This
thrush. however confines itself almost
entirely TO the mountains and g0rgeS of
the far west. The wood thrush. on the
other hand. Is distributed over the east.
ern part of the United States and is a
frequenter of open groves and bushy
pastures. This thrush also Is noted fol
its sweet song. especially in the early
evening. II does not nest in gardens oil
orchards. however, and is seldom seer
about farm buildings, so that many
people who are familiar with its song
would not know the bird by sight. THE
wood thrush consumes number oi
very harmful insects such as the Colo
RADIO potato beetle and white grubs
The fruit which it eats ii usually picks
up from the ground instead of taking
fresh from the trees. There is there
fore no reason why the wood thrust
should not be rigidly protected.
The other varieties also seem to ca
little that Is of value to farmers. while
on the other hand, they destroy multi
tudes of harmful insects each year.