Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-03
p, Bird Day
BIZ Fredric j. Hasktn

bV FTeuTtC u. iIuohW
Washin gton, April 30.-The fifth OF May, 1917,
| will be Bird Day. In the schools the children
will read and recite about birds bird songs VIII
| be sung, and bird stories will be told. The oird
clubs Of which there are thousands throughout
the country, expect to hold special celeprations'
For the rest OF US, who neither go to school nor
belong to clubs, the psychological effect Will be
| good. We can feed our pet canaries, gaze upon
The expert handicrat OF our bird boxes, and think
about birds. =.
The reason May 5was selected as Bird Day, is
| because it is John James Audubons birthday.
| Audubon was our great American naturalist,
whose name survives in a large association OF
| societies scattered all over the country. There
appears to be some dispute among bird suthori-
| ties as to the exact year in which Audubon
was born Some are convinced-Tt was l777, and
others insist that it was 1880 At any rate, every
body appears to agree that the day was May ,,
and that the birthplace was Vaudeville, La.
Louisiana therefore is planning special Audu-
bon program for Bird day, as are also Kentucky
and New York. where the great man spent much
of his later life.
Audubon was the first to make an ex-
haustive study of American bird life, and copies
of his first book, Birds Of America, illustrated
by himself, are now worth about $1,000 a-volume
When the first society for the protection OF wild
birds and animals was created century alter
the naturalist's birth, it was given the name OF
Audubon. Its founder was DR.. George Bird Grin
nell of New York City Hundreds OF bird lovers
Immediately announced their desire to become
members; Audubon societies soon grew up IN
other cities, and in 1905 these were all incor-
porated into one association under the leadership
Of William butcher.
During the last year, the Audubon association
announces il has enrolled over l78.0OO school
children alone in its organization, and in the six
years since. junior members have been accepted,
II has enrolled 10000 children. This junior work
/ is done through the schools, under the supervis-
ion of the teachers, many of whom are also men,
bers The Audubon students are divided into
classes of ten Each child contributes 10 cents,
and receives in return twelve pictures OF the more
important American birds, with, reading matter
concerning their coloring and habits; in addition
to button which shows that he is friend OF
the birds. Not that the birds recognize it, but
as reminder Of duty it is very effcacious. ~
1t is matter of great disappointment to the
Audubon societies that in spite of all their efforts,
| which have resulted in the passing OF stringent
bird protection laws, the commercial trathc. IN
feathers still goes on. AS early as 1880. the millin-
cry trade developed tremendous demand tor
feathers. All the localities which sheltered many
birds were Immediately raided, the birds shot and
skinned and their wings sent back to New York
for use in the large millinery establishments The
slaughter of the egrets, for instance, is an old
story but it is well worth recalling for, although
federal mandates prohibit their importation or
their killing in this country, egrets are still en-
ployed in the nations millinery. -.
To prevent the wholesale slaughter of wild
birds. both by commercial houses and sportsnen,
the Audubon societies have also been able to in
duce the government to set aside reservations
for birds in various parts of the country These
reservations are policed by game wardens em-
ployed by the society. The first government re-
serve was founded in 1o02Nby order of President
| Roosevelt. 1t was a small, muddy island of man.
grove trees in the Indian River oil the Atlantic
coast, where colony of brown pelicans had taken
up their abode Pelican feathers were popular that
winter and the Audubon society barely beat the
feather dealers in fight for this island which is
now under the supervision fethe Department OF
| Agriculture. .t -
| The charge was made in this instance that
the president had overstepped his authority in
setting aside this reservation, so shortly alter
wards congress passed bill making such reser-
| vations legal. There are now seventy government
| bird reserves scattered throughout the United
States from Florida to Alaska, while the birds OF
the canal zone are given special system OF pro-
| lection.
| The bird study literature Issued by the socie-
ties is exceedingly voluminous, and has many
| points of interest The society takes it for granted
that you are as much interested in birds as it is
and starts out by giving list OF instructions as
TO the best methods Of observation. Field glasses
| are SuRBcStcu dS d splSHulu lledHo VI WdtSihns
wild life in the woods, but everything depends
upon the quiet and caution with which the OBJ
server proceeds. In his book on Bird Study, Mr.
Pearson gives an excellent arrangement for watch
! ing birds at close range and taking photographs
Mr.. Pearson once watched group of cormor-
ants on lonely and desolate island by having
some fisherman cover him with sand and rocks
and again he climbed under midewed tent
which looked so much like rock that conyon
wren alighted -fearlcssly on his back. So Mr.
Pearson knows
Take an umbrella. says Mr. Pearson, and re-
move its handle. Then attach to it brass rod
and thrust it into the ground, and over this throw
dark green cloth, cut and sewed so as to make
curtain that will reach the ground all around
A draw string will make it fit over the, top. Get
inside, cut few vertical observation Sits six
inches long, and your work is done. Erect thi,
within few feet of the nest and leave it alone
4 for few hours. The birds will soon get used
to it. and you can then enter and watch within
close range without disturbing them in the least
This scheme, known as the Umbrella Blind, is
now used almost all ornithoogists.
A brd.known as the Hornbill, is the original
anti-sufragist. He believes that woman's place
is in the home. As soon as the hen hornbill be.
gins to set on her eggs, her husband blocks up
the entrance to the nest with mud leaving only
a tiny opening through which he hands her in
her food. He has to work hard to supply her with
food, but he at least knows where she is. No un.
4 til the eggs are Matched is Mrs. Hornb set free