The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-01-19
HOW TO ATTRACT
BIRDS OF NORTHWEST

]
nest about their homes may receive
valuable suggestions as to methods Of
protection, feeding and the provision
Of nesting places from Farmers Bul-
Ietin 76O, recently published by the
/ U. S. Department of Agriculture The
publication relates to Washington.
Oregon, Idaho, Northern California
and the western half OF Montana, and
is the second of a series of bulletins
suggesting methods Of attracting
birds in various sections Of the
country.
Protection
One Of the first steps a house
holder must take if he wishes to at
tract feathered wild life about his
place is to provide protection from
natural foes, especially cats. If a
complete bird sanctuary is to be
created, the area set apart for this
purpose should be incosed by a
vermin-proof fence, which can neither
be dug under nor climbed. The
principal feature of such a barrier is
a top curved outward or bent outward
at right angles. If the construction
of such a fence is improbable, a more
limited protection may be supplied by
placing guards on trees to prevent
cats and other animals from CLIMBING
them. Sheet metal cuffs, completely
encircling the tree, or cones Of like
material, fitting tightly at the upper
edge and flaring 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. If 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 fur
nished. These may be either on the
ground or raised and may be of pot
terry, stone, metal or cement. Both
the edges and bottom should be some
/ what rough The water receptacle
should be shallow and should slope up
gradually toward the edge
Food
The vital factor in attracting birds
is the 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 gather. Winter feed
ing is the most familiar phase of bird
feeding, but there is no reason why
birds should not be attracted through
out the year by a supply of food
For artificial feeding the biologists
OF the U. S. Department of Agriculture
suggest the use of several devices. A
food shelf may be placed against the
side of the house near a window. or a
food tray may be fixed to the top of a
post. An excellent food receptacle
may be made by cutting a hole in
cocoanut and stuffing the shell full OF
chopped suet and nuts or some other
food mixture. The shell can be hung
from a limb. Holes bored in pieces
of thick lumber may be used instead
OF a cavity in a cocoanut. Feeding
hoppers like those used for poultry
may be employed for birds on food
shelves or on the ground. A wooden
house, open on one side, mounted on
pivot, and provided with vanes to
Keep the open side away from the
Wlhu, also may be used as feeding
place.
Natural Feeding
If it is desired to feed the birds
naturally there are a number Of
plants that may be grown which win
be ornamental and at the same time
viii furnish good provender for the
feathered guests. For seed-eat'ne
birds in the Northwest the list suc.
gested by the Department of Acri
culture includes princes feather
Notwithstanding, asters, Calandririas.
blessed thistle, Centaureas, Califoruia
peoples, sunflowers, tarweed, forge
me-nots, Polygonum orientale. p
sachalinese, portulaca, Silene and
sugar cane. Other seed-bearing small.