The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-11-30
Feeding and Caring
for Winter Birds

of winter. There are some birds
which make the North their perma-
nont home and then there are 9TH
ers that visit us during the winter
The former; we call permanent resi-
dents and the latter, winter resi-
dents.
Among those that stay with us
throughout the year are the Bob
white, the rufftd grouse, the spar
row hawk, sharp-shinned hawk,
Cooper's hawk, the screech owl.
long-eared and short-eared owls.
the barred owl and great horned
owl, the downy and hairy wood
pecker, the flicker, crow, starting
hluejap. meadowlark. bluebird,
chicadee, song and house sparrow,
American and European goldfinch,
the cardinal and purple finch, the
Carolina wren, the tufted titmouse
and the white-breasted nuthatch.
Quite a list. you see.
There are some other birds
which sometimes stay with us dur
ing the winter. though but rarely.
Among these, you will find the rob-
in and the cedar waxwing. There
are three of the hawks which only
rarely stay north, and these are
the marsh hawk, broad-winged
hawk and duck hawk. Sometimes
one sees bald eagle, though not
SO often as in former years. Occa-
sionally a red-winged woodpecker
weathers the winter blasts, and
makes a very brilliant bit of color
on the snowy landscape.
Some of the birds come to us
regularly in the fall and stay until
spring. The junco comes as regu-
larly as the season, but there are
others whose coming cannot be de
pended on. The pine grosbeak, for
instance, may be very abundant
some winters and other winters not
put in an appearance at all. The
same may be said of the red cross
beak, the white winged crossbeak
and the pine siskin. They are only
seen once in while, but when we
do see them, it gives us such
happy feeling, for birds are much !
more welcome sight in the winter
than in the summer, any one will
admit that.
There is one bird that is some
times seen in the winter, which
deserves all the loving care and
protection that you can give it. 1t
Is not common, so don't expect to
go right out in your back yard,
most any old time, and hobnob with
it. The chances are that you will
never see it. but if you do, leave a
bit OF food around where it can
help itself. It acts like hawk, but
isn't one. 1t is the northern shrik,
and it is particularly valuable in
that Its food consists largely OF
mice, noxious insects and the Eng
lish sparrow. Watch the fuss these
sparrows make, every time the
shrik puts in an appearance. They
know what his intentions are be-
fore he gives them demonstra
tlOu. VII may SCC snLOAlicl lltllt |
in search of food, and if |
you do, treat him kindly Some
years Won will see the little saw
whet owl. He loves to stay in the
evergreens. and he is one Of the
most useful little owls we have
Those of you who live omong the
pines may see a pretty title bird |
among the green branches; little
bird with a black streak on it's face
and a red breast. and you may won
der what 1t Is. II is the red-breast-
ed nuthatch, but don't be disap-
pointed II you don't see it for it is
very rare at this time of the year.
There are some birds which We
feel sure will come to us as GER
tainly as the winter storms will
come. and we number among these
our little friends the junco, winter
wren. Drown creeper. golden-crown-
ID kinglet, the horned and the prai-
lie lark, and the snowflake. In
some localities are found every
ear the black-backed gull and the
lerring gull. and the gull with such
funny name. the kittiwake. and
llso the BOnaparte's gull. The
luck called the "old squaw" choos-
IS to spend the winter with us, and