The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-21
WHAT THE BIRDS SAVE.
Without Them Insects Would Destroy
Many Crops.

The value of birds to man is based prin-
eipaly on their feeding habits Their
greatest help is through their activity in
eating harmful insects, their eggs and lar
vac Without this constant aid, we would |
be poweress to protect our trees and crops
rom the ravages of caterpillars, beetles, |
borers, and such creatures We have many |
terrible examples of what happens when a |
species overeomes its natural enemies, |
that, under normal conditions hold it in |
check
Much valuable data has been complied |
by the L. S Biological Survey, at Wash |
ington, and by various state departments
In these papers it will be found stated,
| to quote Chapman, that the stomach OF
a single cedar waxwing contained l0t
| canker worms, that one cuckoo had eat
en- 80 caterpillars, that 454 plant-lice were
| found in the stomach of one chiekadee
that nighthawk had made meal on 6Ot
grasshoppers, that flicker had devoured
| 1000 chinch bugs that scarlet tanager
was seen to eat $50 gypsy moth caterpiars
in eighteen minutes or at the rate OF
| 2,l00 an hour; while a Maryland yellow
throat ate $500 plant-lice in forty min
utes, or at the rate of 5000 an hour
Il
among men and domestic animals This
is particularly true of mosquitoes which
are well known as distributors of malaria
and yellow fever. These dangerous insects
| are destroyed in enormous numbers by
night hawks, whippoorwils, swifts, swal
lows and hycatchers
The seeds of noxious weeds cause but
little less loss to man than do the attacks
Of insects. The L. s. Biological Survey
has published many interesting reports on
the examination of bird stomachs Pro
lessor Bcale found 700 seeds of pigeon,
grass in the stomach OF a tree sparrow,
and estimates that this species destroys
$50 tons of weed-seed annually in Iowa
alone. a snow-hunting had eaten 1000
pig-weod seeds: the stomach of Bob
iGyhite contained 5000 seeds of pigeon-grass
and mourning dove consumed 800 seeds
Of yellow wood sOrrel.
OF all our birds none offers better rec
ord than Bob-whte He is entirely bene-
fetal in every habit and does absolutely
no harm. He is resident with us the entire
year. destroying l45 species of insects dur.
ing the summer and 1919 kinds of harmful
wced-seeds in winter He is bird OF
beautiful pltfmage and CHEEKY whistle One
would suppose that every farmer would
rise in his defense against those who re
gard HIM only as a game bird tntortu
nately he IS not often appreciated in ms
own fields and to the average farmer Bob
: white is only something to shoot and eat
The woodpeckers and thrushes hay,
! suffered also-not from the shot Of thu
J sportsman. but from the guns and trap,
and snares Of the poacher. who. through
! ignorance or malice violates the regula
. tions enacted for the preservation OF on
:, wild life The downy wOodpecker ha
5 a splendid economic record to offer: Z
per cent of its food is Of insects, includ
ing ants, beetles, bugs. flies. grasshop
5 pers, caterpilars and spiders The hieke
I is often found in the game bag of tn
!, poacher This splendid bird specialize
/ in the destruction Of ants. making Of then
K ~ per cent of its total diet. OF it's cntir
n food, 80 per cent is of animal matter, 3
r, per cent mineral.
Robbins are still killed by those VIII
{ refuse TO recognize the greater value o
live bird over that OF dead one Con
slider the food of a robin: insects, 40 pc
cent; wild fruit. 43 per cent; cultivate
fruit s per cent miscellaneous vegetabl
i food per cent Such record alone shout
: protect any bird from destruction an
:. when we add the robins aesthetic valu
y to his economic worth-add his Cheerful
), song to his beneficial appetite-the KILN
!. Of such bird is truly criminal. And We
the laws Of eight Of our states Above
the killing and sale Of robins until tn
coming Of the Federal Migratory Bin
Law, watch provides Government pro
q lection for the robin for all timeT Gil
a bert Pearson secretary National Assc
!, citation Of Audubon Societies