The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-04

emies Of insects. Certain species feed
almost entirely on the seeds Of weeds,
while others are the natural enemies
of field mice and other small rodents.
The hawk and owl seem to be
classed as outlaws as far as the aver
age citizen is concerned, and when
ever he makes an appearance the "old
trusty' shotgun is brought down from
the kitchen wall and the farmer goes
cunning for what he supposes to be
his natural enemy.
1t has been estimated that each
hawk or owl in the State kills an aver
age of u thousand mice a year-a saw
ing of $50 to the farmer whose prop
erty it selects for it's residence Much
more conspicuous is this than the
damage that a few individuals do in
the chicken yard or cherry orchard.
Space does not permit the enumer-
ating of the various ways in which
birds are necessary to agriculture. ii.
w. Henshaw, chief of the United
States Biological Survey. says that
without birds lit Is more than likely
nay, II is almost certain-that within
limited time not only would sue
cessful agriculture become impossible,
but the destruction of the greater part
Of the vegetation would follow"
Few persons realize how much food
f. consumed by birds. In the work of
the Biological Survey at Washington
many thousands of birds stomachs
have been examined in order to deter
mine the economic value of the differ
ent specie,L Frequently the stomachs
of birds have been found to be so
packed with insects that when opened
the contents made a pile much larger
that the original size of the bird S
stomach.
For example. the contents found in
the stomach OF cedar waXwing
CHERRY b!rd) were 100 canker worms !;
that of a nighthawk contained 500
mosquitoes. scarlet tanager $50
gypsy moth caterpillars. Young robins
have been known to eat their full
weight in earth worms in n single day.
The birds work so quietly that fe"
realize what efficient machines for the
destruction of insects they are. 1t can
safely be asserted that the birds OF
New York State are highly beneficial
| to the agricultural interests; very few
are detrimental. The sharp Skinned
hawk. Cooper's hawk and the great
horned owl are destructive TO poultry
and it is desirable TO kill them. The
hunter, however, should learn to dis
tinguish between them and other
hawks and owls. so that the real out
law will be the one taken rather than
the other highly beneficial species.
While visiting n friend who had
large poultry farm near New YORK
several years ago I was discussing
the chicken theiving proclivities or
hawks, when my friend brought n
broad winged hawk into the room. He
said "it had been carrying off his
young chickens" and congratulated
himself that he had shot the thief. |
protested that he had not killed the
real culprit, a statement which was
ridculed by my friend.
Upon opening the stomach of the
hawk no trace OF it's having eaten
young chickens could be found de
spite the fact that my friend insisted
that he had seen it carry away a
young chicken just before he shot II.
In the stomach of this broad winged
hawk were six large June beetles, the
larVe of which, commonly known as
white grubs, do considerable damage
to strawberries and other crops. The
young chickens had no doubt been
! taken by the less conspicuous sharp
Skinned hawk while the more con-
spicuous broad wing, which had no
| doubt come to the chicken yard to
feed upon the corn, had paid the
| penalty.
Crows. blackbirds and fruit eaters
such as the robin and waxwing are
highly beneficial during most OF the
year and should not be killed until eX-
animation has proven conclusively
that there Is no other remedy for their
stealing the grain and fruit.
Not only are our native birds of in
| estimable value In suppressing the
ravages OF insects and rodents; they
| are of great value for the interest
| and beauty they bring in human life
The study and love of birds gives one
a never falling resource for back to
nature study which, If attained in
childhood, grows richer with maturity