The Penn's Grove record., 1921-04-15
PROTECT H BIRDS
Startling Superior To Robin, Uncle
Sam Finds

Sam Finds
The character of the English star
ling, like its plumage, is not as black
as II appears at a distance, accord
ing to the biologists OF the United
States Department OF Agriculture,
who have completed an exhaustive
study OF the Dlrd and its habits.
This report, the State Fish and Game
Commission believes, is OF special in
terest to New Jersey farmers and
gardeners, as the biologists confined
the survey chiefly to conditions in this
State. 1t clearly shows that respect
for the starting increases upon closer
acquaintance with It's economic vir-
tues, that far outnumber its faults.
Inc purpose OF the investigation
was to determine what should be the
government attitude toward this i'm
ported bird, which is increasing rap
idly in Eastern States, in order that
correct judgment might be reflected
by Legislation governing the protection
of the starting.
"Most of the s%tarling's habits have
been demonstrated to be either bene-
fetal to man or of a neutral charac-
ter" concluded the biologists, E. R..
Kalmbach and L. n. Gabrielson, after
an interesting review OF their findings.
Furthermore, it has been found that
the time the bird spends in destroy
ing crops or in moIesting other birds
is extremely short compared with the
endless hours it spends searching for
insects or feeding on wild fruits.
Let Protection Fit Conditions
"The enactment OF laws that afford
protection to the starting except
where it is actually doing OF threaten
ing to inflict damage, appears to be
the wisest procedure. With its ready
capacity to adapt itself to new envi-
ronments, the starting possesses al
most unlimited capacity for good, but
it is potentially harmful in that its
g~regarious habits may abnormally en-
phasize some minor food habit which
would be indulged in at the expense of
growing crops.
"The individual farmer will be we'll
rewarded by allowing a reasonable
number of starlings to conduct their
nesting operations on the farm.
Later in the season a little vigilance
will prevent these easily frightened
birds from eXacting an unfair toll for
services rendered"
Startling Earns Its Dinner
An idea of the economic signif-
canoe of the starling's food habits is
gained by the comparison of the food
habits of certain well-known native
birds, with some of which it frequently
associates. The biologists reach the
astonishing decision, that a thorough
consideration of the evidence at hand
indicates that, based on food habits,
the adult starting is the economic
superior of the robin, catbird, flicker,
red-wing blackbird or grackle. 1t is
primarily a feeder on insects and wild
fruit-less than six per cent. of its
yearly food being secured from cult
waited crops (small enough pay for the
work it does to protect farm crops).
What damage it does infict is due not
so much to the character of its food
habits as to the fact that the fiocking
habit has allowed some minor trait to
be emphasized to a point where local
damage results.
One of the counts made against
the starting is its Objectionable habits
in common with several other species,
especially robins and blackbirds, of
c~Ongregating in enormous roosts, usu-
ally in the residential section of the
city. The persistent use of Roman
candles, or, if necessary, firearms, is
recommended to remov these nui-
SanceS.