The Mankato free press., 1922-07-07
BIRDS EFFECTIVE.
INSECT SLAYERS
ENGLISH sPARRows ARE
GREAT HELP TO FARMS
DESTROYED AS PESTS
. Subject Discussed In Report
Covering Century Of obser-
~vations of Experts.
Associated Press Dispatch.i

Associated Press DispaIcb.i
Washington. July S.-Studies/ of
birds as insect destroyers and Of
vermin and parasite. pests, extend
ing through a century of observa-
ton, show that many So called bird
pests are themselves effective aids
to the farmer, and others not gen.
orally thought to be insect destroy
ers are active in that work, w. L.
MoAtee, of the Bilogical Survey of
the Department Of Agriculture, says
in a review in the annual report of
the Smithsonian Institution just
published.
Outstanding among these are cit
ed the English Sparrow, often sys-
tematically destroyed as pest,
which nevertheless feeds upon the
seventeen year locust, asparagus
beetle. locust leaf miner, ten cater
pillar, canker worm, army worm and
drop worm; and the bob white quail.
usually a seed eater, which also
feeds upon the locust and the olive
scale.
The general utility of birds in
checking the increase of injurious
animals and plants is well under
Stood" he continues. 1T must be
admitted. however, that while birds
constantly exert repressiye infiu-
ence on the numbers of the organ
isms they prey upon and even ex-
terminate certain pests locally, they
are not numerous enough TO cope
successful with widespread invas-
IONS"
Reason For Near determination
fl,fo nxt
nation at times, he says is that
birds are prone to feed upon what
ever food is most easy to procure at
the time. So that IL berries or
fruit are abundant in locality they
will constitute the birds main food
for the time, and when insects
swarm in great numbers, the birds
are attracted TO that abundant
source and feed upon them until the
supply gives out.
Notable among many instances
limitations of the Rocky Mountain or
Migratory locust, which even since
1918 has at times threatened grain
fields In several sections, especially
on the Great Plains. Mr.. McAtee's
article tells OF numerous times when
grain growers despaired Of saving
crops from hordes Of locusts so thick
upon the ground as to be counted
By the hundreds upon a square foot
OF field. Just as they had given up
hope of saving their crops, focks
OF yellow head, and Brewers black
birds, gulls, quail, English sparrows,
Zen upon the pests with such effect
that much Of the grain survived the
attacks.
The article includes many in
stances. as well. of saving crops
both field and garden, in eastern
sections, of near annihilation OF
grubs, moths, caterpillars, beetles
and parasites in trees, especially IN
orchards, and shows the great good
done by birds in eating weed seeds.
Owls As Rat Catchers
4 Owls have been placed in rat OF
, mice infested cellars and granaries,
he says, with such success as to
eliminate there that source OF wide
spread economic loss in grains and
cereals.
Hot house gardeners, he declares,
have often found II profitable to in
troduce various species OF birds,
known to be insect or lice destroy
ers, within the houses instead oil
spraying OF otherwise using chemi-
calls and funigating. The latter
DIOCeSScS, n63 lldNC oIICI
been found TO weaken and stunt the
tender young plants, while no dis
advantage otherwise arose from the
presence of the birds.
While it IS true, he Gays, that
many species feed upon and yearly
destroy quantities of grains, fruits
or berries, the good. they do in
eradicating or keeping down the
numbers OF the growers other enc
mics. is more than worth this slight
reimbursement.
used as exterminators Of insect
pests, especially mosquitoes, by
keeping them on ponds or in
marshes where they feed upon the
larvae or young. Ducks have proven
invaluable in thus cleaning out
marshy sections which could not
otherwise be rid Of mosquitoes by
draining.
into alfalfa fields where they are
great destroyers OF the alfalfa wee.
first against the practice. the bet
ter crops coming from the fields
where the quail had almost eradi
Gated the. weevil, demonstrated theil
value. Now, Mr.. McAtee says, there
!. are sections in the alfalfa growing
regions, where farmers will not per-
NIT quail hunting.
Summing up, he declares farmers
soon see the wisdom of protecting
mary bird species upon their land
mainly by supplying food during
times Of scarcity, water for drink
ing and bathing, and nest boxes OF
nesting places, as well as protecting
them from molestation at all times
Detailed information on the subject
of attracting birds, as well as upon
those species Of value to the farmer
and gardner may be obtained from
publications distributed by the Ag-