Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-07-14
WORD FOR THE SPARROW.
Biological Survey Says He Is Really
Worth While.

Just on the heels of reports that
English sparrows are becoming fewer
about the towns, comes n statement
from the Biological Survey that the
English sparrow isn't a pest after ALL
that the chirping bunch of impudencc
is another Of those blessings in dis
guise and it leaves one with still an
other thing to worry about.
! Studies of birds and insect Destroy
ers and of vermin and parasite pests,
extending through a century of obser-
vations, show that many so-called
bird pests are themselves effective
aids to the farmer, and others not
generally thought to be insect destroy
ers, are active in the work. w. l..
McAtee, of the Biological Survey of
the Department Of Agriculture, says
in a review. of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition just published:
Outstanding among these are cited
the English sparrow, often systemat-
ically destroyed as a pest, which new
ertheless feeds upon the seventeen
year locust, asparagus beetle, locust
leaf miner, tent caterpillar, canker
worm, army worm and drop worm;
and bob white quail, usually a seed
eater, which also feeds upon the To-
Gust and the olive scale.
The general utility of birds in
checking the increase of injurious an
imals and plants. is we'll understood"
he continues. ut must be admitted,
however, that while birds constantly
exert n repressive influence on the
numbers of the organisms they prey
upon and even eXterminate certain
pests locally, they are not numerous
enough to cope successfully with
widespread invasions."
Nevertheless, Mr.. McAtee cites nu-
merous authentic instances where
birds have destroyed insect plaques
and their eggs and larvae so complete
ly that such species have never re-
turned to the localities where former
ly they had wrought great crop, dam
age, or were present in such depleted
numbers as to be almost negligible. In
most of the cases he cites, efforts of
farmers and gardeners to eradicate
the guests had proven fruitless and
the crops had been given up for lost.
One reason for this near eXtermina-
tion at times, he says, is that birds are
prone to feed upon whatever food is
most easy to procure at the time. So
that if berries or fruits are abundant
in locality they will constitute the
birds main food for the time, and
when insects swarm in great num-
bers, the birds are attracted to that
abundant source and feed upon them
until the supply gives out.
Notable among many instances
mentioned, are various local extermi-
nations of the Rock mountain or mi
gratory locust, which ever since 1918,
has at times threatened the grain
fields, especially on the great plains.
Mr.. McAtee's article tells of numerous
lIlHes Wnen grain growers deSpaired
of saving crops from hordes of locusts
so thick upon the ground as to be
counted by the hundreds upon n
square foot of field. Just as they had
given up hopes of saving their crops,
flocks of yellow head, and Brewers
blackbirds, gulls, quail, English spar
rows, came among the pests with
such effect that much of the grain
survived the attack
The article includes many instances
as we'll, of saving crops both field and
garden, in eastern sections, of near
annihilation of grubs, moth, caterpil-
lar, beetles and parasites in trees, es-
pecially in orchards, and shows the
great good done by birds in eating
weed seeds.
Owls have been placed in rat or
mice infested cellars and granaries, he
says, with such success as to eliminate
there that source of widespread econ
| nomic loss in grains and cereals.