Evening star., 1937-01-30

some clues Wnere plro conSerVdtlOn
has taken hold in big way devote their
entire energies to killing OF the spar
rows, as II they were not birds, too.
It is probable that the incident given
above is not solitary. by any means, but
would be seen by all persons who were
willing to try out the more gentle
methods Of dealing with such problems.
Cats and birds, for instance.
Many people who love the birds feel
that cat will drive all birds away from
q yard.
Yet last Winter we had great TOM
cat which spent all day long on our
back porch, paws calmly folded. watch
ing hundreds of birds at three feeders in
the yard.
It is true that his stomach was full OF
good food. He had good breakfast, in
other words, of such delicacies as cats
like, but they came from the butcher
and not from birdland.
This Winter we have another home
less cat as a back porch guest.
At first he walked from one feeder
to another, but after time he, too, got
over his desire to catch birds.
Good feeding was what did 1t.
The word has gone out that bluebirds.
which most of us are not fortunate
enough to have at this time OF year, will
not get along with sparrows. that the
latter will prevent them from nesting
and usurp their houses.
Our correspondent proves, at least in
one case, that 1t is simply matter
of supplying more houses, so that the
sparrows may have nesting places, too.
These sparrows are truly pretty, in
teresting birds, and. since they con-
stitute the bulk of feathered creatures
at any feeding station, must be ac-
cepted, II the observer is to get the
most from bird watching.
The statement that they are quarrel
some, so often met in books, is another
of these half-truthS.
Yes, they are quarrelSome-but so are
cardinals. So are humans, alas. So,
one may believe, will be angels, II one
happens to step on their celestial toes.
We have seen female cardinals raise
their wings and flap them at other birds
as angrily as any sparrow.
At least so starlings flew down in our
yard last Sunday and spent half an hour
feasting in the grass.
Evidently they were finding worms
and grubs, brought up by the excessive
rains, for they paid no attention what
ever to the three, feeders, with their
scores of birds eating in and beneath
them.
In the entire time they were present
on this, their first visit of the Fall and
Winter Of 1886 and 1887, they attended
strictly to their business of eating, not
once showing any anger at their mates
or at any of the other birds.
Their stubby, glistening dark bodies
made new note on the grass. Surely
they are fascinating birds, in their way,
and as long as they do not roost are
welcome visitors. There seems to be
little danger of them staying after dark,
for they prefer the District Building. we
believe.
A Takoma Park, Md, correspondent
writes:
Dear sir: I enjoy reading This and
That very much. Would you please
tell me If we have the Phoebe bird this
time of year? Early in the morning I
hear the call very plainly, and am
anxious to know whether it is the
Phoebe or some other bird. Very truly.
r. H. A."
1t is the Phoebe. This bird Winters
in the United States south of Phila-
delphia and many of them are here
abouts in such a comparative mild Win
ter as this.