Evening star., 1944-06-17
This and That
By Charles E. Traceueu.
CHEVY CHASE. Md.

Dear Sir:
For some time I have intended to
write you of our experiences with the
blue jays in our yard.
We love birds-but have no use for
the blue jay. Even though he is SO
beautiful, we think he has a very mean
looking eye.
"A pair built their nest in an apple
tree IN our yard. Every time my fils-
pand worked in the yard, these birds
sW1shed back and forth over his head,
and three times pecked him on the fore
head and raised great ugly looking
bumps.
"One would perch one side and one
on the other, and swoop back and forth
over his head. They became so fero-
cious that no one of us dared venture
out in the yard for at least 10 days.
Then some weeks later when I was
not even giving them a thought, one
landed vicious peck on top of my head
and flew away before I had time to
think.
And still later, seated on our side
porch, we saw one tackle a catbird and
peck and peck him on his head until
it was a wonder the catbird wasn't
killed.
do you wonder that we now have
no use for the blue jay? Incidentally,
he kept other birds out of the yard, too.
He's just a mean bird and he will never
nest in our yard again if we see him
first.
I'VE all enjoy your column very much.
Sincerely, H. F. F."
Fortunately for suburban dwellers, all
blue jays are not so ferocious.
Most of the larger nesting birds will
at times make similar attacks on people,
dogs and cats.
Mocklngbirds are noted for doing it.
Catbirds also can be very mean at nest
ing time. But not all specimens of the
same species indulge in such tactics.
Perhaps all but one out of a hundred
birds seem to 60 on the theory that
the less attention they draw to them
selves at nesting time the better.
1t is only the occasional blue jay
which will attack a human, although
they often launch themselves at cats,
especially yellow cats.
The mockingbird is likely to be the
worst offender. He will spend his wax
ing hours driving all moving things
away from the nest. He keeps up
grating noise which, hour after hour,
finally gets on the nerves of house,
holders.
Defense of the nest, mother birds and
nestlings must be viewed as something
noble on the part of the birds, despite
the annoyance it sometimes causes the
heholder.
Such fiery assaults are not to be
viewed with equanimity at the time,
perhaps, but it is easy to understand
what causes them, and to sympathize
with the birds afterward.
Steps should be taken by all friends
of birds to guard themselves from the
fury of the aroused parent. He is sim
ply doing what nature tells him to do,
under the circumstances.
This, of course, will not make the
wounds he may cause any the easier
| to bear. 1t should be kept in mind that
such stout bill, propelled with such
| bravery. piercing into the eye, let us
say, would not leave a small injury, but
very serious one.
A white handkerchief, waved violently
at the attacking bird, often will cause
him to sWerve. Birds do not like white,
and shy away from it. This may be
seen at the feeding station, where white
foods, such as popcorn and cottage
cheese, will cause them to remain away
from place they frequented.
We believe that all friends of birds
will be willing to give up their gardens
for the few days when some bird may
be doing what he thinks is his duty to
his family.
A rolled newspaper or stick, covered
with white paper will be sufficient de-
| fense when householder must go out
doors. Once the bird realizes that he
meets a prepared foe, he will be willing
| to quit acting so meanly to persons who
| only want to help him.