Evening star., 1944-01-25
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,peu
CATHEDRAL AvENUl

Dear Sir:
Il run a fowl fiophouse for mockers
cardinals, titmice, nuthatches chick.1
dees, ETC., including sparrows. Among
the latter is a freak-he has a beak
fully four times the length of the aver
age, and wide in proportion. The under
neak appears to be OF ordinary length.
IN repose the upper part OF the beak
!ust escapes the ground; In order to
1eeo, the bird puts Its head to one side
so tnat It's eye seems to rest on the
ground.
Very truly yours, L. K. w."
This Is another example of the will
to live.
1t Is a tremendous and interesting
force, OF which millions OF examples
have been seen in the history Of living
things.
The English sparrows perhaps exem-
pl1fy 1t more than any other birds, since
they are so full of life and determiua-
ton.
Mostly the freaks among them have
something the matter with the wings
or legs.
The number of young born to each
mother sparrow in a year will range
from 10 to Is. Nesting with this species
usually begins in early February and
lasts through August.
X *
1t may be seen that the parents have
dlfdcult Job in finding enough and the
correct sort of food for so many babies.
Small insects are the baby food" of
all birds, whether seed eaters or insect
eaters.
The problem arises, not only through
the number of children to feed, but also
because all the other birds are nesting
at the same time. That is, during the
period OF sparrow nesting, there will
be some other species nesting all the
time at the same time
The older sparrows find it difficult to
get the sort of food which instinct tells
them Is best, so they bring back the
best they can find
In neighborhoods where bird feeding
Is carried on, the parent sparrows have
no difficulty in discovering seeds and
various sorts of grains and breadstuffs
1neSe, however are unfortunate
choices, under the circumstances. They
mean that the young birds, instead of
getting fresh insects, crammed by ma
ture with proteins, minerals and vita
minis, receive too much carbonaceous
food
The best result is a certain number
OF "culls" to each brood.
X
This is one reason why perhaps it
is best, everything considered, to give
over feeding the birds in the spring,
at least after March has gone out either
like a lamb or lion.
Only persons sincerely interested in
English sparrows will realize the dam
age done this breed by the too-free use
OF breadstuffs in their diet
Perhaps something of the same dan
ger is afforded the young of other spe-
cies, although we have not seen any
particular examples.
Most OF the injured wings and legs
seen In birds are due to mishaps, such
as being caught bys an animal or get
ting enmeshed in vines, etc.
X
More often than is believed, birds fly
into the sides OF houses.
1t is not to be wondered at that mans
many inventions, which too often en-
snare their creator, now and then do
harm to birds and other wild things.
In view of the impossibility of birds
knowing anything Intellectually of
mans gadgets, it is amazing that more
OF them are not hurt.
Every yard where bird feeding goes
on for any long period will have sew
eral examples Of crippled birds
Malformed mockingbirds, catbirds and
blue jays are some we have seen over
the years. A dove should be added, too,
as 1t had but one leg, probably lost in
hunting incident.
All of these birds managed to live
very well, and left the yard in the fall,
evidently joining other birds in migra-
tion. (Some mockingbirds remain here,
but not all Of them, by any means.) II
a crippled bird can pick up food one
place, he can find it another, so no
one who has been host to such a bird
need feel alarmed for him when he
leaves