Evening star., 1944-05-09
This and That
By Charles E. TraceaDeH.
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY. Z.
Dear Sir:
Here is new one; at least it is new
to me and have had bit of experience
in my time. Yesterday observed flick
er Cor yellow hammer) busily at work on
the lawn in my back yard although q
light rain was falling at the time.
Tt is matter of common knowledge
that the flicker spends great deal of
time on the ground in search of ants
of which the bird Is particularly fond.
But what could ants be doing out of
their nest on cold rainy day such as
yesterday?
Then, too, the bird kept moving
briskly about tapping or probing the
turf, with its beak moving continually.
At intervals the bird would stop and
work vigorously at a given spot, tear
ing at the grass roots and driving its
beak deeper into the soil. In time it
would drag something forth and
devour it.
Unable to see from my position at
the dining room window just what the
marauder was feeding on, went to q
window upstairs and watched the pro-
ceedings through pair of field glasses.
To my surprise, found that the flicker
was feeding on the larvae of the jap
anese beetle, which, I am sorry to say,
are abundant in my back yard.
When I arose this morning at 6
o'clock, found the bird-the same one,
presume-busy again in the same
area. I watched it at work for some time
and the procedure was the same as of
yesterday. 1t hoped about probing the
ground continually with its beak until
1t found spot of pay dirt from which
it invariably unearthed a grub.
by what means can this bird deter
mine the exact spot to dig for a grub,
which is lying concealed beneath the
roots of the grass?
II have observed a robin listen in
tently at point on the lawn and then
dig down at that point to the depth of
an inch or more and drag forth full
grown larva Of the common 'junebug. ,
The flicker, however, doesn't work that
way; some other faculty is brought into
play.
Have you, or to your knowledge, has
any one else observed the flicker feed
ing in this fashion? For several years
a pair of these birds have nested near
my home and their habits of sounding
house at unreasonable hours has spoiled
many morning nap. But If that chap
will continue to work on the Jap beetles
in my lawn, he may beat his drum to his
hearts content without whimper from
me.
Sincerely yours, J. B. P,
Professor of Biology, Emeritus"
X X
This ic irtarocfiru piaco IF inf
nation.
1t shows, we believe, that the birds
are beginning to get used to the jap
anese beetles.
Hitherto the only species which we
have heard of eating them are the star
lings.
This has been regarded as q unique
star in the starling's crown.
Now we must add the flicker, and in
time no doubt other species will get a
taste for beetles, both in the larval and
full-grown forms
In time it may be that the birds will
do as good work with this beetle as
with others.
The flicker is large, strong bird, with
plenty of intelligence, and exemplary
food habits. 1t almost invariably eats
iis'StIo "iiiIll dic TO man S IN
terests. The amount of grain and fruit
1t consumes is negligible.
Many persons regard it as the most
interesting of all the woodpeckers.
Throughout the country it is held in
high esteem, SO much SO that it has
many common names, including golden
winged woodpecker yellow -shafted
woodpecker, pigeon woodpecker, clape.
yelloW-hammer. high-hole, high holder,
yarrup Wake-up, wood pigeon, heigh-
no. Wlck-up, hairy wicket, walk-up and
yawker bird. There are about So names.
in all, most of them based on his char
acterlstlcs, such as cry or nesting
A bird smart enough to do some of
the things that f1ickers are known to do
will be intelligent enough to find Jap
anese beetle larvae. For instance, when
| digging out a hole in an old tree, it
carries the chips far away, instead of
letting them drop by the tree. It is
persistent, too; if the first six eggs are
taken from the nest as soon as laid, the
female continues to lay; one investi-
gator claims that from 18 to % eggs
have been taken from one nest in this