Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-16
This and That
By Charles Z. Trdcepeu.


A correspondent wants to know If a
crippled blue jay should be taken in
doors for the winter. 1t depends upon
the BIRD. II the injury is too severe,
1t is best to give the bird the benefit of
safe berth during the cold. If. how
ever, the creature is able to get around
and feed itself, it is best left outdoors.
Birds and other wild things, including
our friends the gray squirrels, do best
IN the open air where they belong.
There are laws to prevent songbirds
from being Gagged. and mostly this works
out to their benefit. Occasionally there
VIM be an exception, and then any
kind-hearted person may be forgiven,
even by the law, if he or she insists on
taking care of crippled bird.
Housing Of bird, especially a large
one, is not an easy matter. Not every
one has the temperament for taking
care OF such form of life. Birds are
peculiar, to put it mildly. They can
scarcely be called housebroken, and
their going to bed and waking up usual
ly does not coincide with the ways of
humans.
Everything about a bird. even its
feathers, are strange. We tend to forget
this, when they are in their proper
place, outdoors, but 1t requires only the
stray entrance of wildbird into a
home to show how different they are. in
essence. p
Hence 1t must be recommended, in
fairness to all, that any injured bird
which can get along outside be allowed
to do so. 1t Is better for all concerned
Every fall there will come to many
suburban yards one or two specimens of
crippled birds. Sometimes the wings
seem to be set on crooked, or one leg
is carried to the side.
In some cases the bird cannot fly well,
but still manages to get along. Some
times specimen will have but one
leg. A crippled catbird spent year
In our garden. He could not fly
well, and had to land on one leg by
using the side of his body as support,
but he understood his handicaps, evil
IDENTIFY, and how to work with them. In
the main he did very we'll by himself,
usually coming to get somethina>to eat
at odd times when there were not many
other species present.
X
This will give tip to all concerned
In the care Of such q creature. A spe-
cial supply Of food should be put out for
1t, after study of its comings and GO
ings. Often some shrub will do very well,
the food being placed beneath it at the
proper time. Often such q bird will come
flying and hopping in its peculiar way
down q long row of some old flower
border. This will enable its friends to
guage both the amount and place of the
food, and especially the time. In this
way there will not be so much compete
ton, and the crippled bird will be able
to make use Of what is put out for him
without interference from healthier
specimens.
Care should be taken to see that such
crippled songster gets enough water,
Cold days, both of fall and winter. are
dry days, and this means that the ham
olcapped bird, IN particular, will often
nnd 1t difhcult to get enough to drink.
Birds do not drink much at time, but
they drink often, and need water lust
as we do. Humans get much moisture
with their food, but birds normally eat
very dry stun in cold weather. What
they find in nature from now on until
spring is not likely to have fnuch moist
ure In It. A
Keeping all birds that winter With us
provided with water and sand Is some
thing often overlooked. Foods put out
for them are normally dry. They need
an added supply both for drinking and
bathing. Birds. bathe in the coolest
weather. Indeed, they often break the
ice to take a bath. Il
It Is necessary to give them some
grit. Ordinary loan, dug up and
smoothed out, will contain enough fine
particles to serve this need. It is best
to mulch some space, particularly q
sandy one. beneath a shrub.
This gives both crippled and healthy
birds . chance to eat Is nature In
tended, with grit in their crsws. II an
injured specimen Is taken indoors, N
these nAtte1S must BE- attended Is IN
side. It Is best to leave III natural crea-
lures. except the really handicapped.
outdoors, where they belong ana where
they feel the most 81 home. - ~