Evening star., 1945-03-07
This and That
By Charles E~TracetpeH. !
ARLINGTON, Va.

hfeLANo 1OA>p Fd'
Dear Sir:
II have noticed, on reading your
column, that many OF your readers
have starting trouble with their bird
feeders. I have found a means of at
least temporarily shutting out these
pests without discouraging the smaller
birds.
MY feeder is very simple in design.
1t is tray inches by IL inches, with
sides ~ inches high. There is a
solid back inches high support
ing sloping roof. Thus the box
is open on three sides, and when fas-
tened high on the back yard picket
fence, it was Immediately found and
made use of by scores of birds of many
varieties. But soon every starting in the
county had the good news and these
marauders would take possession and
wolf down half pound of high-priced
nuts in a matter of seconds.
Recently remodeled the box in an
effort to keep the starlings out. The
roof board overhangs the tray by about
two inches on each of three sides.
drilled small holes one inch on centers
along the overhang and one-half inch
from the edge Through each hole
passed a 6-inch length of No. IL iron
wire. Thus the open sides of the box
were fenced in pickets with less than
one inch open spaces between.
THE small birds fly between the wires,
often pushing them aside in so doing.
The starlings so far have refused to try
to enter. 1t is of course, difficult for a
large bird to push the wires far enough
apart to get in and alight on the rim of
the tray.
Perhaps some of your readers might
find this device, or some improvement
of it, useful in protecting their small
customers. Yours truly, D. A. B."
We take it that our correspondent
has fringe of wires, fastened at the
top, but loose at the bottom.
1t is an excellent idea
But if the small birds manage to get
through probably the starlings and
even squirrels in time will solve it.
Starlings are among our most intelli-
gent songsters.
They have achieved great deal in
forming wholly new migration routes in
a strange land.
1t Is not to be supposed that few
wires will hold them out for long.
Unless, OF course, their suspicion over
comes their hunger. When they watch
the small birds, and see that no danger
comes to them by braving the strange
device, they probably will try it them
selves.
In the meantime, they are in no hurry,
because most of their food comes from
the great Sopen spaces Of field and
forest.
1t would be possible to fasten the
wires at the bottom, In case starlings
and pigeons push through.
In this way they definitely could be
kept out.
experimentation with the spaces
would make sure just how far apart to
put them.
Somewhat the same effect has been
achieved with chicken wire placed along
the open sides of feeding stations.
We believe, however, that the starting
in the long run will not prove much of a
nuisance, since he is not much given to
visiting small feeding stations except on
rainy days. Often they will perch in
them out of the weather.
Starlings much prefer bread to any
seed or grains, and will always come
where any type of breadstuif is put out.
They were undoubtedly worse in
neighborhoods which are not too far
from great Government structures,
which these wise birds choose for
roosting.
In most residential sections, both of
city and suburbs, starlings are no par
ticular problem. II left alone at feeding
stations, In time they will disappear
They seem to get along amicably enough
with smaller and rarer species.