Evening star., 1946-06-11
This and.Tha1
By Charles +. Traceuell.
"EDMuNDs STREET.

Dear Sir ~A~ ssaas~.ssea @&an~xsSsa
I'm view of your continued admiration.
for English sparrows, wondered II you
had seen this in the New York Times
recently. Sincerely, L. H. R."
The item from the New York paper
follows:
Police Emergency Squad in the
Bronx was called upon yesterday to re-
store baby sparrow to its mother.
Shortly after pm. passersby noticed
a number Of adult sparrows flying about
and chirping noisily near the gabled
roof Of the two-story frame rectory Of
st. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church
at Washington avenue and st. Paul's
place. the Bronx.
Investigation revealed that a baby
sparrow had tumbled from its nest into
recess under the roof from which it
could not escape and the larger sparrows
could not reach 1t.
THE American Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals was
called, but its driver was unable to rescue
the sparrow.
Then the emergency squad was sum-
moned. The policemen extended . 40
foot ladder from the roof of a similar
detached structure next door to the
roof Of the rectory to return the bird
to the nest"
So very small bird in q very large
city gets back to its nest safely.
A great deal Of fuss, some might think,
especially those who do not like English
sparrows.
Wiser persons will rejoice, not only
because this incident proves the innate
kindness of many Americans, both as
private citizens and public officials, but
also because a young sparrow is worth
saving. Not only are these sparrows
among the few birds which millions of
city persons know, but they annually
eat millions Of inimical insects, and in
cities clean up much food which care
less and Indifferent persons have thrown
In the streets.
English sparrows are good birds, as q
group. When they have a chance, they
become clean and better hammered, and
turn into fat and pretty creatures.
1t is often not kept in mind that a
good deal of their fighting and rough
housing Is the natural result of the
competition for food they encounter in
the city.
In suburban living, which scores of
sparrows have taken up in recent years
following the human trend-they be-
come altogether different birds.
With less competition, and more food,
and food of better kind, they become
almost new species.
We feel sure that if some Of the
sparrow haters could see these new fat
sparrows, glistening with health through
natural foods, they would wonder what
species they were.
Indeed, many persons annually kill
song sparrows and others, in the belief
that they are common sparrows." This
Is sad loss. Nineteen different SPAR
rows come to Washington and vicinity.
Most of them, especially as youngsters,
are difficult to identify.
+ All persons, whatever their tempera-
menJ, likes or dislikes, should hesitate
long before killing what they think Is
a common sparrow, because it may be
- white -throated sparrow or a song
sparrow or chipping sparrow or q
white-crowned sparrow.
Utterly aside from this angle, how
ever, no English sparrow deserves death
just because some bird lover" thinks
other species better and resents the
sparrows sharing their food.
The English sparrow in the suburbs
is cleaner, better bird, much more
reserved, and accepted by all the other
sengsters at bird feeding station.
In winter he sings for his supper, con-
gregating on fence or in vine, and
joining in choral singing Of q pleasing
nature. Police and fire squads, called
out needlessly every day, should not
frown at calls to help rescue birds, cats
ana dogs.