Evening star., 1946-04-08
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrdceWeU.
DARLINGTON. Va

AftLlN1 1oN, va.
Dear Sir:
Being a constant reader of your
column, as well as ardent bird lover,
I am writing to add further to your
unusual data.
I'VE have our feeding tray full every
day with Knockers, nuthatches, tltmice,
blue jays, song sparrows and robbins.
Yes, robins! I've found that they are
very fond of raisins, apples and bits of
any leftover meat loaf.
we try to cater to all our pets and
find they like most grains, with the
usual seeds put out for birds.
Knowing robins do not usually come
to feeding trays, 1 find they will stand
up to mOCkingbirds and even blue jays.
But there is a small bird which attacks
the robins while they are on the tray
They dive-bomb the robins, really Can
you tell me what small bird this could
be?
Since these birds named are our daily
visitors, we would like any suggestions
you have on further feed for them.
Sincerely, B. A. l."
Robins will come to feeding stations,
if food is put out to their liking, and
especially if it is not placed at any other
point.
Thus the way to get robins to patron
ize feeding shelf is to have just this
one point for feeding, and none other
Many bird watchers prefer several
feeding places, and believe, too that
robins like best to eat by themselves.
So they sprinkle raisins in the grass,
the natural dining place for the species
Certainly, when a robin can mix his
raisinS with earthWorms, his great IA
vorite food, he is better fed than on
raisins alone.
The robin is big, robust fellow easily
able to cope with mockingbirds and jays
or almost any other
He is not too gentle, either, especially
when he thinks his territory has been
invaded.
A few robins are downright belligerent
In such cases, they turn on their fellows
and often engage in furious fights.
Perhaps eight out of ten of these fights
are harmless, but occasionally there will
be battle to the death, not a pretty
sight.
Robins sometimes chase each other
to death. One robin will get started
after another and not give it up until
the other drops dead.
All in all. however, our robin is a
pretty good citizen. He minds his own
business, in most cases, and in doing SO
manages to cheer up great many hu-
man beings, who, heavens know, need
cheering up, with all this international
mess, and the prospects of an uncon-
trolled atomic bomb. Fortunately, the
birds know nothing about that.
Small bird" is rather indefinite.
Therefore, we must ask this correspond
ent for more detail. Not many really
smaller birds attack robins. Mockers
will do it, and now and then, through
having their feathers folded close to
the body, they may strike an observer
as small. Sometimes male English SPAR
rows will chase robins
Robins love coconut cake, in fact, most
cakes. When the family enjoys this
form of American delicacy, slice should
be spared for the robins.
If placed in a feeding station. cake
does not last long, but if put on the
lawn, where the robins are used to
finding food, may be eaten mainly by
this species.
In the main, raisins are the best
robin food. They also appeal to Knockers,
wood thrushes, catbirds, cardinals, and
starlings, too not forgetting the various
SparroWs
Migrating birds come to Washington
and vicinity in earnest in April The
robin and bluebird are already here
Others due some time this month are
the wood thrush, ruby crowned kinglet,
brown thrasher, catbird, Maryland yel-
low-throat, Baltimore oriole, indigo
bunting, scarlet tanager, wood pewee,
hummingbird. chimney swift, cliff swal-
low, barn swallow, red-eyed vireo, white
eyed vireo, the black-and- white warbler,
the parula warbler, the yellow warbler,
and the kingbird. The wood thrush is
due about April "a, but the season is
between week and two weeks in ad-
vance of normal; many species will be
here before the usual dates, so keep
watch for them.