Evening star., 1946-05-25
This and That
By Charles E. TraceUeH.

Do you like the birds? Cardinals,
bluebirds, ETC.?
Well, here is one you ought to like.
too, according to a man who has been
around the world to find interesting
specimens.
1t is none other than the English
sparrow.
"Scorn may adorn your couptenance,
when the name is spoken" writes this
gentleman. but he is your closest
neighbor.
The word sparrow originally meant
small bird. They thrive best in the
neighborhood of man. Observe the con-
ceited little male The of the black breast)
in his courtship, his wings extended
and dragging the ground, excited, in
tense, pugnacious, as he pursues the
lady of his affection
She is plain. drab unconspicuous as
she hops and f1ys away being careful
not to outdistance the male for she
is clever bird)
The nests are huge structures made
OF any available material in any avail
able place, wherein are deposited four
to seven eggs, varying from plain white
to almost uniform olive brown, generally
white, finely and evenly marked with
olive.
I'm about u days the eggs transform
into naked, blind and helpless babies,
truly erotesque. only to develop feathers
and thrive upon the numerous insects
served to them by their industrious
parents.
Later they leave the nest, when fully
1eathered, and fly about the parents
opening their huge mouths and flutter-
ing their wings in begging posture.
But soon the young are ignored, and
the parents turn their attention to that
OF rearing another brood. For the SPAR
row tribe must 60 on and on
But you say the English sparrow
is not native. No. to be sure he is not.
He was introduced into the United
States at Brooklyn, N. Y, in 1851 and
1852, and has spread over most of the
country and Canada
I'VE, the white men, came across the
waters brave and strong. and in rapid
fashion established ourselves in quite
the same manner as the sparrows
I'VE have something in common.
Il admit the faults of the tiny birds,
they are many, but not as many as that
of man.
AT times they need help. Feed them
curing the period OF rearing young,
and when the SHOWS are upon the
ground.
Their powers of recognition are
extraordinary For a number of wears
a charming young lady has made a
practice of feeding the sparrows that
collect upon her lawn
"She rolls bread into balls. and pitches
the food among the sparrows. They
consider it game, and frolic as they
eat
If youngster falls out Of the nest.
she mothers it, feeds the baby, and
when the time arrives for its liberation,
the bird often refuses to leave
When she leaves her house and walks
to the store, one may see tiny feathered
creatures looking at her with admira-
tion from among the rosebushes and
flowers. This is tribute to one who
knows and loves the lowly sparrow"
So there you have words of wisdom
from one who knows
He should. because he handles the
birds out at the National BIOLOGICAL
Park
Sparrows there often fly down into the
elephant enclosures. and may be seen
risking their lives among the feet of the
huge beasts.
Any one. it is easy to believe. who
really watches English sparrows will end
up with admiration for them
Personally. We would not call the
female English sparrow drab, by any
means. Actually, she is beautiful bird.
with her mixture of soft browns and
grays.
1t is interesting to recall that the
author of Wings at My Window" re-
membered one lady English sparrow
as the most interesting of all the thou
sands Of birds, in hundreds Of species,
which came to her place.