Evening star., 1947-12-29
This and That
By Charles E. Trdce1Dell

"EVARTS STREET NE.
Dear Sir:
1--WE have winter feeding stand for the
birds and many kinds come.
But the starlings flop down and drive away
all the other birds.
Can you suggest what to do?
with great appreciation for your advice In
The Star. Sincerely yours, j. c."
Do nothing.
That is good advice in many situations.
Sometimes waiting policy works. sort Of
modified nonresistance
Americans, as a group, are too inclined to
get hot and bothered about everything. Some
times, if they simply waited, the thing would
solve itself.
One famous columnist had a policy as to
answering mail. He found that if he waited
long enough, many letters needed no answer.
While such policy cannot be unreservedly
recommended in such case, in regard to
starlings, squirrels, English sparrows and even
grackles, it has its good points.
What is the use Of growing red in the face
because something wants some of the food YOU
have put out?
Starlings, too, are hungry in the cold.
They see no reason for not trying to eat
what the other birds are eating.
How can they know that mankind has set
up two-or more-classes OF wildbirds, one
called desirable" and the other mot desir-
able"
All they know is that they are hungry and
there before them is something to eat.
They perhaps have better excuse than
most BIRDS since their temperature is slightly
higher, and they are larger.
Big birds need plenty of food. .
What startling wants to wake up in the morn
ing to find his feet frozen to the perch?
If our correspondent will not be impatient
he will find that in most instances the starlings
fly away shortly.
They never harm the other and smaller birds
in fact they cannot be said to drive them away
really, for that is done by their mere bulk
Such is the law, in nature: The larger drives
away the smaller. The latter are fortunate
when the larger does not KILL as part of his
driving away.
One good point to the feeding station on
stake or pole is that squirrels or starlings may
seem to hog the roost, but actually much food
is knocked off by them to the ground, where
the smaller birds get it.
The j6stlings and pushings going on at the
feeding tray are not fighting, in the human
sense. When humans fight, they fight to kill
but when hungry birds jostle one another, there
is always an inning" for each creature.
This is easily seen If some time is given to
observation.
The cheerful chickadee and the pert tit
mouse fly in when the sparrows are away, but
when the common little birds arrive, the more
desirable ones 60 elsewhere.
This is the way nature does 1t.
Careful watch, through the day, If one has
the time, will reveal that the chickadees, tit
mice and others fly in every now and then,
when there happens to be lull at the station.
One good way to keep starlings away Is to
fail to put out bread.
This is favorite of these vigorous birds.
/. sure way to attract them, is to put slices
Of moistened bread in the yard If the bread
is left dry, often the starlings will carry it to
bird bath and dunk" it.
Observation of starlings is as good, in a sense,
as watching the more desirable" songsters.
Few birds, as a matter of fact, have better
brains, and perhaps none is a better flyer.
Ability to think, ability to fy-these are SO
valued today by man that he must not despise
any. other living creature that enjoys these
noNefk