Evening star., 1947-11-12
This and That
By Charles E. TraceUeH
NOOUIOEt
ARLINGTON, Va.

ARLINGTON, Va.
'Dear Sir:
IT am having time to get the birds to come
to my feeding station by the window.
us that a good place?
II thought perhaps had put it in the wrong
place and tried it out farther in the yard, but
still they did not come.
so I put the station back by the window
and there I am going to let 1t remain, birds
or no birds. I cannot help but wonder, how
ever, just why they do not eat.
1.-THE station Is painted white.
do birds like white, or does 1t frighten
them? If had painted 1t red. could under
stand, but this station is pretty and as far as
I can see, there is no excuse for these birds
I see them flying by, but not one samples
my seed.
II see some crows. Could these be respon-
sible? AS far as I know, there have been no
hawks or bad boys with air rifles.
Yours truly, E. s."
Sometimes birds seem to stay away from
food put out for them for unaccountable
reasons.
There is Just no explanation. 1t must be
kept In mind that they are, after all, very
curious creatures. Men have been studying
them for centuries and have done a fair Job
of knowing them-that is, externally-but
knowledge Of their internal history, as one
might say, especially their minds, is still far
to seek.
There is something mysterious about them,
something of the same thing that strikes people
about their cousins, the snakes.
Owls for instance, have been regarded by
mankind as symbols of wisdom.
The wise old owl is smart-looking fellow,
certainly, but he is no more SO, perhaps, than
other birds.
They are all wise enough, in their ways and
something of this wisdom reposes IN simple
caution.
Therefore the person who puts out food and
has no takers must first look around the neigh
borhood and see If he can determine just what
it is that Is keeping the birds away.
Caution, on their part, no doubt, is the first
consideration and there is nothing to be done
about this
It is the way they protect themselves.
There can be little doubt that in neighbor-
hoods where feeding has been going on for
some time the birds will arrive quicker at q
newly established one.
This is only natural.
But if no feeding has been done in the
vicinity, the birds will have to get used to
the idea.
Sometimes this takes surprisingly long time.
The hours pass the days and occasionally the
weeks before the birds respond to the lure
of food.
Whether there are plenty of natural foods,
such as seeds of withered ANIMALS and berries,
may make all LQe O1IIeT6LC6 III G1le WOilu, DuG
mostly the anxious watcher does not think
of such matters.
Ali he knows is that he has put out food and
the feathered friends have not deigned to come
down to it.
What is the matter with them?
That Is his question and it is hard one
to answer.
The color OF the feeding device has little If
anything to do with it.
If food is first put on the ground, at some
one point, this may tend to calm the suspicion
of the timid songsters.
After they get used to coming to this spot,
the feeding station may be established where
one desires it. Then the birds first few, then
all later, will fly in. Both spots should be run
simultaneously for period.
In this way even the most timid birds may
be lured to any feeding station.
One point Is this: Do not watch too assidu-
ously at the window at first.
The birds do not like moving shapes at
windows and until they have become used to
the new feeding spot 1t Is best to stand back
In the room at some distance from the pane.