Evening star., 1947-08-13
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceUell.
"HYATTSvILLE, Md.

"HYATTSVILLE, Md.
Dear Sir:
II picked up bird yesterday that had been
killed by car, and haven't seen one like It,
L thought 1t was thrush, but 1t was much
larger than thrush and darker brown, about
the size OF blue jay, and it had long yellow
feathers on the underside OF the tail, something
on the order OF the white feathers on a mocker
but many more of them.
1T had a smooth head and a medium short
bill.
Il would appreciate knowing the name Of
the bird Sincerely, I. K"
The bird probably was q thrasher.
The flicker Is the one showing yellow when
1t flies, but since our correspondent speaks of
the bird resembling the thrush, we suppose 1t
had streaked or spotted breast.
In bird descriptions, often a salient point is
left out-that is, with three main points of
identification, 1t Is easy, but with one missing,
the Identification may remain in doubt.
The thrasher is often called "the big thrush" I"
both on account of its spots and the color of
its back.
the mockingbird group With the mocker and
the catbird, 1t is one of our most brilliant
singers.
Many birds lose their lives through accidents
Onhand, one might suppose that no flying
thing need be struck by a car, but as a matter
OF fact this often happens.
Nor would one suppose that flyers would fly
squarely into the wall Of house, but this, too
often comes about.
We must believe that birds, no less than
humans, have their off-moments, when sud-
denly something goes wrong.
They are faced with the problems Of all
moving things.
The tail refuses to work. or the wings stop
Just at the wrong time.
The effort needed by a bird to keep itself
afoat in the air is great. There can be no
question that their minds have something to
do with the process.
Probably a sudden look out of the corner of
the eye" may make them msjudge distances
just as 1t may with us.
Birds no less than small animals must be
utterly unable to understand the great speeds
of moving man made objects.
When we realize that many Of our moving
objects resemble houses in a sense we can see
how confused the birds must be.
That they do not swoop down into bus and
car windows more than they do speaks well for
natures care.
Yet 1t Is no uncommon thing for a cardinal
to round the side of a house-and smack
squarely into the wall just as it turns.
If bird Is picked up near house without
q sign of a wound and yet dead. the supposi-
ton may be that it struck the wall in flight.
We are 50 used to regarding birds as
perfect flyers that we forget that they, too may
make m1takes-and do make them, from time
to time
There are many other natural happenings
which are lanentable Birds sometimes get
caught in vines and creepers and remain there
until they die. If they cannot extricate them
selves, since none Of their own kind can help
them.
Occasionally another will pull at them. and
so manage their release, but too often the bird
dies, sometimes head down.
Long strings and cords, put out for nesting
material may hang them. Occasionally
paper carries . photograph Of this sad event.
Wool for nesting should never be more than
4 inches long. This Is the safe length to put
out for them Ordinarily 1t will supply all their
needs.
The Baltimore oriole wants longer cords but
she seems to have Q surer sense of her handling
such potentially dangerous materials. Perhaps
this is not to be wondered at, since she Is such
o marvellous weaver.