Evening star., 1948-03-16
This and That
By Charles Z. Trace1Dell @
0nFApy@Hy cr,v, ray,

mA1J1ON .
Dear Sir:
II have been feeding the birds for three
years now, and this winter I've learned to love
them because they've got so tame, and so many
more have come.
THE sparrows have built their nests on my
porch and they live there summer and winter.
This year many large black birds with
purple spots on their heads come every day.
viii you tell me the name Of these birds?
1.-TWO cardinals have been coming every
year. Mrs Cardinal has already appeared but
not Mr.. Cardinal. hope he isn't dead.
IT read your column in The Star every
night. Sincerely, M. c."
We are . bit in doubt as to whether this
correspondent means purple grackles or star
lings.
Grackles are large birds, q trine more than
q foot long.
They are long, lean and slinky, with mean
yellow eyes and long bills.
When the sun strikes them. they give OF
ine purple lights. But there are no particular
spots ON the head.
The familiar starting, on the other hand
shows real purple spots but rather more plen-
tifully on the stomach.
In the sunshine both of these birds are
irridescent. Young starlings of last summers
birth have many odd spots on them, some OF
them almost white.
The starting Is but inches long. He has .
very short tail, he walks and his movements
are very clumsy.
The grackle, on the other foot, has very
long tail.
He is very graceful, in a sort Of serpentine
way.
As to character. the startling is head and
shoulders above the purple grackle.
Starlings are intelligent, not unk1nd to
other birds; and have many interesting traits
Their clear whistles in spring time are often
attributed to other species.
The gracke is an essentially mean bird
There is nothing he loves better than to tear
of the legs and heads of cardinal nestlings.
Those mean yellow eyes give him away.
He is not to be trusted near feeding station
In all cases, he should be driven away. But
first watch him carefully for time, because
he is beautiful villain, in his fashion.
The CLEAN of the sunshine on his oiled
feathers is something well worth seeing.
But for everyday watching, the grackle is
not in the same class with the starting. The
latter is magnificent specimen of bird life
from every standpoint His habits, in group
ing together, make him a dirty bird, but
aside from that, he has many good points
Few birds have drawn more pleasant words
than the tribute paid to him by Ray Stan
nard Baker in one Of his books
Many a person; listening to the persistent
campaign Of villihcation' against this bird in
the country, are unaware that in England, its
native land, the startling Is most highly re-
garded.
The startling is one of the few birds that,
literally has enough sense to come in out of
the rain" as the old saying had it.
He seeks shelter on rainy days, often enter
ing a feeding station and resting on the seed
not to eat but just to be in out of the rain.
His intelligence is demonstrated by the very
habit that makes him so unpopular with some
persons-that of roosting on window sills of
downtown buildings.
His temperature is higher than that of most
birds, and his claws more easily frozen. The
little heat that escapes from heated public
buildings may not be exactly measurable, but
it is enough to keep the starling's feet from
freezing
He also puts out scouts. in the search for
food, scouts that are able, in some unknown
way. to signal their success without moving.
Some people think they do 1t with radio
waves ef some soft.