Evening star., 1949-03-14
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrnceUell


The bird with an injured wing or leg
always excites commiseration, especially in
the cold.
What becomes of such bird, and what
are its chances of survival?
These questions are asked by E. c. of Falls
Church. Va, who writes, in part:
"One of our cardinal friends had leg
broken during our recent rough weather.
"He and his faithful mate continue to
come to the feeding station but he is unable
to defend himself against other cardinals.
They chase him away, though he now seems
to use the bad leg slightly to help balance
himself.
What do you think will become Of him?
Will his leg heal and be useful enough for
him to survive?
I'VE have had other crippled birds, star
lings. mockingbirds, ETC., who came for 4
while and then vanished
Nature has her own ways Of handling
such situation
It is question whether there should
be any interference from man in most such
cases.
There can be little question that among
the pure creatures of nature too much out
side interference Is worse than none at sll.
To be sure on such point is impossible.
just as 1t is with pet animals. Many persons
have had the heart-rending experience Of
dosing an animal, only to have it die, and
forever after to believe that If they had
let it alone to nature 1t might have sur
v:ved. At least, 1t could not have died any
more surely. and it would not have been
pestered so much.
The chances for an injured bird to i've
in winter are materially increased by the
sport of feeding, now so widespread.
AS long as it can get around at all, it
has very good chance.
When it cannot do much hopping, it can
fly!
When it cannot fly, it can hop!
Between the two methods of locomotion.
the creature can find food, its greatest
necessity in the cold, for it not only has to
the injured part.
It may be believed that nature, in the
raw has her own ways of doing things. Per.
haps broken leg sets itself faster, and truer.
by ITSELF If this were not true. at least to
some degree, every injured bird would be
a goner.
It may be that nature left alone. heals
broken wing quicker.
Those who are fond of the little living
things of this odd world in which we all
find ourselves will be glad to feel this way.
justified in their good thought.
Birds belong to an order of life so unlike
our own that we can do very little for them
except let them alone.
The fact that one does not see an injured
bird, after a while, does not mean that it is
dead.
Often such bird finds refuge in another
yard, where the terrain and the feeding de-
vices suit it better.
The creature may be only block away,
but it might as we'll be on the other side
of the world, as far as seeing it again. It
cannot, Of course, do much moving around,
from bird standpoint. That is its greatest
handicap. It's chances of being caught by
an animal, or chased to exhaustion by some
other bird are increased, but there is no
telling just how much.
One trying to take care of such bird
should see that 1t has foods suited to it. A
cardinal for instance, should have seeds,
preferably sunflower, whose rich content is
very warming. A mockingbird. on the other
wing should have raisins, or soft breads in
cluding the doughnut
Water is often very difficult for such a
bird to come by. shallow water pan
should be placed at some one point where
the bird has been seen. In this way 1t will
| come to look for It, and not be caused any
| extra motion.
1t is amazing how we'll some of these
crippled birds do. Perhaps their life ex-
| pectancy is shortened but some OF them
manage to live for several years. and that
is much as any bird can count on.