Evening star., 1949-06-11
This and That
By Charles Il. TracetDeu
CHEVY CHASE.


CHEVY CHASE.
Dear Sir:
"Is there any figure on how many birds
are killed by cars in q summer In and around
Washington?
THE way robins and catbirds dart In front
OF my car makes me very nervous.
80 far I have killed none. but have
seen some miraculous escapes and wonder
II some birds have any common sense, or
Is the automobile completely out Of their
orbit?
"At one time was afraid to drive down.
town. on account Of the way the pigeons
act. but got over that. when realized that
these have plenty Of sense.
1T is marvellous the way the common
pigeon is able to take care of itself. I have
watched them remain in the street until q
car wheel was actually not more than two
feet away. Then they very easily walked
not hew-a few inches to one side. Their
coordination must be about perfect.
Very truly. M. McN. w."
Just how many birds are killed In and
around Washington every summer Is any
ones guess.
Our own is probably 5000. but there
would be no way Of telling how many Of
these had met death through other causes
dead in the air. Sometimes one drives full
tilt into house or tree.
Some are struck on the wing by cars and
others are run over on the ground.
y A bird Is such little thing, but many Of
them do take chances in winging across
busy thoroughfares.
Fortunately they are able to get across
In all except q very few cases. But when
we consider the number Of birds in and
around q city Of trees probably half . mil
lion, and then the number that are killed
and almost Immediately picked UP and dis
posed Of, we may realize that an estimate
can only be q guess.
Many thousands Of young birds are lost
each summer by reason of falling out Of the
nest or being hauled out by an animal.
Some Of those that fall receive internal
injuries. No species has the ability to put
its own back In nest. Blue jays win fy to
wherever their fallen children are and do q
good job feeding them, but II the youngsters
cannot fly 1t may be in bad way.
Robins commonly are unable to help fallen
babies. Many Of these fall into the hands
of kindly people who try to raise them.
Raising O baby bird by hand" is an
interesting occupation, II one has the de-
termination and time. Young birds should
be fed every half hour or at least every
hour during the daylight hours Food Is
offered on the end of toothpick, bits OF
beef, liver, yolk Of hard boiled egg, pahlum
in milk, bread in milk. Water is offered
with q medicine dropper. The bird takes
only so much food. when its throat closes
and it will take no more until later.
Some killed specimens drop dead Of old
age. Some people believe that such birds
are never seen. but the truth Ia that they
al ma
takes care Of their bodies In her peculiar
ways. Yet the feathers are long lasting.
Sometimes O robin is crushed In the high
way, and run over until nothing In left
except few bits of feathers. but these bits
remain for long time.
Some birds meet death by pure accident
such as the robin which hangs itself with O
too long piece Of string put out by some
well intentioned person.
Lengths Of wool and twine intended for
nesting birds should not be more than
inches long. The common desire to put out
pieces of string 3 and feet sometimes
results in tragedy. not always. fortunately.
but at least often enough to Justify warn
ing against 1t.
The birds often use such bits for orna-
ment, rather than for tying the nest to-
gether and the short pieces are just as good
for this. Such species as the Baltimore
oriole, whose mother bird builds wonder
nest, using pieces Of string TO lash it to-
gether and to the tree limb. win be able 70
use short lengths. but probably prefers long
ones. There Is no telling. however. which
species viii find material. SO It In best 70 be
on the safe side with them and put out
only the short lengths Of string and wool.
Even the oriole can use these. although they
make her work bit harder.
On the whole there is not much the
motorist can do to protect the birds. They
must be left TO their own devices. The
amazing thing is not that some are killed,
but that most Of them escape o contraption
whose spesd r akin 70 their own.