Useful birds and their protection. Containing brief descriptions of the more common and useful species of Massachusetts, with accounts of their food habits, and a chapter on the means of attracting and protecting birds

Front matter

Book Jl __

OITFJCIAI, ]>OI<rATION.

AND THEIR PROTECTION.

Preface

In preparino; and submittino: this report the fact has been kept in mind that the material prosperity of the state and nation depends very largely on agricultural pursuits. An attempt has been made, therefore, to make the volume serviceable to both agriculturist and horticulturist. The author of this report believes, with Townend Glover, that an acquaintance with the useful birds of the farm is as important to the farmer as is a knowledge of the insect pests which attack his crops. Those who open this volume expecting to lind within its covers a guide to the l)irds, a manual for the collector, or a systematic account of the birds of Massachusetts, will be disappointed, for its scope is chiefly economic.

The plan of the report as outlined before the legislative committees has been followed to the letter.

In undertaking the work, the author has attempted to counteract in some measure the eft'ects of some })hases of modern civilization and intensive farming which operate to destroy or drive out the birds ; and it is hoped that the book will be of some service as a source of useful information for the bird protectionist. As no report prepared with such a purpose can exert nuich influence unless widely read, it has been written in a popular style, with little scientific verbiage.

A part of the material was prepared between the years 1891 and 1900, during the authors experience as field director for the State Board of Agriculture in the work of destroying the gipsy moth. Chapters I. and II. are partly composed of revised and rewritten portions of papers published during that time. Chapter III. is based largely on observations made during that period In' two faithful, capable workers, — Messrs. C. E. Bailey and F. H. Mosher. Owing

VI PREFACE.

to Mr. Bailey's untimely death and Mr. Mother's occupation in a new field, it was deemed best to pu))lish some of the field notes of these observers with little editing, in order to avoid any possible distortion of their evidence.

In presenting in Chapter I. some of the evidence, given by the earlier writers, regarding the utility of birds as protectors of crops and trees, it has been necessary to use such material as was obtainable. No carefully guarded experiments or observations in this direction were made until the latter part of the nineteenth century, and it is only recently that scientific investigators have been employed in this little-known field. It is not an alluring task for the scientist, in which his work brings him neither material reward, credit, nor honor.

That portion of the final chapter which treats of the means of attracting birds is drawn mainly from six years" experience at the author's home at Warehani, Mass. The first three chapters were mainly written there. Most authors quoted or cited in these chapters are given full credit.

The remaining chapters, which are largely based on the author's own investigations and observations, were written and the proof was read while he was away from home, in the Avoods, or ti'avelling from place to place, often at a distance from any ornithological library. Under such circumstances it was impossible to quote verbatim, but in most cases authors are named when facts have been gathered from their writings.

The averages of the components of the food of each species are taken mainly from the publications of the Bureau of Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture, except Avhere credit is otherwise given.

Thanks are due to Dr. L. O. Howard, who has read critically that part of the introduction devoted to insects, and the author is greatly indebted to him for information ; also, more than he can tell, to Mr. William Brewster for counsel and suggestions : and especially to Mr. J. A. Farley, who read a large part of the manuscript.

The limited time at the author's disposal has prevented such painstaking revision and abridgment of the manuscript

PREFACE. vii as would be required to attain the highest literary excellence ; but both manuscript and proof were critically read by Mrs. A. Drew, whose work has added much to the appearance of the volume, and whose suggestions have been very valuable.

Mr. F. H. Fowler has placed the author under great obligations by doing a large amount of clerical work, and giving much assistance in his official position as lirst clerk and librarian of the State Board of Agriculture.

The scientific ornithological nomenclature is that of the American Ornithologists Union. The grouping of birds according to their habitats (as birds of woodland, etc.) is based more on their food habits than on their choice of nesting sites. This classification is of necessity arbitrary, and not always consistent, for it is sometimes influenced by other considerations, such as are evident in the inclusion of the Whip-poor-will among birds of the air.

The nomenclature of plants is mainly that used by Britton and Brown in their Flora of the Northern United States, Canada, and the British Possessions, except in some cases where Dr. Judd or other authors are quoted. That of insects has been derived from various sources at different times, and for this reason some of the scientific names are not the latest.

In the original plan of the report no descriptions of species were included ; but the suggestion was made by Mr. J. A. Farley that it would be useless to descant to a man on the usefulness of the Chickadee if he did not know the bird. The brief, untechnical descriptions of bird, nest, eggs, and bird notes, and the illustrations of the species, are all intended as helps to identification. The descriptions of birds are calculated merely to call attention to the principal colors and marks that serve to identify birds afield. Brief descriptions of haunts, habits, and manners are also given, as guides to identity.

A species that is found throughout the year within the limits of the State is denominated a resident. No attempts have been made to give fixed dates of arrival and departure, for these vary somewhat in different parts of the State, as viii PREFACE.

well as in different seasons ; but the months in which each species is most commonly seen are given. For example, the season for the Tree Swallow is given as April to September ; but no mention is made of the fact that it sometimes ap].)ears in small numbers in March ; neither is it stated that this bird has been seen in tlocks in southeastern Massachusetts in late October and even in November, for such occurrences are unusual. It may be taken for granted that most of the insect-eating birds that arrive in ]\hirch or April c(mie in the latter part of those months, while most of those that depart for the south in Septeml)er or October leave in the earlier weeks of their respective months.

Our attempts to re})resent the songs of birds in printed syllables are not often of much assistance to the beginner, for they lack the variation, (juality, and expression of liird songs, and birds do not sing in sjdlables. Also, the imagination of the writer often greatly affects these sjdlabic renditions, as may be seen by comparing the various sentences attril)uted by different people to the White-throated Sparrow. Nevertheless, some such imitations of bird songs which are now accepted and are ([uite generally considered helpful are given in this report ; in other cases the author's own interpretations of well-marked bird notes are given.

The line cuts of ))irds, nesting boxes, appliances, etc., are mainlv reproductions of the author's pen and ink sketches and drawings. The attitudes have l)een caught by sketchins the livino- birds alield ; but as most of the drawings were necessarily made in winter, the measurements and the details of markings were taken mainlv from bird skins. While this method does not give so good results as does the use of the dead bird, it obviates the necessity of killing birds for the purpose. The sketches for Figs. 19, 22, 23, and 25 were suggested by half-tone plates in American Ornithology. Figs. 1, 27, 53, 71, 73, 71>, 1()1», 113-117, U2, and 143 were made from pen drawings by Lewis E. Forbush. The wood-cuts of insects were taken chiefly from Harris's Insects Injurious to Vegetation, Flint's Manual of Agriculture, and various pai)ers published by Dr. A. S. Packard whil(> serving as entomoloo-ist to the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture.

PREFACE. ].\

Mr. C. Allan Lvford has oiven valuable assistance in takinof photographs illustrating bird feeding, nesting boxes, etc. The author is also greatly indebted to Messrs. C. A. and C. K. Reed for the use of half-tone plates from American Ornithology ; to Mr. Frank M. Chapman, the ^Massachusetts Commission on Fisheries and Game, ]\Ir. A. C. Dike, and others, to whom credit is given in the text or ca[)tions, for the use of photographs, half-tone plates, or cuts ; and to Messrs. AYilliam Brewster and Ralph Holman for the use of bird skins. Plates VI. and VII. are from I]. A. Samuels.

The credit for the publication of this volume rightly belongs to the State Board of Agriculture, which, through its secretary, introduced and advocated the resolve providing for preparing and printing ; to the Massachusetts Audubon Society, which supported the resolve before the Legislature ; to the various associations, officials, and friends who u})held the resolve ; and to those members of the House and Senate who were instrumental in securing the appropriation Avhich made possible the production of the report. For its many shortcomings the author alone is responsible.

Contents

PAGE

Introductory. — The Utility of Birds in Nature, .... 1

Chapter I. — The Value of Birds to Man, 23 Primitive Man's Relations to Nature, 23

Changed Relations produced by Agriculture, 24

Man at War with Nature in the New World 23

Tlie Increase of Insect Pests, ......... 27

The Number of Insects, .......... 28

The Reproductive Capacity of Insects, 28

The Voracity of Insects, .......... 30

The Great Loss to American Agriculture by Insect Ravages, . . .31

Losses by Insect Ravages in Massachusetts, ...... 36

The Capacity of Birds for destroying Pests 40

The Digestion of Birds, 40

The Growth of Young Birds 42

The Amount of Food required by Young Birds, . . . .44

The Time required for Assimilation of Food, 49

The Number of Lisects eaten by Young Birds in the Nest, . . 51

The Amount of Food eaten by Adult Birds, 57

Birds save Trees and Crops from Destruction, ..... (53

The Increase of Injurious Insects following the Destruction of Birds, . 72

The Destruction of Injurious ]SIammals by Birds, ..... 7(5

The Value of Water-birds and Shore Birds, 80

The Commercial Value of Birds, ........ 81

The ^T^^sthetic, Sentimental, and Educational Value of Birds, . . 85

Chapter V. — Song Birds of Orchard and Woodland, . . . 155 Woodland Thrushes 155

Kinglets 160

Nuthatclies and Tits 163

Xll CONTENTS.

Chapter V. — Sung Birds of Orchard and Woodland — Con. page

Thrashers and Mockingbirds, ......... 178

"Warblers 185

Vireos, 203

Waxwiiigs, 209

Tanagers, 211

Finches, Grosbeaks, and Towhees, 215

Blackbirds, Grackles, Orioles, etc., ........ 224

Rails, 3.50

Herons, 351

Water-fowl, 353

Chapter XI. — Checks upon the Increase of Useful Birds, . . 354 The Destruction of Birds by Man, 356

The Natural Enemies of Birds, ........ 3()1

Introduced Four-footed Enemies, . 3()2

Cats 362

Native Four-footed Enemies, ......... .364

S(iuirrels 364

Rats and Mice, 3()6

Feathered Enemies, . 366

Hawks, 'Mi

Owls, 3(i7

Crows and Jays, 3()8

VON TENTH. xiii

Chapter XI. — Checks upon the Increase of Useful Birds — Con. page

Featliered Enemies — Con.

The House Sparrow, .......... 370

Other Bird Enemies, _ 37^

Rejitilian Enemies, .....,.,.. 371