Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 254, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1913 — BATTLE WAGED IN BIRDLAND [ARTICLE]

BATTLE WAGED IN BIRDLAND

Orioles Try to Rescue Baby Bird From. Woodpecker—Robin Butts In for Amusement, A ‘ free-for-all bird fight occurred at the borne of Mayor Shank the other day, daring which a baby oriole, the cause of tbe trouble, was killed, tbe

Indianapolis News states. The mayor said it was the most exciting thing that has happened since he has been laid up with the lumbago. He believes a bird fight has a cock or dog fight backed oft the boards when y it comes to genuine excitement The trouble Btarted when the baby oriole flew from the nest of*its parents in a big maple tree across the street, to a huge elm tree in the mayyard. Here, proud of its first flight alone, the little oriole perched itself on a limb to rest A woodpecker, peeping out of its nest in the elm, saw the Intruder and made an attack on the oriole. The watchful parent orioles, just across the street saw the attack and fled to their baby’s rescue. Mrs. Woodpecker arrived on the scene, and the fight began in earnest Feathers flew, and the fighters gave vent to blrdland profanity. First the woodpeckers would seem to have the best of it, and then the orioles. When the fight was at its height a robin that had its nest in the elm tree with the woodpeckers decided to take a hand, presumably as a peacemaker. The robin would fight bne bird and then another. Qnce all five birds fell to the ground, but were on the wing again in an instant and the fight was renewed. A crowd of probably 26 people living in the neighborhood gathered. The robin did not make any great headway as a peacemaker and the mayor was of the opinion that he just butted in for a little excitement At any rate the robin did not appear to have any favorites in the melee. . The birds fought for more than half an hour until they were almost exhausted. Finally the orioles flew back to their maple tree and the woodpeckers flew to a limb in their own tree. The baby oriole, the cause of the trouble, was found hanging from a tiny limb, dead. “It was certainly a great fight,” said the mayor, "but I feel sorry for that poor little baby oriole.”