Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 119, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1916 — Common American Birds [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Common American Birds

Interesting mation about them supplied by the Bureau of Biological Survey of the United States of.

Russet-Backed Thrush (Hyloclchla ustulata) Length, seven and one-fourth inches. Among thrushes having the top of, head and tall nearly the same color as the back, this one is distinguished by its tawny eye-ring and cheeks. The Pacific coast subspecies is russet brown above, while the other subspecies is the olive-backed thrush. The remarks below apply to the species as a whole. Range: Breeds in the forested parts of Alaska and Canada and south to California, Colorado, Michigan, New York, West Virginia (mountains), and Maine; winters from Mexico to South America. Habits and economic status: This is one of a small group of thrushes the members of which are by many ranked first among American songbirds. The several members resemble one another in size, plumage, and habits. While this thrush is very fond of fruit, its partiality for the neighborhood streams keeps it from frequenting orchards far from water. It is most troublesome during the cherry season, when the young are in the nest. From this it might be inferred that the young are fed on fruit, but

such is not the case. The adults eat fruit, but the nestlings, as usual, are fed mostly upon insects. Beetles constitute the largest item of animal food, and ants come next. Many caterpillars also are eaten. The great bulk of vegetable food consists of fruit, of which two-fifths is of cultivated varieties. Where these birds live in or near gardens or orchards, they may do considerable damage, but they are too valuable as Insect destroyers to be killed if the fruit can be protected in any other way.

Catbird (Dumetella carolinersis) Length, about nine inches. The slaty gray plumage and black cap and tail are distinctive. Range: Breeds throughout the United States west to New Mexico, Utah, Oregon, and Washington, and in southern Canada; winters from the gulf states to Panama. Habits and economic status: In many localities the catbird is one of the commonest birds. Tangled growths are its favorite nesting places and retreats, but berry patches and ornamental shrubbery are not disdained. Hence the bird is a familiar dooryard visitor. The bird has a fine song, unfortunately marred by occasional cat calls. With habits similar to those of the mocking bird and a song almost as varied, the catbird has never secured a similar place in pop-

ular favor. Half of its food consists of fruit, and the cultivated crops most often injured are cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Beetles, ants, crickets, and grasshoppers are the most important element of its animal food. The bird is known to attack a few pests, as cutworms, leaf beetles, clover-root curculio, and the periodical cicada, but the good it does in this way. probably does not pay for the fruit it steals. The extent to which it should be protected •nay perhaps be left to. the individual cultivator; that is, it Should be made lawful to destroy catbirds that are doing manifest damage to’crops.

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) Length, about nine inches. A gray, black, and white bird, distinguished from the somewhat similarly colored mocking bird by the black stripe on side of head. - Range;, Breeds throughout the United States, Mexico, and. southern Canada; winters in the southern half sf the United States and in Mexico.

Habits and economic status: The loggerhead shrike, or southern butcher i bird, is common throughout its range and is sometimes called “French mocking bird” from a superficial resemblance and not from its notes, which are harsh and unmusical. The shrike is naturally an insectivorous bird which has extended its bill of fare to include small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Its hooked beak is well adapted to tearing its prey, while to make amends for the lack of talons it has hit upon the plan of forcing its victim, if too large to swallow, into the fork of a bush or tree, where it can tear it asunder. Insects, especially grase-

hoppers, Constitute the larger part of its food, though beetles, moths, caterpillars, ants, wasps, and a few spiders are also taken. While the butcher bird occasionally catches small birds, its principal vertebrate food is small mammals, as field mice, shrews, and moles, and when possible it obtains lizards. It habitually impales its surplus prey on a thorn, sharp twig, or barb of a wire fence.

California Jay (Aphelocoma californlca) Length 12 inches. Distinguished from other jays within its range by its decidedly whitish underpart* and brown patch on the back. Range: Resident in California, north to southern Washington, and south.to southern Lower California. Habits and economic status: This Jay has the same general traits of character as the eastern blue Jay. He is the same noisy, rollicking fellow and occupies a corresponding position in bird society. Robbing the nests of smaller birds is a favorite pastime, and he is a persistent spy upon domestic fowls and well knows the meaning of the cackle of a hen. Not only does he steal eggs but he kills young chicks. The insect food of this jay constitutes about one-tenth of its annual sustenance. The inclusion of grasshoppers and caterpillars makes this part of

the bird’s food id its favor. But the remainder cf Its animal diet includes altogether too large a proportion of beneficial birds and their eggs, and In this respect it appears to be worse than its eastern relative, the blue jay. While its vegetable food is composed largely of mast, at times Its liking for cultivated fruit and grain makes it a most unwelcome visitor to the orchard and farm. In conclusion it may be said that over much of its range this Jay is too abundant for the best interests of agriculture and horticulture.