Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1917 — CATERING TO THEIR NEEDS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CATERING TO THEIR NEEDS.

Birds may be gathered about us in all seasons of the year with ease and certqinty merely by offering what they desire. In winter they are often * ,pushed for food, and if we supply, this need they will report, daily at the Imielj counter and help to relieve the tedium of our indoor life. In summer they care less for food provided by their human friends, and otjher"

meaa* must be sotJKht th attract them about the home. They appreciate fresh water tor •hal&tw pool of varying depth, -If only; » fo|t •boc<MP*’' ou. hot days a center of attraction for all the birds in tie vk-Infty, and It may be made wlthnittle effort -and material. Only a •ma 4 amount of eemfot ..is .jgfljgrejU or. if thatbe Jacking, a pan with stones 4b U «e& in the ground will be . equally serviceable. Trees, shrubs

and vines - bearing fruit relished by birds are great attfiTclious in their Birds are desirable about - premises riot only on aeemmt of their beauty and song, but because of their economic worth, according to the United States bureau of biological survey. They are especially tts.eful as insect destroyers during the breeding period, when they have to work early and late to obtain sufficient food for their nestlings, and their movements at /this.* time are njore interesting than during any orher frtmsofi/ - TimYe ishtherefore, -a double purpose in offering them special, nest facilities. If tmid is ava liable, swallows, robins and phoebes will found and wall their nests with it. If we put out sea th - twine, a. kinds of birds, will make use of them. If we furnish safe retreats in Which they can rear their young comfortably, most of them will be occupied. • In fact, no attraction for summer birds is more effectual than a series of houses suited to the n eeds- ft n d ha bi ts of • th e va ri ous dkinxf§l~6f house birds. ~ A few years ago ordy -four sp^cieSfwere “ commolHy regarded, as house birds- the house wren, the bluebird, the tree,xwultaw and the martin. Since the movement toprotect bi rds and matte neighbors of them began, however, theiwiattn-ek and needs have be-‘ come better understood.Vand it is now known that fiiiihy other species will avail themselves of houses ed for them by jWf human friends.. The practice of</ei-erting birdhvlises' in this country,. >mw —nation wide, is not so common amPunifonnly dis tr Ibuted as it shou Id be. and more extended provisions of this natitre--cminot fail to result in a largely-in-creased number of house birds.

Bird Baths; a Pottery[?]b Metal or concrete.