THE BIRD DEPARTMENT 



211 



about them as though to insure safety, but the majority 

 are more dependent upon the clearings. Ideal condi- 

 tions for the nesting of the largest number of birds on 

 a given area would be obtained by covering it with small 

 groups of the proper kind of bushes and trees, each 

 group surrounded by a little open space. This presup- 

 poses, of course, that there is likewise a sufficient supply 

 of food and water. The customary ideas of landscaping 

 held today with scattered groups of bushes and trees 

 are favorable to bird life, especially when consideration 

 is given to the species planted or to the method of clear- 

 ing. In the forests the cutting of fire trails and small 

 clearings tends to increase rather than decrease the bird 

 life for the same reason. This general arrangement of 

 the planting is as important as the actual selection of 

 the species. 



It is often possible to select for planting trees and 

 shrubs that furnish available fruit as well as nesting 

 sites. When the tree combines aesthetic and practical 

 values, as well, it is highly desirable. Such are the red 

 cedar and Irish junipers among the evergreens, the elms, 

 the hawthorns, the wild rose and Virginia creeper. 



Below is appended a list of woody plants suitable for 

 attracting birds. Those unmarked bear fruit relished 



A FAVORITE LUNCH COUNTER 



Cedar waxwings feeding on the berries of the mountain ash. A flock 

 will remain about one tree for days or weeks at a time until every 

 berry is consumed. 



FRUITBEARING TREES AND SHRUBS ATTRACTIVE TO BIRDS 



*Five-leaved Ivy, or Virginia Creeper. Aug.-Feb. 



Boston Ivy. Sept.-Mar. 



Red and Black Chokeberries. July-June. 



*Spicebush. July-Nov. 



■•'"Japanese Barberry. 



(The berries are not often eaten when other fruits are 

 abundant, but the shubs furnish good nesting sites.) 



■"Common Barberry. July-June. 



Black, or Cherry, Birch. 



Yellow Birch. 



Red Birch. 



(All the birches furnish food in fall and winter e.xcept 

 the Red, or River. Birch, the fruit of which ripens from 

 June to SepteiTiber.) 



White Birch. 



Hackberry. Jan.-Dec. 



"^Dogwoods. June-Mar. 



White^flowering dogwood. 



(Very desirable for its ornamental value, both in flow- 

 ers and in fruits, as well as for bird food.) Aug.-Jan. 



Cornelian Cherry, 



■'^■American Hawthorns. Oct. -April. 



'■'English Hawthorn. Aug.-March. 



Weigela, or Diervilla. 



(The seeds are freely eaten in winter by slate-colored 

 juncos, tree sparrows, redpolls, and pine siskins.) 



Oleaster, or Wild Olive. Sept.-April. 



Gumi. 



Japanese Oleaster. 



(As soon as the fruit ripens in July it is attacked by 

 robins, catbirds, and cedar waxwings, and the tree is soon 

 stripped.) 



Spindle Tree. 



(Fruits are eaten by the myrtle warbler.) 



Wintergreen. Jan.-Dec. 



Black Huckleberry. July-Oct. 



Shrubby St.-John'.s-wort. 



(In winter slate-colored juncos, tree sparrows, and red- 

 polls are always found feeding on the minute seeds of 

 this plant.) 



■^Common Juniper. Jan.-Dec. 



*Irish Juniper. 



■''Red Cedar. 



(A favorite food of cedar waxwings and myrtle warb- 

 lers.) Jan.-Dec. 



American and European Larches. 



■'^Common Privet. Julv-.'\pril. 



"•■'Bush Honeysuckles. 



"Japanese Honeysuckle. 



'•■'Morrow's Honeysuckle. (Very attractive to birds.) 



"Ruprecht's Honeysuckle. 



'"'Grapes. Aug.-June. 



'^Tartarian Honeysuckle. July-April. 



'■■'Matrimony Vines. 



Partridge Berry. Jan.-Dec. 



Mulberries. 



(One of the best bird foods.) May-August. 



•■Bayberry, or Candle-berry. 



(The best food to attract and hold the myrtle warblers.) 

 July-June. 



Sour Gum, or Tupelo. July.-Oct. 



White. Black, and Japanese Spruces. 



Austrian Pine. 



Red Pine. 



White Pine. 



(All the Pines attract crossbills and grosbeaks.) 



Mahaleb Cherry. 



(The best of the wild-cherry bird foods.) June- July. 



European Bird Cherry. 



Wild Red, or Bird, Cherry. June-Nov. 



Sand Cherry. June-Aug. 



Wild Black Cherry. July-Nov. 



•■'FloW'ering Crab. 



(The best winter food for cedar waxwings, robins, 

 northern flickers, pheasants, and pine and evening gros- 

 beaks.) Sept.-June. 



'^'Buckthorn. Aug.-April. 



Fragrant Sumac. Jan.-Dec. 



Shining Sumac Jan.-Dec. 



Smooth Sumac. Jan.-Dec. 



Staghorn Sumac. Jan.-Dec. 



*Blackberries and Raspberries. lune-Oct. 



■•■Black Elderberry. July-Oct. 



Red Elderberry. June-Aug. 



Sassafras. July-Oct. 



Buffalo Berry. June-Oct. 



■'^Greenbrier. Aug.-June. 



Nightshade, or Bittersweet. July-April. 



Mountain Ash. 



(As the bright red berries hang on the trees, about 

 Christmas ti^me, these trees add to a winter landscape 

 by their ornamental appearance. They also furnish very 

 good bird food. I July-April. 



