Birds in Relation to Agriculture in New York State 1805 



Firearms should not be resorted to except as a last measiire; for, while 

 they may be effective in protecting the ripening fruit, they deprive the 

 orchard of one of its most valuable allies at other seasons of the year. 

 There are certified instances of orchards to which birds have been attracted, 

 that have been saved from the ravages of the insects despoiling neigh- 

 boring orchards. In case resort is made to the gun, it will be just as 

 effective to save the shot and let the sound frighten the birds away. 



Only two small groups remain to be considered — the nectar eaters, 

 including among our New York State birds only the ruby-throated hum- 

 ming bird; and the leaf and bud eaters, including the ruffed grouse and the 

 purple finch. The latter do not destroy enough buds of fruit trees to be 

 obnoxious, and are highly beneficial in their other food habits. . 



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FiG- 35- — ^^^ 'wo^'2 Jiotise {English) sparrow 

 GENERAL DISCUSSION OF ECONOMIC VALINE OF BIRDS 



In general it may be stated that the birds of New York State, as a w^hole, 

 are highly beneficial to the various agricultural interests of the people; 

 a few^ are rather negative in their importance, and a very few are detri- 

 mental. Of the last-named, the sharp-shinned hawk, the Cooper's hawk, 

 and the great homed owd are so destructive to poultry that it is desirable 

 to kiU them ; but poultry-men should learn to distinguish between them and 

 the other hawks and owls, so that the real culprit will alwa^^s be the one 

 taken. The yellow-bellied sapsucker is detrimental to orchard and shade 

 trees, and to the timber of forest trees. In most parts of New York State, 

 however, its depredations are restricted to a comparative short interval 

 in spring and fall, and no great damage is done. Crows, blackbirds, and 

 fruit eaters such as the robin and the waxwing, are highly beneficial during 



