Birds in Relation to AoRicrLTrRE in New York State 1809 



The cheapest food to use is cracked grain, such as is fed to young chicks; 

 but hemp and millet are preferable if available. Another food, which is 

 chosen before all others by chickadees and nuthatches as well as by juncos 

 and tree sparrows, is crumbs of raw peanuts. Bread, cake, and dough- 

 nut crumbs, or bread crumbs soaked in grease, are also good bird food. 

 For the cardinal where it occurs 

 and for the grosbeaks, sunflower 

 seed is the best, and this is relished 

 by other species as well. The 

 writer detained a flock of evening 

 grosbeaks at his feeding station 

 for over a month after their usual 

 time of departure for the North- 

 west by keeping them bountifully 

 supplied with sunflower seed. A 

 row of sunflowers about the border 

 of the garden, and a small patch 

 of millet in one corner will easily 

 supply all the seed necessary, and 

 will likewise attract some of the 

 summer birds. Goldfinches, for 

 example, one of our most beauti- 

 fid birds, will tlirong to a garden 

 where sunflowers are planted, 

 pulling seeds from the flowers 

 as fast as they ripen. If the sun- 

 flowers are left standing, the gold- 

 finches will continue to visit the garden all through the fall and winter, 

 even after they have exchanged their bright simimer plumage for the 

 duller garb of winter. The patch of millet will detain the migrating 

 birds and direct them toward the feeding station. 



Many other plants, shrubs, and trees are attractive to birds either 

 because of their fruits or because of the shelter that they afford. A little 

 observation in the field will show the species about which the birds con- 

 gregate, and these should be planted about the garden. Among the most 

 conspicuous of these and the ones best adapted for planting may be men- 

 tioned the various species of evergreen cone-bearing trees, chokecherries, 

 shadbush, mountain ash, hawthorn (or thorn apple), mulberry, osiers, 

 sumacs, elders, Virginia creeper, nightshade, and wild grape. Most of 

 these lend themselves to very attractive planting about the house and 

 garden. 



These are the simplest ways of attracting birds. It is suq^rising with 

 114 



Fig. 



39. — Goldfi?iches will he attracted by 

 sunflowers 



