GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



OF AMERICA 



THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF 

 THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GARDENERS 



Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture. 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PARK SUPERINTENDENTS. 



Devoted to Park Development and Recreaticnal Facihiies. 



\'..i. \1\. 



lAXL'AkV, I'll: 



The Relation of Birds to Parks 



By L. P. Jensen, Missouri. 



The rai)itl iliniinishing of our f(in..st areas, and the ex- 

 tensive cutting out of, and destruction of, undergrowth 

 in the remainmg woods, leave few places for the nesting 

 and protection of our valuable native birds. We are be- 

 ginning to realize that the value of our birds is not only 

 an aesthetic one, vis : their beautiful song and wonderful 

 color, which alone would be sufficient reason for their 

 preservation and protection, but a question of unusual 

 economic importance. 



When we look into the reports telling of the destruc- 

 tion caused by insects injurious to vegetation, and come 

 to realize what a large number of obnoxious insects are 

 exterminated by even one pair of insectivorous birds dur- 

 ing a single season, the question of their protection be- 

 comes of vital importance to all of us. 



Foremost and among the ones particularly fitted to 

 take up this missionary work of protection and preserva- 

 tion of our beautiful and valuable feathered denizens of 

 the air, water, woodlands and meadows, are the superin- 

 tendents of public and private parks, estates and reserva- 

 tions, because the increase in number of insectivorous 

 birds may mean the saving of many species of trees and 

 other plants, on which the value of our parks and wood- 

 lands in a large measure depends. 



It is not a hard nor expensive proposition to greatly in- 

 crease the number of birds, in any given locality, wdien 

 we once realize that the birds will stay wherever the con- 

 ditions are such that suitable nesting places, food and 

 water are to be found. 



The preservation of our native plants in their natural 

 environments, the encouraging of undergrowth in our 

 woodlands, the prevention of destruction of native plants 

 in places not adapted to agriculture, and the replanting of 

 waste land created by thoughtless destruction of native 

 plants, is a work which the park and estate superintend- 

 ent is particidarlv fitted to perform and encourage. 



The accomplishment of this work would mean: First, 

 the preservation of the wonderful scenic beauty of our 

 country ; second, the increase of our useful native birds, 

 and third, through the increase of birds, a decrease of 

 obnoxious insects, not to speak of the protection of nu- 

 merous species of mammals, now on the verge of ex- 

 tinction. 



Tlie following list, giving the nesting places of some of 

 our common useful liirds, may be of value as a guide to 

 those who wish to attract them, by providing or preserv- 

 ing proper conditions for the establishing of their homes, 

 which is the first and most important step to be taken, if 

 we wish to have them remain and increase in number : 



Birds which build their nests in deciduous trees: Red- 



ex ed \'irco, warbling vireo, yellow-throated vireo, cedar 

 waxwing, scarlet tanager, American goldfinch, Baltimore 

 oriole, orchard oriole, wood pewee, kingbird, humming- 

 bird, robin, morning tlove, and herons. To these we may 

 add most of those which build in boxes, who generally 

 build their nests in hollow trees and cavities. 



Birds which build their nests in shrubs and low trees: 

 Brown thrasher, catl.)ird, \ellow warbler, American red- 

 start, rosebreasted grosbeak, least flycatcher, cuckoos, 

 indigo bird, chipping sparrow, tree sparrow, wood thrush 

 and red-winged blackbird. 



Birds which build their nests in coniferous trees: 

 Golden-crowned kinglet, black-throated green warljler, 

 myrtle warbler, purple finch and blackbirds. 



Birds which build their nests on the ground, or very 

 near the ground : Wilson thrush, owen bird, black and 

 white warl)ler, towhee, partridge, song sparrow, slate- 

 colored junco. field sparrow, meadow lark, quail, bobo- 

 link, pheasant, spotted sandpiper, woodcock, nighthawk, 

 whippoor-will. bank swallow and rail. 



As tidiness and the health of woodlands often demand 

 cutting out of trees containing hollows and cavities suit- 

 able as nesting places for some of our most valuable in- 

 sectivorous birds, it becomes essential to provide artificial 

 nesting places for them. 



I'arniers' Ihdletin Xo. 609, "Bird Houses and How 

 to Build Them," by Xed Dearborn, gives detail informa- 

 tion about the construction of bird houses, to suit the 

 habit of the various species, and those who desire to build 

 their own bird houses are referretl to this publication, 

 which may be obtained free from the Division of Publica- 

 tions of the L'nited States Department of Agriculture, 

 \\'ashington, D. C. 



\'arious kinds of bird houses are manufactured and 

 may be purchased ready made. 



For the sake of their appearance in the landscape, bird 

 houses should be constructed of material in harmony with 

 the scene, of which, when placed, they become a part, 

 and be as inconspicuous as possible. 



The following birds will l)uild their nests in boxes or 

 liird houses: The bluebird, robin, chickadee, tufted tit- 

 mouse, white-brea.=ted nuthatch, dipper, tree swallow, 

 barn swallow, martin, song sparrow, phaebe, crested fly- 

 catcher, flicker, woodpecker, screech owl. barn owl, and 

 wood duck. 



Modern architecture leaves few nesting places for those 

 birds which formerly inhabited the barns and buildings 

 of the earh- settlers, whose construction provided many 

 hollows for the homes of phaebes, barn swallows and 

 clifif swallows. The modern designer of park structures 



