78 Wild Bird Guests 



nest. It is said that pigs were the chief cause of 

 the extinction of the dodo, a large flightless bird 

 which inhabited the Island of Mauritius. 



Man is also responsible for the presence, in 

 this country, at least, of the European sparrow 

 and the European starling. The first is, and 

 has been for many years, a well-known pest, and 

 a serious enemy of our native song birds. Un- 

 fortunately its bad character and offensive 

 habits are too well known to require description 

 in detail. Hardy and pugnacious and present in 

 numbers that would baffle a census-taker, spar- 

 rows often attack and kill our smaller native birds. 

 They can make their bulky nests almost any- 

 where, but seem to prefer nest boxes when these 

 are to be had. In many localities by reason of 

 their great numbers, they will occupy all the 

 nest boxes with entrance holes large enough to 

 admit them, to the exclusion of bluebirds, tree 

 swallows, and other more desirable tenants. So 

 the latter are often forced to leave the little 

 homes which we have put up on purpose for 

 them — leave their favorite haunts in our gardens 

 and orchards, and take their chances of finding 

 nesting sites away off in the wilderness perhaps. 



In the summer, when we put out bird baths for 

 our thirsty song birds, down come the sparrows 

 and nothing else in feathers can get near the 



