728 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



Tlic winter of 1894-95 will be remembered at the south for its deep snows 

 and unparalleled cold weather, and that winter proved fatal to thousands, 

 perhaps miUions, of Bluebirds, Robins, and a few other species which 

 normally winter in the southern parts of the United States. The Bluebird 

 gets the larger part of its food from the ground, and although it can subsist 

 for a time upon seeds and berries, is unable to survive indefinitely upon 

 such fare. Hence, when it was overtaken by the severe weather of 

 January, February and March, 1895, the birds perished by the thousand, 

 and for a year or two ornithologists feared that the species might have 

 received a blow which ^vould result in its complete extinction. Fortunately, 

 however, the Bluebirds multiphed rapidly and have again occupied a 

 large part of their previous nesting territory, so that at the present time 

 they are almost as numerous as ever. 



The beauty of the Bluebird's plumage, its simple but pleasing warble, 

 and the fact that it returns to us in earhest spring, while the snow still 

 covers the face of the earth and other birds are extremely rare, has endeared 

 it to dwellers in town and country alike, and has rendered it a favorite 

 with all nature lovers. It has no objectionable traits, eats no cultivated 

 fruits (although partial to many wild berries) and is a voracious consumer 

 of insects, of which it eats an immense variety, although perhaps not always 

 with such discrimination as the agriculturist could wish. Undoubtedly, 

 as shown by numerous investigations, it eats an undue proportion of 

 ground-beetles, which are believed to be more or less beneficial; but, on 

 the other hand, it consumes large quantities of caterpillars, cut-worms, 

 injurious beetles, grasshoppers, and other insect foes, the destruction 

 of which is certainly of inestimable value to the farmer. 



Prof. S. A. Forbes has recorded the food found in the stomachs of 108 

 Bluebirds from various parts of Illinois and gives as his conclusions the 

 following: "The injurious insects destroyed 'include 26 percent of lepi- 

 doptera, nearly two-thirds of which were recognized as noctuidse, 3 percent 

 of leaf chafers, and 21 percent of orthoptera, a total of 50 percent on this 

 side of the account. On the other hand, ichneumons amount to 3 percent, 

 the carabidae to 7 percent, soldier-beetles to 1 percent, soldier-bugs to 3 

 percent and spiders to 8 percent, a total of 22 percent of predaceous and 

 parasitic forms." From what we now know of the food habits of any of 

 these insects it seems certain that even this showing, which was considered 

 unfavorable to the Bluebird, is in reality a very creditable one. The 

 ground-beetles are now known to be much less valuable than was formerly 

 supposed, while the spiders may probably be disregarded altogether. 

 A single Bluebird shot in a canker-worm orchard in Tazwell count5^ 111., 

 and examined by Prof. Forbes, had made 60 percent of its meal of canker- 

 worms; the remainder consisted of 4 percent of spiders, one of scavenger 

 Ijeetles, and the rest of predaceous beetles. Prof. Forbes has shown that 

 in March 38 percent of the food of Illinois Bluebirds consists of cut-worms 

 and related caterpillars, while in May moths, caterpillars, Junebeetles 

 and grasshoppers form 55 percent of the stomach contents. Later in 

 the summer, in July and August, locusts, crickets, grasshoppers, moths and 

 caterpillars form its insect food, and little else is eaten except a few wild 

 berries. 



On the whole there is no doubt whatever that the Blue])ird is a decidedly 

 beneficial species and it should be protected and encouraged whenever 

 possible. Under some circumstances it responds quickly to protection, 

 but when it has once been driven away by English Sparrows or red squirrels 



