ol. V."] 



1 90s J 



Campbell, Insectivorous Birds. 



of insect that the more open farming areas of the western and 

 northern districts, as well as Riverina, owe much trouble. The 

 natural agency of the insectivorous birds is still at our disposal 

 in dealing wdth these pests. 



Native insectivorous birds are fortunately adaptable to new 

 food ; they feed upon the introduced insects as readily as upon 

 the native. Introduced birds, which spread so rapidly, are equally 

 at home, so Nature's forces have to a certain extent been 

 balancing themselves. 



But all insectivorous birds are not alike. They have not, and 

 could not have, completely interchangeable tastes ; hence it 

 becomes necessary to know their natural divisions, according to 

 the type of food they devour, so that, in encouraging one form, we 

 may be sure we are matching it against the particular class of insect 

 we wish to combat. 



The majority of birds will be found to have special aptitude 

 for certain types of insects, not only in particular places but at 

 definite times. There are birds for the gully, birds for the open, 

 birds for small insects and birds for large ones, as well as birds 

 for light and birds for heavy work. Just as there are insects in 

 every position — in the mountains, in the forests, on the open plain, 

 on the swamp, on the sea shore, some living below ground or under 

 stones, some in the water, or the mud, or the sand, some under 

 bark or in trees, some among the leaves and twigs, and others flying 

 in the air — so there are birds to follow them all to their hiding 

 places and their sporting grounds. 



In this connection one must consider — 



I. Birds that take their insect prey exclusively on the wing. 

 These are perhaps the most dainty section. In the deep gullies 

 of the mountains and in forest tracts some kinds of Robins and 

 all the Flycatchers are found ; in the more open country the common 

 Swallows, Tree-Swallows, and Fairy Martins occur. All are small, 

 lithe, and active, furnished with large mouths and strong wings for 

 the special work to which they are called. They deal with the 

 myriad forms of winged insects of the smallest type that sport 

 themselves, previous to laying the eggs for the coming generation, 

 in places of their several fancies. This furnishes the main reason 

 why the Swallow family is so common and in such numbers. To 

 these birds entirely is left the charge of the nondescript hordes of 

 small insects found in common places. In the mountain fastnesses, 

 where the Swallows do not go, but where small insects still exist, 

 this duty falls to the Flycatchers and two or three species of 

 Robins. Here we must include, too, all the Wood-Swallows, birds 

 of gregarious habit, feeding extensively on the wing, but also taking 

 insects from the ground. They are often seen greedily pursuing 

 the armies of small grasshoppers, which, when they reach the 

 winged locust stage, would move further afield and .devastate the 

 country. 



II. Another important division contains the majority of insect- 

 ivorous birds, or all those that prey upon insects in all other places. 



