NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



HOW TO ENCOURAGE BIRDS TO 

 BREED 



To encourage birds to breed on a farm, an estate, 

 in a forest, or in parks, the first essential is to see to it 

 that they are not persecuted in any way whatsoever. 

 Then their habits require to be studied. Every 

 species of bird has its likes and dislikes in regard to 

 the situation and environment of its nest. Many 

 species of eminently useful insectivorous birds build 



in dense thickets, others 



in scrub, and so on. 



Knowing this, the wise 



) farmer will leave patches 



^^d^y of bush, scrub, bracken, 



and other forms of cover 



The Mother Bird feeds her greedy • • 11, 1 i 



children on soft caterpillars in various sheltered places 



from the farmers' crops. on his farm. 



When there is an 

 insufficiency of natural cover, or when the trees 

 are not suitable, as is the case in most orchards 

 and timber plantations, it is necessary to make 

 nesting boxes and attach them to the trees. These 

 may be prepared from any kind of wood and 

 covered with bark to make them look natural and 

 inviting to the birds. The best way is to bore out 

 sections of tree stems. Those species of birds which 

 build saucer or cup-shaped nests will require little open 

 boxes like trays. Those which build nests with a side 

 entrance will at once be attracted to a nesting box with 



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