DESTRUCTIVE BIRDS 



are not extensive, the birds can be kept off by Kafir 

 boys beating tins, cracking whips, or springing a 

 rattle, such as those used in former days by policemen, 

 only somewhat larger. 



When the wheat fields are extensive these measures 

 usually fail, and it becomes necessary to destroy the 

 birds by gun and poison. When the latter method is 

 practised the greatest possible care should be taken 

 to so place the poisoned grain that the troublesome 

 birds only will have access to it, or at least so as to 

 reduce the risk to a minimum of useful birds being 

 poisoned. If the poisoned grain is spread out on 

 platforms there is very little risk of beneficial ground 

 birds eating it. Another method is to make large, 

 shallow frames without a bottom, cover them with a 

 wire mesh sufficiently coarse to allow the " vinks " to 

 get through, then strew the poisoned grain on the 

 ground and cover it with these crates. All uneaten 

 grain should be buried or burned. The term " vink " 

 is often specially applied to the widow and bishop birds. 



The fruit crop is often preyed upon by colies or 

 muis vogels {Colid<e), bulbuls {Cratero-podida\ red- 

 winged starlings or rooivlerk, glossy starlings, and 

 often by the little white eye (Zosterbps). 



Although the colies and bulbuls destroy numbers 

 of insects, yet they are essentially fruit-eating birds, 

 and undoubtedly play havoc in orchards, and are, in 

 consequence, a serious pest to the fruit grower. When 

 fruit is scarce they, especially the colies, will attack 

 ripe, soft vegetables, such as pumpkins, marrows, and 

 tomatoes. Poisoning, trapping, and shooting with 



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