CHAPTER IV 



FEEDING BIRDS IN WINTER AND IN UNFAVORABLE 

 WEATHER AT OTHER SEASONS 



THE greater part of this chapter has been kindly con- 

 tributed by Mrs. Elizabeth B. Davenport of Brattleboro, 

 Vt., who has had much experience in feeding birds. 

 I hope that especially many boys and girls will follow 

 her precept and example. 



" The first thing in feeding birds is to consider the 

 environment, and consequently what species are to be 

 first invited. My surroundings are an apple orchard, 

 with groves of conifers not far off, and much lawn and 

 garden space. But we are only a hundred feet or so 

 from a main street in a closely settled village. 



" I put split bones in which the marrow is accessible 

 and other bones with some suet upon the apple tree 

 boughs, and also nailed large pieces of suet upon per- 

 pendicular trunks. Chickadees, nuthatches, and downy 

 woodpeckers found them almost immediately. A box 

 open only on one side, and the closed side turned 

 toward the prevailing wind was fastened to the trunk 

 of a tree some twenty-five feet from the house. An 

 additional board on the top projected several inches to 

 give still further protection. In this box I put cracked 

 corn and broken bread. A shelf at a near-by window 

 46 



