CHAPTER XV 

 ATTRACTING BIRDS AROUND THE HOME 



1. Why is it desirable to have birds about the 

 home? 



2. What may be done to attract them there? 



One thing that helps to make the home attractive is the 

 presence of birds in the trees and on the lawn. If the con- 

 ditions are favorable, some birds will come to the yard with- 

 out effort on our part; but it is possible to increase very 

 largely the number of birds around our homes by offering 

 special inducements. 



Reasons for attracting birds. There are two reasons 

 why it is desirable to attract birds to our houses : first, be- 

 cause of the pleasure which they give on account of their 

 attractive colors, pleasing songs, and interesting nesting 

 habits; and second, because the birds will help destroy 

 the injurious insects that attack the plants of the garden. 

 The food of birds consists largely of insects, and if the birds 

 are nesting in our yards, they will obtain these insects chiefly 

 from the plants found growing there. 



Bird music. Bird songs are attractive on account of their 

 great variety and the melody of their tones. Some songs 

 consist of a few simple, unmusical syllables, which so strongly 

 resemble certain words that the birds have been named 

 from them : such as the chickadee and bobwhite. On the 

 other hand, some birds are wonderful songsters, and it is 

 worth while to make an effort to hear them, just as one plans 

 to attend a concert to hear a wonderful musician. Some 



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