70 BIRDS IX THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



hoppers. Six hairy woodpeckers had taken one hundred and 

 fifty-seven locusts and one hundred and ninety-three other 

 insects ; four downy woodpeckers had eaten one hundred and 

 sixty-five locusts and ninety other insects ; five yellow-bellied 

 woodpeckers contained one hundred and thirty 'hoppers and 

 ninety-three specimens of other species ; six red-headed wood- 

 peckers had devoured one hundred and forty-nine locusts and 

 two hundred other insects ; while eight flickers contained two 

 hundred and fifty-two of the 'hoppers together with one hun- 

 dred and forty-nine insects of other species. 



The extent to which birds of prey fed upon the locusts 

 would surprise the many people who look upon hawks and 

 owls only as enemies of the poultry-yard, deserving extermi- 

 nation. One barn-owl had eaten thirty-nine locusts, twenty- 

 two other insects, and a mouse. Eight screech-owls contained 

 two hundred and nineteen 'hoppers and many other insects, 

 while nine burrowing owls had devoured three hundred and 

 eighteen locusts. The hawks patterned after the owls ; six 

 marsh-hawks ate two hundred and forty-nine locusts, while 

 two Swainson's buzzards had devoured one hundred and 

 twenty-nine of the pests. 



Even the pigeons and the gallinaceous birds which usually 

 feed so largely upon grains and seeds added a considerable pro- 

 portion of locusts to their diet. Professor Aughey writes that 

 in locust years the wild turkey makes the pest its principal 

 food. Four sage-cocks had eaten one hundred and ninety 

 grasshoppers, while the sharp-tailed grouse, prairie-hen, and 

 quail ate enormous numbers of them. 



Passing now to the shore birds, the records of the golden 

 plover, the American snipe, the various sand-pipers, godwits, 

 tattlers, and curlews all tell the same story of locust destruc- 

 tion. Even the great blue-heron, American bittern, and sand- 

 hill crane devoured the pests, while the rails and American 

 coot added their efforts to subdue them. The snow-goose, 

 the Canada goose, and the various ducks including the mal- 



