INSECTS AKKKCTIM; I'AUK A.NU WUUDLANU TKKKS 



33 



Mr E. IL I-"orl)ush in a recent publication' has made some recommen- 

 dations which, if adopted, should result in increasing the number of useful 

 birds in woodlands : 



Some practical lessons have been learned from studying the food of 

 wood birds. As birds go where they find food most abundant, many birds 

 of the swamp, field and orchard go from their usual haunts, yC mi't or more, 

 to the woods to feed on insects plentiful there. Thus the bobolink in the 

 meadow goes to the woods for aphids, and the oriole in the orchard and the 

 blackbird in the marsh go there for caterpillars. On the other hand, the 

 chickadee, blue jay, tanager and the warblers go from the woods to the 

 orchards and gardens for caterpillars. In an orchard near the woods we 

 noticed that the wood birds came frequently to those trees nearest the 

 woods, and by adding their work to that of those living in the orchard, 

 soon cleared the cankerworms from the trees nearest the woods. 



All our experience thus far goes to show that a well watered country, 

 where the woodland is kept mainly in detached patches, with the rest of the 

 land more open, much of it well cultivated, with an occasional marsh or 

 swamp, is the best calculated to encourage the increase of the largest num- 

 ber of species of birds. In such a country vegetation should therefore 

 receive better protection from birds than elsewhere. In view of these facts, 

 it is possible for a man owning from 30 to 100 acres of land to so select his 

 land and control the growth of vegetation upon it as to obtain conditions 

 attractive to an abundance and variety of birds. The first requisite is a 

 plenty' of suitable food, and for this a variety of vegetation is desirable. 

 This provides not only a variety of fruit and seeds, but furnishes food for a 

 large variety of insects, which will attract the birds. It is especially desir- 

 able to have both wild and cultivated cherries and grapes, and if the birds 

 take too large a proportion of the cultivated species, the earlier wild berries, 

 like the Russian mulberry, and the shadberry, should be planted to draw 

 the bird's attention from the cultivated fruit. Winter food may be furnished 

 birds by planting mountain ash, sumach, bayberry and other berries which 

 cling to the trees or shrubs bearing them during the winter months. The 

 winter birds may be induced to remain in some numbers by hanging bones, 

 suet or portions of any carcass in sheltered places on the trees. These will 

 furnish food for them when the trees are covered with ice, and will keep 

 them in the neighborhood during the coldest weather. Sunflower seeds, 

 broken nuts and grain will sometimes attract winter birds. 



Having secured food the birds must have shelter from the elements 

 and their enemies. This may be provided by planting thick evergreen 

 trees in groups and allowing a deciduous thicTcet here and there. Nesting 

 boxes should be provided for those birds which will use them and such 



■ 1900 Mass. Crop Rep't. July. p. 38-39. 



