CAUSES FOR THE DECREASE OF SONG BIRDS 7 



pole and the thrifty farmer replaces the old post. The 

 birds are again homeless. 



Another large class of song birds like the robin, the 

 catbird, the brown thrush, the rose-breasted grosbeak, 

 and nearly all the warblers, vireos, and many native 

 sparrows either nest in brush, in tangles, and on low 

 trees; or they love, at least, to be near such cover. 

 Where the farmer cuts down all large trees and then 

 pastures his cattle on a few acres of woodland, no 

 underbrush and no tangles are left. American city 

 lots and parks, for the most part, at least, also furnish 

 but little shrubbery and very few of those thickets in 

 which the birds love to nest and to live. The result is 

 that native birds are scarce. 



2. Lack of Water. Nearly all birds love the vicinity 

 of water. They drink frequently and love to bathe on 

 the shallow banks of sand and pebbles. In most 

 densely settled farming regions, nearly all ponds and 

 many small lakes have been drained off and many 

 streams and springs have dried up, either on account of 

 the general drainage or on account of the clearing away 

 of timber. The duck pond of the farmer is too near 

 the house, is too far from cover, and is often dry. The 

 pump trough is not available for the birds, because 

 they cannot reach the water from its high rim. The 

 conditions in most towns and cities are still more 

 unfavorable. If the town has no water- works, it is 

 practically uninhabitable for most birds. If it has 

 water- works, the birds can drink and bathe only where 

 the hose is placed on the lawn and allowed to run 



