340 



Canadian Forestry journal, September, 1919 



cepted as economic justification for attracting 

 birds by the most hard-headed and practical man 

 of material affairs. 



The Investment in Bird Beauty. 



As a rule he who gives nothing receives 

 nothing in return. If we want birds intimately 

 or permanently about us we usually have to give 

 them something in return. However, the price 

 is small and can be paid without impoverishing 

 ourselves and the returns are large. Food, 

 water, protection, and nesting sites include prac- 

 tically all their requirements and when we 

 suoply these they ask no further price but come 

 freely to our assistance and pleasure with all 

 their charming personality and melody. 



Of these requirements ,that most commonly 

 and easily furnished is the nesting site. In these 

 days of intensive cultivation, when even the 

 trees have their surgeons and every rotting or 

 hollow stub or branch is filled with antiseptic 

 concrete, many of our best bird friends are hard 

 put to find suitable cradles for their young. If 

 we remove or destroy their natural nest re- 

 ceptacles, it is no more than fair that we should 

 supply artificial ones. At any rate in the re- 

 productive season such situations are absolutely 

 essential to the presence of birds in any locality. 

 Of course, not all species require such cavities 

 and branches of trees with convenient forks are 

 all that many need as foundations for their nests. 

 To others, however, and amongst them some of 

 the most attractive species, such cavities are ab- 

 solutely essential. In Canada, such species in- 

 ch^de, the Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, House 

 Wren, Bluebird (both eastern and western 

 forms). Crested Flycatcher in the east and the 

 Arkansas Kingbird in the west, the woodpeck- 

 ers including the Flicker, nuthatches and chick- 

 adees as well as the Screech Owl and the Spar- 

 row Hawk. The inclusion of these two birds 

 of prey as desirable tenants may cause some 

 surprise, but the Screech Owl is a notable 

 mouser, the equal of several cats, and does 

 much more good than harm. Besides it is a 

 most interesting little fellow and, where small 

 bird welfare permits, a most desirable neigh- 

 bor. Its soft tremolo notes, libelously called 

 "screech," is a pleasant sound to have drift in 

 on one through the darkness and adds a charm 

 to the night that is only otherwise supplied by 

 the mournfully lonely whippoorwill or the oc- 

 casional night song of other species. The 

 Sparrow Hawk is an even less doubtful charac- 

 ter. As a grasshopper destroyer it deserves 

 every encouragement in the vicinity of cultiva- 



tion, and as a mouser it is not to be despised. 

 The building of bird houses is too long a subject 

 to go into its details here, but a discussion of 

 the subject with plans and drawings of different 

 types of birds houses will be forwarded to any 

 reader interested in the subject on receipt ot a 

 post card addressed to the writer, care of the 

 Geological Survey, Ottawa. 



Water for Bath and Drink. 



The next great attraction to birds is water. 

 In the hot dry days of summer water is often 

 scarce, and birds have frequently to go far for 

 the moisture necessary to them. No elaborate 

 receptacle is necessary to contain it. The main 

 requirements are that it is changed often enough 

 to be fairly fresh, is shallow enough that they 

 can bathe in it, and that it is well out from cover 

 that may hide lurking enemies, cats for instance. 

 A flat pan set on a small slope so that it is shal- 

 low at one end is sufficient to attract numbers 

 of birds. More elaborate containers can be 

 used; from rough concrete slabs, made pictur- 

 esque with rock as ingenuity suggests, to highly 

 sculptured bird baths of monumental charac- 

 ter, or larger tanks or water-gardens in which 

 lilies and lotus may be grown and which may 

 have bird requirements provided for in their 

 construction. It is astonishing how many birds 

 such a grateful supply may attract. The rob- 

 bins are particularly constant visitors to water 

 and it is no uncommon sight to see half a dozen 

 awaiting their turn for a bath or a drink. Some- 

 times each will be impatient of the presence of 

 the others and sometimes a procession of them 

 may be seen chasing each other about the bath 

 too occupied with driving off intruders to at- 

 tend to the real business for which they came. 

 Song sparrows will visit the water regularly, 

 splash a while in the grateful coolness, come 

 out and preen, and then return for another dip. 

 Afterwards their song of happinnes from some 

 nearby vantage point is ample repayment for 

 the slight trouble it has cost. Kingbirds, Orioles, 

 Chippies, Yellow Warblers, Goldfinches, all come 

 in succession to the water, some making pro- 

 longed visits, others alighting for a moment like 

 the Goldfish for a sip and then off again with 

 undulating flight and merry little oft-repeated 

 "per-chick-o-pe." Occasionally, depending 

 upon surroundings, other birds pay visits. The 

 Flicker once in a while deigns to drink and 

 unless restrained Bronzed Crackles keep the 

 other birds in continual uproar with their un- 

 desirable presence. Swallows dip into it if 

 the water is expansive enough and I have even 



