

52 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



owl, Great blue heron, Kingfisher, Crow, Bluejay, Crow blackbird (Purple 

 grackle and Bronzed grackle), Cowbird and English sparrow. Some would 

 prefer to add to this list various of the hawks mentioned above which are 

 injurious to a certain degree in the destruction of poultry, game and insec- 

 tivorous birds. Others would place upon the list all birds the majority of 

 whose food consists of fishes, and there can be little doubt that the fish- 

 eating species mentioned above are in reality injurious, but in their case, 

 as in the case of the Bluejay and Duck hawk, there is such a strong senti- 

 ment in favor of the bird due to its interesting personality, that either the 

 Audubon Society or nature lovers in general have succeeded in keeping 

 them off the black list. As a bird lover I sympathize with this attitude, 

 but also as a bird lover I can not endure to see all the nestlings and birds' 

 eggs of the coverts surrounding my own home destroyed even by bluejays 

 or cowbirds, but these species are both protected according to the current 

 laws in New York State. I might consent to see the Bluejay remain on 

 the protected list, but I could never willingly consent to protect the Cow- 

 bird. In regard to such species as the Red-tailed hawk, Marsh hawk and 

 Barred owl, circumstances should govern the attitude of the farmer. If 

 Marsh hawks have discovered that the chickens on his premises are more 

 attractive than meadow mice and are destroying his poultry, he certainly 

 should be allowed in that particular instance to protect his property. If 

 a bird lover finds the Red -tailed hawk is destroying all the grouse in the 

 coverts which he frequents, those particular hawks should be removed 

 from the scenes of their operations, and the same principles should govern 

 our attitude toward all those species that are on the doubtful list. Where 

 they are doing good in their little community they should be left undis- 

 turbed; where they develop habits which apparently are doing injury to 

 the best interests of the State, they should be removed. 



SPECIAL MEASURES FOR INCREASING BIRD LIFE 

 Erecting artificial nesting sites. As suggested on page 18, all birds 

 which nest in hollows or deserted woodpeckers' holes, and even the wood- 



