In view of the special attention given to individual species in behavioral 

 studies the Baltimore oriole was considered separately. This species caused 

 damage to all fruits in the University orchards, though principally to grapes 

 and peaches. Because of their small size they were not marked for field identi- 

 fication. Consequently it was necessary to recapture banded individuals in 

 order to learn of their movements. One hundred and forty-nine of these were 

 captured, banded, and released. Seventy-five of these individuals were banded 

 and released at a point 2.1 miles from the University orchard. Only 4 of these, 

 or five per cent were subsequently recaptured in the orchard. In contrast 19 

 per cent, or 14 individuals of the control group or those released at the 

 point of capture were again netted. Apparently the transporting of this species 

 to a distant point before releasing had some effect on movements. 



The Baltimore orioles tended to converge upon fruit in groups of from 

 twenty to thirty individuals. The flocks were easily captured even though they 

 were feeding in peach orchards several acres in extent because individual birds 

 damage fruit on several trees on each visitation. 



Future research will be given to the robin, the chief depredating species 

 according to grower surveys and personal observations. A few of the questions 

 which must be answered include: 



1. How permanent, in relating to range, are the feeding habits developed 

 by adult robins upon their arrival in the spring? 



2. How far will young robins move from their nests to establish a feeding 

 locality? 



3. How do young robins establish a feeding locality? 



4. Why will a field sometimes be heavily damaged in one year yet receive 

 negligible damage the following year? 



5. Why are the cultivated crops preferred when abundant crops of natural 

 foods are readily available? 



The knowledge gained from studies of individual species, including the 

 principal fruit damaging birds: robins, starlings, blue jays, bronzed grackles 

 and Baltimore orioles will be essential to any method of reducing damage to 

 commercial fruit crops. 



J.IBRAPY 

 U ;Vf_,S lY/f// 



- '.«^ I, Ivl. ..oo. 



' 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 



■--Albert E. Hester, Graduate Assistant 

 Dept. of Forestry and Wildlife 

 Management 



