The use of the New York starling trap In most cultivated blueberry plant- 

 ings is limited since the principal depredating species are songbirds 

 which must be released. One Massachusetts grower has reported the New 

 York starling trap helpful, however (M-) . 



Research on Bird Control Continues 



The bird control research by the Department of Forestry and Wild- 

 life Management has turned to more basic biology of the individual depre- 

 dating species. Hester (2), in 1963, banded several bird species at the 

 University orchards to trace bird movements. Captured and banded birds 

 remained local for some time after being released, but most did not re- 

 visit the orchard. Behavioral studies with the Baltimore oriole by Hes- 

 ter (2) showed that transporting this species 2.1 miles from point of 

 capture before releasing, had some effect on movement back to point of 

 capture. Both Smith (8), in 1963, and Hirth (3), in 1966, reported that 

 robins have a strong affinity for a particular fruit planting and that 

 practically no population turnover occurs vv;hen the fruit crop is ripe. 

 Being captured in nets, banded, and wing- tagged apparently failed to act 

 as a deterrent to robins (3) . 



Observations made by Hirth (3) , in the University of Massachusetts 

 fruit planting, indicate that after the second week in June, immature 

 robins caused most of the damage. There is apparently no single explan- 

 ation of how these immature birds find their way to feeding locations and 

 fruit crops. 



Blueberry plantings bordering bushy or wooded areas are prone to 

 depredation by flocks of robins, since these areas constitute ideal sites 

 for songbirds (3) . 



Summary 



Bird depredation of fruit crops is a problem of great magnitude in 

 Massachusetts. Therefore, many growers of cultivated blueberries now 

 rely on nets to prevent bird depredation and growers of lowbush blueber- 

 ries have found that the New York State Starling Traps have prevented 

 heavier losses to birds. These devices are merely stop-gap answers to 

 the problem, however, and better bird control techniques are needed. 



LITERATURE CITED 



1. Bailey, J.S. 1954. Increased blueberry profits: a speculation. 

 Fruit Notes . July 10th issue: 1. 



2. Hester, A.E. 1963. Bird damage research in Massachusetts. Fruit 

 Notes . February 28 issue: 1-2. 



3. Hirth, D.H. 1956. Bird damage research. Fruit Notes . March-April 

 issue: 2-4. 



4. Marini , D.A. 1965. Observations on bird control. Fruit Notes . 

 November-December issue: 7-8. 



