2 FABMEBS* BULLETIN 609. 



than a series of houses suited to the needs and habits of the various 

 kinds of house birds. 



A few years ago only four species were commonly regarded as house 

 birds the house wren, the bluebird, the tree swallow, and the martin. 

 Since the movement to protect birds and make neighbors of them 

 began, however, their natures and needs have become better under- 

 stood, and it is now known that many other species will avail them- 

 selves of houses constructed for them by their human friends. The 

 practice of erecting bird houses in this country, while now nation-wide, 

 is not so common and uniformly distributed as it should be, and more 

 extended provisions of this nature can not fail to result in a largely 

 increased number of house birds. 



HOUSE BIRDS INCREASING IN NUMBER. 



The habit of nesting in bird houses has been adopted by indi- 

 viduals of many species which would not ordinarily be expected to 

 make use of such homes, and this may be taken as indicating that it 

 will become more general from year to year as facilities are afforded 

 and as the number of birds hatched in houses increases. 



That western wrens and bluebirds should take as naturally to 

 artificial shelters as did their eastern relatives was to be expected. 

 On the other hand, the use of houses by birds which until recently 

 had persistently ignored them is surprising and must be considered 

 a victory for those who have studiously attempted to enlarge their 

 circle of feathered neighbors. 



Woodpeckers, nuthatches, and titmice excavate their own houses, 

 usually new ones each year, leaving the old homes to less capable 

 architects. Builders of artificial houses generally go to the woodpecker 

 for designs, and by varying styles to suit the tastes of different kinds 

 of birds, have been rewarded by such tenants as chickadees, tufted 

 titmice, white-breasted nuthatches, Bewick and Carolina wrens, 

 violet-green swallows, crested flycatchers, screech owls, sparrow 

 hawks, and even some of the woodpeckers, the master builders 

 themselves. Flickers readily accept houses built according to their 

 standards. Red-headed and golden-fronted woodpeckers are willing 

 occupants of artificial houses, and even the downy woodpecker, that 

 sturdy little carpenter, has, in one instance at least, 1 deemed such a 

 home a satisfactory abode in which to raise a family. Shelters having 

 one or more sides open are used by birds which would never venture 

 into dark houses suited to woodpeckers. They have been occupied 

 by robins and brown thrashers, and, in one instance, by a song spar- 

 row. 2 



1 Reported by Jefferson Butler as occurring on the Ford farm, near Detroit, where great pains have been 

 taken to provide for birds. 



2 This song sparrow record is another surprise from the Ford farm, announced -by Mr. Butler, which is 

 very encouraging to those experimenting with bird houses. 



