Effect of War on Birds 



hunter and by the spread of mankind into 

 their haunts. Nearer home, probably the 

 greatest effect of the War is yet to be seen as 

 regards birds. I am thinking of the de- 

 struction of forests and woods, sacrificed 

 broadcast for national needs. For a genera- 

 tion, at least, nothing but desolate areas will 

 take the places of what were in pre-war days 

 sanctuaries of wild life (Observer, 2i.iv.i8). 

 Already in 1917 an extension of the range of 

 the GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER in the 

 Tay area has been attributed to the cutting 

 down of the larger and thicker woods for war 

 purposes, the WOODPECKERS having been 

 driven into the smaller woods which fill many 

 of the more remote glens (Scottish Naturalist, 

 1916, p. 94). Similar changes of habitat, if 

 not of habit, may be expected ; all of them 

 due, more or less, to the exigencies of the 

 war. There can be no doubt that the 

 absence of game-keepers from many estates 

 has favoured an increase of "vermin/' both 

 four-footed and winged. From many dis- 

 tricts it has already been reported that several 

 species of predatory birds, which were in 



160 



