CHAPTER XX 

 THE RELATIONS OF BIRDS TO AGRICULTURE 



DISREGARDING any sentimental views upon birds caused by 

 their song and beauty, and basing our opinions as to their use- 

 fulness or the contrary purely upon a study of their food habits 

 at different seasons and in different years, we may safely say that 

 almost all of our common birds, including a goodly number of 

 hawks and owls, the so-called " birds of prey," are useful to the 

 agriculturist and fruit-raiser. Some are more so than others. 

 A few are of doubtful utility! A still smaller number, representing 

 a very small proportion of our bird fauna, we now regard, in the 

 light of our present knowledge, as injurious. It is possible that 

 additional investigation may cause us to entertain a different 

 opinion of the latter. 



Killing Useful Birds. A farmer, orchardist, berry-raiser, or 

 truck gardener has a perfect right to protect his crops from exces- 

 sive bird injury. We have known occasions where resort to a 

 shotgun was justifiable. But, in such cases, one should be abso- 

 lutely sure that the bird he seeks to destroy is really guilty; that 

 the injury caused is serious; and, particularly, that the benefits 

 accruing from the destruction of a large number of insects on the 

 part of the bird in question, during the nesting season, do not 

 more than compensate for the few berries or small amount of other 

 fruit or of garden or farm crop destroyed. For this information 

 the agriculturist has to rely mainly upon the results of the studies 

 of experts in this line. It requires long and careful observations 

 and the examination of a large series of birds' stomachs to place 

 this matter upon even an approximately accurate basis. 



Encouraging Nesting. In this connection, we should note 

 that the parent birds secure an enormous number of insects which 

 form the main part of the food of nestlings, as near the nest as 

 possible. If the nest is near, more trips are made each day; and 

 consequently, more insects are consumed. A bird nesting a mile 

 away from a berry patch is not going to cover that distance seek- 

 ing for insects if it can get them near at hand. Therefore, it 

 behooves the agriculturist to encourage nesting of birds upon his 

 own place. 

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