24 BIRDS OF SOUTH DAKOTA 



BIRD ENEMIES 



There are more bird nests in the trees about our homes 

 than in the outlying groves, and more birds in a well shaded 

 town than in many times the same area of wild woods. The 

 Robin places its nest in the tree nearest the walk; the Wren 

 occupies a box under the porch roof; the Quail grows tamer in 

 spring and makes her nest in the old orchard. 



Birds thus bring their families about our homes for pro- 

 tection from enemies, such as snakes, weasels, minks, skunks, 

 foxes, coyotes, and other mammals. Crows, some Hawks and 

 some Owls are also enemies. Some of these are not serious 

 bird enemies, but, taken together, they make a formidable 

 army, and the birds fly to us for protection. 



The destruction of birds' nests by these enemies, together 

 with wind and storms, is almost past belief. A careful observer 

 says that during a whole season he has not known a single Wood 

 Thrush's nest to succeed. In 1915 five Meadowlarks' nests were 

 observed in a grassy corner of the University campus and only 

 one succeeded. During a whole season his efforts to secure a 

 photograph of young Kingbirds failed. Something invariably 

 happened either to eggs or young. Probably not more than one 

 out of five Yellow Warblers' nests succeeds. And even the 

 strong, masterful Robin has been observed to "make good" 

 only with his third nest. 



English Sparrows are bird enemies in two ways: they 

 are so numerous, curious and persistent that they flock to an> 

 spot where other birds are busy and make themselves a nuisance, 

 so that other birds simply leave; they also rifle birds' nests. 

 The writer has seen them get into a Robin's nest, throw the 

 eggs to the ground, tear up the lining, and leave the egg-cradle 

 a wreck. 



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There is perhaps no more destructive bird enemy than 

 the Cowbird. It builds no nest of its own, but lays its spotted 

 eggs in the nests of other birds, usually those that hold spotted 

 eggs. The egg of this parasite has a smoky ground color spotted 



