Long Island Bird Notes 



By Childs and Thurston 



THE domestic sparrow seems to have derceased in number during- the 

 past few years. They are certainly much less abundant than they 

 were ten or twenty years ago. May the good work go on. 



That the Carolina wren is becoming not an uncommon summer resident 

 of Long Island is a joyful fact. It is only four years ago that I first heard 

 its song during the breeding season ; the past summer I have heard it fre- 

 quently and at various places. 



Mourning doves are unusually abundant about Smith town and Flower- 

 field this season. 



Starlings are ever with us in enormous numbers and there are less 

 bluebirds and woodpeckers on their account. It is also possible that they 

 help to keep down the domestic sparrow by driving them from their nesting 

 sites. It is a wonder that other birds can find food enough to keep sonl and 

 body together where the greedy starling is so very abundant and eating every- 

 thing, even to the berries of the red cedar. Doves, meadowlarks, quail, 

 robins, flickers and grackles must find their usual food supply sadly depleted 

 by the starling. 



Warblers are not remarkable for their melody, yet the song of the 

 black-throated green, in my judgement, ranks high among our native birds. 

 It is to me fullv as pleasing as the song of the hermit thrush. Anyone who 

 will stop to give it consideration is bound to appreciate its merits and grow 

 to love it very much. 



I have remarked that in my judgement crows are the greatest enemy 

 of small birds, especially during the breeding season. Continued observation 

 does not change this belief. That they do infinitely more harm than good 

 I firmly believe, for the number of eggs and young birds of small species 

 which they devour is, I believe, equal to more than half of all the nesting 

 failures that occur. 



The Long Island Agronomist rejoices that the starling has become so 

 abundant for the reason that grubs and bugs should grow less in numbers. 

 It is true that the starling is credited with destroying cutworms, especiallv. 

 It is also true that cutworms were never so abundant and destructive on Long 

 Islang as they have been during the last three or four years of the starling's 

 superabundance. 



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