﻿Common Birds iii Relation to AgricultLore. 293 



stomachs, were published in 1893, in a special bulletin 

 entitled The Hawks and Owls of the United States. 

 Many other species have been similarly studied and the 

 results published, either in special bulletins or as articles 

 in the yearbooks. The present bulletin contains brief 

 abstracts of the results of food studies of about 30 grain 

 and insect eatim? birds belonmng; to 10 different families.^ 



These species comprise among others the crow black- 

 birds and ricebirds, against which serious complaints 

 have been made on account of the damage they do to 

 corn, wheat, rice, and other crops ; and also the cuckoos, 

 grosbeaks, and thrashers, which are generally admitted to 

 be beneficial, but whose true value as insect destroyers 

 has not been fully appreciated. The practical value of 

 birds in controlling insect pests should be more generally 

 recognized. It may be an easy matter to exterminate the 

 birds in an orchard or grain field, but it is an extremely 

 difficult one to control the insect pests. It is certain, too, 

 that the value of our native sparrows as weed destroyers 

 is not appreciated. Weed seed forms an important item 

 of the winter food of many of these birds, and it is 

 impossible to estimate the immense numbers of noxious 

 weeds which are thus annually destroyed. 



If birds are protected and encouraged to nest about the 

 farm and garden, they will do their share in destroying 

 noxious insects and weeds, and a few hours spent in 

 putting up boxes for bluebirds, martins and wrens will 

 prove a good investment. Birds are protected by law in 

 many States, but it remains for the agriculturists to see 

 that the laws are faithfully observed. 



1 The limits of this bulletin preclude giving more than a very brief statement 

 regarding the food of each bird, but more detailed accounts of some of the species will 

 be found in the following reports of the Biological Survey (formerly Division of 

 Ornithology and Mammalogy): The Crow— Bulletin No. 6, 1895, pp. 1-98; Wood- 

 peckers— Bulletin No. 7, 1895, pp. 1-39 ; Kingbird — Annual Report Secretary of 

 Agriculture, for 1893, pp. 233-284 ; Baltimore Oriole— Yearbook United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture for 1895, pp. 426-430 ; Grackles— Yearbook for 1894, pp. 233-248; 

 Meadowlark— Yearbook for 1895, pp. 420-426 ; Cedarbird— Annual Report Secretary of 

 Agriculture, for 1892, pp. 197-200 ; Catbird, Brown Thrasher, and Wren- Yearbook for 

 1895, pp. 405-418. 



