12 Decrease of Birds 



Records of Decrease 



The species reported as decreasing very rapidly or ap- 

 proaching extermination in different sections of the State, 

 are given below with the numbers reporting each: Blue- 

 bird, 73; Bob- white, 39; Nighthawk, 32; Herons, 30; Purple 

 Martins, 25; Eagles, 25; Chimney Swift, 22; Hawks and 

 Owls, 21; Mourning Dove, 18; Thrushes, 17; Wrens, 16;. 

 Cardinals, 16; Mockingbirds, 15; Woodpeckers, 15; and 

 all game birds, 15; Ground Dove, 14; Pileated Wood- 

 pecker, 13; Meadowlarks, 12; Wood Duck and Woodcock, 

 11; Robins, 10; Warblers, 9; Redheaded Woodpecker, 9; 

 old field Sparrows, 7; Blackbird family, 6; Flickers, 6; 

 Wilson's Snipe, 5; Ducks, 4; Kingbirds, 4; Wild Turkeys, 

 4; Snowbirds, 3; Blue Jay, 3; Cedar Wax wings, 3; Cat- 

 birds, 3; Chuck-will's-widow, 2; Curlew, 2; Shore-birds, 2; 

 Sandpipers, 2; Coot, 1; Spanish Curlew, 1; Osprey, 1; Log- 

 gerhead Shrike, 1; Killdeer, 1; Songbirds, 1; Red-bellied 

 Woodpecker, 1; Wood Pigeon, 1; Wilson's Plover, 1; Wild 

 Geese, 1; Brown-headed Nuthatch, 1; Red-cockaded Wood- 

 pecker, 1. 



As the Bob-white is the bird most sought for food and 

 sport, the game bird par excellence, and as it is one of the 

 most useful birds to the farmer, by reason of its appetite 

 for large quantities of harmful insects and seeds of nox- 

 ious weeds, it is interesting to know that 39 observers 

 report its alarming decrease. ' 'There are not half as many 

 Bob-white or Quail as in former years. If they could be 

 protected from the pothunter, market hunter and hunting 

 out of season, in three or four years there would be as 

 many as there were fifteen years ago" writes J. P. Dill. 



Mr. Frank Hampton, president of the Audubon Society, 

 reports: "I do not believe, taking all birds, there is one 

 bird now where there were ten and in some cases one-hun- 

 dred, thirty or forty years ago. Last fall I hunted over 

 territory where I used to count twelve coveys, and found 

 only one small covey. I can remember when there were 

 countless numbers of Blackbirds in the pine woods and 

 fields. I now see none. I used to see hundreds of Night- 

 hawks and have known three or four men to kill from 



