EVERY GOLF COURSE A BIRD SANCTUARY 



BIBD-ENEMIES 



Bird-enemies are legion — bird-enemies are everywhere. One wonders how 

 the little birds can have the grit to throw back their heads and sing when death 

 continuously hovers over them. 



Birds respond more quickly to protection from enemies than to any other 

 factor. Where enemies are few, birds abound. The converse of this is true also, 

 however: where birds abound, enemies will assemble. A Bird Sanctuary that 

 does nothing towards lessening bird-enemies cannot expect to have very many 

 more birds than the surrounding country because, as soon as the bird-life 

 increases, a "feeding station" for cats, rats, weasels, opossums, foxes, etc., has 

 been automatically set up and they are just as sure to move in as were the birds 

 when their food was increased. Especially is this true of stray cats which will 

 come from miles around in the hope of catching some of the birds. It is very 

 often necessary to reduce their numbers and suitable box-traps for capturing 

 them are now on the market and at least one should be in the equipment of 

 every bird-sanctuary. 



The same may be said for the powerful and ever present Norway rat — it 

 often becomes a fierce bird-killer and destroys every nest it can reach. The cot- 

 ton rat in the Southern States is very destructive to eggs of Quail and even the 

 cute little deer mouse may usurp the nests of small birds. 



Red Squirrels are perky little rascals and ordinarily do little harm, but once 

 in a while some individual gets the taste for blood and makes a business of 

 destroying young Robins and other birds. Such individuals should be destroyed 

 but it is scarcely necessary to carry on any wholesale killing of squirrels on a 

 Golf Course because of the misdeeds of one. 



The same is true of Hawks and Owls. It is often necessary to do away with 

 some individual that develops a bird-eating complex, especially members of the 

 Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawk clan, but indiscriminate shooting of sup- 

 posed bird-enemies is entirely undesirable. 



Foxes, raccoons, opossums, skunks, and weasels all catch their share of birds 

 or eat their quota of eggs, but the damage they do to the birds on a golf course 

 is usually negligible and they occasionally do some good by destroying mice, 

 grubs, bettles, and the like. One does need to be alert, however, for the occa- 

 sional criminal. 



The slingshot and the air-gun do not kill many birds, but they certainly can 

 disturb the peace of mind of birds and keep them ever timid. They should nat- 

 urally be discouraged everywhere and especially near a Bird Sanctuary. The 

 posting of Audubon Bird Sanctuary signs is usually sufficient to keep out the 

 airguns and the larger guns, too. 



The U. S. Biological Survey has published a circular on "How to Build a 

 Cat Trap," and this Committee will be glad to send one to any Golf Club 

 Sanctuary Committee as long as the supply lasts. These traps can, likewise, 

 be purchased and dealers names will be supplied upon request. 



Page 61 



