66 FOOD HABITS, OF THE GROSBEAKS. 



cherry {Prunus padus), a most, beautiful ornamental plant, also ma- 

 turing fruit early, may be used tojsupplement the Mahaleb. 



Other available trees and shrubs are juneberries, which fruit early, 

 elderberries and blackberries for th^ summer, and a host, including 

 native wild cherries, black and red haws, sumacs, and wild grapes, for 

 the fall. 



It may be objected by the orchardist that equal protection can be 

 secured and, in addition, a saving of space be effected by simply in- 

 creasing the number of fruit trees to allow for the loss by birds. It 

 is doubtful, however, if this method would jdeld equivalent protection, 

 since the injury would be widely distributed and some fruit spoiled 

 on every tree ; whereas decoy trees bearing the natural wild food of 

 the birds will prove centers of attraction, and if they do not furnish 

 enough fruit to satisfy the birds, the damage to the crop will be con- 

 fined to a small number of trees in their immediate vicinity. 



In this connection, in order to determine which are the best fruits 

 to plant to draw the attention of the black-headed grosbeak, it is 

 logical to consult the bird's own taste. "We find elderberries "far and 

 away in the lead, they are eaten by a ninth of the Avhole number of 

 birds examined and often compose from 70 to 100 percent of the 

 stomach contents. Next in importance are blackberries, which have 

 been discussed, and following these, juneberries (PI, II, fig. 3), 

 mulberries, and sumac fruits take equal rank. The bird is known 

 to be fond also pf the northwest black haw {Gratmgus -douglasi) . It 

 appears from the above facts that elderberries, juneberries, and mul- 

 berries are the most serviceable for diverting the attacks of the black- 

 headed grosbeak from cultivated fruits. 



In concluding this part of the subject it should be noted that al- 

 though fruit is such a favorite food with the grosbeak, it constitutes 

 only a limited part of the bird's diet, and that more than three times 

 its bulk in injurious insects is eaten. Furthermore, the equivalent of 

 three- fourths the amount of fruit is composed of other classes of veg- 

 etable matter, including weeds and grain. 



As has been stated above, wheat averages 2.08 percent of the stom- 

 ach contents of the birds examined, and oats 1.83 percent. They 

 were consumed by 8 and 10 grosbeaks, respectively. The bird rarely 

 has been accused of injuring either grain, but we have a bit of testi- 

 mony regarding its fondness for oats. Mr. S. H. Goodwin," referring 

 to newly sown fields in Utah, states : 



I have seen these birds in oat fields again and again, and have found them 

 fairly stuffed with oats. But at most the damage is slight, for the birds are 

 not sufficiently numerous to make them a serious factor In this direction, and 

 the services rendered are many. 



"Deseret Parmer, III, 1907, No. 27, p. 8. 



