BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA IN RELATION TO THE FRUIT 
INDUSTRY--PART I. 
INTRODUCTION. 
In response to numerous complaints from fruit growers concerning 
depredations by birds in orchards and vineyards in the Pacific coast 
region, investigation of the subject was undertaken by the Biological 
Survey several years ago. In conducting this investigation the 
writer spent about nineteen months in California, including the fruit 
seasons of 1901, 1903, and 1906, during which time he visited the 
most important fruit-growing regions of the State, inspected hun- 
dreds of orchards, and interviewed many fruit growers. Kindness 
and courtesy were everywhere met with, and every facility was ex- 
tended by orchardists for the acquisition of information, even to a 
suspension of the customary rules with regard to trespass and shoot- 
ing on private grounds. In addition to the knowledge gained by 
field observations, stomachs of all the species of Pacific coast birds 
economically valuable have been collected, examined, and their con- 
tents recorded. 
When depredations are so widespread and involve so many differ- 
ent species of birds, a thorough knowledge of the nature and extent 
of the damage done and of the attending circumstances is of great 
importance. Next in importance is a knowledge of the conditions 
that obtain in fruit-growing regions where depredations by birds do 
not occur. This information should enable the fruit grower to adjust 
conditions in his own case so as to mitigate if not wholly prevent 
the evil. 
In the following pages much stress is laid on the nature of the 
yearly or seasonal food of some of the more important species of 
birds, since it often happens that certain birds are more or less harm- 
ful to a particular crop of fruit, and yet the year through, all things 
considered, do more good than harm. It must not be forgotten in 
this connection that there are very few birds whose habits are wholly 
beneficial. Most of them are neither wholly beneficial nor wholly 
injurious. They are beneficial at some seasons and injurious at 
others. In some localities they are deservedly praised for benefits 
conferred; in others the same species are condemned for destructive 
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