. Practical agriculture [microform]. Agriculture; Agriculture. i8o AGRICULTURE. 'iV *' Within certain limits, birds feed upon the kind of food that is most accessible. Thus, as a rule, insectivorous birds eat the insects that are most easily obtained, provided they do not have some peculiarly disagree- able property. It is not probable that a bird habitually passes by one kind of insect to look for another which is more appetizing, and there seems little evidence in support of the theory that the selection of food is restricted to any particular species of insect, for it is evident that a bird
. Practical agriculture [microform]. Agriculture; Agriculture. i8o AGRICULTURE. 'iV *' Within certain limits, birds feed upon the kind of food that is most accessible. Thus, as a rule, insectivorous birds eat the insects that are most easily obtained, provided they do not have some peculiarly disagree- able property. It is not probable that a bird habitually passes by one kind of insect to look for another which is more appetizing, and there seems little evidence in support of the theory that the selection of food is restricted to any particular species of insect, for it is evident that a bird eats those which, by its own method of seeking, are most easily obtained. Thus, a ground-feeding bird eats those it finds among the dead leaves and grass; a fly-catcher, watching for its prey from some vantage point, captures entirely different kinds; and the woodpecker and warbler, in the tree tops, select still others. It is thus apparent that a bird's diet is likely to be quite varied, and to differ at different seasons of the year. ** The practical value of birds in controlling insect pests should be more generally recognized. It may be an easy mattter 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 seeds form an important item of the winter food of these birds, and it is impossible to estimate the immense numlDers of noxious weeds which are thus annually destroyed. " If birds are protected and encouraged to nest about the farm and garden th y 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 ; Prof. F. E. L. Beal, , Asst. Ornithologist, Dept. of Agr
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Keywords: ., bookauth, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectagriculture
