. Some common birds in their relation to agriculture. Birds; wild birds. 37 THE ROBIN. (Merirfa migratoria.) The robin (fig. 21) is found throughout the United States east of the Great Plains, and is represented farther west by a slightly different subspecies. It extends far north through Canada, and is found even in Alaska. Although the great bulk of the species leaves the Northern States in winter, a few individuals remain in sheltered swamps, where wild berries furnish an abundant supply of food. The robin builds its nest in orchards and gardens, and occasionally takes advantage of a nook a
. Some common birds in their relation to agriculture. Birds; wild birds. 37 THE ROBIN. (Merirfa migratoria.) The robin (fig. 21) is found throughout the United States east of the Great Plains, and is represented farther west by a slightly different subspecies. It extends far north through Canada, and is found even in Alaska. Although the great bulk of the species leaves the Northern States in winter, a few individuals remain in sheltered swamps, where wild berries furnish an abundant supply of food. The robin builds its nest in orchards and gardens, and occasionally takes advantage of a nook about the house, or under the shelter of the roof of a shed or outbuilding. Its food habits have sometimes caused apprehension to the fruit grower, for it is fond of cherries and other small fruits, particularly the earlier varieties. For this reason many complaints have been lodged against it, and some persons have gone. Fig. 21.—Robin. so far as to condemn the bird. The robin is, however, too valuable to be exterminated, and choice fruit can be readily protected from its depredations. An examination of 330 stomachs shows that over 42 per cent of its food is animal matter, principally insects, while the remainder is made up largely of small fruits or berries. Over 19 per cent consists of beetles, about one-third of which are useful ground beetles, taken mostly in spring and fall, when other insects are scarce. Grasshoppers make up about one-tenth of the whole food, but in August comprise over 30 per cent. Caterpillars form about 6 per cent, while the rest of the animal food, about 7 per cent, is made up of various insects, with a few spiders, snails, and angle-worms. All the grasshoppers, caterpillars, and bugs, with a large portion of the beetles, are injurious, and it is say that noxious insects comprise more than one-third of the robin's Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1897
