Title: Report on the birds of Pennsylvania : with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations
Identifier: commercialpoultr11 (find matches)
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Warren, Benjamin Harry, 1858-
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Harrisburg : E. K. Meyers, State Printer
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
374 BlliDS OF PENNSYLVANIA, From J. V. Henry Knott, Kingston, N. Y.: I have seen the common crow eat egrsrs, and have caught him by baiting a steel-trap with an egg-. The nifin in charge of the gas-works at Saugerties told mo this spring that lie had to cover his chiclien-yard with wire to save the chickens from the crows, and that he saw them catch the chickens repeatedly. P>om Frank R. Hancock, Casky, Ky.: The common crow undoubtedly catches young chickens and steals eggs. They have caused me more trouble in that respect than hawks. My home is situated on the south side of a wood land. A colony of crows located in that woodland in 1870. This spring (1885) I have watched them caretully, and have seen them steal chickens before they were past the downy stage and carry them away to their young. I have one crow family charged with $25 worth of nice chicks stolen in April and May, 1885. Destruction of Egqs and Young of Wild Birds. No observant person will deny that the crow does serious damage to the eggs and young of wild birds. The instances of such depredation which have come within the knowledge of most farmers or other persons living in the country are far too numerous to leave a shadow of doubt on this score in any unprejudiced mind. Yet for every instance of such robbery witnessed by man thousands must take place without his knowledge. Persecution by crows is doubtless a very large factor among the influences which cause so many birds to crowd about human habitations durmg the nesting season, and yet the relentless crow follows them even to tlie eaves and window-sills of houses, taking their eggs and young in spite of every pre- caution. The evidence on this point, contributed by our observers during the past few years, is replete with accounts of such forays, and the only wonder is that robins thrushes, blackbirds, and many other species continue to rear any young at all The reports on this subject number one hundred and fifty or more, and contain niinute descriptions of the destruction by crows of the eggs or young of more than twenty- five species of wild l)irds. The list includes the robin, wood thrusi, and otiier thrushes, brown thrasher, wrens, English sparrows and other sparrows, blackbirds ot several species, Baltimore and Bullock's orioles, woodpeckers, swallows king- birds, wax-wing, warblers, bluejay, Carolina dove, «,uail, prairie chicken, woodcock night herons and other waders, wild ducks, and sea-guli.s. In addition to these specific statements, very many observers state that all kinds of small birds suller trom crows, while others say that it kills «*many kinds" or '«all kinds which can be obtained." Naturally the robin is one of the most frequent sufllerers, and perhaps its losses are more likely to be noticed than those of less familiar birds. The following re- ports indicate something ot the nature and extent of the inroads upon this species ⢠From Prof. F. E. T. Boal, Lunenburgh, Mass.: ' ' I have known the crow to rob the nest of a robin of its eggs on several occasions, always at the tlrst peep ot light. In one instance the nest robbed was within six feet of the o,>e; window of u chamber where I slept. "luuww ui a From Charles F. (Joodhue, Webster, N. H.: wi^hfnTIf\'^'r'?tH7" "^ """^ ""^""^ 'â ^^'° °^^' â¢" * ^ood-sized apple orchard, and to come within eight rods of the house and carry off four young robins in the course of one day From J. W. Van Kirk, Milton, Pa.: .row ^ n^^^^f^T'^ """.^ ""^ ^'° *"" °^' """"'^"" building, nine wore robbed of eggs by the Z;. ' H ' "'* ""f ""' '' '^"'"'^' '^' ^â¢â¢"⢠t"^' 'â¢""«^'- The robin lays from three tc> From Dr. A. K. Fisher, Sing Sing, N. Y.: af\ZT ""â¢^";""! .""^ .' ^^" '*^^"' ^"^^' *^"«^' '^"'^' '" »«^t' ""^"V other birds are robbed eggs^nrnutr :;f^"sr'^"' ^""^ ^^"^^^'^ ^" -'^' ^-'^ '^^^'^' ^'^ p--"- ^^ ^'^«' ⢠COLOR PLATE â¢'» Plate <^?
Text Appearing After Image:
3, i, 2. Evening Grosbeak, Male and Female. 3. Brown Creeper. 4. Black and White 'Warbler, Males.

Note About Images