File:Our native birds; how to protect them and attract them to our homes (1899) (14564419878).jpg

Identifier: ournativebirdsho00lang (find matches)
Title: Our native birds; how to protect them and attract them to our homes
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: Lange, D. (Dietrich), 1863-1940
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: New York, London, The Macmillan company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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not know what todo on a long winter evening, let them make strings ofthe seeds of cucumbers, melons, squash, and pumpkins.Throw these strings into the trees and watch the fun,when the birds discover them. Another interesting device for feeding and observingbirds can be arranged as follows : Fasten a small ever-green or a branch of some other tree near a convenientwindow, preferably in the second story, as that is safefrom cats. Tie bits of raw, unsalted meat, suet, splitwalnuts, and other nuts to your tree. If you bore ahole into the shell, the split nut can be firmly sus-pended by a string. After the kernel has been eatenout, the shell may be filled with suet. On such treesand branches chickadees and other birds will give prettygymnastic performances. Nearly all seed-eating birdsare fond of greens. They eat young herbs and tenderyoung grass just like the domestic chickens. I haveseen the slate-colored juncoes feast on a pasture of veryyoung knotgrass or doorweed. Polygonum aviculare^
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Fig. 8. —The Birds Christmas Tree. 58 OUR XATIYE BIRDS and in earl)- spring I have seen the English sparrowsfeed on the first grass that was nncovered by the meltingof the snow. If yon children wish to prepare a specialChristmas treat for the birds, sow some grain or grassin boxes in late autnmn. Chop the young grass orgrain quite fine, place it in the usual feeding place,and see how the birds like it. It may be that some ofthem will also eat chopped cabbage and kale. If you feed the birds at all, be sure you do not for-get them in sudden and severe snow storms. Tlieymust sleep on trees or in holes, while you are tuckedaway in your warm bed. The cold makes them veryhungry, but often all their food is covered up and theycannot fly to other regions while the storm lasts.Birds do not easily die of cold alone, but they starvein a very short time. Sometimes the trees, the weeds,and the ground become coated with ice. Such Aveathermakes a skating-park of the whole town, but it meansstarvat

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