Show 41 r r 1 ENGLISH SPARROW IS L HElPMEET OF FARMER HER oJo- oJo Much Maligned Bird S Said id to 0 Be Enemy 3 w of of Alfalfa Weevil 7 Washington Aug 8 The 8 The alfalfa alfalfa- weevil for several has years ears past been doing enormous damage to alfalfa al- al alfa falfa crops in Utah A recent Ives- Ives made b by the U. U S. S Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture reveals the fact that hat the English sparrow is one of the c most effective enemies of the weevil Therefore it is recommended recommend d that the bounty placed upon the bird in this thU 5 state be removed The English sparrow presents a problem in Utah somewhat different from rom that in many other parts of iks ih range states Department Bulletin j No and it must be p placed aced very high ligh in the scale of weevil enemies There is no bird In which the people of Utah are more interested than this mu much much-criticised h foreigner i As a result of the examination of ofa a large number of stomachs of Engish English English Eng- Eng lish ish sparrows b by biologists with a aview aview view of determining tho the relation of ot the bird to the alfalfa Weevil the ti sparrow is classed as one of the greatest great great- reat- reat est bird enemies of the tho destructive h pest jest It is not only found that the adults eat the insects in large number num- num bers ber ers but that a large percentage of 01 the he food of or the young consists of the thew w weevil evil A A largo large number of o other her birds it discovered are also enemies 8 of the weevil They are the California gull Wilsons Wilson's phalarope kildeer valley quail western mourning dove red shafted flicker Arkansas kingbird Sya's phoebe Traill's flycatcher desert desert des des- ert horned lark magpie long long crested crested jay Woodhouse's jay bobolink cowbird cow cow- bird yellow headed blackbird thick- thick billed redwing western meadowlark Bullocks Bullock's oriole Brewers Brewer's blackbird house finch pine western vesper yes ves per sparrow western savannah sparrow sparrow sparrow spar spar- row western lark sp sparrow white white- 4 crowned sparrow western chipping sparrow Brewers Brewer's sparrow desert song sparrow Lincoln's sparrow a spurred towhee headed black grosbeak gros gros- grosbeak beak lazuli bunting cliff swallow winged rough-winged swallow yellow warbler warbler warb warb- ler warbler long tat ed chat sage thrasher tailed long-tailed chickadee western robin and mountain moun- moun mown moun mountain 4 tain taro bluebird The removal of the bounty on the English sparrow is suggested not so 80 much because the bird ded dad protection as for the reason that the law Jaw as is the case in most moat statutes statutes stat stat- utes of this kind utterly tails fails to to tore reduce reduce re re- duce materially the number of these birds and at the same time it has been the excuse for the the d destruction of many birds of beneficial species A reduction in the number of sparrows sparrows spar spar- fir f rows if desired can cau be accomplished much more effectively either cither by the efforts of individual farmers or by the the t employment of competent men tomake to tomake rt make a a. thorough and extensive campaign campaign campaign cam cam- of trapping poisoning or nest Continued on Page Pago 4 ti i English Sparrow Is Helpmeet I r Continued from Page 1 i r destruction Where chicken feed can be protected and where grain fields i i's s 5 wi will l no not not be jeopardized the English sparrow may be allowed to continue unmolested its good work on the alfalfa atM al- al M falfa weeviL Since this investigation f was made the Brewers Brewer's blackbird has b t en ten n given ven absolute protection in the State of Utah The valley quail is i C. C deserving of added protection also alKo J p for a short period at least that its itse e f o efficient work in the suppression sion of the weevil may continue unimpaired |