SMALL BIRDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 43, 30 November 1940, Page 4

SMALL BIRDS.

DAMACE AND BENEFITS.

AN EXPERT STATES THE CASE Damage done by small birds in the Ashburton County has proved a serious problem to farmers and the MidOanterbury Executive of the Farmers’ Union has made thorough investigations into the damage done by these birds and also' their value in killing undesirable insects. Members of the Executive have voiced widely diverse opinions on the problem. The secretary of the Mid-Canterbury Executive (Mr W. H. Amos) has received a communication on the matter from the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture (Mr A. H. Cockayne), forwarded by the assistantDominion secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union

Mr Cockayne w T ritos that general authorities agree that all of the small birds cause some damage to grain or fruit at one period of the year, while at another useful work is done by reducing the number of insect pests. Another generally accepted opinion, based on overseas work is that marked inin the number of insect pests and loss duo to their depredations is definitely related to the bird population in tho area concerned.

In New Zealand, where the diet of the birds is related to time of the year, it is essential to assess the value of the useful work in destroying pests, compared with the damage done to grain and other crops, and he regrets to advise that there is no definite information available on this point. It is obvious ,howevex - , that the destruction of bird by the poison method must result in a wholesale reduction of their numbers irrespective of the useful work any one species may perform at any time of the year.