Timely Topics

Northern Advocate, 3 January 1938, Page 4

Timely Topics

SONGSTERS IN SUBURBIA

The drift to the cities that has long been one of the constant movements of the human populatiin in Britain is now spreading to the birds, says the “Chrisiti’an Science Monitor.”

The destruction of natural cover in the country that results from building and development has made it very difficult for them to obtain nesting sites, and many of them are finding homes in suburban gardens, more particularly where thoughtful householders have provided nesting boxes for them.

It is a form of bird sanctuary that may be a compromise, but it does bring practical benefits to 'all concerned. The householder not only finds his tenants good company, but enthusiastic, if occasionally rather misguided, workers in his garden; while Mr and Mrs Warbler are not without compensation for the loss of sylvan solitude. Marketing, especially in winter, is not such a problem; and what with bread crumbs, and similar tid-bits, their standard, of living is certain to go up.

In the city, anyway, they will get many hints from the sparrow clan on how to adapt themselves. Perhaps, though, the city sparrows are not altogether the sort of people to find favour with the warblers. A number of the former, with the gulls and pigeons, look somewhat askance at the suburbs, and, like true Cockneys, prefer to congregate where the chimney pots spring up more thickly. In addition, it has to be confessed, their way of life is not quite so respectable as that of their country cousins: they are snappers up of unconsidered trifles more than they 'are hard-worked tenants. .

Nevertheless, even if these men-about-town do lead the warblers a little astray, they and their new friends will still be very welcome.