Young Bird’s Enemies

During the time that the young are in the nest and for a short time just after leaving it, the birds are exposed to many dangers and fall victims to their many enemies. Probably only a small pro­portion of young birds ever reach maturity.

From the time the first egg is laid, the difficulties arise. Some enemies destroy the eggs; such as the crow, blue jay, and red squirrel. And sometimes boy egg ­collectors may devastate a whole neighborhood.

When the young are hatched, they are utterly help­less and fall a prey to any enemy that can reach the nest. Undoubtedly the worst enemy of nesting birds is the cat. It finds the nests on the ground and climbs to nests situated in trees, and easily catches the young birds just as they are learning to fly, 'and may even kill the old birds while they are defending their young. Another very destructive enemy is the squirrel, which is able to reach almost any nest.

Then, too, many birds are destroyed by unfavorable weather, by hailstorms and cold rainstorms, which chill the birds and reduce the food-supply to the star­vation point. Ground-nesting birds on the farm are exposed to the dangers of mowing and other farm operations. Mr. Frank M. Chapman has well said, "With such an array of adverse conditions and re­lentless foes, the bird which reaches maturity may be said to have escaped nine tenths of the dangers to which bird flesh is heir."

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