he Shrike the name of
Butcher-bird. It is surprising to find a song-bird with the habits of a
bird of prey. Range: Northern North America.]

[Illustration: DUCK HAWKS ON THE PALISADES OF THE HUDSON

The "Noble Peregrine" of falconry carrying a pigeon to its young. Range:
North and South America. Habitat Group in The American Museum of Natural
History.]

Every farmer and gardener must cultivate his crops and fight the weeds
which are always crowding out the plants he is trying to raise, and in
this fight he is helped by a great many birds of various kinds. Among
these are the Mourning Dove, the Bob-White, and members of the Sparrow
family, such as the Goldfinch, the Junco, and the Song Sparrow. In this
country, in the aggregate, these seed-eating birds destroy every year
tons of seeds of the noxious weeds, and are therefore valuable friends
of the gardener and farmer. For more definite data see bulletins
published by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, or "Useful Birds and
Their Protection," by Edward Howe Forbush (Massachusetts Board of
Agriculture).

[Illustration: A KILLDEER FAMILY

This plover is common in meadows, cultivated fields, and about ponds and
lakes. It gets its name from its note. Range: North and South America.]

Thousands of bushels of grain are eaten or spoiled by small mammals,
such as mice, rats, and spermophiles or gophers. To the relief of the
farmer, many birds feed upon these destructive little rodents. The Crow
occasionally captures a mouse, while the Shrikes or Butcher-birds catch
a great many. The Screech Owl feeds largely upon mice. The Red-tailed
Hawk is called the Hen-hawk or Chicken-hawk by most farmers, but this
is very unfair to the bird, for its principal food is mice. In fact,
most of the Hawks and Owls of the United States are really valuable
friends of the farmer because of the injurious rodents which they
devour. (See "_Hawks and Owls of the United States_," by A. K. Fisher.)

[Illustration: STARLING

Introduced 1890 into New York City; since spread over northeastern
states. Western and central Europe, New England and Middle Atlantic
States.]

To be fair, it must be admitted that there are a few exceptions; that
is, that there are a few Hawks and Owls which do more harm than good.
The Sharp-shinned Hawk kills many harmless songbirds and occasionally
young game birds and young chickens. The Cooper's Hawk, which nests
throughout the United States, is a real chicken hawk, an