Our Vanishing Wild Life Part 40

Northern phalarope (_Lobipes lobatus_).

Semipalmated sandpiper (_Ereunetes pusillus_).

Wilson phalarope (_Steganopus tricolor_).

Stilt sandpiper (_Micropalama himantopus_).

Killdeer (_Oxyechus vociferus_).

Pectoral sandpiper (_Pisobia maculata_).

Semipalmated plover (_Aegialitis semipalmata_).

Baird sandpiper (_Pisobia bairdi_).

Least sandpiper (_Pisobia minutilla_).

Cattle and other live stock also are seriously molested by mosquitoes as well as by another set of pests, the horse-flies. Adults and larvae of these flies have been found in the stomachs of the dowitcher, the pectoral sandpiper, the hudsonian G.o.dwit, and the killdeer. Two species of sh.o.r.ebirds, the killdeer and upland plover, still further befriend cattle by devouring the North American fever tick.

Among other fly larvae consumed are those of the crane flies (leather-jackets) devoured by the following species:

Northern phalarope (_Lobipes lobatus_).

Pectoral sandpiper (_Pisobia maculata_).

Wilson phalarope (_Steganopus tricolor_).

Baird sandpiper (_Pisobia bairdi_).

Woodc.o.c.k (_Philohela minor_).

Upland plover (_Bartramia longicauda_).

Jacksnipe (_Gallinago delicata_).

Killdeer (_Oxyechus vociferus_).

Crane-fly larvae are frequently seriously destructive locally in gra.s.s and wheat fields. Among their numerous bird enemies, sh.o.r.ebirds rank high.

Another group of insects of which the sh.o.r.ebirds are very fond is gra.s.shoppers. Severe local infestations of gra.s.shoppers, frequently involving the destruction of many acres of corn, cotton, and other crops, are by no means exceptional. Aughey found twenty-three species of sh.o.r.ebirds feeding on Rocky Mountain locusts in Nebraska, some of them consuming large numbers, as shown below.

9 killdeer stomachs contained an average of 28 locusts each.

11 semipalmated plover stomachs contained an average of 38 locusts each.

16 mountain plover stomachs contained an average of 45 locusts each.

11 jacksnipe stomachs contained an average of 37 locusts each.

22 upland plover stomachs contained an average of 36 locusts each.

10 long-billed curlew stomachs contained an average of 48 locusts each.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TWO MEMBERS OF THE GROUP OF Sh.o.r.e-BIRDS The Killdeer Plover The Jacksnipe These, with 28 other species, destroy enormous numbers of locusts, gra.s.shoppers, crane-fly larvae, mosquito larvae, army-worms, cut-worms, cotton-worms, boll-weevils, curculios, wire-worms and clover-leaf weevils. It is insane folly to shoot any birds that do such work! Many species of the sh.o.r.e-birds are rapidly being exterminated.]

Even under ordinary conditions gra.s.shoppers are a staple food of many members of the sh.o.r.ebird family, and the following species are known to feed on them:

Northern phalarope (_Lobipes lobatus_).

Avocet (_Recurvirostra americana_).

Black-necked stilt (_Himantopus mexica.n.u.s_).

Woodc.o.c.k (_Philohela minor_).

Jacksnipe (_Gallinago delicata_).

Dowitcher (_Macrorhamphus griseus_).

Robin snipe (_Tringa canutus_).

White-rumped sandpiper (_Pisobia fuscicollis_).

Baird sandpiper (_Pisobia bairdi_).

Least sandpiper (_Pisobia minutilla_).

Buff-breasted sandpiper (_Tryngites subruficollis_).

Spotted sandpiper (_Act.i.tis macularia_).

Long-billed curlew (_Numenius america.n.u.s_).

Black-bellied plover (_Squatarola squatarola_).

Golden plover (_Charadrius dominicus_).

Killdeer (_Oxyechus vociferus_).

Semipalmated plover (_Aegialitis semipalmata_).

Marbled G.o.dwit _(Limosa fedoa)_.

Ringed plover _(Aegialitis hiaticula)_.

Yellowlegs _(Tota.n.u.s flavipes)_.

Mountain plover _(Podasocys monta.n.u.s)_.

Solitary sandpiper _(Helodromas solitarius)_.

Turnstone _(Arenaria interpres)_.

Upland plover _(Bartramia longicauda)_.

Sh.o.r.ebirds are fond of other insect pests of forage and grain crops, including the army worm, which is known to be eaten by the killdeer and spotted sandpiper; also cutworms, among whose enemies are the avocet, woodc.o.c.k, pectoral and Baird sandpipers, upland plover, and killdeer.

Two caterpillar enemies of cotton, the cotton worm and the cotton cutworm, are eaten by the upland plover and killdeer. The latter bird feeds also on caterpillars of the genus _Phlegethontius_, which includes, the tobacco and tomato worms.

The princ.i.p.al farm crops have many destructive beetle enemies also, and some of these are eagerly eaten by sh.o.r.ebirds. The boll weevil and clover-leaf weevil are eaten by the upland plover and killdeer, the rice weevil by the killdeer, the cowpea weevil by the upland plover, and the clover-root curculio by the following species of sh.o.r.ebirds:

Northern phalarope _(Lobipes lobatus)_.

White-rumped sandpiper _(Pisobia fuscicollis)_.

Pectoral sandpiper _(Pisobia maculata_).

Upland plover _(Bartramia longicauda)_.

Baird sandpiper _(Pisobia bairdi)_.

Killdeer _(Oxyechus vociferus)_.

The last two eat also other weevils which attack cotton, grapes and sugar beets. Bill-bugs, which often do considerable damage to corn, seem to be favorite food of some of the sh.o.r.ebirds. They are eaten by the Wilson phalarope, avocet, black-necked stilt, pectoral sandpiper, killdeer, and upland plover. They are an important element of the latter bird's diet, and no fewer than eight species of them have been found in its food.

Wireworms and their adult forms, click beetles, are devoured by the northern phalarope, woodc.o.c.k, jacksnipe, pectoral sandpiper, killdeer, and upland plover. The last three feed also on the southern corn leaf-beetle and the last two upon the grapevine colaspis. Other sh.o.r.ebirds that eat leaf-beetles are the Wilson phalarope and dowitcher.

Crayfishes, which are a pest in rice and corn fields in the South and which injure levees, are favorite food of the black-necked stilt, and several other sh.o.r.ebirds feed upon them, notably the jacksnipe, robin snipe, spotted sandpiper, upland plover, and killdeer.

Thus it is evident that sh.o.r.ebirds render important aid by devouring the enemies of farm crops and in other ways, and their services are appreciated by those who have observed the birds in the field. Thus W.A.

Clark, of Corpus Christi, Tex., reports that upland plovers are industrious in following the plow and in eating the grubs that destroy garden stuff, corn, and cotton crops. H.W. Tinkham, of Fall River, Ma.s.s., says of the spotted sandpiper: "Three pairs nested in a young orchard behind my house and adjacent to my garden. I did not see them once go to the sh.o.r.e for food (sh.o.r.e about 1,500 feet away), but I did see them many times make faithful search of my garden for cutworms, spotted squash bugs, and green flies. Cutworms and cabbage worms were their special prey. After the young could fly, they still kept at work in my garden, and showed no inclination to go to the sh.o.r.e until about August 15th. They and a flock of quails just over the wall helped me wonderfully."

In the uncultivated parts of their range also, sh.o.r.ebirds search out and destroy many creatures that are detrimental to man's interest. Several species prey upon the predaceous diving beetles _(Dytiscidae),_ which are a nuisance in fish hatcheries and which destroy many insects, the natural food of fishes. The birds now known to take these beetles are:

Northern phalarope _(Lobipes lobatus)_.

Dowitcher _(Macrorhamphus griseus)_.

Wilson phalarope _(Steganopus tricolor)_.

Robin snipe _(Tringa canutus)_.

Avocet _(Recurvirostra americana)_.

Pectoral sandpiper _(Pisobia maculata)_.

Black-necked stilt _(Himantopus mexica.n.u.s_).

Red-backed sandpiper _(Pelidna alpina sakhalina)_.

Jacksnipe _(Gallinago delicata)_.

Kill deer _(Oxyechus vociferus)_.

Large numbers of marine worms of the genus _Nereis_, which prey upon oysters, are eaten by sh.o.r.ebirds. These worms are common on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and are eaten by sh.o.r.ebirds wherever they occur. It is not uncommon to find that from 100 to 250 of them have been eaten at one meal. The birds known to feed upon them are:

Northern phalarope _(Lobipes lobatus)_.