A Venture in Songbird Management

Early in 1926 arrangements were made between the Bureaus of Plant Industry and Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture for increasing the number of birds in an experimental chestnut orchard as a means of controlling nut weevils. The site assigned was the field station of the Bureau of Plant Industry at Bell, Prince Georges County, Md., about 15 miles northeast of Washington, D. C. Bell was a stop on an interurban electric railway, now abandoned; the nearest post office is Glenn Dale. Incorporated in the experimental area was a test orchard of Asiatic chestnuts planted many years ago by the late Walter Van Fleet. These showed marked resistance to the blight that was so fatal to the American chestnut, hence it was desired to get as many sound nuts as possible to facilitate propagation of the resistant types. As practically all insectivorous birds eat nut weevils (Balaninus), it was deemed that general bird attracting procedure was all that was required. The surroundings were basically favorable, comprising abundant shrub and tree growth with plenty of open space. It may as well be said in the beginning that there were too many factors involved (e.g. the trees producing steadily increasing quantities of nuts) to permit definite appraisal of the effect of the multiplied bird population upon the chestnut weevils. The belief is held, however, that the weevils would have been more numerous but for the predatory attentions of the birds. Management phases of the investigation are here reported upon.