Viewing page 3 of 117

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

- 3 -

DAMAGE BY BLACKBIRDS.

Rice growers in this region almost without exception made complaint of damage by blackbirds in the rice fields. Details of the more important claims [[strikethrough]] that seemed to be [[/strikethrough]] given by trustworthy individuals follow.

Complaint of damage near Eagle Lake had been made to the Biological Survey in a letter written by O. J. Winterman, manager of the Lakeside Irrigation Company. Mr. Winterman stated that the greatest destruction from these birds came at the time when the rice was in the "milk" and from then on until the grains were fully formed. This period began at the end of July and extended through August into the early part of the month of September. Blackbirds began to flock in this region during the closing days of July and by the end of August were present in large bands. These birds had roosts in the reed beds of Eagle Lake that they resorted to at night and from here they spread out during the day in all directions to feed in the rice fields. Apparently most of the damage here was due to Red-winged Blackbirds and (to a less extent) Great-tailed Grackles. Men were stationed in the fields to drive the birds out by shooting but without much effect as the blackbirds when alarmed would fly only a short distance before alighting again. These birds continued to feed upon rice until it was finally threshed. In wet years when it was necessary to leave the grain in the field for some time because of inability to get it out, birds frequently ate all of the rice exposed, or even stripped some sheaves completely. Some damage in addition was done by the Great-tailed Grackles when the rice was sprouting in spring. These birds pulled the grain when it was an inch or so high and ate both the sprout and the kernel from which it had sprung. It was said that blackbirds were present in abundance at plowing time,