Editor [possibly Miles Greenleaf]. November 27, 1921. Scouts and Birds [Feeding Stations]. Omaha Sunday World-Herald 57(9): 8-E. A bird editorial.

Scouts and Birds.

Some years ago the Nebraska Audubon Society, in the heyday of its prosperity before grim war took the activity of everyone into different channels, opened a campaign for winter bird feeding. It enlisted the Boy Scouts in the movement and the Scouts, as usual, responded. But the war was all-important, and hundreds of feeding stations were not placed, and those that were placed, were not kept filled.

It is different now. There is no war, and the prospects for more are remote. Being back on the old job, the bird-lovers are intent on resuming the feeding campaign for the songsters of the Jack Frost regime, and the movement should be encouraged.

Winter birds should be fed because they deserve it. Although many of them die of starvation or malnutrition during hard winter seasons, no ornithologist claims that a few feeding stations will necessarily prevent this tragedy. The idea of feeding them is paramount; because that idea will grow, and the time will sometime come when intelligent citizens will protect and guard useful trees, useful plants, useful evidences of nature's goodness in any form.

Birds - winter birds more especially - occasionally have real need of human help. Sleet and snow cover the bark of trees, the seed-pods of noxious weeds - every source of food supply upon which they rely. Their "chow" is in a safe - and then they need beef suet and other food - and need it badly.

Boy Scouts can put up suet feeding stations - and have the holders to do it with. They should be enabled to keep these holders filled with suet, which requires a little money - but that, too, should be easily arranged - for suet can be procured from packing houses in large lots for an inconsiderable outlay.

These are days for economy - essentially so - and can there be any better economy than the protection of the feathered creatures that God has given us to protect us?

It is pretty generally admitted by all experts that not a tree, not a spear of grain, could exist for long were it not for the sentry duty done by birds.

The winter "bird-guards" are among us. Go out and get acquainted today, and then help feed them until spring.

There were seventeen different varieties seen in Elmwood Park last Sunday.