184 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



the last note lower than the others. They often utter a 

 sharp peer, something like the cry of a Blue Jay 5 while 

 the birds are feeding they utter a low musical twitter, and, 

 when flying up suddenly, a low trilled whistle. 



The size, the undulating flight, the short, stout bill, and 

 the white wing-bars serve to identify the gray birds ; the 

 red ones are unmistakable. 



BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. : FAMILY ICTERIDiE 



The eight members of the family Icteridae differ widely 

 in appearance and habits. The two Orioles are rarely seen 

 on the ground ; when they do come down, they hop. All 

 the other species get their food chiefly on the ground, and 

 these all walk. In four of the eight species black predomi- 

 nates ; these species are gregarious, often occurring in very 

 large flocks. The Orchard Oriole is found commonly only 

 as far north as southern Rhode Island and Connecticut. 

 The E-usty Blackbird is only a migrant in most of ISTew 

 York and New England. 



Crow Blackbird 



Bronzed Grackle. Quiscalus quis- 



Gula ceneus 

 Purple Grackle. Quiscalus quis- 



cula 



12.00-13.50 



Ad. $ . — Head, neck, and upper breast iridescent purple, vio- 

 let, or brassy-green in good light (at a distance the whole bird 

 looks black); rest of body black, with metallic reflections; wings 

 and tail bluish, violet, or purplish; tail long, middle pair of 

 feathers much longer than outer pair ; eye pale yellow. Ad. 9 • — 

 Similar, but browner and smaller. 



Nest, bulky, of dried grasses, etc., in trees. Eggs, greenish, 

 spotted and streaked with black and brown. 



The Crow Blackbird is a summer resident throughout 

 New York and New England, but in northern New England 



