THE CROW BLACKBIRD OR PURPLE 

 CRACKLE 



American Blackbird Family — Icteridce 



Length: 12 to 13^ inches. Tail about 5 inches long, nearly 

 the length of that of the blue jay. 



General Appearance: A glossy black bird with yellow eyes, 

 and a long tail that in flight resembles a pointed fan 

 curving toward the midrib. Blackbirds walk in- 

 stead of hopping. 



Male: Black with beautiful iridescence; head, neck, throat, and 

 breast with green, blue, and purple reflections; back 

 and rump purple and green, with iridescent bars; 

 wings and tail purplish; under parts duller. 



Female: Duller than male, with less iridescence. 



Call-note: A hoarse, loud Chack. 



Song: A disagreeable grating noise that Mr. Forbush likens 

 to the "rather musical creaking of a rusty hinge." 

 I once noticed the strong resemblance of the sound 

 to the squeaking wheels of farm-wagons that passed 

 near a noisy flock of grackles. Blackbirds always 

 look unhappy and uncomfortable when making their 

 attempt at singing, as though they emitted the sound 

 with great difiBculty. 



Habitat: Groves of pine and spruce, as dark and gloomy as 

 the birds themselves. They are found in parks and 

 meadows, on lawns and near buildings. They live 

 in large flocks except at nesting time. 



Range: Middle Atlantic coast-region of the United States. 

 Breed from north shore of Long Island Sound (rarely 

 in Massachusetts), the middle Hudson Valley west to 

 the Alleghanies, and south to the uplands of Georgia, 

 Alabama, and eastern Tennessee; winter mainly 



[114] 



