508 LAND BIRDS 



given is in the fresh state, not regurgitated. Crickets, 

 grasshoppers, beetles, butterflies, and worms are their 

 menu, with a few berries. The young Bluebirds double 

 in weight every twenty-four hours for the first week, and 

 in twelve days are growing a respectable crop of feathers, 

 though the bare skin is still distressingly visible. Their 

 breasts gradually take on the soft, mottled light and 

 dark, and the upper parts have a hint of blue among the 

 grayish brown on the wings and tail. One would sup- 

 pose this blue on the upper parts would be too conspic- 

 uous, but when the youngsters leave the nest and perch 

 on the soft grey of the dead trees, they become almost 

 invisible in the strong sunlight. 



YELLOW OR ORANGE CONSPICUOUS IN PLUMAGE 



497. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. 



Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. 



Family: The Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. 



Length: Male 8.60-10.10 ; Female 7.50-8.30. 



Adult Male in Summer : Plumage uniform black, except yellow or 

 orange head, neck, and chest, and white patch on wings. 



Adult Male in Winter: Similar, but yellow feathers on top of head 

 tipped with brown. 



Adult Female : Dark grayish brown, throat and chest dull yellow ; 

 breast mixed with white. 



Young Male in First IVinter : Similar to female, but larger, and deeper 

 colored. 



Young: (Nestling) General color pinkish brown ; upper parts indis- 

 tinctly streaked with lighter beneath ; wings and tail blackish. 



Geographical Distribution : Western North America from British Colum- 

 bia south to Mexican table-lands ; east to Wisconsin, Indiana, and 

 Texas. 



California Breeding Range: Interior valleys, east of the humid coast 

 belt. 



