PERCHING BIRDS 



499. BicoLORED Red-wing. Ageloius 

 <ruheniatur calif ornicus. 



Range. — Pacific coast, west of the Sierra 

 Nevadas, from Washington south to Lower 

 California. 



The males of this spe- 

 cies are distinguished from 

 those of the Red-wings by 

 the absence of light mar- 

 gins to the orange red 

 slioulders. They are fairly 

 abundant in their restrict- 

 ed localities, building their 

 nests in swamps about 

 ponds and streams. The 

 nests are like those of the Red-wings, and the 

 eggs are similar and with the same great varia- 

 tions in markings, but average a trifle smaller; 

 size .05 X .67. 



.mil 



whitt 



Meadowlark 



500. Tricolored Red-wing. Ageloius tricolor. 



Range. — Pacific coast of California and Oregon; rare east 

 of the Sierra Nevadas. 



This species differs from the Red-wing in having the 

 shoulders a much darker red and the median coverts white 

 instead of huffy. Like the last species they have a limited 

 range and are nowhere as common as are the Red-wings in 

 the east. Their nests are like those of the Red-wings and 

 the eggs are not distinguishable in their many variations, 

 but they appear to be more often lined than those of the 

 former. 



Meadowlark. 



1 )\ill l)liiisli white 



iOl, 



Sturnellu magna magna. 

 North America east of the Plains and north to 



Range.- 



Nova Scotia and Manitoba; winters from New England 



southward. 



This handsome dweller among our fields and meadows is 



frequently heard giving his high, pleasing, fiute-like whistle 

 with its variations; his beautiful 

 yellow breast with its black 

 crescent is not so frequently 

 seen in life, for tliey are usually 

 quite shy birds. They artfully 

 conceal their nests on the ground 

 among the tall grass of meadows, 

 arching them over with dead 

 grass. During May or June they 

 '^^'•^ite la^y from four to six white eggs, 



speckled over the whole surface with reddish brown and 



purplish ; size 1.10 x .80. 



"lOla. Rio (iRANDE Meadowlark, 

 hoopesi. 

 Range." — A brighter and slightly 

 along the Mexican border. 

 317 



StiirneUa 



smaller variety found 



