Perching Birds Chiefly Gray, Black, or Black and White. 



509. Rusty Blackbird (Scolecophagus carolinus). 

 L. 9.5. Ad. tf. Nearly uniform greenish black, 

 sometimes with rusty edgings. Ad. 9. Slaty gray, 

 generally with some rusty edgings* Winter plumage 

 of both sexes similar to summer but widely tipped with 

 rusty above and yellowish rusty below. Notes. More 

 musical than those of other Blackbirds; calls, tcback or 

 turalee repeated several times. (Bendire.) 



Range.- Eastern North America west to the Plains; breeds from 

 New Brunswick, northern New England, northern New York, and 

 Manitoba, north to Labrador and Alaska; winters from Virginia, 

 southern Illinois, and Kansas, southward. 



510. Brewer Blackbird {Scolecophagus cyanocepha- 

 lus). L. 10. Ad. c^. Whole head violet-purple, rest 

 of plumage bright greenish black. Ad. 9- Grayish 

 brown, throat paler, wings and tail greenish black; no 

 rusty. Winter plumage with light grayish brown 

 edgings to the feathers of the interior part of the body. 

 Notes. Chack and a loud, shrill whistle. (Bailey.) 



Range.— Western North America from the Plains to the Pacific; 

 breeds from Texas and northern Lower California north to the Sas- 

 katchewan and British Columbia; winters in the southern parts of its 

 range; casually east to Mississippi River states. 



511. Purple Grackle {Quiscalus quiscula). L. rj\ 

 12. Ad. rj*. Head, purple, steel-green or steel blue; 

 back purple, brassy green or greenish; the feathers 

 always with iridescent bars. Notes. Tchak and a short 

 unmusical call uttered with spread wings and tail. 



Range. — Eastern United States; breeds in lower Mississippi Valley 

 and east of Alleghanies, from Georgia to Massachusetts; winters 

 from Virginia southward through its breeding range. 



5 1 la. Florida Grackle ( Q. q. aglceus). Similar to 

 511, but slightly smaller, head always violet purple; 

 back always bottle-green, with iridescent bars. 



Range.— Florida, north on the Atlantic coast to Viiginia, west on the 

 Gulf Coast to Texas. 



5 I I b. Bronzed Grackle (Q. q. ceneus). Head as in 

 No. 511, back and belly bronze, the feathers wholly 

 without iridescent bars. 



Range.— Eastern United States west to the Rockies; breeds from 

 southern Texas to Great Slave Lake, east to Alleghanies, and, in 

 New York, east and northeast to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and 

 Labrador; winters chiefly in lower Mississippi valley; migrates in part 

 east of the Alleghanies. 



5 I 3. Boat-tailed Grackle (Megaquiscalus major^. L. 

 cj\ 16; W. 7.5; T. 7. Ad. c?. Head and neck glossy 

 purple; back and belly glossy greenish blue. Ad. 9- 

 Much smaller, T. 5.2; above blackish brown; below 

 soiled rusty buff. Notes. Tchack, a variety of hoarse, 

 rather forced whistles and a gurgling roll as of a Coot 

 pattering over the water. 



Range —Florida, north along the coast to Virginia; west along 

 coast to Texas. 



5 I 3a. Great-tailed Grackle {M. m. macrourus). Simi- 

 lartoNo. 513, but larger, cm L. 16; T. 9. Forebackand 

 breast, as well as head and neck, purple, only rump and 

 lower belly greenish blue; 9 blacker both above and be- 

 below than 9 of 513. Notes. Tchack, and a greater 

 varriety of squeaky calls, and hoarse whistles, than in 

 my experience, is uttered by No. 513. 



Range. — Eastern Texas and south into Mexico. 



254 



