LAND BIRDS. 



453 



204. Rusty Blackbird. Euphagus carolinus {Mull). (509) 



Synonyms: Rusty Grackle, Thrush Blackbird. — Turdus carolinus. Muller, 1776 — 

 Scolecophagus ferrugineus, Sw. & Rich., Baird, Coues, and many of the older naturalists. 

 — Quiscalus ferrugineus, Bonap., Nuttall, Audubon.— Gracula ferruginea, Wilson. — 

 Scolecophagus carolinus, Ridgvv., 1885, A. O. U. Check-list, 1886, and most recent authors. 



Figures 107, 108. 



Male in spring uniform bluish or greenish black; in autumn most of the 

 feathers edged with rusty. Female brownish slate-color in spring, with 

 rusty edgings in autumn. In both sexes the iris is straw-yellow. 



Distribution. — Eastern United States, west to Alaska and the Plains. 

 Breeds from Northern New England, northern New York, and northern 

 Michigan [?] northward. 



This beautiful blackbird is one of the first spring migrants, entering the 

 state from the south early in March, usually as early as the 10th, and 

 frequently lingering, at least in 

 the latitude of Lansing, until 

 the first or even second week in 

 May. This statement is at 

 variance with reports from 

 several sections of the state, 

 where observers speak of the 

 Rusty Grackle being seen only 

 for a day or two in spring, but 

 making a longer stay in fall. 

 Our own experience at the 

 College during the past seven- 

 teen years has been as stated 

 above, the birds appearing at 

 about the same time as the Red- 

 wings and lingering, in larger 

 or smaller flocks, for almost or 

 quite two months. Eventually 

 all pass northward entirely out 

 of the state and nest beyond our 

 limits. Statements that this 

 species nests in the Upper Peninsula, or elsewhere in the state, seem to be 

 entirely unwarranted, as not a particle of evidence in confirmation has 

 been obtained. The bird returns to us late in September (Isle Royale, 

 Sept. 15, 1905), or early in October, and lingers until after heavy frost, 

 or often until tlie ground freezes. Frequently large flocks are found late 

 in November, and stragglers linger into December and even occasionally 

 all winter. At least three times during the last ten years we have known 

 from one to three individuals to remain in the neighborhood of the College 

 all winter, and similar instances have been reported from other parts of 

 the state. 



In the spring the birds are decidedly musical and though a single song, 

 if it can be called such, consists of hardly more than a dozen chuckling 

 and whistling notes, yet a chorus of several hundred birds produces a 

 very i)U^asing effect. Sotun ''l''l\(nni)S()n speaks of (hem in April as 



FiR. 107. Rusty Blackbird. 

 From photograph of mounted specimen. 



