YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD 113 



percent, is made up of other insects, chiefly Hymenoptera (ants, 

 wasps, etc.), with a few dragon-flies and an occasional spider and 

 snail." 



Of the vegetable food, grain collectively amounts to 38.9 percent, 

 more than half of the vegetable food and more than one-third of all 

 the food. 



Of grain, oats hold first place, as in the food of the redwing, and are probably 

 eaten in every month when they can be obtained, although none were found in 

 the 5 stomachs taken in September. The 3 October stomachs contained an 

 average of 63 percent, but a greater number of stomachs would in all probability 

 give a smaller average. August, apparently the next month of importance, 

 shows 43.2 percent. Next to oats corn is the favorite grain, and was eaten to the 

 extent of 9.8 percent, nearly all in the months of April, May and June, with a 

 maximum of 48.8 percent in April, when no wheat was eaten. Wheat appears 

 from May to August, inclusive, and is the only vegetable food that reaches its 

 highest mark in August. The average for the season is 3.5 percent. 



Beal (1900) found weed seeds to be an important item in the food: 

 "Beginning with 18 percent in April, it increases to 34 percent in 

 June, drops to 6.6 in July (to make room for caterpillars and grass- 

 hoppers), rises to 36.1 percent in August and finally to 64.4 percent 

 in September. * * * The weeds found in the stomachs are almost 

 precisely the same as those eaten by the redwings, and in practically 

 the same proportions. Barngrass (Choetochloa) , Panicum, and rag- 

 weed (Ambrosia) are the leading kinds, supplemented by Polygonum, 

 Rumex, and others." 



The yellow-headed blackbird is mentioned by La Rivers (1941) as 

 one of the birds seen eating the Mormon cricket. Kalmbach (1914) 

 records it as feeding on the alfalfa weevil. "Of 21 stomachs collected 

 in June, only 4 failed to contain the weevil. The insect formed 43.48 

 percent of the yellow-head's food and was taken at an average of more 

 than 6 adults and 47 larvae per bird. The largest number taken by 

 any of this species was 190 larvae and 2 adults. Another record was 

 160 larvae and 2 adults. Three adults and 117 larvae were eaten by 

 one bird, while five others had taken more than 170 individuals 

 apiece." 



Linsdale (1938) says of the feeding habits in the marsh: "Forage 

 places varied, but nearly all the marshy parts of the pond were explored 

 for food. Both males and females spent much time feeding close to 

 the water among the plants (cattails, sedges, Hippuris). A favorite 

 food hunting place was the mud or shallow water close to the shore 

 line. As soon as the air warmed sufficiently for flying insects, the 

 blackbirds spent much time capturing the insects in the air. Females 

 flew into the air after insects as often as or more often than did males." 



In the spring, these and other blackbirds are often seen following 

 the farmer as he plows his fields, to pick up the grubs and insects 



