YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD 101 



shall quote freely from parts of this excellent and extensive monograph 

 on the yellow-headed blackbird. 



Courtship. — While exploring in a canoe, on May 31, 1913, the 

 extensive marshes surrounding Lake Winnipegosis, we found the 

 yellow-heads fairly swarming in the tall bulrushes (Scirpus), growing 

 in water 3 or 4 feet deep and extending higher than a man's head 

 above the water along both sides of the Waterhen River. Courtship 

 was in full swing. The males were chasing the females all over the 

 marshes; the female usually returned to the place from which she 

 started, after which the male alighted near her, as this was probably 

 the chosen territory for the pair. Grasping a tall, upright cane, or 

 perhaps two in a straddling attitude, he displayed his fine plumage 

 by spreading his black tail and half opening his wings to show the 

 white patches; he leaned forward, pointing his bright yellow head 

 downward until it was almost parallel with his tail and poured out 

 his grotesque love notes. The female seemed indifferent. 



We must admit that the courtship is more spectacular than beauti- 

 ful, but we should hardly condemn it in the following words of W. L. 

 Dawson (1923) : "Grasping a reed firmly in both fists, he leans forward, 

 and, after premonitory gulps and gasps, he succeeds in pressing out a 

 wail of despairing agony which would do credit to a dying catamount. 

 When you have recovered from the first shock, you strain the eyes in 

 astonishment that a mere bird, and a bird in love at that, should 

 give rise to such a cataclysmic sound." 



Alexander Wetmore (1920) gives the following account of the 

 courtship of the yellow-headed blackbird, as observed at Lake Bur- 

 ford, N. Mex.: 



The adult males were settled in large part on their breeding grounds on my 

 arrival, though many of them were not yet mated. Each selected a stand in the 

 tules at the border of the lake, and, unless away feeding, were certain to be found 

 in the immediate vicinity constantly from that time on. * * * At this season 

 the male seems fully conscious of his handsome coloring and in his displays makes 

 every effort to attract attention. In the most common display the male started 

 towards the female from a distance of 30 or 40 feet with a loud rattling of his 

 wings as a preliminary. The head was bent down, the feet lowered and the tail 

 dropped while he flew slowly toward his mate. The wings were brought down 

 with a slow swinging motion and were not closed at all so that the white markings 

 on the coverts were fully displayed, the whole performance being reminiscent of a 

 similar wing display of the Mocking-bird. In flying from one perch to another 

 males often dangled their feet, frequently breaking through small clumps of dead 

 tules with considerable racket. Or they clambered stiffly along, hobbling over 

 masses of bent-over rushes, with heads bent down, tails dropping and back 

 humped, appearing like veritable clowns. 



Jean M. Linsdale (1938) noticed a form of display which was 

 apparently made in defense of territory. Two males which owned 

 adjoining territories "were seen on the ground halfway between their 



