BREWER'S BLACKBIRD 309 



always primary throughout their years of occurrence; 20 banded 

 females were secondary and 15 changed their status. Less than half 

 the females in the 1-year group of survival were primary but only 

 three banded secondaries survived for two or more years, whereas the 

 primary, and those of changing status, showed survival periods ex- 

 tending into the fifth and sixth year. Because 15 females changed 

 their status over the years of their survival, it is believed that had the 

 20 banded females which were in the "always secondary" group 

 survived longer (only two survived for 2 years and one for 3) they, 

 too, might have changed and become primaries for part of their years 

 as breeders in the colony. 



Nesting. — Writing of the Brewer's blackbird in California, Grin- 

 nell and Miller (1944) say that its habitat "in the spring season [is] 

 grassland, meadows, or moist lake and stream margins, with trees or 

 tall bushes in the vicinity which may be used for lookouts, roosting 

 and nesting." 



C. W. Lockerbie (MS.) says of the bird in Utah: "The large open 

 mountain valleys along the eastern slope of the Wasatch mountains 

 are favorite summer habitats for these birds, e. g., Parley's Park, 

 Summit County, 1 to 4 miles wide and 10 miles long and about 6,500 

 feet elevation, with willow clumps along all water courses, a few tall 

 cottonwood trees, and much of the land in wild hay. Dairying and 

 stock raising are the only pursuits. No less than 50 pairs of black- 

 birds breed in this area; 200 birds, more or less, after July 15 are 

 about the usual number observed. My earliest observations has been, 

 May 25 and my latest September 7, though their residence period 

 doubtless extends beyond these dates." 



In Colorado "they range from 4,000 to 10,000 feet in altitude and 

 seem to prefer the open meadow along streams and adjacent to ever- 

 green forests," says R. J. Niedrach (MS.). 



In Nevada the species "uses a wide variety of situations for nesting 

 sites," writes Linsdale (1936a). This statement may well be applied 

 to its nesting adaptability over its whole range. The nests may be 

 placed on the ground or up to 150 feet above the ground; in the sedges 

 of a marsh ; in bushes of wet or dry areas ; in many kinds of living trees 

 and in the broken tops of stubs; in windbreak hedges at ranches; in 

 ornamental trees and shrubs in parks and gardens or along the streets 

 of towns; near plowed fields in agricultural areas; in semiarid situa- 

 tions; or along streams in mountain meadows at high altitudes. 



Bendire (1895) writes that at Camp Harney in southeastern Oregon 

 the nests were frequently placed on the ground "or rather in the 

 ground, the rim of the nest being flush with the surface." Quite a 

 number were found in this situation, even when suitable trees and 

 bushes were available. These ground nests were located on the 



