CONTINENTAL RUSTY BLACKBIRD 283 



On its breeding grounds, the rusty blackbird seems to show a decided 

 preference for the vicinity of water, the shores of lakes, ponds or 

 streams, or the more or less inaccessible bogs or swamps. Bendire 

 (1895) says: 



The Rusty Grackle is much more of a forest-loving species than the other 

 Blackbirds, and during the breeding season it appears to be far less gregarious. 

 Its favorite haunts in the Adirondack^ are the swampy and heavily wooded shores 

 of the many little mountain lakes and ponds found everywhere in this region, and 

 here it spends the season of reproduction in comparative solitude. I can state 

 from personal experience that the oologist who desires to study this species on its 

 breeding grounds must make up his mind to endure all sorts of discomforts; 

 millions of black flies, gnats, and mosquitoes make life a burden during his stay, 

 while the bogs and swamps through which one is compelled to flounder in search 

 of the nest render walking anything but pleasant. 



Spring. — Large flocks of rusty blackbirds begin moving north- 

 ward from their winter range in the Southern States in March, passing 

 through the Northern States mainly in April, and reaching the 

 northern limits of their breeding range in May. Their passage is 

 rather rapid and the route is broadly northward along the Atlantic 

 and Mississippi flyways, though they are sometimes seen in the 

 Great Plains region and there is a northwestward trend in Canada 

 toward Alaska. Some variations from the above very general state- 

 ment should be noted. Milton B. Trautman (1940) says of the 

 migration at Buckeye Lake, Ohio : "The spring vanguard of the Rusty 

 Blackbird made its first appearance between February 18 and March 

 2. Its numbers were small until almost mid-March. Then a few 

 days later a sharp increase in numbers took place, and until approxi- 

 mately April 12, from 50 to 3,000 individuals could be recorded 

 daily. There was generally a decrease in numbers shortly after 

 mid-April, and from then until May 5 only 5 to 50 individuals were 

 observed in a day, and never more than 100 were seen. The last 

 transients were recorded between May S and 22." 



Referring to Manitoba, Seton (1891) writes: "April 15, 1882: 

 Snow still deep everywhere, but melting fast. In the poplars along 

 the slough side to-day was a large flock of Rusty Grackles. * * * 



"April 21: The thousands of Grackles have been increased to tens 

 of thousands. They blacken the fields and cloud the air. The bare 

 trees on which they alight are foliated by them. Their incessant 

 jingling songs drown the music of the Meadow Larks and produce a 

 dreamy, far-away effect, as of myriads of distant sleigh bells. Mixed 

 with the flocks of Rusty Grackles now are a "-few Red-winged Black- 

 birds." 



The spring migration of the rusty blackbirds is spectacular, noisy, 

 and ubiquitous; the birds may be seen in enormous numbers almost 

 anywhere, following the plowman as he cultivates his land, blackening 



