PURPLE GRACKLE 375 



Dr. Harry C. Oberholser's study of the*subspecies"°published in The 

 Auk (1919b). 



As far as can be gathered from a study of these*papers, map and 

 tables, the breeding range of the purple grackle (Quiscalus quiscula 

 stonei), extends from northern South Carolina and Georgia through 

 the Atlantic States, east of the Alleghenies, to southern New York 

 and southern Connecticut; I should extend this race eastward to in- 

 clude extreme southeastern Massachusetts; and there seems to be a 

 westward extension as far as south-central Louisiana, between the 

 ranges of the bronzed grackle on the north and the Florida grackle on 

 the south. In Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts I have 

 collected quite a number of our breeding grackles and have observed 

 many others at short range and in good light; although our birds here 

 are somewhat intermediate in their characters, I believe that they are 

 nearer to the purple grackle (Quiscalus quiscula stonei) than to the 

 bronzed grackle (Quiscalus quiscula versicolor) ; I shall therefore treat 

 our local records as applying to the former race. Farther north in 

 Massachusetts, the bronzed grackle seems to be the commoner form, 

 though the purple grackle has been recorded much farther north. 

 Robie W. Tufts writes to me: "On or about Nov. 20, 1931, a specimen 

 was taken at Grand Manan by Allen L. Moses, who mounted the bird. 

 This specimen was taken to P. A. Taverner at Ottawa, who supported 

 Mr. Moses in his identification. Mr. Moses shot the bird thinking it 

 was a bronzed grackle and was about to toss it into his fox pen when 

 he noticed the transverse markings on the back." 



Spring. — Crow blackbirds, as they are often called, start migrating 

 northward from their not far distant winter range during the latter 

 part of February and reach their breeding grounds in southern New 

 England around the middle of March. St. Patrick's Day, March 

 17, has always been associated in my mind with the arrival of the 

 grackles about my home; then we may expect to hear the creaking 

 notes of the males and see the glossy black birds posturing in the 

 leafless treetops or exploring the tops of the tallest pines and spruces 

 for possible nesting sites, preparatory for the coming of the females 

 a week or two later. If weather conditions are favorable, they may 

 remain, but a late snow storm or severe cold spell may cause them to 

 retreat. 



Courtship. — On April 8, 1946, two grackles, apparently both 

 males, were moving about in the branches of a big ash tree close to 

 my study window. One was evidently following the other as he 

 traveled along the branches or hopped from one branch to another. 

 Every few seconds one would stop, crouch down on the branch, 

 lower his head, puff out his body plumage, spread his wings downward, 



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