414 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 211 



Francis H. Allen has sent us the following observations: "Among 

 the less common notes of the bronzed grackle is a low-pitched mellow 

 whistle, rather short, with an r in it, which might be rendered as pree. 

 The r is not prominent and the effect is sweet and pleasing and quite 

 ungracklelike. Another note, probably a courtship note, heard April 

 9, 1934, consisted of a sort of chi or shi; it was given generally three 

 times in succession, but sometimes only twice. It was uttered both 

 when the birds were perched and when two or three were flying 

 together in what looked like a courtship flight." 



Robert Ridgway (1889) in comparing the notes of the bronzed and 

 purple grackles writes: "From an almost equal familiarity with the 

 two birds, we are able to say that their notes differ decidedly, especially 

 those of the male during the breeding season, the song of the western 

 bird being very much louder and more musical, or metallic, than of its 

 eastern relative." However, Aretas A. Saunders who has studied the 

 songs of both forms intensely, fails to find any difference between the 

 songs of the bronzed and purple grackle. 



Enemies. — Man can be considered one of the worst enemies of the 

 bronzed grackle, for great numbers are killed and poisoned, especially 

 at the large roosts by farmers and others in their efforts to protect 

 their crops. And many are killed for food, especially in the southern 

 sections of the range. In a willow growth along the Mississippi River 

 near Cairo, 111., I saw a group of hunters enter a populous roost of 

 grackles with shotguns, at sunset. After firing several volleys they 

 picked up over three hundred of the birds. When questioned the 

 hunters stated the birds were to be used as food for themselves and 

 neighbors. 



Grackles like other passerine birds have their enemies among the 

 larger hawks and owls. A. K. Fisher (1893) reported finding the re- 

 mains of grackles in the stomach contents of the marsh, Cooper's 

 and red-tailed hawks and the short-eared owl. I found in the nest of 

 the horned owl the remains of a grackle which had been brought by 

 the parent birds to feed the young. The behavior of the grackles 

 when a hawk or an owl appears near their nesting places is evidence 

 that they are considered enemies. 



Squirrels have been known to destroy the eggs and young of the 

 grackle. Robert Ridgway (1889) saw a fox squirrel emerge from a 

 bronzed grackle's nest, built in a hole in a large tree, with a young 

 grackle in its mouth. "The squirrel was attacked by a number of the 

 blackbirds, who were greatly excited, but it paid no attention to their 

 demonstrations, and, after descending scampered into the woods with 

 its prey." 



Bagg and Elliott (1937) report that live grackles have been found 

 with sticks completely pierced through the body. One bird that was 



