68 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK 

 Zamelodia melanocephala {S-iVainson) 



A. O. U. Number 59S 



Other Names. — Western Grosbeak ; Black-head. 



General Description. — Length, 8J^4 inches. Upper 

 parts, black and tawny ; under parts, buffy-cinnamon 

 and lemon-yellow. Bill, heavy and short ; wings, long 

 and pointed; tail, more than ^4 length of wing, even or 

 slightly rounded, the feathers broad and rounded at the 

 ends. 



Color. — -Adult Male: Head, black, the throat 

 light cinnamon-ocher or tawny; wings, upper tail- 

 coverts, and tail, black, the first varied by a broad 

 band of white including the middle coverts, a large 

 white patch on basal portion of primaries, and white 

 spots at tips of greater coverts and inner wing feathers, 

 the last by large white spaces on terminal portion of 

 inner webs of two to three outermost tail-feathers ; 

 upper tail-coverts with white terminal spots ; collar 

 across hindneck, throat, chest, breast, sides, flanks, and 

 rump, uniform bufTy-cinnamon or tawny; abdomen and 

 under iving-coverts, clear lenion-yeltozi.'; anal region 

 and under tail-coverts, white ; shoulders, black cen- 

 trally, edged or margined with light tawny or cinnamon- 



buffy ; iris, dark brown. Adult Female : Above, 

 dusky grayish brown or olive, streaked, especially on 

 back and along center line of crown, with pale tawny, 

 buffy. or whitish ; wings and tail, grayish brown, with 

 white marking much more restricted than in adult 

 males, those on tail nearly if not quite obsolete; chin, 

 sides of throat, cheek region, and a stripe over the 

 eyes, whitish ; chest, pale fulvous, cinnamon-huffy, or 

 yellowish buffy ; abdomen, usually pale yellow, some- 

 times white. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest : Located among willows, 

 live oaks or saplings, from five to twenty feet up; a 

 loosely put together, frail structure of fine twigs, weed 

 stems, grass, and rootlets. Eggs : 3 or 4, bluish green, 

 speckled and blotched with chestnut and rufous 

 brown. 



Distribution. — Western United States and plateau 

 of Mexico; north in summer, to British Columbia. 

 Idaho, Montana, etc., east to southeastern Dakota, 

 eastern Nebraska and eastern Kansas ; breeding south 

 to southern portion of Mexican plateau. 



The Black-headed Grosbeak may be used as a 

 striking illustration of the theory of evolution. 

 It resembles the Rose-breasted Grosbeak closely 

 in structure, form, and habits ; its notes are 

 almost the same, yet in plumage it differs widely, 

 but still shows relationship. What better evi- 

 dence is needed to indicate that the two species 

 were once one, and that the only noticeable 

 difference between them that is observable to-day 

 was caused by climatic influences? The pure 

 warbling song of the Black-head as well as its 

 thin alarm note may be recognized, when heard 

 for the first time, by their close resemblance to 

 those of its eastern prototype. The two species 

 seem to show similar tastes in regard to food, 

 as the Black-head attacks the potato beetle and 

 the buds of trees with the same avidity that is 

 shown in the east by its congener. Even the 

 nest and eggs resemble those of the Rose-breast, 

 although in the southern part of its range the 

 Black-head's nest is exceedingly flimsy, so that in 

 some cases the eggs may be seen through it from 

 below. 



Apparently the species is tnore prolific than 

 the Rose-breast, which ordinarily rears but one 

 brood annually. The Grinnells in their Birds 

 of Song and Story tell of a pair of Black-heads 

 that raised three broods in their garden, but the 

 glorious climate of California which tends to 

 induce fecunditv may be resnonsible for this. 



The male Grosbeak is a handsome bird, start- 

 lingly flashy in flight, with its contrast of black, 

 white, and yellow, but is a little coarse or heavy 

 in form. Its big beak, like a huge nose, reminds 

 us of the story of little Red-Riding Hood and the 

 wolf, for it is almost as prominent as the wolf's 

 muzzle, which as a counterfeit grandmother's 

 nose so astonished the child when seen protrud- 

 ing from the depths of the frilled nightcap. 



The male like that of the Rose-breast is a good 

 father and relieves his mate on the nest, taking 

 his share of the duties of incubation and chick- 

 rearing. He keeps the nest during a large part 

 of the day and the female takes his place by 

 night : thus the eggs are constantly kept covered 

 and defended. 



The Black-headed Grosbeak is a bird of the 

 forest but like its eastern relative it seems to 

 prefer for nesting a place in deciduous woods 

 and shrubbery, especially among the alders along 

 small streams ; but when assured of protection it 

 comes as freely about the dwellings of man as 

 does the Rose-breast and even nests in the fig 

 trees. The male pours forth his ptire and tender 

 rhapsody from the heights of tall oaks or pines, 

 but does not disdain to sing even while hunting 

 the lowly " potato-bug." Through the long day 

 he sings, even at hot high noon when other less 

 virile songsters are resting and silent. 



Edward Howe Forbush. 



