1921 



BIRDS OF MONTANA 



lOL 



the arrivals of males and females as there is in the eastern United States. 1 have 

 often noticed female birds the same date that I have seen the first males, or 

 within a week of that time. 



This species occasionally winters. Two were secured on the Shields River, 

 December 9, 1908 (Saunders, 1911a, p. 40). Red-winged Blackbirds are reported 

 to M'inter in small numbers in the Bitterroot Valley (Bailey, MS, and 1913a, p. 

 94). though the birds there may not belong to the subspecies fortis. A flock, 

 mixed with Brewer Blackbirds, is reported from Billings in January, 1919 

 (Thomas, MS). 



This species begins nesting in late ^lay, and eggs may l)e found until nearly 





H'"-'S 



^i^ 



A. 



J^ ^ 



Fig. 22. Nkst and eggs of the Thick-billed Red- 

 wing. Choteau; June 8, 1912. 



the end of June. The earliest nest of whicli 1 have record was at Choteau, May 

 17, 1912. Young birds on the wing are common after the nu'ddle of June. Pjggs 

 and young have been found June 11, 1894, in eastern Montana (Cameron, 1907, 

 p. 397). 



196. Agelaius phoeniceus caurinus Ridgway 



Northwestern Redwing 



This subspecies is the one that I believe will be found to breed throughout 



northwesten Montana on the west side of the divide. An adult male secured at 



Silver Bow, May 21, 1911, and undoubtedly a breeding bird, is typical of this 



race (Saunders, 1912c, p. 107). I have examined specimens from Flathead Lake 



