Bird Study in a Nebraska Swamp 55 



40. Geothlypis trichas trie-has. Maryland Yellow-throat. Common. 



41. Bumetella caroUvensis. Catbird. Nests found iu the timber 

 July 1. 



42. Toxosioma rufum. Brown Thrasher. Nests found in timber 

 July 1. 



43. Troglodytes aedon parTimani. Western House Wren. Common. 



44. Telmatodytes palustris iliacus. Prairie Marsh Wren. Nested 

 commonly. 



45. Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus. Chickadee. Common in 

 timber. 



46. Planesticus migratorius migratorius. Robin. Noted commonly 

 feeding along the shore. 



The original object of this work was to obtain data on the 

 food of the nestling Yellow-headed Blackbirds. The trip on 

 June 26 revealed many nests in all stages, and the work was 

 started on the twenty-eighth. On that date the blind was 

 fixed on the boat and a search made for a nest with nestlings 

 a day or two old. While engaged in this search we came 

 upon one containing young of about four to six days old. 

 This nest was located about eight or ten feet from a Bittern's 

 nest containing five young. "We decided to place the blind 

 between the two and attempt a "double barreled" study. 

 A Least Bittern's nest containing five eggs was marked for 

 future study and the work was completed with a short study 

 of the Red-winged Blackbird. The data obtained from the 

 study of these four species will be presented in the following 

 paragraphs. 



YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. (XanthocepJialuS 



xanthocephalus) . 

 The Yellow-headed Blackbirds were by far the most 

 abundant breeding form of the swamp. In the part examined 

 there were probably several hundred nests; in the remaining 

 half of the sw^amp the number is only a matter of conjecture. 

 The nests which we examined were practically identical in 

 location, being built in the wild rice growing some distance 

 from the shore. They were woven in basket shape about 

 three or more stems from eighteen inches to two and one-half 

 feet above the water. The water in the region of the nests 

 was about hip deep and they seemed to be confined to a belt 



