GROUP 3— BLUE 



477. Blue Jay — Cyanocitta cr'istita cristita. 



Robin-size (larger); length ii^4 inches. 



Crested; upperparts dull blue; wings and tail 

 bright blue; underparts whitish; outer tail feath- 

 ers white-tipped; inner wing feathers white-tipped 

 and white-barred; a broken irregular festoon of 

 black crossing forehead and breast. 



The only distinctly blue bird of such large size. 

 The notes are many, but nearly all are harsh. 

 The most common call-note is a very loud jay, jay. 



Mostly a bird of the woods. Usually timid. 



598. Indigo Bunting — Passer ma cyanea. 



Sparrow-size (small) ; length 5^ inches. 



Male — Rich, deep blue; blackish towards base of 

 bill, wings and tail largely black. Female — Quite 

 different. Upperparts grayish brown; underparts 

 light, washed and streaked with grayish; belly 

 white; wings and tail blackish, feathers margined 

 lighter. 



Haunts — Tangles of bushes, especially along 

 edges of woods. The male usually selects a rather 

 high perch from which to sing, often repeating the 

 song over and over many times from the same 

 place. The female usually stays among the bushes 

 and tall weeds where her nest is built. 



654. Black-throated Blue Warbler — Den- 

 droica cacrulescens caerulesccns. 



Smaller than sparrow; length 5*4 inches. 



Male — Upperparts mostly blue, throat and sides 

 black (see frontispiece). Female — Upper parts 

 olive-green; little white at base of main wing 

 feathers; underparts dull buffy yellowish; sides 

 of head dusky gray. 



658. Cerulean Warbler — Dendroica cerulea. 



Smaller than sparrow; length \Y 2 inches. 



Male — Upperparts light blue; under parts 

 white, a bluish black band across the breast; sides 

 streaked with bluish black; two white wing-bars; 



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