EATON BIRDS OF WESTERN NEW YORK. 43 



495. Molothrus ater (Bodd. ) Cowbird. 



Summer resident ; abundant. Mar. 20 — Oct. 25. Occasional 

 in winter. Found in pastures, orchards and hedgerows. In autumn 

 gregarious like all blackbirds, feeding in grain fields and meadows. 

 Entirely parasitic, a variety of hosts being selected, varying in size 

 from yellow warbler to mourning dove. Warblers, vireos and the 

 chipping sparrow usually chosen. This bird is a menace to the 

 increase of our smaller insectivorous birds. 



498. Agelaius phoeniceus (Linn.) Red-winged blackbird. 



Summer resident ; abundant. Mar. 10 — Nov. 10. Frequents 

 swamps and lowland pastures. Nest, over the water in the sedge 

 grass or low bush ; May 3 — June 15 ; eggs 4-5. Large flocks in fall 

 do much damage to the ripening grain ; otherwise beneficial. 



501. Sturnella magna (Linn.) Meadowlark. 



Summer resident ; common. Mar. 12 — Nov. 20. Occasional in 

 winter. Found in meadows, pastures and swamps. Nest, concealed 

 in the grass ; May 10 — July 10 (probably a second brood); eggs 4-5. 

 Beneficial. 



506. Icterus spurius (Linn.) Orchard oriole. 



Summer resident ; rather uncommon. May 15 — Aug. Reported 

 from Holly, Gaines, Chili, Cayuga, Ithaca, Utica, and Port Byron. 

 Has bred at Lakeside Park — Auk 16, 195 ; Buffalo — Ottomar Rei- 

 necke ; Montezuma, May 27, 1899 — Burdette Wright; Hamilton, 

 May 26, 1899 — Geo. C, Embody. 



507. Icterus galbula (Linn.) Baltimore oriole. 



Summer resident; abundant. May 3 — Sept. i. Frequents 

 orchards and shade trees. Nest, usually suspended from the droop- 

 ing branches of an elm, or the twigs of an apple or maple tree, 10-40 

 feet from the ground ; May 15 — June 10 ; eggs 4-6. Mainly benefi- 

 cial, but sometimes destroys fruit buds, green peas and small fruits. 



508. Icterus bullocki (Swains.) Bullock's oriole. 



Accidental visitant. This western species was taken at Onondaga 

 Valley, May 17, 1879, by J. A. Dakin — A. W. Pernor. 



509. Scolecophagus carolinus (MUU. ) Rusty blackbird. 

 Transient visitant ; abundant in the fall ; fairly common in the 



spring. April I -30 ; Sept. 10 — Nov. 15. Practically confined to 

 the vicinity of water, and wades almost as well as any snipe. 



