50 

 Crows and Jays 



Bluejay, Cyanocitta cristata. — Few birds are more conspicuous or better 

 known than the blue jay. It has been blamed for robbing the nests of other birds 

 and eating grain and fruit. Examinations of 292 stomachs by the biologist of 

 the United States Department of Agriculture showed that its food consists of insects 

 and spiders, but largely of grain seeds and fruit. The accusation of eating the 

 eggs and young of birds was not sustained, and the conclusion was that the bluejay 

 certainly does far more good than harm. 



Canada Jay, Perisoreus canaidensis. — The Canada jay lives in the northern 

 wooded regions and its food habits probably does not affect the agriculturist. It 

 is also known as the Whisky Jack. 



Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchus. — The food of the crow consists of grain, fruit, 

 insects, spiders, mice, the young of birds and their eggs, and much other vegetable 

 and animal matter. The crow is generally regarded as an injurious bird and some- 

 times its depredations on grain fields are serious. It also destroys the young 

 and eggs of many birds, though this is only a small item of its food. On the other 

 hand, it feeds also on injurious insects as grasshoppers. May beetles, weevils, cut- 

 worms, and is also fond of the smaller vertebrates, such as young rabbits and mice. 

 On the whole, where not too plentiful, the injury and good done by the crow about 

 balance. 



Northern Raven, Corvus corax principalis. — The raven differs from the crow 

 in its much greater size and in the presence of long pointed feathers on the throat. 

 Its food habits do not seem' to have been studied, but they are probably much like 

 those of the crow. 



Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. 



The Bobolink, Delachonyx oryzivorus, is a valuable bird during the summer 

 season in the north, feeding on weevils, caterpillars and grasshoppers, but is very 

 destructive to the rice crop in the southern United States during its migrations. 



The Cowbird, Molothrus ater, has often been condemned because of its habit 

 of laying its eggs in the nests of other birds, but its food habits make it a valuable 

 bird. About 50 per cent, of its food consists of the seeds of noxious weeds, 20 per 

 cent, of harmful or annoying insects, and about 16 per cent, of grain, part of which 

 is probably waste. It does not feed on fruit. 



The Redwinged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, lives chiefly on noxious in- 

 sects and weed seeds. It also feeds on grain, but the service rendered by its des- 

 truction of insects and seeds far outweighs the damage to grain fields. 



