Widmann-A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 155 

 *498 Agelaius phoeniceus (Linn.). Red-winged Blackbird. 



Agelaeus phoeniceus. Icterus pkoonceus. Sturnus predatorius. bwamp 

 Blackbird. 



Geoa Dist.-Eastcm United States and more southern British 

 Provinces except Gulf coast and Florida; west to eastern base 

 rZky Mountains. Breeds throughout its range and winters 

 torn southeastern Nebraska, central Blinois, Indiana, southern 



^^I^ S^r^cltn summer resident in all open districts, 

 on wefmeadowB in the valleys of the Ozarks on the open swajnps 

 of the southeast, in the ma:-shes of the ''°°XT.Z^sIZ 

 throughout the prairie region north and west, but always near 

 wato The floidplain of the Mississippi .s eertamly the great 

 Toilghfare for countless miUions of different kmds of black- 

 birds by far the most numerous of which is the Redwmg The 

 S^^ekly Ltted marsh graces offer excellent shelter -t n>ght and 

 the com shocks on adjacent farms keep them ..mn sta.v 

 in.^ when nothing better can be had. As far north as & 

 Charles Co. Redwings are loath to leave m wmter and small 

 troo s either of this species or of the lately separated north- 

 em subspecies may be seen in the coldest months. iJnusua 

 igor may drive tirem farther south for a few weeks, bu 

 they are back again with the first warm spell. Soon aftei 

 the middle of February migration begms m earnest the 

 vtguard spreading over southern and -f -1- -— 

 even over northern, Missouri before the f^mt of Ma ch. Afto 

 this first advance there is often a lull until the midd e o Ma.ch 

 when the great host reaches the state in immense flocks of loith- 

 bound transients. At the same time the first old males take up 

 thei avorite perches and announce that they intend to occupy 

 hem again the coming season. With the wonted ™'-'t"des^ 

 the season migration drags through Apnl and "^^f ^ /^ *e m ddk 

 of May, troops of females forming the rear guard aftei the mam 

 amiy has departed and probably reached the northern home_ 

 In the meantime the ranks of our summer residents have fil'ed 

 up, the females have at last joined their long-suttenng mates 

 courting is going on with much show and ado until towarf the 

 end of May domestic considerations bid them be reserved and 

 cautious. When the young are grown they join the Parents in 

 roving over the country in search of favorite dishes and seen e 

 roosting places, flying daily many miles to the willow thickets in 

 Ihe river bottoms or the Spartina stretches in the marshes. 



