COW BLACKBIRD 



April 3, 1894 



(Elmhurst) 



* I A HE cowbirds mingle a good deal with 

 A the grackles when migrating. They 

 are easily distinguished from them by 

 their smaller size and less conspicuous 

 tails. The males have brown heads and 

 necks and black bodies; the females are 

 grey all over. They utter while flying a 

 peculiar long whistling note, ending with a 

 quickly repeated trembling note on a little 

 higher key. It is rather a plaintive song 

 if it can be called a song and is quite 

 different from the scratching, cackling 

 notes of most blackbirds. They only 

 seem to practice this song a comparatively 

 short time in the year, in April and May. 

 I have also heard them utter a harsh rat- 

 tle while flying, much like the rattled notes 

 of the meadow lark. I think the females 

 made this note but am not sure. 



May, IQ06. The males make a noise 

 just like the gurgle of water through a 

 long necked bottle. 



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