[52.0] BIRDS OF OREGON 



streaks and black streaks and bars; middle of back heavily marked with black, and 

 tertials, rump, and tail heavily barred; outer tail feathers mainly white; under parts 

 bright yellow, yellow of throat spreading over cheeks; crescent on breast and spotting on 

 sides black. Adult female in breeding plumage: similar, but paler, and yellow restricted. 

 Adults in winter plumage: upper parts lighter, from unworn light tips and edgings of 

 feathers; black and yellow of under parts veiled by light edgings. Male: length 

 (skins) 8.3110.14, wing 4.66-5.08, tail z. 69 3.15, bill 1.17-1.44. Female: length 

 (skins) 7.74-9.00, wing 4.11-4.59, tail 1.39-1.84, bill 1.09-1.18." (Bailey) Nest: 

 In a tuft of grass, usually more or less arched over with dried grasses (Plate 88, A). 

 Eggs: 3 to 7, white, spotted with brown and purple. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba 

 south to Lower California, Mexico, and Texas. Winters throughout its breeding 

 range and southward into Mexico. In Oregon: Permanent resident throughout State 

 except on highest mountains. 



THE WESTERN MEADOWLARK was chosen by vote of the school children 

 as Oregon's State bird, and the choice was ratified by the Legislature. 

 Suckley (Cooper and Suckley 1860) reported it as abundant about The 

 Dalles, and nearly every person who has written on Oregon birds since 

 has had something to say about this species that is probably the most 

 widely distributed and among the most abundant of the permanent resi- 

 dent birds. It is equally at home in the arid sage plateaus of south- 

 eastern Oregon and the tide flats of the humid coast district. It appears 

 in our field notes from every county in the State, and its cheery song is 

 known to our school children everywhere, facts that probably account 

 for its choice as State bird. 



During the winter the birds withdraw somewhat from the State and 

 those remaining gather into small wintering bands that seek the sheltered 

 valleys during the worst weather. In late February or early March, they 

 increase in numbers as the migrants move north. By early April, mating 

 is completed and eggs may be found. We have notes on egg dates varying 

 from April 3 to June 16, although the height of the nesting season is 

 reached in early May. 



Yellow-headed Blackbird: 



Xanthocephalus xanthocefhalus (Bonaparte) 



DESCRIPTION. "Bill decidedly shorter than head, its depth through base less than 

 half the length of the exposed culmen; culmen straight, flattened ; sexes different in 

 size; wing long and pointed; tarsus nearly one fourth as long as wing; claws large, 

 lateral ones reaching beyond base of middle one. Adult male in summer: black except 

 for yellow or orange of head, throat, and chest, and white patch on wings. Adult 

 male in winter: similar, but yellow of top of head obscured by brownish tips to 

 feathers. Adult female: brownish, throat and chest dull yellowish, breast mixed with 

 white. Young male in first winter: similar to female, but larger and deeper colored. 

 Male: length (skins) 8.60-10.10, wing 5-32.-5.73, tail 3.66-4.17, bill .83-. 99. 

 Female: length (skins) 7.50-8.30, wing 4.33-4.64, tail 3.10-3.45, bill .77-.%}." 



