CROW RELATIVES 



Our remaining species is the Rusty Blackbird. 

 This is a little smaller than the last, about the size of 

 the Redwings. The male is all black, which makes his 

 white eyes conspicuous, while his mate is much less 

 showy, of a dull rusty grayish brown. They are with 

 us in April, on their way north, and then again rather 

 late in the fall. None are known to nest further south 

 than northern New England, but I have been at the 

 Magdalen Islands in June when the young were just 

 leaving their nests in the spruce swamps. These 

 looked like Robins* nests and were built on the lower 

 branches of the spruces. What a fuss the old birds 

 made over my presence, not to lionize, but to berate! 

 I took my revenge by setting up my camera near a 

 small spruce and focussed on the top where the female 

 Rusty was inclined to alight. The next time she did 

 it I pulled the thread and caught her in the act, her 

 open mouth emitting a flood of saucy expletives. This 

 I shall use against her in court if the occasion ever 

 requires it. 



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