264: BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 



plains, often following and running about with the cattle, in company 

 with Cowbirds ; but their natural home is on or about the marshy, 

 weedy grounds, and during the breeding season [they are] seldom to 

 be met with far away. . . . 



" Their notes are harsh, and their attempt at song a laborious, 

 whistling, squeaky, chuckling sound " (Goss). 



498. Agelaius phceniceuus (Linn.}. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 

 Ad. $ . Lesser wing-coverts " shoulders " bright scarlet ; middle wing- 

 coverts varying from ochraceous-buff to butty white ; rest of the plumage^ 

 black in fall and winter specimens more or less tipped with rusty. Im. $ . 

 Upper parts margined with rusty and butty ; under parts tipped with whitish ; 

 lesser wing-coverts dull orange-red mixed with black. Ad. 9 . Head and 

 back blackish, streaked with rusty and butty ; rump and upper tail-coverts 

 fuscous, more or less edged with ashy ; wings fuscous, edged with butty, the 

 lesser coverts sometimes tinged with reddish ; under parts conspicuously 

 streaked with black and white; the throat tinged with orange or yellow. 

 6 L., 9-51 ; W., 4-72; T., 3'77 ; B., -88. 



Range. Eastern North America ; breeds from the Gulf of Mexico to New 

 Brunswick and Manitoba, and winters from Virginia southward. 



Washington, common P. R., abundant in migrations. Sing Sing, common 

 S. R., Feb. 25 to Nov. 11. Cambridge, abundant S. R., Mch. to Aug. ; a few 

 winter. 



Nest, of coarse grasses, weed stalks, etc., lined with finer grasses and root- 

 lets, attached to low bushes or reeds. Eggs, three to five, pale blue, singularly 

 streaked, spotted, or scrawled with dark purple or black, chiefiy at the larger 

 end, 1-04 x -72. 



A swiftly moving, compact band of silent birds, passing low through 

 the brown orchard, suddenly wheels and, alighting among the bare 

 branches, with the precision of a trained choir breaks into a wild, 

 tinkling glee. It is quite possible that in the summer this rude chorus 

 might fail to awaken enthusiasm, but in the spring it is as welcome 

 and inspiring a promise of the new year as the peeping of frogs or 

 blooming of the first wild flower. 



Plain, streaked Mrs. Redwing, who has been spending the winter in 

 flocks composed only of others of her sex, soon appears, but mating is 

 delayed until late April or early May. Then we find the old homes in 

 the wet meadows and marshes occupied by apparently the same birds 

 which have dwelt there for years. 



Mounting the topmost branch of a tree not far from the nest, the male 

 becomes an ever-vigilant sentinel. Plis rich " kong-quer-ree" which by 

 association is so strongly suggestive of reedy marshes, is a signal that 

 " all's well." He challenges all suspicious characters by an inquiring 

 chut, cliuck, and with a long, shrill alarm-note, chee-e-e-e-e, circles out on 

 fluttering wings, his gorgeous crimson epaulets showing conspicuously. 



