128 Land Birds of Nezv England 



long, creaking note. Unfortunately, unless one is 

 near the bird, the first notes are apt to be missed. 

 The chief song months are March, April, and early 

 May; but he does not entirely cease, at least in the 

 neighborhood of New York, until mid-July, and re- 

 news his music for a few days in October. 



LITERATURE : 



Birdivays. OLIVE THORNE MILLER. 



71. COWBIRD (Molothrus ater.) 



Male : both upper and under parts of lustrous black with green and 

 purple reflections ; head and neck dark brown. Beak large, 

 conical, black ; feet dark brown or black. Bird about halfway 

 in size between a robin and a sparrow. Female : upper parts 

 brownish gray, obscurely mottled ; under parts similar but a 

 little lighter. 



THE cowbirds come to us in early April, and leave 

 in late September. They are to be found either 

 singly or in small flocks, usually perched on or near 

 the tops of trees in open country, and in the vicin- 

 ity of ploughed fields. The common name is due 

 to their fondness for seeking food in the neighbor- 

 hood of cattle. When on the ground, a place they 

 rarely choose, they have the habit of walking rather 

 than hopping, which characterizes blackbirds in 

 general. They come to us about the first of April, 

 and leave about the middle of October. 



The cowbirds build no nest, but drop the eggs in 

 the nests of other birds, usually choosing those of 



