Birds of Allegany Park 3 2 5 



flat. The eggs are unmarked and lighter blue than those of the 

 Black-bill. 



Black-billed Cuckoo. Coccysus erythrophthalmus (Wils.) 



This bird is very similar in general appearance to the Yellow- 

 billed Cuckoo, but may be distinguished by the black bill, smaller 

 white spots on the under side of the tail, red eye-ring, and lack of 

 cinnamon color in the wing when in flight. 



It is fairly common in the Park, but evidently slightly less so 

 than the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. It occurs in similar places, in 

 bushes or trees mainly along the stream borders, but to some ex- 

 tent in thickets or the edges of forests. 



The notes of this Cuckoo differ from those of the Yellow-billed 

 both in time and quality. They have a soft gurgling sound like 

 " glug " rather than " cuk," and are grouped in pairs or threes re- 

 peated at even intervals of time. " Glug-ghig — gliig-glug " or 

 " g^ug-gh'ff-g^g — S^ u S~ff^ u 9S^ u S>" with on e note of each group 

 accented, and the whole repeated over and over, will represent the 

 song. 



The nest, like that of the Yellow-bill, is a poorly made platform 

 of sticks, placed in a thick bush or low tree. The eggs are darker 

 blue than those of the preceding species. 



Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Zamelodm ludoviciana (Linn.) 



This striking bird is slightly smaller than the Robin. The black 

 and white male, with its rose-pink breast and heavy beak can hardly 

 be mistaken for any other bird. The female is brown with a striped 

 breast and rather broad light stripes over each eye. Her coloring 

 closely suggests the female Purple Finch, but her larger size and 

 heavier bill will identify her. 



The Grosbeak is widely distributed in the Park, but not especially 

 common. In early July at least three males were in song above 

 Frecks. Other birds were seen in the upper Red House Valley, 

 at Wolf Run and on Limestone Brook, but none was noted near 

 Salamanca. It is an inhabitant of bushy thickets and small trees 

 along streams. It does not live much on the ground as other thicket 

 inhabiting birds do, but mainly in bushes or the low branches of 

 trees. 



The song is a beautiful one, exceptionally good for so brilliant 

 colored a bird. In quality and form it suggests the Robin, but is 

 less evenly rhythmic, the phrases usually connected without the 

 pauses that characterize the Robin's song. When pauses do occur 

 they are few, and placed at irregular intervals. A high-pitched, 

 rather squeaky call note, " kink," is also characteristic of this bird. 



The nest is placed in a bush, usually from six to twelve feet or 

 more from the ground. It is made of fine twigs or stems, often 

 the curving stems of vines, but is so thin-walled that the contents 

 may usually be seen from below. The eggs are bluish, with red- 

 dish brown spots. The male bird, in spite of his bright coloring, 

 assists in the duties of incubation. 

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