43 



THE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: A STUDY 

 IN THE ECOLOGY OF A CAT- 

 TAIL MARSH. 



BY ARTHUR A. ALLEN, 



Zoological Laboratory, Cornell University.* 



CONTENTS 



Page. 



List of Illustrations 44 



Introduction 46 



Part I. The Environment. 



Description and zonal position of the marsh 48 



Division into associations. 



I. Open-water Association 54 



II. Shore-line Association 59 



III. Cat-tail Association 61 



IV. Sedge Association 64 



V. Grass Association 66 



VI. Alder-willow Association 67 



VII. Maple-elm Association 69 



Succession 73 



Part II. Life history and ecology of the Red-winged Blackbird. 



Spring migration 74 



Mating and song 87 



Nesting 92 



The young 100 



Fall migration 101 



Enemies 107 



Molt and plumage 109 



Food and food supply 110 



Correlation between changes in food and changes in structure of 



stomach « 123 



Correlation of changes occurring in the reproductive organs .... 124 



Conclusion 125 



Bibliography 127 



* The author wishes to express his appreciation to Professor H. D. Reed 

 for his helpful suggestions and criticisms of both the work and the manu- 

 script; to Dr. A. H. Wright for similar help and encouragement; to Pro- 

 fessor J. G. Needham for assistance in the determination of insects and 

 for the privileges of the Biological Field Station; to Mr. J. T. Lloyd for 

 his constant cooperation in the preparation of maps and gathering of 

 field data; to Professor G. C. Embody for similar assistance; to Professor 

 K. M. Wiegand for his criticism of that part of the manuscript pertaining 

 to the plant associations; and to Mr. Francis Harper for his critical reading 

 of the entire manuscript. 



