FAM. XIV. BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 143 



Key to the Species 



* Culmen, 1 or more long ; a black crescent-shaped spot on the breast ; 



lower parts with much yellow ; tail with acute feathers and over an inch 

 shorter than the wings ; under tail feathers white. . .6. Meadowlark. 



* Culmen less than | long ; tail feathers acute at tip, and the under ones 



without white ; tail about an inch shorter than the wings. 1. Bobolink. 



* Tail feathers usually rounded at tip, never very acute. (A.) 



A. Bill very stout, decidedly more than half as high at base as long ; 

 head and neck seal-brown, rest of plumage black (male) or general 



plumage brownish {female) 2. Cowbird. 



A. Bill less stout, usually less than half as high at base as long ; never 

 much more than half. (B.) 

 B. Culmen, 1 or more long; bill with its tip conspicuously decurved ; - 

 tail with its under feathers -|-4 inches shorter than the 

 middle ones ; no bright yellow or orange in the plum- 

 age. (E.) 

 B. Culmen, f-1 long ; tail with the under feathers not over | 



inch shorter than the middle ones. (C.) 



B. In the extreme south there may be found birds with culmen |-1 J long 



and with the under tail feathers over |- shorter than the middle ones. 



These all have yellow or orange in their plumage and are described 



under No. 7 7. Hooded Oriole and Audubon's Oriole. 



C. Black, with red or reddish shoulder patch (male), or I'usty and 

 black streaked, with the under parts conspicuously black and white 



streaked {female) 4. Red- winged Blackbird. 



C. Black, with yellow head and breast and large white wing patch 

 {male), or brownish-black with yellowish head and breast and small 



white wing patch {female) 3. Yellow-headed Blackbird. 



C. Black throughout with more or less of rusty tips to the feathers 

 {male) , or slate-color with feathers sometimes rusty tipped {female) . 



8. Rusty Blackbird, or 9. Brewer's Blackbird. 



C. Not as above ; bill slender, less than half as high as long ; i plum- 

 age with some distinct yellow, orange, or chestnut. 

 (D.) 

 D. Under tail feathers about a half inch shorter than the 



middle ones 6. Orchard Oriole. 



D. Under tail feathers nearly as long as the middle ones 



7. Baltimore Oriole. 



E. Tail with the under feathers less than 1| inches shorter than the 



middle ones ; wings and tail of about equal length 



10. Purple Grackle. 



E. Tail with the under feathers over 1| inches shorter than the middle 



ones ; wings and tail of about equal length. 12. Boat-tailed Grackle. 



E. Tail decidedly longer than the wings and with its under feathers 



2^-3 J inches shorter (Texas) 11. Great-tailed Grackle. 



