184 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



the last note lower than the others. They often utter a 

 sharp peer, something like the cry of a Blue Jay ; while 

 the birds are feeding they utter a low musical twitter, and, 

 when flying up suddenly, a low trilled whistle. 



The size, the undulating flight, the short, stout bill, and 

 the white wing-bars serve to identify the gray birds ; the 

 red ones are unmistakable. 



BLACKBIRBS, ORIOLES, ETC. : FAMILT ICTERID.S] 



The eight members of the family Icteridae differ widely 

 in appearance and habits. The two Orioles are rarely seen 

 on the ground ; when they do come down, they hop. All 

 the other species get their food chiefly on the ground, and 

 these all walk. In four of the eight species black predomi- 

 nates ; these species are gregarious, often occurring in very 

 large flocks. The Orchard Oriole is found commonly only 

 as far north as southern Rhode Island and Connecticut. 

 The Eusty Blackbird is only a migrant in most of New 

 York and New England. 



Ceow Blackbird 



Bronzed Grackle. Quiscalus quis- 



Gula ceneus 

 Purple Grackle. Quiscalus quis- 



eula 



12.00-13.50 



Ad. $ . — Head, neck, and upper breast iridescent purple, vio- 

 let, or brassy-green in good light (at a. distance the whole bird 

 looks black) ; rest of body black, with metallic reflections ; wings 

 and tail bluish, violet, or purplish; tail long, middle pair of 

 feathers much longer than outer pair ; eye pale yellow. Ad. 9 . — 

 Similar, but browner and smaller. 



Nest, bulky, of dried grasses, etc., in trees. Eggs, greenish, 

 spotted and streaked with black and brown. 



The Crow Blackbird is a summer resident throughout 

 New York and New England, but in northern New England 



