15LACKBIRDS, ORIOLES 



(494) Dolichonyx oryzivorus 



{Linn.} {Gr., long claw; rice-devourcr). 



BOBOLINK ; RICE-BIRD; 

 REED-BIRD; SKUNK BLACK- 

 BIRD. Ad. a' ill summer — As 

 shown by bird in the foreground. 

 Chiefly black and white; nape bufi'y 

 and wing feathers more or less edged 

 with the same, c? in fall, 9 , and 

 young — Entirely diSerent as shown 

 by the bird in the background — 

 streaked brown, sparrow-like birds, 

 but easily recoRnized by the stift' 

 pointed tail feathers. L., 7.25; W., 

 3.7s; T., 2.85; Tar., i.oo. Nest — 

 Of grasses, on the ground in meadows; 

 four or fi\-e whitish eggs, very heavily 

 blotched and clouded with browns. 



Range — Breeds from southern 

 Canada south to N. J., W. Va., Ind., 

 Mo., and Nev. 



Their manner of living is not unlilce that of the common 

 English Sparrows. They nest in niches anywhere; in hollow 

 trees, bird bo.xes, crevices about buildings and, in Europe, 

 often on sea cliffs. They are just as much at home about 

 the streets and buildings of large cities as in the country. 

 They have no connected song but make a great many notes, 

 some musical and others not. The most noticeable one is 

 a high-pitched, long-drawn, clear piping whistle. Their 

 food consists of insects, grain, berries, or fruits. They are 

 very quarrelsome among themselves and with other birds. 

 Unless checked, it is believed that they will in time prove as 

 great a curse as English Sparrows. 



Family ICTERIDtE. Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. 



BOBOLINKS are characteristic birds of our northern 

 meadows in spring and summer. At this season the male 

 is very handsomely clothed in jet black and bufiy white, 

 while his mate looks much like an ordinary sparrow. The 



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