220 BIRDS OP ALABAMA 



colonies in small patches of reeds or rushes growing in shallow 

 water. The nests are rather bulky structures, composed of 

 dry rushes with an inner layer of mud and a lining of grasses. 

 When feeding, the birds travel in small and rather loose flocks, 

 and most of their food is secured on the ground. They are 

 rather noisy and their notes somewhat harsh, though less so, 

 perhaps, than those of the purple grackle ; one of these notes 

 is described as "a noisy, clucking clac-clac-clac, frequently fol- 

 lowed by a long-drawn whistle like who-it, who-it" (Bendire) . 

 Food habits. — The food of this grackle, as might be ex- 

 pected from its littoral habits, contains a rather large element 

 (15.6 per cent) of sea-food, crawfish, crabs, shrimps, snails, 

 etc. A few lizards, batrachians, and small mammals are 

 eaten, as also are many insects, including beetles, moths, 

 grasshoppers, cotton-boll worms, and boll weevils. Corn was 

 found in stomachs taken at all seasons, but most of those 

 examined came from Texas, where the bird ranges in culti- 

 vated fields much more than it does in Alabama. Wherever 

 abundant, however, this grackle is likely to do some damage 

 to the corn crop. It takes some fruit also, such as figs and 

 wild grapes, and occasionally eats pecans or other nuts. 



FINCHES, SPARROWS, GROSBEAKS, ETC.: Family Fringillidae. 



ENGLISH SPARROW: Passer domesticus domesticus . 



(Linnaeus) . 



State records. — The English sparrow was first introduced 

 into this country at Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1850. At first it 

 spread rather slowly, but by 1880 it had reached northern and 

 eastern Alabama, appearing in that year at Athens, Talladega, 

 and Union Springs. In 1882, four birds were introduced at 

 Eufaula and in 1883 the species appeared at Auburn, Annis- 

 ton, Clayton and Tuscumbia.* It was first seen at Leighton 

 in the summer of 1886 (McCormack). Since that time it has 

 spread with marvelous rapidity and now occupies practically 

 the entire State. 



General habits. — The habits of the English sparrow are too 

 well known to require any extended description. Essentially 

 domestic, the bird occupies not only all the cities and towns, 



♦Ewing, H. E.. The Auk, vol. 28, pp. 336-840, 1911. 



