Perching Birds Chiefly Gray, Black, or Black and White 



475. \merican Magpie (Pica pica hudsoma'). L. 

 2o, Ads. Bill blaek] scapulars, belly and most of 

 inner margins of primaries white; wings glossy blue 

 black, tail externally greenish; back and nreast vel- 

 vety black. Notas. Cack, each, also garrulous gabble 

 intermixed with whistling notes. (Bendire.) 



Ranpe.— Western Norih America, east to Itie Plains, west to Cas- 

 cade and Sierra Ranges; breeds from norttiern New Mex'co and 

 nDrthPrn Ariipna nont) to .Alaska, strays farther east In winter. 



476. Yellow-billed Magpie {Pica imttalli). Similar 

 to No. 475, but bill and eye-space j^ellow; smaller, L, 

 i8. Notes. A harsh, rasping, cac-cac-i:ac; and a low, 

 rich whistle, audible only at a short distance. 



Range. California, west of Sierra Nevada, 'north to Red Bluff 

 and south to Santa Paula." (Gr1nne]L) 



493. Starling {Sturnus vulgaris) , L. 8.5; T. 2.5. 

 Ad, summer, Metallic green and purple spotted above 

 with buffy; bill ^sllow. Ad. winter. Similar, but 

 above heavily spotted with brownish buff; below 

 heavily spotted with white; bill blackish. Notes. A 

 long-drawn, two-noted whistle, the second lower; and 

 a chattering, metallic call when in flocks. 



Range,- Europe and northern Asia; accidental In Greenland; In- 

 tTDduced Into New York Qty In 1B90; now comnion, extending east 

 to New Havt:i], ComiectJLut. jiuilh. to Ob^kLijjig, New Vt^rk, south to 

 Staten Island anfPlalnfield, [New Jersey, 



495. Cowbird {Molothrus atsr). L. 7.9; W. 4.2. 



Ad. cT- Head and neck coffee-brown, body greenish 

 black. Ad.^. Brownish gray, throat lighter. Yng. 

 Like 9. Notes. A metallic twitter, and by the male, 

 a long-drawn, glassy kluck-tse-e-e; and watery gurg- 

 ling notes uttered with spread wings and tail. 



Range.— United States' rarewastof Rockies; breeds from Florida 

 and T»K3S north to New Brunswick and Llltia S1av« Lake; w«st to 

 eastern Oregon. Nevsda. and soufheaslern California; winters from 

 snvithern Neiv Jersey, snuthern Illinois, Indian Territory, northern 

 Texas, and southeastern California, southward. 



495a. Dwarf Cowbird (A/, a. obscurus). Similar to 

 No. 495. but smaller, L. 7.5; W. 4- 



Range.— Southwestern IJnlieii Stales; from Gulf Coast of Texas 

 west aiongMexIcan boundary 10 Arizona and Lower California; win- 

 ters south of United States. 



496. Red-eyed Cowbird {Callothrus robustus"). 

 L. Q. Ad. cf . Velvety bronze-black; wings and tail 

 shining blue-black. Ad. 9- Dull black, wings and 

 tail with slight greenish reflections. 



Range. — Southern and eastern Mexicc north, In spring, to Lower 

 Rio Grande, Texas. 



620. Phainopepla {Pbainopepla miens). L. 7.5, 

 Crested. Ad. (^. Shining black; inner vanes of 

 primaries largely white, showing in flight. Ad. 9- 

 Dark gray, tail blacker, wing-coverts and quills nar- 

 rowly margined with wniti.sh. Yng. Like ¥■ Notes. 

 Calls, commonest, like call of young Robin; male 

 has also a scold, a Meadowlark-llke note and a 

 harsli ca-rach o'c ca-racack; song, a jumble of flute- 

 like tones and weak, squeaky notes. (Bailey.) 



Ranpa. — Mexico north to weEiern Texas, southern Utah and south- 

 ern California; winters from Mexican bcrder southward. 



2S-A 



