The Brewer Blackbird 



volume. In general, we may say with Grinnell 1 that "it breeds the 

 whole length of the State — at the north chiefly east of the Sierran divide, 

 south, east of the Sierras, to Owens Valley, west of the Sierras through 

 the Sacramento Valley and marginal foothills of the San Joaquin Valley, 

 and coastally from the San Francisco Bay region south through the San 

 Diegan district." It summers, therefore, through Upper Sonoran and 

 Lower Transition and into Boreal of characteristically Sonoran complexion 

 or approaches. In winter it probably retains its middle holdings, but its 

 upper level population recedes to Lower Sonoran levels and to unoccu- 

 pied Upper Sonoran areas, such as the southern central valleys. 



We have called the Brewer Blackbird "Grackle," and are influenced, 

 not alone by structure, but as much, perhaps, by consideration of its 

 economy, which is largely that of the "Crow Blackbird" {Quiscalus 

 quiscalus and its allies). It is in his notes, however, that the Brewer 

 Blackbird betrays his affinities best of all. The melodiously squeaking 

 chatter of mating time is, of course, most like that of the Rusty Blackbird 

 (E. carolinus), but it lacks the bubbling character. He has then the 

 swelling note of the Grackles proper, fff-weet, the latter part rendered with 

 something of a trill, the former merely as an aspirate; and the whole 

 accompanied by expansion of body, slight lifting of wings, and partial 

 spreading of tail. This note is uttered not only during the courting 

 season, but on the occasion of excitement of any kind. Kooree has a 

 fine metallic quality which promptly links it to the Keyring note of the 

 Redwing. Chup is the ordinary note of distrust and alarm, or of stern 

 inquiry, as when the bird-man is caught fingering the forbidden ovals. 

 A harsh, low rattle, or rolling note, is also used when the birds are squab- 

 bling among themselves, or fighting for position. 



The menu of Euphagus cyanocephalus is highly varied, as becomes a 

 bird which dwells from sea-level to timber-line. It consists in part of 

 grain, but this is chiefly gleaned waste (remember that the bird is absent 

 from much of the grain-growing area at harvest season). After this, 

 come weed-seeds and insects of a thousand hues, chiefly injurious or 

 superabundant. Dr. Bryant 2 , in investigating the butterfly scourge, 

 which for several years past has been destroying the chaparral in the Mt. 

 Shasta region, found that Brewer's Blackbird was the only species which 

 was addressing itself resolutely to the task of keeping the butterflies 

 (Eugonia californica) within bounds. Whole flocks of these blackbirds 

 subsisted almost entirely upon the adult butterflies for the week during 

 which they were under observation. 



Garden fruits, especially cherries, are sometimes levied upon; but 



'Pac. Coast Avifauna, No. II, p. 106. 



2 "The Condor," Vol. XIII. , Nov. 1911, pp. 195-208. 



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