BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
211 
the female, may soon be recognized hy the black feathers appearing singly or in 
patches ; immature males exhibit every possible condition of coloration between that 
of the old female and of the adult male. 
Male measures about 9| inches in length and 15.25 inches in extent. 
Habitat , — North America in general, from Great Slave Lake south to Costa Rica. 
The Swamp or Red-wing-ed Blackbird, as this well-known species is 
usually designated, is a common summer resident in Pennsylvania. 
Arrives in small flocks about March 20 ; males come a few days in ad- 
vance of females ; both sexes in company leave during the latter part of 
September. These birds, mainly terrestial when feeding, frequent prin- 
cipally meadows, flelds and swamps. Nests, built early in May and also 
in July (two broods being sometimes raised in this locality), are placed 
in tussocks of grass or in low bushes, preferably along the borders of 
streams or ponds. Nest, bulky, composed chiefly of coarse grasses, 
lined with flner grass ; those built on bushes are mostly very compact, 
others are generally loose and carelessly constructed. The eggs, four 
to six, a little less than an inch long, and not quite three-fourths of an 
inch broad, are light-bluish, spotted, blotched and lined with black and 
purplish-brown. Sometimes several females, with only one male will be 
found breeding in a swamp or field, at other times the male appears to 
devote his exclusive attention to one female. A dozen or more nests 
may frequently be seen in close proximity to each other, and their 
owners always appear on friendly terms ; when these nesting-places are 
approached the Red-wings hover over your head and utter sharp piteous 
cries. 
Although Swamp Blackbirds sometimes visit cornfields during the 
planting season, and also again when the corn is in the milky state, the 
amount of grain which they take or injure is so small that the farmer is 
seldom heard to utter a complaint against them. 
The following twenty odd records will suffice t<3 show the general 
nature of the food during the months of March, April and May : 
No. 
Date. 
Locality. 
Food-Materials. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
G 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
March 8, 1880, 
March 18, 1882, 
March 18. 1882, 
March 18, 1882, 
March 18. 1882, 
March 18, 1882, 
March 31, 1883, 
March 31, 1883, 
April 12, 1883, 
April 14, 1883, 
April 14, 1883, 
April 14, 1883, 
April 14, 1883, 
May 3, 1880, 
May 20, 1883, 
May 20. 1883, 
May 20. 1883, 
May 20. 1883, 
May 20. 1883, 
May 20. 1883, 
May 28, 1883, 
May 28. 1883, 
May 28, 1883, 
May 28. 1883, 
May 3. 1884, 
Chester county, Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa., 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county, Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. . 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa., 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa.. 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Chester county. Pa. , 
Beetles. 
Beetles. 
Small seeds. [ter. 
Beetles and small amount of undetermined vegetable mat- 
Grubs and few seeds. 
Beetles and particles of Indian corn. 
Small black-colored seeds. 
Grass seeds. 
Small seeds and insects. 
Small seeds and beetles. 
Small seeds and beetles. 
Beetles chiefly ; some few small seeds. [matter. 
Beetles chiefly and small amount undetermined vegetable 
Insects, with apparently few blades of grass (?). 
Beetles and grubs. 
Corn “cutworms.” 
Beetles and other insects. 
Beetles ^nd other insects. 
Beetles and ‘ ‘ cut worms. ” 
Brown-colored seeds. 
Cut worms and beetles. 
Black-colored seeds. 
Beetles and few small seeds. 
Chiefly • ‘ cut worms ” and traces of beetles. 
Purple-colored fles. 
