Birds of The Palisades Interstate Park 
36. Red-winged Blackbird. Agelaius phceniceus phceniceus 
(Linn.) 
Wherever there are swampy spots ol’ stagnant water supporting 
the button-bush and clumps of sprouts, the Red-winged Blackbird 
makes itself at home. It is a blackbird with scarlet marking on 
the bend of the wing, showing prominently in flight, the scarlet 
patch being bordered by buffy white. The male only has this 
showy coloration, the female being everywhere streaked with gray 
and brown, with buff ground color on the breast. The song notes 
of the male can be suggested by the syllables “ o-ka-lee”, with the 
last syllable finely drawn out. 
37. Starling. Sturmis vulgaris (Linn.) 
Like the English Sparrow, the Starling is a species introduced 
into America from Europe. It has become common in the parks 
in the vicinity of New York City, and can be observed at Bear 
Mountain Inn, frequenting the river shores and the margins of 
Hessian Lake. It closely resembles a blackbird, especially the Cow- 
bird or an undersized Purple Grackle at a distance, but its yellow 
bill is a certain mark to establish its identity. 
38. Crow. Corvus hrachyrhynchos brachyrliynchos Brehm 
The Crow is a regular and familiar resident of the Bear Moun- 
tain locality and throughout the Park. It prefers the tall trees 
of the river banks and the heavy woods of the mountain’s base, 
generally keeping well out of harm’s way as it forages for its daily 
fare. A family of crows lived in the wooded ravine near the inner 
entrance to the Inn grounds, and their noisy confabulations enliv- 
ened the early mornings along that portion of the mountain’s base. 
39. Blue Jay. Cyanocitta cristata crislata (Linn.) 
The Blue Jay is a well-known resident of the Bear Mountain 
locality. Its large size, its harsh, screaming calls, and its frequent 
disturbances with other birds, bring it into notice wherever it lives. 
Its showy colors, bright blue on wings and tail, and grayish blue 
on other upper parts, with black collar under the grayish throat. 
