STURNELLA MAGNA. 
139 
“The habits of the Yellow-headed Blackbird partake in their character of those of the 
Red-wings with which it usually associates. It is, however, more decidedly gregarious, 
while it is also noticeably more terrestrial, being frequently seen on the ground walking 
about with a stately, graceful step very much after the manner of the Cow Blackbird.” 
“The Yellow-headed Blackbird usually, if not always, breeds in colonies, in which re¬ 
spect it corresponds in habits with Brewer’s Blackbird and other members of the family, 
selecting for the purpose an extensive marsh filled with tules. It attaches its nest to the 
reed stalks, fastening them between several upright stems. The material, and doubtless 
also the exact position of the nest, probably vary more or less according to the character 
of the locality. The males of this species loiter in the vicinity of the nests while the females 
are incubating and, when their homes are invaded, circle about the intruder, uttering at 
the same time harsh notes of distress. The song of this Blackbird is a very unmusical 
affair. Indeed we cannot bring to mind any other of our native birds whose notes are so 
discordant, and we know not with what to compare them unless it be the grating squawk of 
a Guinea Fowl. The male, however, makes a great parade of himself when in a musical 
humor, puffing out his feathers, strutting about in a very pompous manner, and then, after 
a great heave and strain, delivers himself of a wheezy sort of squeak which is evidently 
satisfactory to himself, while it also seems to please his mate.” 
GENUS V. STURNELLA. THE MEADOW LARKS. 
Gen. Ch. Bill, pointed, broad at tip, equal in length to the head. Upper mandible very litlle curved. Wings very much 
longer than the tail which is well rounded. Feet, large. Sternum, narrower, but little exceeding the height of the heel in 
width. Coracoids much shorter than the top of the keel. Marginal indentations shallow and narrow. Stomach, not very 
muscular. Size, large. 
Members of this genus are conspicuously marked with yellow or other bright colors below. The legs are long and the 
tail short, indicating terrestrial habits. The females are smaller than the males. 
STURNELLA MAGNA. 
Meadow Lark. 
Sturnella magna Sw., Phil. Mag., I; 1828, 436. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Feet, very large and stout. Tongue, long, thin and horny, with a longitudinal 
central depression, and deeply bifid at tip, but without any terminal cilia. Blue in color on the basal half, remainder, 
white. Sternum, as given above. 
Color. Adult male in summer. Above, including wings and tail, reddish-brown, with the feathers of the back and 
rump having lighter edges and dark-brown centers. Wings and tail have either the central portions dark-brown with 
confluent, transverse bars or with both webs barred without the central line. Outer feathers of tail, white, with some por¬ 
tions of outer and inner webs more or less marked with brown. Top of head, dark-brown, with a median line extending 
from the bill to the occiput, yellowish-white. Sides of head, excepting dark-brown line back of eye, loras, sides of neck, 
sides, flanks, under wing coverts, and under tail coverts, ashy-white, more or less tinged with yellow, especially on the lat¬ 
ter named portion,and line extending from base of bill topointover eye, bright gamboge-yellow. Spots on sides, flanks, and 
crescent shaped mark on breast, with the horns broadening out and extending up on to the neck, black. Bill, dark-brown, 
bluish at base of lower mandible. Feet, brown. 
Adult female in summer. Smaller in size than the males and with the dark markings more or less obscured with brown¬ 
ish-yellow. 
Adult in winter. Diffex-s from the summer dress in being more rufous above and in having the black markings obscur¬ 
ed with whitish. This is much more noticeable in the female, and in both sexes just after the antumnal moult. 
Young of the year. Has the markings above more suffused. There is very much less yellow in advance of the eye. 
The entire under parts are overwashed with whitish nearly obscuring the black crescent. There is more white on the tail. 
