648 
BIRDS OF NEW MEXICO 
rather common, June 19, 1919, about Taos (Ligon). In northern Santa Fe County, 
common, nesting in willows along the rivers (Jensen, 1923).] It has been found 
breeding at Los Pinos (Coues); Fort Wingate (Hollister); Lake Burford, Lake La 
Jara, Taos, Santa Rosa, and Roswell (Bailey); Carlsbad (Dearborn); and Beaver 
Lake (Birdseye). The breeding season is considerably extended. Although it begins 
so early that young were already out of the nest on June 18, 1905, at Fort Wingate 
(Hollister), an adult male was carrying food to young on August 13,1910, at Carlsbad 
(Dearborn). [At Lake Burford a nest with four eggs was found, June 14, 1918 (Wet- 
more). At the lakes of the Rio Grande Gun Club, southwest of Albuquerque, June 
16, 1919, two nests with fresh eggs and many young were seen. In the Pecos 
Valley between Roswell and Fort Sumner, June 16-21, 1918, they were observed at 
several places. They were common in the marshes about Salt Draw and on the 
farms and ponds in the vicinity of Roswell. A male and two females were breeding 
near the river 15 miles south of Fort Sumner (Ligon).] 
In the fall, specimens were taken at Carlsbad, September 11, 1901 (Bailey); and 
September 12, 1902 (Gaut). 
Red-wings, also presumably of this subspecies, winter abundantly throughout the 
lower parts of New Mexico especially near the Rio Grande from Albuquerque (Lor- 
ing) to Mesilla (Merrill), and one was taken at Las Vegas Hot Springs on December 
23, 1882 (Batchelder). [In Colfax County, Charles Springer is sure Red-winged 
Blackbirds have been seen at all seasons, some remaining throughout some winters 
(1925).! Several were seen on the Tularosa River, 7 miles southwest of Aragon, 
Socorro County, about 7,000 feet, in zero weather, December 14, 1915 (Ligon). 
In the spring, specimens were taken, March 9 and 13, 1904, at Cienequilla, and 
April 28, 1904, at Rinconada (Surber). [In Grant County, May 6-10, 1920, females 
were observed commonly from Silver City to the Mexican boundary, but males were 
seen only at the San Simon marshes, May 9. 1920 (Ligon).] 
Individuals, presumably of this subspecies, were seen at Willis, at 8,500 feet, in 
spring (Birtwell); in the Hondo Valley at 8,000 feet, August 12, 1904, and at nearly 
the same altitude, September 5-10, 1903, at Guadalupita (Bailey). Apparently it 
does not occur at much higher altitudes.—W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —Attached to upright stems of sedges or reeds, or to branches of bushes or 
small trees in swamps or marshes; a bulky structure, made usually of rushes, sedges, 
marsh grass, or strips of bark, lined with finer grasses, sometimes hair, and occa¬ 
sionally snake skin. Eggs: Usually 3 or 4, pale bluish, greenish, or grayish, fantastic¬ 
ally dotted, blotched, clouded, and scrawled over with dark brown and paler or 
purplish shell-marks. 
Food. —In the various forms of Red-winged Blackbirds, insects constitute prac¬ 
tically one-fourth and include beetles (largely weevils, a most harmful group), 10 
per cent; grasshoppers, 5 per cent; caterpillars (among them the destructive army 
worm), 6 per cent; together with ants, wasps, bugs, flies, dragon flies, and spiders. 
The vegetable food consists of some small fruits and seeds, including grain, of which 
oats is the favorite. When in large flocks the Red-wing is capable of doing great 
harm to grain. In some regions it does good by eating the larvae of the European 
corn borer. 
General Habits. —The handsome Red-wing, of whatever sub¬ 
species, is one of the most attractive of marsh birds, whether, for the 
benefit of his dingy, streaked mate, he is spreading his tail and raising 
