Part 11

Bobolinks are to be found in rich grass meadows, from whence their sweet, wild music is often borne to us by the breeze. While his mate is feeding in the grass or attending to their domestic affairs, Mr. Bobolink is usually to be found perched on the tip of a tree, weed stalk, or even on a tall blade of grass, if no other spot of vantage is available, singing while he stands guard to see that no enemies approach. He is a good watchman and it is a difficult matter to flush his mate from the nest, for she leaves at his first warning.

Song.—A wild, sweet, rippling repetition of his name with many additional trills and notes. Alarm note a harsh “chah” like that of the Blackbird.

Nest.—Of grasses in a hollow on the ground, in meadows. They lay four to six eggs with a white ground color, heavily spotted, clouded and blotched with brown (.85 × .62).

Range.—N. A. east of the Rockies, breeding from New Jersey and Kansas north to Manitoba and New Brunswick; winters in South America.

COWBIRD 495. Molothrus ater. 7¾ inches

Male glossy greenish black, with a brown head; female and young, dull gray.

Groups of these birds are often seen walking sedately about among the cows in the pasture, hence their name. They are the only birds that we have that neither make a nest of their own nor care for their young. The female slyly deposits her egg in the nest of a smaller bird when the owner is absent, leaving further care of it to its new owner. Warblers, Sparrows and Vireos seem to be most imposed upon in this manner.

Notes.—A low “chack,” and by the male a liquid, wiry squeak accompanied by a spreading of the wings and tail.

Range.—U. S., chiefly east of the Rockies, breeding from the Gulf to Manitoba and New Brunswick; winters in southern U. S. A sub-species, the Dwarf Cowbird (obscurus), is found in southwestern United States; it is slightly smaller.

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD 497. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. 10 inches

Male black, with head and breast bright yellow; female more brownish and with head paler and mixed with brown.

These handsome birds are common locally on the prairies, frequenting sloughs and extensive marshes and borders of lakes. They are very sociable birds and breed in large colonies, sometimes composed of thousands of birds.

Notes.—A harsh “chack,” and what is intended for a song, consisting of numerous, queer-sounding squeaks, they being produced during seemingly painful contortions of the singer.

Nest.—Of rushes woven around upright canes over water, in ponds and sloughs. The nest is placed at from four inches to two feet from the water and is quite deep inside. The four to six eggs are grayish, profusely specked with pale brown (1.00 × .70).

Range.—U. S., chiefly west of the Mississippi, north to British Columbia and Hudson Bay; winters on southwestern border of the U. S.

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD 498. Agelaius phœniceus. 9½ inches

Male black, with scarlet and buff shoulders; female brownish black above and streaked below. Nearly all our ponds or wet meadows have their pair or colony of Blackbirds.

Note.—A harsh “cack”; a pleasing liquid song, “conk-err-ee,” given with much bowing and spreading of the wings and tail.

Nest.—Usually at low elevations in bushes, in swamps or around the edges of ponds or frequently on the ground or on hummocks in wet pastures. The nest is made of woven grasses and rushes, and is usually partially suspended from the rim when placed in bushes. The three to five eggs are bluish white, scrawled, chiefly around the large end, with blackish (1.00 × .70).

Range.—East of the Rockies, breeding north to Manitoba and New Brunswick; winters in southern U. S.

Sub-Species.—498b. Bahaman Redwing (bryanti). 498c. Florida Redwing (floridanus).

MEADOWLARK 501. Sturnella magna. 10¾ inches

Meadowlarks are familiar friends of the hillside and meadow; their clear fife-like whistle is often heard, while they are perched on a fence-post or tree-top, as well as their sputtering alarm note when they fly up before us as we cross the field.

Song.—A clear, flute-like “tseeu-tseeer,” and a rapid sputtering alarm note.

Nest.—Of grasses, on the ground in fields, usually partially arched over. Three to five white eggs specked with brown (1.10 × .80).

Range.—N. A. east of the Plains and north to southern Canada; winters from Massachusetts and Illinois southward.

Sub-Species.—501.1. Western Meadowlark (neglecta). This race has the yellow on the throat extended on the sides; its song is much more brilliant and varied than the eastern bird. It is found from the Plains to the Pacific. 501c. Florida Meadowlark (argutula) is smaller and darker than the common.

AUDUBON ORIOLE 503. Icterus melanocephalus audubonii. 9½ inches