What Bird is That? Part 17

Plumage varied with metallic and iridescent reflections; tail long, fan-shaped, often 'keeled'

in flight; eye pale yellow. Male, L. 12. The female is smaller and duller; L. 10.

_Range._ Eastern North America; nests east of the Alleghanies from northern Georgia to Connecticut; winters from Maryland southward.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common T.V. and S.R., Feb. 20; a few winter. Ossining, tolerably common S.R., Feb.

15-Nov. 8. Cambridge, rare S.R.

The Florida Grackle (_Quiscalus quiscula aglaeus_, Case 4, Fig. 74) is smaller than the Purple Grackle and has the head and neck violet-purple, the back bottle-green. It is resident in Florida and the Gulf States north to South Carolina.

The Bronzed Grackle (_Quiscalus quiscula neus_, Case 5, Fig. 2) is the same size as the Purple Grackle, but has the body bronzy without iridescent markings. It nests from Texas up the Mississippi Valley and eastward through central New York and Ma.s.sachusetts to New Brunswick, north to Canada; and in migration is found in the range of the Purple Grackle. It winters from the Ohio Valley southward.

Was.h.i.+ngton, rare T.V., Feb 20-Apl. 17. Ossining, common T.V., Apl; Nov. Cambridge, abundant. S.R., Mch. 10-Nov. 1; occasional in winter. N. Ohio, abundant, S.R., Mch. 1-Nov. 15; rarely winters.

Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Mch. 5-Nov. 15, SE. Minn, common S.R., Mch, 18-Nov. 1; rare in winter.

The Grackle is the largest of our northern Blackbirds. In the south it is exceeded in size only by the Boat-tailed Grackle. It migrates in flocks and nests in colonies, often in parks and cemeteries. It feeds chiefly on the ground and is frequently seen upon our lawns when it may be known by its rather waddling, walking gait, and its long tail. Its notes are harsh, cracked and discordant, but when heard in chorus make a pleasing medley. The nest is sometimes placed in pines about 30 feet up, but also in bushes and even in holes in trees. The 3-7 eggs are usually pale bluish, heavily blotched and scrawled with brown and black.

BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE

_Megaquiscalus major major_

The male is a long-tailed, glossy blue-black bird.

(L. 16.) The female is much smaller (L. 12), blackish brown above, buff below.

_Range._ Florida north on the Atlantic coast to Virginia; west to Texas.

This giant Grackle frequents lakes, lagoons and bays, where it feeds along the sh.o.r.e or among aquatic plants. The male, a poseur among birds, strikes strange att.i.tudes with bill pointing skyward, and with apparent effort forces out hoa.r.s.e whistles. The female is quiet and una.s.suming.

They nest in colonies, building in bushes and laying in April 3-5 bluish white eggs, strikingly blotched and scrawled with blackish.

FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. FAMILY FRINGILLIDae

EVENING GROSBEAK

_Hesperiphona vespertina vespertina_

A large, thick-set, heavy-billed, black and yellow Finch. The male with the forehead and most of the body yellow, the crown, wings and tail black; the inner wing-quills white. The female is brownish gray, more or less tinged with yellow, the wings and tail black with white markings. L. 8.

_Range._ Western North America, wintering regularly eastward to Minnesota and irregularly to the North Atlantic States.

Glen Ellyn, one record, Dec. 11, 1889. SE. Minn., common W.V., Oct. 17-May 19.

[Ill.u.s.tration: EVENING GROSBEAK.

Male and Female.]

The Evening Grosbeak is a notable traveler from the far northwest whose rare, irregular, and unheralded visits and striking appearance make him always a welcome and distinguished guest. Of recent years these birds have come to the east with greater frequency, arriving in November and remaining as late as May. They feed largely on the buds and seeds of trees--maple and box-elder--and can often be attracted to our feeding-stations by the offer of sunflower seeds. They are usually a.s.sociated in flocks of from six to eight to ten birds, and their notes when perching, have been described as resembling the jingle of small sleigh-bells, while their song is said to be a "wandering jerky warble."

PINE GROSBEAK

_Pinicola enucleator leucura. Case 2, Figs. 53, 54_

Adult males are unmistakable; but young males and female might be confused with the female Evening Grosbeak, but they lack the conspicuous white markings in the wings and tail of that species. L.

9.

_Range._ Northern North America, wintering southward irregularly to Indiana and New Jersey; rarely as far as Kentucky and Was.h.i.+ngton.

Was.h.i.+ngton, casual in winter. Ossining, irregular W.V., Dec. 18-Apl. 12. Cambridge, irregular W.V., frequently common, sometimes abundant, Nov. 1-Mch.

25. N. Ohio, occasional W.V. Glen Ellyn, uncommon and irregular W.V., Oct. 25-? SE. Minn., uncommon W.V.

In the summer the Pines Grosbeak lives in coniferous forests, but on its irregular wanderings southward, like the Evening Grosbeak, it feeds upon the seeds of deciduous trees and bushes. The Grosbeak's call-note is a clear whistle of three or four notes which may be easily imitated; its song is said to be prolonged and melodious.

The Pine and Evening Grosbeaks would be notable figures in any gathering of birds, but coming at the most barren time of the year when our bird population is at the minimum and the trees are leafless, they are as welcome as they are conspicuous.

PURPLE FINCH

_Carpodacus purpureus purpureus. Case 2, Figs. 32, 33; Case 4, Figs. 48, 49_

The adult male is dull rose rather than purple, the female is sparrow-like in appearance but may be known by a whitish line over the eye and the company she keeps. Young males resemble their mother their first winter. L. 6.

_Range._ Eastern North America; nesting from northern Illinois and northern New Jersey northward to Canada; winters from the Middle States to the Gulf.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common W.V., Sept. 12-May 26, largely a migrant. Ossining, rare P.R., common T.V.

Cambridge, P.R. common from Apl. to Oct.; irregular, but sometimes abundant in winter. N.

Ohio, common W.V., Sept. 1-May 20. Glen Ellyn, fairly common T.V., Mch.-Apl., Sept.-Oct., uncommon W.V.

Erratic wanderers which travel on no fixed schedule but seem to feel at home wherever they find themselves. Except when nesting, they usually live in small flocks which, if the fare of our feeding-stands please them, will sometimes live with us for weeks. The call-note is _creak-creak_, the song a flowing, musical warble often uttered in detached fragments. Four to six bluish, spotted eggs are laid in May; the nest being generally built in a coniferous tree.

ENGLISH SPARROW; HOUSE SPARROW

_Pa.s.ser domesticus domesticus. Case 2, Figs. 30, 31; Case 4, Figs. 38, 39_

Unfortunately too well known to require description. L. 6.

_Range._ First introduced into this country at Brooklyn, N.Y., from Europe in 1851; now found everywhere at all times.

Hardy, pugnacious and adaptable, the Sparrow is a notable success in the bird world. We could overlook his objectionable traits if he possessed a pleasant voice, but his harsh, discordant notes and incessant chatter are unfortunately in harmony with his character. After all he gives a welcome touch of life to city streets and yards. Sparrows' nests are made of almost anything the birds can carry and built in any place that will hold them. The 4-7 finely speckled eggs are laid as early as March, and several broods are raised.

AMERICAN CROSSBILL

_Loxia curvirostra minor. Case 2 Figs. 49, 50_