Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus Crow family Length— 14 to 16 inches. About half as large again as the robin. Male and Female—Glossy black, with purplish-blue reflections, generally greener underneath. Chin naked. Range—Along Atlantic coast and that of the Gulf of Mexico, northward to southern New England. Rare stragglers on Migrations—Marchthe Pacific coast.or April. September. Summer resident only at northern limit of range. Is found in Hudson River valley about half-way to Albany.

Compared with the common crow, with which it is often confounded, the fish crow is of much smaller, more slender build. Thus its flight is less labored and more like a gull’s, whose habit of catching fish that may be swimming near the surface of the water it sometimes adopts. Both Audubon and Wilson, who first made this species known, record its habit of snatching food as it flies over the southern waters—a rare practice at the north. Its plumage, too, differs slightly from the common crow’s in being a richer black everywhere, and particularly underneath, where the “corn thief” is dull. But it is the difference between the two crows’ call-note that we chiefly depend upon to distinguish these confusing cousins. To say that the fish crow says car-r-r instead of a loud, clear caw, means little 42

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until we have had an opportunity to compare its hoarse, cracked voice with the other bird’s familiar call.

From the farmer’s point of view, there is still another distinction: the fish crow lets his crops alone. It contents itself with picking up refuse on the shores of the sea or rivers not far inland; haunting the neighborhood of fishermen’s huts for the small fish discarded when the seines are drawn, and treading out with its toes the shell-fish hidden in the sand at low tide. When we see it in the fields it is usually intent upon catching field-mice, grubs, and worms, with which it often varies its fish diet. It is, however, the worst nest robber we have; it probably destroys ten times as many eggs and young birds as its larger cousin.

The fishermen have a tradition that this southern crow comes and goes with the shad and herring—a saw which science unkindly disapproves.

American Raven (Corvus corax principalis) Crow family Called also: NORTHERN RAVEN Length—26 to 27 inches. Nearly three times as large as a robin. Male and Female—Glossy black above, with purplish and greenish reflections. Duller underneath. Feathers of the throat and Range—Northbreast longAmerica,and loose,fromlike fringe.polar regions to Mexico. Rare along Atlantic coast and in the south. Common in the west, and very abundant in the northwest. Migrations—An erratic wanderer, usually resident where it finds its way.

The weird, uncanny voice of this great bird that soars in wide circles above the evergreen trees of dark northern forests seems to come out of the skies like the malediction of an evil spirit. Without uttering the words of any language—Poe’s of all “Nevermore” was, of course, a poetic license—people nationalities appear to understand that some dire calamity, some wicked portent, is being announced every time the unbirdlike creature utters its rasping call. The superstitious folk crow with an “ I told you so,” as they solemnly wag their heads when they hear of some death in the village after “the bird of ill-omen ” has

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made an unwelcome visit to the neighborhood. It receives the blame for every possible misfortune.

When seen in the air, the crow is the only other bird for which the raven could be mistaken; but the raven does more sailing and less flapping, and he delights in describing circles as he easily soars high above the trees. On the ground, he is seen to be a far larger bird than the largest crow. The curious beard or fringe of feathers on his breast at once distinguishes him.

These birds show the family instinct for living in flocks large and small, not of ravens only, but of any birds of their own genera. In the art of nest building they could instruct most of their relatives. High up in evergreen trees or on the top of cliffs, never very near the seashore, they make a compact, symmetrical nest of sticks, neatly lined with grasses and wool from the sheep pastures, adding soft, comfortable linings to the old nest from year to year for each new brood. When the young emerge from the eggs, which take many curious freaks of color and markings, they are pied black and white, suggesting the young of the western white-necked raven, a similarity which, so far as plumage is concerned, they quickly outgrow. They early acquire the fortunate habit of eating whatever their parents set before them grubs, worms, grain, field-mice; anything, in fact, for the raven is a conspicuously omnivorous bird.

Purple Crackle (Quiscalus quiscula) Blackbird family Called also: CROW BLACKBIRD; MAIZE THIEF; KEEL-

TAILED GRACKLE

Length— 12 to 13 inches. About one-fourth as large again as the Male—Iridescentrobin. black, in which metallic violet, blue, copper, and green tints predominate. The plumage of this grackle has iridescent bars. Iris of eye bright yellow and conspicuous. Tail longer than wings. Female—Less brilliant black than male, and smaller. Range—Gulf of Mexico to 57th parallel north latitude. Migrations—Permanent resident in Southern States. Few are permanent throughout range. Migrates in immense flocks in March and September.

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This “refined crow” (which is really no crow at all except in appearance) has scarcely more friends than a thief is entitled to; for, although in many sections of the country it has given up its old habit of stealing Indian corn and substituted ravages upon the grasshoppers instead, it still indulges a crow-like instinct for pillaging nests and eating young birds.

Travelling in immense flocks of its own kind, a gregarious bird of the first order, it nevertheless is not the social fellow that its cousin, the red-winged blackbird, is. It especially holds aloof from mankind, and mankind reciprocates its suspicion.

The tallest, densest evergreens are not too remote for it to build its home, according to Dr. Abbott, though in other States than New Jersey, where he observed them, an old orchard often contains dozens of nests. One peculiarity of the grackles is that their eggs vary so much in coloring and markings that different sets examined in the same groups of trees are often wholly unlike. The average groundwork, however, is soiled blue or greenish, waved, streaked, or clouded with brown. These are laid in a nest made of miscellaneous sticks and grasses, rather carefully constructed, and lined with mud. Another peculiarity is the bird’s method of steering itself by its tail when it wishes to turn its direction or alight.

Peering at you from the top of a dark pine tree with its staring yellow eye, the grackle is certainly uncanny. There, very early in the spring, you may hear its cracked and wheezy whistle, for, being aware that however much it may look like a crow it belongs to another family, it makes a ridiculous attempt to sing. When a number of grackles lift up their voices at once, some one has aptly likened the result to a “good wheel-barrow chorus! ” The grackle’s mate alone appreciates his efforts as, standing on tiptoe, with half-spread wings and tail, he pours forth his craven soul to her through a disjointed larynx.

With all their faults, and they are numerous, let it be recorded of both crows and grackles that they are as devoted lovers as turtle-doves. Lowell characterizes them in these four lines:

“ Fust come the black birds, clatt’rin’ in tall trees, And settlin’ things in windy Congresses; Queer politicians, though, for I’ll be skinned If all on ’em don’t head against the wind.”

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The Bronzed Grackle ( Quiscalus quiscula ceneus ) differs from the preceding chiefly in the more brownish bronze tint of its plumage and its lack of iridescent bars. Its range is more westerly, and in the southwest it is particularly common; but as a summer resident it finds its way to New England in large numbers. The call-note is louder and more metallic than the purple grackle’s. In nearly all respects the habits of these two birds are identical.

Rusty Blackbird (Scolecophagus carolinus) Blackbird family Called also: THRUSH BLACKBIRD; RUSTY GRACKLE;

RUSTY ORIOLE ; RUSTY CROW ; BLACKBIRD

Length— to 9.55 inches,. A trifle smaller than the robin. Male—In full plumage, glossy black with metallic reflections, intermixed with rusty brown that becomes more pronounced Female—Dulleras the seasonplumageadvances.andPalemorestraw-coloredrusty, incliningeyes. to gray. Range—NorthLight line overAmerica,eye. fromSmallerNewfoundlandthan male. to Gulf of Mexico Migrations—April.and westward toNovember.the Plains. A few winter north.

A more sociable bird than the grackle, though it travel in smaller flocks, the rusty blackbird condescends to mingle freely with other feathered friends in marshes and by brooksides. You can identify it by its rusty feathers and pale yellow eye, and easily distinguish the rusty-gray female from the female redwing that is conspicuously streaked.

In April flocks of these birds may frequently be seen along sluggish, secluded streams in the woods, feeding upon the seeds of various water or brookside plants, and probably upon insects also. At such times they often indulge in a curious spluttering, squeaking, musical concert that one listens to with pleasure. The breeding range is mostly north of the United States. But little seems to be known of the birds’ habits in their northern home. Why it should ever have been called a thrush blackbird is one of those inscrutable mysteries peculiar to the naming of birds

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which are so frequently called precisely what they are not. In spite of the compliment implied in associating the name of one of our finest songsters with it, the rusty blackbird has a clucking call as unmusical as it is infrequent, and only very rarely in the spring does it pipe a note that even suggests the sweetness of the redwing’s.

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phceniceus Blackbird family Called also: SWAMP BLACKBIRD; RED-WINGED ORIOLE;

RED-WINGED STARLING

to 9.80 inches. UsuallyLength—Exceptionally variable—7.50 Male—Coal-black.about an inch smallerShouldersthanscarlet,the robin.edged with yellow. Female—Feathers finely and inconspicuously speckled with brown, rusty black, whitish, and orange. Upper wing-coverts rusty black, tipped with white, or rufous and sometimes spotted with black and red. Range—North America. Breeds from Texas to Columbia River, and throughout the United States. Commonly found from

Mexico to 57th degree north latitude. Migrations—March. October. Common summer resident.

In oozy pastures where a brook lazily finds its way through the farm is the ideal pleasure ground of this “bird of society.” His notes, “ h’-wa-ker-ee” or “ con-quer-ee” (on an ascending scale), are liquid in quality, suggesting the sweet, moist, cool retreats where he nests. Liking either heat or cold (he is fond of wintering in Florida, but often retreats to the north while the marshes are still frozen); enjoying not only the company of large flocks of his own kind with whom he travels, but any bird associates with whom he can scrape acquaintance; or to sit quietly on a tree-top in the secluded, inaccessible bog while his mate is nesting; satisfied with cut-worms, grubs, and insects, or with fruit and grain for his food—the blackbird is an impressive and helpful example of how to get the best out of life.

Yet, of all the birds, some farmers complain that the blackbird is the greatest nuisance. They dislike the noisy chatterings when a flock is simply indulging its social instincts. They

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complain, too, that the blackbirds eat their corn, forgetting that having devoured innumerable grubs from it during the summer, the birds feel justly entitled to a share of the profits. Though occasionally guilty of eating the farmer’s corn and oats and rice, yet it has been found that nearly seven-eighths of the redwing’s food is made up of weed-seeds or of insects injurious to agriculture. This bird builds its nest in low bushes on the margin of ponds or low in the bog grass of marshes. From three to five pale-blue eggs, curiously streaked, spotted, and scrawled with black or purple, constitute a brood. Nursery duties are soon finished, for in July the young birds are ready to gather in flocks with their elders. “ The blackbirds make the maples ring With social cheer and jubilee; The red-wing flutes his ‘ O-ka-lee! ’ ” —Emerson.

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