GENUS I. DOLICHONYX, Swains. RICE-BIRD
Bill rather short, very stout, moderately compressed, conical; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, a little convex at the base, and very slightly deflected at the end, its ridge rather broad, indistinct, sides rounded, edges direct, overlapping, tip rather acute; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, very broad, dorsal outline ascending, slightly convex at the base, sides erect and convex, tip acute; gape-line ascending for a fourth of its length, then direct. Nostrils small, elliptical, operculate. Plumage blended, but firm, with little gloss. Wings rather long, pointed, the first quill longest. Tail of moderate length, the feathers narrow and acuminate. Toes large; claws very long, little arched, slender, tapering to a fine point.
211. 1. Dolichonyx oryzivora, Linn. Wandering Rice-bird. – Bob-o-link. Maybird. Ortolan
Plate LIV. Male and Female.
Male with the head, cheeks, lower parts, wings, and tail, black; a band of brownish-yellow across the hind neck; the back anteriorly black, the feathers with yellowish edges, posteriorly light grey, passing into white, of which colour are the scapulars. Female with the upper parts light yellowish-brown, longitudinally streaked with blackish-brown; the lower parts light greyish-yellow, the sides streaked with dusky. In autumn, the males assume the plumage of the female.
Male, 7, 11.
Passes from Texas eastward and northward. Breeds from the Middle Districts northward. Extremely abundant. Migratory.
Rice-Bunting, Emberiza oryzivora, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 48.
Icterus agripennis, Bonap. Syn. p. 53.
Dolichonyx oryzivorus, Sharp-Tailed Rice-Bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 278.
Rice-Bird, or Bob-o-link, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 185.
Rice-Bird, Icterus agripennis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 283; v. v. p. 486.
GENUS II. MOLOTHRUS, Swains. COW-BIRD
Bill rather short, very stout, moderately compressed, conical; upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly convex, its ridge flattened for half its length, afterwards narrow, sides convex, edges direct, tip rather acute; lower mandible with the angle short and wide, the dorsal outline ascending, straight, sides erect and convex, edges involute, tip acute; gape-line gently ascending for a third of its length, afterwards direct. Nostrils small, elliptical. Plumage blended, glossy. Wings rather long, pointed, the second quill longest, the first almost equal. Tail of moderate length, the feathers broad and rounded.
212. 1. Molothrus pecoris, Gmel. Common Cow-bird
Plate XCIX. Male and Female. Plate CCCCXXIV. Fig. 4. Young.
Male with the head and neck sooty-brown, the body black, glossed with green, the fore part of the back with blue. Female considerably smaller, greyish-brown, the lower parts lighter. Young with the upper parts greyish-brown, the quills and tail darker; wing-coverts and secondary quills narrowly edged with light brown, primaries with whitish; lower parts dull yellowish-white, the sides marked with a series of dark brown pointed spots.
Male, 7, 111/2.
Dispersed from Texas northward to Lat. 68°, and throughout the United States. Great numbers winter in the Southern States.
Cow Bunting, Emberiza pecoris, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 145.
Icterus pecoris, Bonap. Syn. p. 53.
Molothrus pecoris, Cow-pen or Cuckoo Bunt, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 277.
Cow Troopial, or Cow Blackbird, Icterus pecoris, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 178.
Cow-pen Bird, Icterus pecoris, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 493; v. v. p. 233, 490.
GENUS III. AGELAIUS, Swains. MARSH-BLACKBIRD
Bill shorter than the head, stout, straight, conical, tapering to an acute point; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, slightly convex at the base, the ridge flattened toward the base, where it forms a short tapering process on the forehead, the sides rounded, the edges inflected, the tip a little depressed; lower mandible with the angle short and wide, the sides convex at the base, toward the end rounded, the edges involute, the tip acute; the gape-line ascending at the base, afterwards direct. Nostrils basal, oval, with a small operculum. Head ovate, of moderate size; neck short; body moderately stout. Feet of ordinary length, rather stout; tarsus compressed, with seven anterior scutella; toes rather large, the first much stronger, the outer a little shorter than the inner, and adherent at the base. Claws long, little arched, compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. Plumage soft and blended, glossy in the males. Wings of moderate length, with the outer four quills nearly equal. Tail rather long, rounded. Roof of the upper mandible with three longitudinal ridges; tongue tapering to a horny, flattened, slightly emarginate tip; œsophagus wide, considerably dilated about the middle; stomach roundish, muscular; intestine short and of moderate width; cœca very small, cloaca oblong.
213. 1. Agelaius xanthocephalus, Bonap. Saffron-headed Marsh-Blackbird
Plate CCCLXXXVIII. Fig. 2. Male. Fig. 3. Female. Fig. 4. Young.
Male with the head, upper part of hind neck, sides of the neck, its fore part, and a portion of the breast, orange-yellow, the throat paler; feathers along the base of the bill, loral space, a band below the eye, and a narrower one above it, black; the rest of the plumage glossy black, excepting two bands on the outer part of the wing, formed by some of the smaller coverts, and the primary coverts, which are white. Female much smaller, of a uniform chocolate-brown, with the edges of the feathers paler, the feathers at the base of the upper mandible, a band over the eye, and the fore part of the neck light yellow, the throat dull white, and the feathers on the middle of the breast margined with white toward the end. Young similar to the female, but without yellow on the fore neck.
Male, 9; wing, 510/12.
Western Plains, California, and Fur Countries. Abundant. Migratory.
Yellow-headed Troopial, Icterus icterocephalus, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 27.
Icterus xanthocephalus, Bonap. Syn. p. 52.
Agelaius xanthocephalus, Saffron-headed Maize-Bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 281.
Yellow-headed Troopial, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 176.
Yellow-headed Troopial, Icterus xanthocephalus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 6.
214. 2. Agelaius tricolor, Aud. Red-and-white-shouldered Marsh-Blackbird
Plate CCCLXXXVIII. Fig. 1. Male.
Tail almost even. Male with the plumage glossy bluish-black; the smaller wing-coverts deep carmine, their first or posterior row white. Bill considerably longer than in the two following species.
Male, 9; wing, 5.
North California. Abundant. Migratory.
Red-and-white-winged Troopial, Icterus tricolor, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 1.
215. 3. Agelaius Gubernator, Wagler. Red-and-black-shouldered Marsh-Blackbird
Plate CCCCXX. Male and Female.
Tail slightly rounded. Male with the plumage glossy bluish-black; the smaller wing-coverts carmine scarlet, their first or posterior row tinged with yellow, and broadly tipped with black. Female much smaller, with the upper parts dark brown, the feathers edged with light brown; some of the smaller wing-coverts edged with dull scarlet, the first row with brownish-white; the larger coverts, quills, and tail-feathers, blackish-brown, edged with dull reddish-brown; lower parts longitudinally streaked with dusky and whitish, the fore neck strongly tinged with dull carmine.
Male, 9; wing, 57/12.
California.
Psarocolius Gubernator, Wagler, Syst. Avium.
Crimson-winged Troopial, Icterus Gubernator, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 211.
216. 4. Agelaius phœniceus, Linn. Red-and-yellow-shouldered Marsh-Blackbird. – Red-winged Starling
Plate LXVII. Male, Female, and Young.
Tail considerably rounded. Male with the plumage glossy black, the smaller wing-coverts scarlet, their first or posterior row buff-coloured, at the tip whitish. Female much smaller, with the upper parts dark brown, the feathers edged with light brown; some of the smaller wing-coverts tinged with red; wings and tail blackish-brown, the feathers margined with brownish-red, the first row of small coverts and secondary coverts narrowly tipped with whitish; a yellowish-brown band over the eye; lower parts longitudinally streaked with dusky and whitish, the fore neck strongly tinged with dull carmine. Young similar to the female, but without red on the small wing-coverts or throat, the latter part with the sides of the head being pale yellowish-brown.
Male, 9, 14. Female, 71/2.
Breeds from Texas throughout the United States, and northward to the Saskatchewan. Vast numbers spend the winter in the Southern and Western States.
Red-winged Starling, Sturnus prædatorius, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 30.
Icterus phœniceus, Bonap. Syn. p. 52.
Agelaius phœniceus, Red-winged Maize-bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 280.
Red-winged Blackbird, Icterus phœniceus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 169.
Red-winged Starling or Marsh-Blackbird, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 348; v. v. p. 487.
GENUS IV. ICTERUS, Briss. HANGNEST
Bill a little shorter than the head, conical, very slightly decurved, compressed, tapering to a very attenuated point; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost straight, being very slightly convex, the ridge indistinct, narrowed at the base; the sides convex, the edges overlapping, the tip extremely sharp; gape-line ascending at the base, afterwards direct; lower mandible with the angle long and of moderate width, the dorsal line and that of the crura slightly concave, the sides erect at the base, convex towards the end, the edges slightly inflected, the tip extremely slender. Nostrils basal, elliptical, with a small operculum. Head ovate, of moderate size; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tarsus much compressed, with seven anterior scutella; toes of moderate size, the hind toe much stronger, the lateral about equal, the third and fourth united at the base. Claws rather long, moderately arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. Plumage soft and blended. Wings of moderate length, with the outer four quills nearly equal. Tail of moderate length, rounded and slightly emarginate. Roof of the upper mandible with a broad median ridge, somewhat prominent at the base; tongue tapering to a deeply slit point; œsophagus wide, considerably dilated about the middle; stomach elliptical; intestine short, and of moderate width; cœca very small; cloaca globular.
217. 1. Icterus Baltimore, Linn. Baltimore Hangnest. – Golden Robin
Plate XII. Adult and Young Male. Plate CCCCXXIII. Fig. 3. Female.
Second and third quills longest, fourth longer than first; tail slightly rounded. Male with the head, throat, sides, and hind part of the neck, with the fore part of the back, black; lower parts, rump, upper tail-coverts, and smaller wing-coverts rich orange, passing into orange-red on the breast; wings black, the secondary coverts largely tipped, and the quills margined with white; tail black, all the feathers tipped with rich yellow, the outer for half their length, the middle on a very small space. Female considerably smaller, with the upper part of the head, hind neck, sides of the neck at the middle, and anterior half of the back, brownish-black, the feathers edged with dull yellowish-green; hind part of the back light brownish-yellow, purer on the rump; tail yellowish-brown, the middle feathers darker; wing-coverts blackish-brown, quills dark brown, all margined with whitish; first row of small coverts and secondary coverts largely tipped with white; loral space, a band over the eye, and another beneath it, dull yellow; below the latter the cheeks spotted with dusky; lower parts yellowish-orange, duller than in the male, paler behind; some dusky streaks on the throat. Young similar to the female, but with the upper parts brownish-yellow, the head and back faintly spotted with dusky.
Male, 73/4, 12. Female, 7, 11.
In summer dispersed over the United States, to Nova Scotia. Columbia River. Texas. Abundant. Migratory.
Baltimore Oriole, Oriolus Baltimore, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 23.
Icterus Baltimore, Bonap. Syn. p. 51.
Baltimore Oriole or Golden Robin, Icterus Baltimore, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 152.
Baltimore Oriole, Icterus Baltimore, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 66; v. v. p. 278.
218. 2. Icterus Bullockii, Swains. Bullock's Hangnest
Plate CCCLXXXVIII. Fig. 5. Male.
Plate CCCCXXXIII. Fig. 1. Young Male. Fig. 2. Female.
First quill longer than fifth, the intermediate quills almost equal. Male with the upper part of the head, the hind neck, and the anterior portion of the back, with the loral space, some feathers at the base of the lower mandible, and a rather narrow longitudinal band on the fore neck, deep black; anterior part of the forehead, a band over the eye, the cheeks, sides of the neck, and the breast, rich orange-yellow, the rest of the lower parts paler; lower wing-coverts and anterior edge of the wing pale yellow; hind parts of the back and upper tail-coverts yellow tinged with green; wings brownish-black, with a large patch of white formed by the outer small coverts and the edges of the secondary coverts; quills edged with white; four middle tail-feathers black, the rest orange-yellow, with a dusky patch near the end. Female smaller, with the upper parts greyish-olive, lighter on the rump; on the head and upper tail-coverts tinged with yellow; loral space somewhat dusky; anterior part of the forehead, a band over the eye, the cheeks, and sides of the neck, with the fore part of the breast, light greenish-yellow; throat dull white, the rest of the lower parts greyish-white, slightly tinged with yellow; wings dark brown, the larger small coverts tipped with greyish-white; secondary coverts and quills edged with the same; tail dull olivaceous-yellow. Young like the female.
Male, 71/4, wing, 41/12.
Rocky Mountains, Columbia River, and California. Common. Migratory.
Xanthornus Bullockii, Swains. Syn. of Mex. Birds, Phil. Mag. 1827, p. 436.
Bullock's Troopial, Icterus Bullockii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 9.
219. 3. Icterus spurius, Gmel. Orchard Hangnest. – Orchard Oriole
Plate XLII. Male, Female, and Young.
Tail much rounded. Male with the head, neck, and fore part of the back, black; the rest of the body chestnut-red; quills and larger coverts black, the former margined, the latter tipped with greyish-white; tail-feathers black, tipped with dull white. Female with the head and upper parts dull yellowish-green, the fore part of the back tinged with brown; lower parts pale yellow; wings and tail greyish-brown, the feathers of the former margined with greyish-white, of the latter with yellowish-green. Young, like the female. Young males in various stages variously coloured.
Male, 61/2, 9.
From Texas to Connecticut, over the valley of the Mississippi, Kentucky, and Ohio. Abundant. Rare in Massachusetts and Maine. Missouri to the bases of the Rocky Mountains. Migratory.
Orchard Oriole, Oriolus mutatus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 64.
Icterus spurius, Bonap. Syn. p. 51.
Spurious or Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 165.
Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 221; v. v. p. 485.
GENUS V. QUISCALUS, Vieill. CROW-BLACKBIRD
Bill as long as the head or somewhat longer, nearly straight, strong, tapering, compressed from the base; upper mandible with its outline slightly declinate, a little convex, the ridge narrow at the base and encroaching a little on the forehead, afterwards broad, rounded, and indistinct, the sides convex, the edges sharp and direct, or slightly inflected, with a faint festoon anterior to the nostrils, the tip deflected, acute; lower mandible with the angle short and rounded, the dorsal line straight, slightly deflected at the end, the ridge convex, the sides rounded, the edges inflected, the tip very acute. Nostrils basal, oval, half-closed by a membrane. Head of moderate size, ovate, flattened above; neck of moderate length; body rather slender. Feet of moderate length; tarsus as long as the middle toe and claw, compressed, with eight anterior scutella; toes rather long, with large scutella, the hind toe stronger, the lateral toes nearly equal, the middle toe much longer. Claws rather long, slightly arched, compressed, not laterally grooved, acute. Plumage blended, highly glossed. Wings of moderate length, the second and third quills longest, the first and fourth little shorter. Tail long, graduated or rounded, the feathers flat or slightly concave, slightly emarginate, with the inner webs longer than the outer. Roof of the upper mandible concave with three longitudinal ridges, of which the middle is enlarged at the base and prominent; tongue slender, sagittate, concave above, tapering to a thin lacerated point; œsophagus rather wide, considerably dilated about the middle; stomach of moderate size, elliptical or roundish, moderately muscular, the lateral muscles distinct, the epithelium dense, horny, slightly rugous, with two roundish grinding surfaces; intestine of moderate length, rather wide; cœca very small; cloaca oblong.
220. 1. Quiscalus major, Vieill. Great Crow-Blackbird. – Boat-tailed Grakle
Plate CLXXXVII. Male and Female.
Tail very long, graduated, with the feathers slightly concave above. Male with the plumage silky, splendent, the head and neck deep purplish-blue, the back, breast, and sides deep blue, passing into green behind, the rump bronzed black; the wings and tail black, glossed with green, the abdomen, lower tail-coverts, and tibial feathers, plain black. Female much smaller, with the tail shorter, the plumage unglossed beneath, and but slightly glossy above, the upper parts dusky, with slight tints of green and blue; the head and neck dull brown; the lower parts light yellowish-brown, the tibial feathers and lower tail-coverts dusky.
Male, 157/8, 233/4. Female, 125/8, 18.
Abundant from Texas to North Carolina along the coast. Up the Mississippi about 200 miles. Constantly resident.
Quiscalus major, Bonap. Syn. p. 54.
Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 35.
Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 192.
Boat-tailed Grakle or Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 504; v. v. p. 480.
221. 2. Quiscalus versicolor, Vieill. Common or Purple Crow-Blackbird. – Purple Grakle
Plate VII. Male and Female.
Tail long, much rounded, with the feathers flat. Male with the plumage silky and splendent, the head, neck, and anterior part of the breast blackish, with vivid reflections of violet, steel-blue, and green; general colour of the body dusky, glossed with purple, green, and blue, these colours arranged in three terminal zones, on each feather; rump violet-purple; wings and tail black, glossed with green and blue. Female considerably smaller, with the body more brown, the reflections much less brilliant. Young brown.
Male, 13, 19. Female, 11, 16.
Breeds from Texas to the Fur Countries. Resident in the Southern States. Extremely abundant.
Purple Grakle, Gracula quiscala, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 44.
Purple Grakle, Gracula quiscala, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 42.
Gracula quiscala, Bonap. Syn. p. 54.
Common Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus versicolor, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 194; v. v. p. 481.
Quiscalus versicolor, Common Purple Boat-tail, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 485.
Purple Grakle or Common Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus versicolor, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 35; v. v. p. 481.
222. 3. Quiscalus ferrugineus, Lath. Rusty Crow-Blackbird. – Rusty Grakle
Plate CXLVII. Male, Female, and Young.
Tail of moderate length, slightly rounded. Male with the plumage glossy black, with green and bluish reflections, the feathers, when new, slightly margined with reddish. Female with the plumage somewhat duller, a reddish band over, and another under, the eye. Young with the head and neck light brown, the rest of the upper parts brownish-black, the feathers edged with light reddish-brown, the rump tinged with grey; a band over the eye, and the fore part and sides of the neck and body pale yellowish-brown; abdomen dusky, lower tail-coverts dusky brown.
Male, 91/2, 141/4.
From Texas to Maryland, and along the Mississippi and Ohio to Kentucky, during winter. Migrates northward to the Fur Countries, and to the Columbia River, in summer. Common.
Rusty Grakle, Gracula ferruginea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 41.
Quiscalus ferrugineus, Bonap. Syn. p. 55.
Scolecophagus ferrugineus, Rusty Maggot-eater, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 286.
Rusty Blackbird, Quiscalus ferrugineus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 199.
Rusty Grakle, Quiscalus ferrugineus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 325; v. v. p. 483.