_Ad._ [Male]. Above gray, back washed with red or yellow; crown-patch
red. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar, but tail shorter, red less bright, back
grayer. _Notes._ Loud, harsh, chattering notes uttered on the wing.
Range.--Central America and Mexico; breeds through Texas north to
southern Kansas and western Louisiana, and winters south to Central
America: accidental in Florida and as far north as Connecticut and
Hudson Bay.
[Illustration: 471.]
=471. Vermilion Flycatcher= (_Pyrocephalus rubineus mexicanus_).
L. 6. _Ad._ [Male]. Crown and underparts red; back grayish brown.
_Ad._ [Female]. Above brownish, below white, breast streaked with
dusky, belly red or yellow. _Yng._ [Male]. Similar to [Female] but
spotted with red below and on crown. _Notes._ A shrill _zi-brA(C)A(C)_,
_zi-brA(C)A(C)_, uttered while the bird hovers twenty or thirty feet up
in the air. (Bendire.)
Range.--Central America and Mexico, breeding north to southern Texas,
New Mexico, Arizona, southwestern Utah (rarely); "winter visitant to
southern California." (Grinnell.)
[Illustration: 688.]
=688. Painted Redstart= (_Setophaga picta_). L. 5.4.
_Ads._ Black; center of breast and belly deep red, patch
in wings and outer tail-feathers white.
Range--Mexican Plateau north to southwest New Mexico and Arizona.
[Illustration: 690.]
=690. Red-faced Warbler= (_Cardellina rubrifrons_).
L. 5.2. _Ads._ Forehead, face, throat and sides of neck
red, crown and ear-coverts black, nape band and rump
whitish; back gray; no white in wings or tail. _Notes._
A prolonged, very clear, whistled song. (Scott.)
Range.--From Guatemala north over the Mexican Plateau to southern
Arizona and western New Mexico.
[Illustration: 498.]
=498. Red-winged Blackbird= (_Agelaius phA"niceus_). L. [Male], 9.5;
W. 4.7; B. .88; depth at base, .5. _Ad._ [Male]. Black, in winter more
or less tipped with rusty; lesser wing-coverts scarlet; median
wing-coverts buff, tips in summer whitish. _Ad._ [Female]. Above
brownish black, widely margined with buffy and rusty; below whitish
heavily streaked with black; throat tinged with orange or yellow;
lesser wing-coverts tinged with red. _Yng._ [Male]. Similar to _Ad._
[Male], but heavily margined with rusty above and less so below;
lesser wing-coverts duller and narrowly edged with black. _Notes._
Call, _chA"t_, _chA"ck_, a reedy _cack_; song, a chorus song, a liquid
_kong-quAe•r-rAe"Ae"_; alarm note a shrill _chee-e-e-e-e_. The notes of this
species are subject to much variation with locality, but I find it
impossible to express on paper differences perfectly apparent when
heard.
Range.--Eastern North America; breeds from Gulf of Mexico north to
New Brunswick and Manitoba; winters from Virginia and southern
Illinois southward.
=498a. Sonoran Red-wing= (_A. p. sonoriensis_). Similar to No. 498,
but larger, bill more slender; [Female] paler, streaking below
browner. W. [Female], 4.8; B. .95; depth at base .5.
Range.--Lower Colorado Valley in California and Arizona, southern
Arizona and south over coast plain of Sonora; Cape St. Lucas.
=498b. Bahaman Red-wing= (_A. p. bryanti_). Similar to No. 498,
but bill slightly longer, the female streaked below with brownish
instead of black.
Range.--Bahamas and southern Florida.
=498c. Florida Red-wing= (_A. p. floridanus_). Similar to No. 498,
but smaller, the bill longer and more slender; [Male], W. 4.2;
B. .9; depth at base .4.
Range.--Florida, except extreme southern portion; west along Gulf
coast to Texas.
=498d. Thick-billed Red-wing= (_A. p. fortis_). Similar to No. 498,
but larger, bill shorter and proportionately thicker. W. 5; B. .8;
depth at base .5.
Range.--Breeds on Mackenzie River, Athabasca, and other interior
districts of British America; during migrations Great Plains, from
Rockies to Minnesota, Iowa, western Illinois, northern Kentucky, and
southwest to western Texas and Arizona. (Ridgway.)
=498e. San Diego Red-wing= (_A. p. neutralis_). Similar to No. 498a,
but slightly smaller, the [Female] with streaks below wider. W. 4.7;
B. .95; depth at base .5.
Range.--Great Basin region from southern British Columbia south to
Mexico, western Texas, to southern California and northern Lower
California; in winter as far east as Brownsville, Texas. (Ridgway.)
=498f. Northwestern Red-wing= (_A. p. caurinum_). Similar to No. 498,
but slightly larger, bill somewhat longer and more slender, the [Male]
with median wing-coverts deeper buff, the [Female] much darker,
streaks below wider, darkest [Female] of group. W. 4.8; B. .9;
depth at base .45.
Range.--Pacific coast from northern California to British Columbia;
south in winter to southern California.
[Illustration: 500.]
[Illustration: 499.]
=499. Bicolored Blackbird= (_Agelaius gubernator californicus_).
_Ad._ [Male]. Similar to No. 498, but median wing-coverts darker
and broadly tipped with black, concealing as a rule, their brownish
bases. _Ad._ [Female]. Very different from [Female] of No. 498; above
and below blackish slightly edged with rusty. _Notes._ Similar in
character to those of No. 498, but with easily recognizable differences.
(See page 178.)
Range.--Pacific coast; breeds from northern Lower California
northward, west of Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges, to Washington;
migratory at north part of range.
=500. Tricolored Blackbird= (_Agelaius tricolor_). _Ad._ [Male].
Similar to No. 498, but glossier, lesser wing-coverts darker, median
wing-coverts _white_; in winter black more or less edged with grayish
brown; median wing-coverts dingy. _Ad._ [Female]. No rusty; above
blackish edged with grayish; below black bordered with whitish.
_Notes._ "Said to be quite different" from those of No. 498.
(Bendire.) (See page 178.)
Range.--Northern Lower California north to southern Oregon; local
in valleys of interior.
[Illustration: 523.]
=523. Aleutian Leucosticte= (_Leucosticte griseonucha_). Like
No. 524a, but much darker, breast chestnut-chocolate; larger, W. 4.4.
Range.--Islands of Bering Sea (resident); in winter, Shumagin Islands,
lower portion of Alaska Peninsula and Kadiak Island.
[Illustration: 524.]
=524. Gray-crowned Leucosticte= (_Leucosticte tephrocotis_). L. 6.7;
W. 4.1. _Ad._ [Male]. Reddish brown more or less tipped with grayish;
rump, upper tail-coverts, lesser wing-coverts, outer edges of
primaries, and lower belly tipped with _pink_; forecrown black;
hindhead gray; cheeks _down to blackish throat brown_. _Ad._ [Female].
Similar but duller. _Yng._ Nearly uniform brownish; margins of
primaries showing some pink. _Notes._ A quick alarm note, _qui_,
_qui_. (Silloway.)
Range.--Western United States; breeds in higher parts of Sierra Nevada
of California, from Mt. Shasta south to Mt. Whitney, and on White
Mountains (Grinnell); north in Rocky Mountains to British Columbia;
in winter east to Manitoba, Colorado, and Nebraska.
[Illustration: 524a.]
=524a. Hepburn Leucosticte= (_L. t. littoralis_). Similar to No. 524,
but cheeks _gray_ like hindhead; throat often grayish.
Range.--Higher mountains of Washington and British Columbia; north to
Alaska; winters south to Colorado and, on Pacific Coast, as far north
as Kadiak Island.
[Illustration: 525.]
=525. Black Leucosticte= (_Leucosticte atrata_). Similar to No. 524,
but brown replaced by brownish black in _Ad._ [Male], or dusky slate
brownish in _Ad._ [Female] and _Yng._
Range.--Breeds on higher mountains of Idaho and Wyoming; winters south
to Colorado and Utah.
[Illustration: 526.]
=526. Brown-capped Leucosticte= (_Leucosticte australis_). Resembles
No. 524, but little or no gray on hindhead, the black of forehead
passing gradually into brown of nape and back.
Range.--Breeds in mountains of Colorado at about 12000 feet altitude,
winters at lower altitudes and south to New Mexico.
Perching Birds Marked With Blue
[Illustration: 599.]
=599. Lazuli Bunting= (_Cyanospiza amA"na_). L. 5.5. _Ad._ [Male].
Two white wing-bars; breast cinnamon, throat and upperparts light
blue; back blacker. In winter more or less tipped with rusty. _Ad._
[Female]. Middle wing-coverts _tipped_ with _whitish_; above grayish
brown with generally a blue tinge, strongest on rump and lesser
wing-coverts; below whitish, breast buff. _Yng._ Like [Female], but
browner, no blue. _Notes._ Suggest those of the Indigo Bunting.
Range.--Western United States, east to western Kansas; breeds north to
Montana and British Columbia; winters in Mexico.
[Illustration: 600.]
=600. Varied Bunting= (_Cyanospiza versicolor_). L. 5.5. _Ad._ [Male].
Reddish purple, crown and rump blue, nape red. _Ad._ [Female]. Above
brownish gray; below whitish washed with buff; a slight tinge of blue
on rump, wings and tail. Much like [Female] of No. 598, but less brown
above and no streaks below. _Yng._ Resemble [Female].
Range.--Mexico; breeding north to southern Texas and southern Arizona;
winters south of United States.
=600a. Beautiful Bunting= (_C. v. pulchra_). Similar to No. 600, but
slightly smaller, rump more purple, throat with less red.
Range.--Southern Lower California.
[Illustration: 601.]
=601. Painted Bunting; Nonpareil= (_Cyanospiza ciris_). L. 5.4.
_Ad._ [Male]. Below red, rump duller, back green, head dark blue.
_Ad._ [Female]. _Bright_, shining olive-green above; greenish yellow
below. _Yng._ [Male]. Like [Female]; second year variously intermediate
between Ad. [Male] and [Female]. _Notes._ Resemble those of the Indigo
Bunting but possess less volume.
Range.--Southern United States; breeds north to North Carolina,
southern Illinois, and Kansas, and west to southern Arizona; winters
in Mexico and Central America.
[Illustration: 654.]
=654. Black-throated Blue Warbler= (_Dendroica cA|rulescens_). L. 5.2.
A white patch or spot at base of primaries. _Ad._ [Male]. Throat and
sides black; belly white; above dark grayish blue; outer tail-feathers
with white. _Ad._ [Female]. Grayish olive-green; below yellowish
white; a narrow white line over eye; white wing-patch small, sometimes
barely showing above coverts; tail with a bluish tinge. _Yng._ [Male].
Like _Ad._ [Female], but greenish above; black areas smaller and
tipped with whitish. _Notes._ Call, a sharp, characteristic _chip_;
song, usually, _zwee-zwee-zwee_ in an ascending scale.
Range.--Eastern North America; breeds from northern Connecticut,
mountains of Pennsylvania, southern Michigan, and northern Minnesota,
north to Labrador and Hudson Bay region; winters in Central and South
America.
=654a. Cairns Warbler= (_D. c. cairnsi_). Similar to No. 654, but
[Male] darker, the back with more or less black; [Female] darker and
duller.
Range.--Breeds in higher portions of southern Alleghanies; winters
south of United States.
[Illustration: 658.]
=658. Cerulean Warbler= (_Dendroica cerulea_). L. 5. _Ad._ [Male].
A gray-blue breast band; above bright gray-blue streaked with black;
wing-bars and spots in tail white. _Ad._ [Female] and _Yng._ [Male].
Above blue-gray washed with greenish, below yellowish white; a whitish
line over eye. _Notes._ Call, a warbler _lisp_ and _tchip_ of the
Myrtle Warbler; song resembling that of Parula Warbler. (Brewster.)
(See page 180.)
Range.--Mississippi Valley, breeding north to Minnesota and east to
Cayuga County, New York, Maryland, and West Virginia; generally rare
east of Alleghanies; migrates south through Texas and winters in
Central and South America.
[Illustration: 597.]
=597. Blue Grosbeak= (_Guiraca cA|rulea_). L. 7; W. 3.4. _Ad._ [Male].
Deep, dark blue, back blacker and sometimes with brownish edgings;
lesser wing-coverts broadly, greater wing-coverts narrowly tipped with
chestnut. In winter more or less tipped with brownish above and below.
_Ad._ [Female]. Above grayish brown, deepest on head; below grayish
white washed with buffy; wing-bars buff. Some specimens show more or
less blue, particularly about head. _Yng._ [Male]. Like [Female], but
browner. _Notes._ Call, a strong, harsh, _ptchick_; song, a beautiful
but feeble warble, somewhat like that of Purple Finch and with a
slight resemblance to that of Rose-breasted Grosbeak. (Ridgw.)
Range.--Eastern United States; breeds from the Gulf north to Maryland
and southern Illinois; winters south of United States into Mexico and
Central America; casually north as far as Maine and Quebec.
=597a. Western Blue Grosbeak= (_G. c. lazula_). Similar to No. 597,
but larger, W. 3.6; male brighter blue; back blacker; tips of
wing-coverts paler, those of greater coverts usually decidedly paler
than those of lesser coverts and averaging wider than those of No.
597. Female averaging paler, less brown.
Range.--Western United States; breeds from Mexico north to Kansas,
southern Nebraska, Colorado, and northern California; winters in
Mexico and Central America.
[Illustration: 598.]
=598. Indigo Bunting= (_Cyanospiza cyanea_). L. 5.4. No white
wing-bars. _Ad._ [Male]. Deep blue, darkest on head. In winter brown,
paler below, more or less mixed with blue. _Ad._ [Female]. Above
brown; below whitish washed with brown with a _suggestion of streaks_;
lesser wing-coverts and margins of tail-feathers usually tinged with
blue. _Yng._ Similar to [Female] but below more streaked; browner, and
generally without blue tinge. _Notes._ Call, a sharp _pit_; song, a
tinkling, unsympathetic, rapid warble, _July, July, summer-summer's
here_; _morning, noontide, evening, list to me_.
Range.--Eastern United States, west to the Plains, casually to
Colorado; breeds north to Nova Scotia and Manitoba; winters in Central
America.
[Illustration: 766.]
=766. Bluebird= (_Sialia sialis_). L. 7. _Ad._ [Male]. Above,
including wings and tail, bright blue; throat and breast rusty brown,
belly whitish. _Ad._ [Female]. Above grayer, below paler. In winter
specimens of both sexes have upperparts tipped with rusty. _Notes._
Call, _tur-wee, tur-wee_; song, a rich and sweet but short warble.
Range.--Eastern United States; breeds from the Gulf States to Nova
Scotia and Manitoba; winters from southern New England and southern
Illinois southward.
=766a. Azure Bluebird= (_S. s. azurea_). Similar to No. 766, but
breast paler, upperparts less deep, more cerulean.
Range.--Mountains of eastern Mexico north to southern Arizona.
=767. Western Bluebird= (_Sialia mexicana occidentalis_). L. 7.
_Ad._ [Male]. Above bright blue, foreback with more or less rust-brown,
but rarely wholly chestnut; _throat blue_, breast rust-brown, belly
bluish gray. _Ad._ [Female]. Above grayish blue; rust on foreback
faintly indicated; throat bluish gray, breast paler than in [Male].
_Notes._ Call, suggests that of No. 766, but is louder and wilder.
Range.--Pacific coast region from northern Lower California north to
British Columbia, east to western Nevada and casually, during
migrations, to New Mexico. (Ridgway.)
[Illustration: 767a.]
=767a. Chestnut-backed Bluebird= (_S. m. bairdi_). Similar to No. 767,
but foreback _wholly_ rust-brown.
Range.--Rocky Mountain region from Wyoming south into Mexico.
=767b. San Pedro Bluebird= (_S. m. anabelA|_). Rust-brown of back and
breast greatly reduced in extent, usually wholly wanting or barely
indicated on back, and divided into two patches on breast by backward
extension of blue of throat; W. 4.2. (Ridgw.)
Range.--San Pedro Martir Mountains, Lower California.
[Illustration: 768.]
=768. Mountain Bluebird= (_Sialia arctica_). L. 7.5. _Ad._ [Male].
Above beautiful cerulean blue, throat and breast paler, belly whitish.
Winter specimens are more or less tipped with brownish. _Ad._
[Female]. Above brownish gray, rump blue, throat and breast grayish
buff; belly whitish. _Notes._ Call, suggests that of No. 766, but in
fall is merely a feeble chirp. (Ridgw.)
Range.--Western United States, except Pacific coast; breeds from the
Sierra Nevada east to the Plains and from New Mexico north to the
Great Slave Lake region; winters from the Mexico boundary states south
into Mexico.
[Illustration: 477.]
=477. Blue Jay= (_Cyanocitta cristata_). L. 11.7. _Ads._ Above
gray-blue, breast and sides washed with _grayish_; white tip to outer
tail-feather rarely less than one inch long. _Notes._ Varied; commonly
a loud harsh _jay jay_; often whistling calls and imitations of the
notes of other birds, particularly of common Hawks.
Range.--Eastern North America, west to the Plains; breeds from Georgia
and northern Texas north to Labrador and Hudson Bay region; resident,
except at northern part of range.
=477a. Florida Blue Jay= (_C. c. florincola_). Similar to No. 477, but
smaller, L. 10; blue above with a purplish tinge; greater wing-coverts
more narrowly barred with black and tipped with white.
Range.--Florida and Gulf Coast to southeastern Texas.
[Illustration: 482.]
=482. Arizona Jay= (_Aphelocoma sieberii arizonA|_). L. 13; W. 6.3;
T. 5.8. _Ads._ Above grayish blue, head, wings and tail brighter than
back; below unstreaked, gray breast tinged with bluish; belly whiter.
_Notes._ Noisy, harsh, and far-reaching. (Bendire.)
Range.--Northern Mexico, north to southern New Mexico and Arizona.
=482a. Couch Jay= (_A. s. couchi_). Similar to No. 482, but smaller;
W. 5.8; T. 5.3; bluer above, throat whiter.
Range.--"Eastern Mexico, extending to western Texas in the Chisos
Mountains." (Bailey.)
[Illustration: 492.]
=492. Pinon Jay= (_Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus_). L. 11; T. 4.8.
_Ads._ Above nearly uniform grayish blue, head slightly darker; below
slightly paler, throat streaked with white. _Notes._ Variable, some as
harsh as those of No. 491, others like gabble of Magpie; others like
Jays' common call a shrill, querulous, _peeh, peeh_; when on ground
maintain a constant chatter. (Bendire.)
Range.--Western North America, from New Mexico and Lower California
north to southern British Columbia; east to Rockies, west to Sierra
Nevada and Cascade Ranges.
[Illustration: 479.]
=479. Florida Jay= (_Aphelocoma cyanea_). L. 11.5. _Ads._ foreback
clay-color or pale brownish gray; head, nape, wings, tail, sides of
throat and faint breast-streaks blue; a grayish line over eye; throat
gray; belly dingier; forehead usually hoary. _Notes._ Harsh and
unmusical calls.
Range.--Florida; confined mostly to coast of the middle portions of
the peninsula.
[Illustration: 480.]
=480. Woodhouse Jay= (_Aphelocoma woodhousei_). L. 12; W. 5. _Ads._
Back _grayish or brownish blue_, usually not sharply defined from
nape; crown, nape, wings and tail blue; throat _gray_; belly dingier;
breast streaked with blue; _under tail-coverts blue_; a _narrow white_
line over eye. Resembles No. 479, but is larger, back bluer, forehead
not hoary; line over eye sharper.
Range.--Western United States (chiefly Great Basin region), from
northern Mexico north to southeastern Oregon and southern Wyoming;
east to western Texas and Colorado; west to California, east of the
Sierras.
[Illustration: 480.1.]
=480.1. Blue-eared Jay= (_Aphelocoma cyanotis_). Resembling No. 480,
but larger; W. 5. 5; under tail-coverts _white_; back slaty-gray
tinged with blue; white line over eye less evident.
Range.--"Mexican tableland north casually to Sutton County, Texas."
(Bailey.)
_480.2. Texan Jay_ (_Aphelocoma texana_). Similar to No. 480.1, but
white line over eye more distinct, below paler and browner gray, lower
throat and chest with obsolete grayish streaks instead of blue
streaks. Differs from No. 480 in having pure white under tail coverts
and in other respects. (Ridgw.)
Range.--"Southeastern Texas, from Concho and Kerr Counties west to the
Davis Mountains." (Bailey.)
[Illustration: 481.]
=481. California Jay= (_Aphelocoma californica_). Similar to No. 480,
but back _brown_; usually sharply defined from nape; blue areas
brighter, throat and belly whiter; breast less streaked with blue.
_Notes._ Varied, usual call a harsh, metallic squawking.
Range.--Pacific coast from northern Lower California, north to
southern Washington, east, in California, to the Sierra Nevada.
=481a. Xantus Jay= (_A. c. hypoleuca_). Similar to No. 481, but blue
areas somewhat lighter, underparts decidedly whiter.
Range.--Lower California, north to Lat. 28A deg..
=481b. Belding Jay= (_A. c. obscura_). Similar to No. 481, but darker
and with smaller feet; W. 4.7. (Anthony.)
Range.--San Pedro Martir Mountains, Lower California.
[Illustration: 481.1.]
=481.1. Santa Cruz Jay= (_Aphelocoma insularis_). Similar to No. 481,
but larger; W. 5.6; blue areas much deeper, back much darker, grayish
sooty tinged with blue.
Range.--Santa Cruz Island, California.
[Illustration: 478.]
=478. Steller Jay= (_Cyanocitta stelleri_). L. 13. _Ads._ Crest, back
and upper breast sooty brown; rump and belly dark, (Antwerp) blue;
forehead more or less streaked with blue. _Notes._ Varied, usual call
a loud, harsh squawking; the bird is a mimic and also a whistler.
Range.--Pacific coast from Monterey, California, north to near Cook
Inlet, Alaska, including Vancouver Island.
=478a. Blue-fronted Jay= (_C. s. frontalis_). Similar to No. 478, but
back paler, grayer, rump and belly turquoise, forehead with more blue
which sometimes extends to the crest.
Range.--"Southern coast ranges and Sierra Nevada of California and
western Nevada, from Fort Crook south to northern Lower California."
(A.O.U.)
=478b. Long-crested Jay= (_C. s. diademata_). Similar to No. 478, but
paler, grayer above, blue turquoise, as in No. 478a; crest longer, the
forehead with pale, _bluish white_ streaks; a white spot over the eye.
Range.--"Southern Rocky Mountains; north to southern Wyoming; west to
Uintah Mountains, in eastern Utah, and the higher ranges of
northwestern Arizona; south to New Mexico." (Bendire.)
=478c. Black-headed Jay= (_C. s. annectens_). Between No. 478 and
No. 478b. Forehead streaks, and spot over eye much as in latter;
color of body dark as in former.
Range.--Northern Rocky Mountain region from northern Utah and southern
Wyoming north to Alberta and British Columbia.
=478d. Queen Charlotte Jay= (_C. s. carlottA|_). Similar to No. 478,
but darker, sooty slate above, blue deeper.
Range.--Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia.
[Illustration: 483.]
=483. Green Jay= (_Xanthoura luxuosa glaucescens_). L. 11. _Ads._
Crown and patches at side of throat blue; back, wings, and central
tail-feathers green; outer tail-feathers yellow; throat black, breast
and belly greenish yellow. _Notes._ Noisy and harsh often suggesting
certain of the Blue Jay's calls.
Range.--Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and south into northeastern
Mexico.
Perching Birds with Yellow or Orange
[Illustration: 503.]
=503. Audubon Oriole= (_Icterus audubonii_). L. 9.5. _Ads._ Head,
breast, wings and tail black; belly yellow; back greenish yellow.
_Yng._ Greenish yellow below; olive-green above. _Notes._ See No. 507.
Range.--Mexico north to the Lower Rio Grande; casually as far as San
Antonio, Texas; resident.
[Illustration: 504.]
=504. Scott Oriole= (_Icterus parisorum_). L. 8; B. .95; _Ad._ [Male].
Lesser wing-coverts, base of tail, rump and belly yellow; rest of
plumage black. _Ad._ [Female]. Yellowish below, olive-green above, two
white wing-bars. _Yng._ [Male]. Like female, but throat black.
_Notes._ See No. 507.
Range.--Mexican tableland, migrating north to western Texas, northern
New Mexico, southern Nevada and southeastern California; winters in
Mexico.
[Illustration: 505.]