A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

by John James Audubon

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.