Western Meadowlark: Sturnella neglecta neglecta (Audubon).—This is a common resident and summer resident in western Kansas, and is restricted and local in the east; preferred habitat is in grassy uplands.
Breeding schedule.—Twenty-three records of breeding span the period April 10 to July 30 ([Fig. 8]); the modal date for egg-laying is May 5 for first nests and June 5 for second nests.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is 4 eggs (4.3, 3-6; 16).
Nests are placed on the ground with cover of grasses or forbs.
Yellow-headed Blackbird: Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus (Bonaparte).—This uncommon and local summer resident occurs chiefly in the west, in marshes. Nesting records are from Wallace, Meade, Barton, Stafford, Doniphan, and Douglas counties. Temporal occurrence is indicated in [Table 18].
Breeding schedule.—Fifty-one records of breeding span the period May 20 to June 30; the modal date of egg-laying is June 5. The sample is probably not large enough to be wholly reliable.
Number of eggs.—Clutch-size is about 4 eggs.
Nests are placed within a few feet of water in cattail, rush, sedge, and willow.
Red-winged Blackbird: Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus).—This is a common summer resident in marshes, wet pasture, and scrubby parkland throughout the State. A. p. phoeniceus (Linnaeus) occurs in most of Kansas and A. p. fortis (Ridgway) occurs in the west, east to about Decatur County. A few birds can be found in eastern Kansas in winter; the full breeding population is present between April and October.
Breeding schedule.—The 109 records of breeding in Cloud County span the period May 1 to July 30 ([Fig. 8]); the modal date for laying is May 25, and 71 per cent of all eggs are laid in the period May 11 to June 10. Eighty-eight records of breeding from northwestern Kansas make a histogram almost exactly duplicating the one from Cloud County.