. The birds of California : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds found in the state. Birds; Birds. The Brewer Blackbird Taken in Santa Barbara County Photo by the A uthor HIGH NOTES BLACKBIRDS, CHIEFLY BREWERS. ago by an Old World thrush (Turdus merula)? The name "blackbird," moreover, in America, carries with it a strong suggestion of thievishness, an odium scarcely deserved by the subject of this sketch. He is a hand- some fellow, our western grackle, sleek, vivacious, interesting, and serviceable withal. We know him best, perhaps, a
. The birds of California : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds found in the state. Birds; Birds. The Brewer Blackbird Taken in Santa Barbara County Photo by the A uthor HIGH NOTES BLACKBIRDS, CHIEFLY BREWERS. ago by an Old World thrush (Turdus merula)? The name "blackbird," moreover, in America, carries with it a strong suggestion of thievishness, an odium scarcely deserved by the subject of this sketch. He is a hand- some fellow, our western grackle, sleek, vivacious, interesting, and serviceable withal. We know him best, perhaps, as an industrious gleaner of pastures, corrals, streets, and "made" lands. He is not only the farmer's "hired man," waging increasing warfare against insect life, especially in its noxious larval forms, but he has an accepted place in the economy of city and village as well. As one approaches a feeding flock, he notes the eagerness with which the birds run forward, or rise and flit past their fellows, now diving at a nimble weevil, now leaping to catch a passing bug, but always pushing on until the onlooker perceives a curious rolling effect in the total movement. As we draw near, some timid individual takes alarm, and instantly all are up, to alight again upon the fence or shrubbery, where they clack and whistle, not so much by way of apprehension as through sheer ex- uberance of nervous force. As we pass (we must not stop short, for they resent express attention) we note the droll white eyes of the males, as they twist and perk and chirp in friendly impudence, and the snuffy brown heads of the females with their soft hazel irides, as they give a motherly fluff of the feathers, or yawn with impatience over the interrupted meal. When we are fairly by, the most venturesome dives from his perch, and the rest follow by twos and tens, till the ground is again covered by a shifting, chattering band. Like all blackbirds (grackles included), the Brewers are gregario
Size: 1595px × 1566px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1923
