Audubon's Birds/BIRDSVER1_3.BIN/dp/0035/00352.txt

Text File | 1992-08-27 | 15KB | 234 lines

$Unique_ID{BRD00352}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{The Rice-Bird.  Bob-o-link}
$Subject{Bob-o-link; Agelainae; Dolichonyx; oryzivora; oryzivorus; The Rice-bird; Bob-o-link; Bobolink}
$Journal{Birds of America:  Volume IV}
$Volume{Vol. 4:10-15}
$Family{Agelainae}
$Genus{Dolichonyx}
$Species{oryzivora; oryzivorus}
$Common_Name{The Rice-bird; Bob-o-link; Bobolink}
$Log{
Plate CCXI*00352p1.scf,57390020.aud
Bird Call*57390020.aud
Family*00350.txt
Genus*00351.TXT
}

            (C) (P) Library of Natural Sounds; Cornell Laboratory
       of Ornithology 1990-91, 1992; Ithaca, N.Y., All rights reserved.
       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                       B I R D S   O F   A M E R I C A .

                    By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.

                   ------------------------------------------
                                   VOL.  IV.
                        --------------------------------


                          THE RICE-BIRD.--BOB-O-LINK.
                                  [Bobolink.]


                          DOLICHONYX ORYZIVORA, Linn.
                            [Dolichonyx oryzivorus.]


                         PLATE CCXI.--MALE and FEMALE.


     Very few of these birds pass through Louisiana in spring, and still fewer,
on their return, in autumn; for which reason I am inclined to think that they do
not spend the winter months so much in the southern parts of America as in some
of the West India Islands.  Indeed, I am the more inclined to believe this to be
the case, as they seldom penetrate far into the interior, during their stay with
us, but prefer the districts bordering upon the Atlantic, through which they
pass and repass in incredible numbers.
     In Louisiana, small detached flocks of males or of females appear about the
middle of March and beginning of April, alighting in the meadows and
grain-fields, where they pick up the grubs and insects found about the roots of
the blades.  I have heard it asserted, though I cannot give it as a fact, that
the appearance of the Rice-bird in spring forebodes a bad harvest.  The idea
probably originates from the circumstance that these birds do not pass through
Louisiana regularly every year, there being sometimes three or four springs in
succession in which they are not observed.
     The plumage of many of the males at this early season still resembles that
of the females, but it changes in the course of their stay, which is seldom more
than a fortnight.  I have ascertained this fact by dissecting many at this
period, when, notwithstanding the dull colour of their plumage, I found the
sexual organs greatly developed, which is not the case in autumn, even in the
old males.  I had another clew to the discovery of this fact.  No sooner did a
flock of females make its appearance, than these dull-looking gentlemen
immediately paid them such particular attention, and sang so vehemently, that
the fact of their being of a different sex became undeniable.
     Here they pass under the name of Meadow-birds.  In Pennsylvania they are
called Reed-birds, in Carolina Rice Buntings, and in the State of New York
Boblinks.  The latter appellation is given to them as far eastward as they are
known to proceed for the purpose of breeding.
     During their sojourn in Louisiana, in spring, their song, which is
extremely interesting, and emitted with a volubility bordering on the burlesque,
is heard from a whole party at the same time; when, as each individual is, of
course, possessed of the same musical powers as his neighbours, it becomes
amusing to listen to thirty or forty of them beginning one after another, as if
ordered to follow in quick succession, after the first notes are given by a
leader, and producing such a medley as it is impossible to describe, although it
is extremely pleasant to hear it.  While you are listening, the whole flock
simultaneously ceases, which appears equally extraordinary.  This curious
exhibition takes place every time that the flock has alighted on a tree, after
feeding for awhile on the ground, and is renewed at intervals during the day.
     There is a very remarkable fact in the history of this species, which is,
that while moving eastward, during their migration, in spring, they fly mostly
at night; whereas in autumn, when they are returning southward, their flight is
diurnal.  This, kind reader, is another puzzle to me.
     About the middle of May, the Boblinks reach the State of New York, their
stay in the intermediate States being of short duration at that season, although
sufficient to enable them to cause great injury to the corn fields in Virginia,
Maryland, and Pennsylvania, where it is said, although I can scarcely give
credit to the assertion, that they cut the blade near the root.  This is perhaps
laid to their charge for the purpose of aggravating the real injury which they
afterwards inflict on the farmers, by feeding on the grain when in a milky and
tender state.  However, they reach the States of New York and Connecticut, and
extend their journey to the easternmost of our districts, proceeding also to the
borders of Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence.
     By this time they have become so plentiful, and have so dispersed all over
the country, that it is impossible to see a meadow or a field of corn which does
not contain several pairs of them.  The beauty, or, perhaps more properly, the
variety of their plumage, as well as of their song, attracts the attention of
the bird-catchers.  Great numbers are captured and exposed for sale in the
markets, particularly in those of the city of New York.  They are caught in
trap-cages, and feed and sing almost immediately after.  Many are carried to
Europe, where the shipper is often disappointed in his profits, as by the time
they reach there, the birds have changed their colours and seem all females.
     Whilst the love-season lasts, the males are more sprightly than ever.
Their song is mostly performed in the air, while they are rising and falling in
successive jerks, which are as amusing as the jingling of their vocal essays.
The variety of their colours is at this juncture very remarkable.  It is equally
so, when, on rising from among the grass and flying away from the observer, they
display the pure black and white of their wings and body.
     The nest of the Rice Bunting is placed on the ground, without much apparent
care as to choice of situation, but always amongst the grass, or in a field of
wheat or barley.  It is composed of coarse dried grasses and leaves externally,
and is lined with finer meadow grass.  It appears large for the size of the
bird.  The female lays from four to six eggs, of a white colour, strongly tinged
with dull blue, and irregularly spotted with blackish.  They raise only one
brood in a season.
     No sooner have the young left the nest, than they and their parents
associate with other families, so that by the end of July large flocks begin to
appear.  They seem to come from every portion of the Eastern States, and already
resort to the border's of the rivers and estuaries to roost.  Their songs have
ceased, the males have lost their gay livery, and have assumed the yellow hue of
the females and young, although the latter are more firm in their tints than the
old males, and the whole begin to return southward, slowly and with a single
clink, sufficient however to give intimation of their passage, as they fly high
in long files during the whole day.
     Now begin their devastations.  They plunder every field, but are shot in
immense numbers.  As they pass along the sea shores, and follow the muddy edges
of the rivers, covered at that season with full grown reeds, whose tops are bent
down with the weight of the ripe seeds, they alight amongst them in countless
multitudes, and afford abundant practice to every gunner.
     It is particularly towards sunset, and when the weather is fine, that the
sport of shooting Reed-birds is most profitable.  They have then fully satiated
their appe