These birds are very numerous in the United States, and congregate in large flocks in the spring and fall. And although they generally migrate farther south, large numbers of them winter in the Southern States, where, gleaning among the stubble of the old rice and corn fields, they find abundance of food for ,the winter. Very early in the spring they come to us in flocks, (the males first, as is generally the case with migratory birds,) and in the neighborhood of some pond, creek, or swampy meadow, they may be seen in large bodies, performing their aerial evolutions. At times they will all alight on one or more leafless trees, covering them from top to bottom. The contrast of their jet black plumage, and scarlet shoulders, makes the appearance of the trees, then, strikingly beautiful; while the combined notes of half a thousand or more of them, wafted on the breeze, at some distance off, is indeed one of nature's own sweet concerts, to which I have often listened with delight. They are very amusing birds in a cage, throwing themselves into all kinds of attitudes, and trying to imitate all they hear. There was one kept for some time in Quincy Market, near the poultry stalls, where, sometimes, the fowls are left alive, in cribs. This bird showed himself an apt scholar, and imitated perfectly the crowing of a cock, which attracted a good deal of attention. This bird is classed by the late lamented Alexander Wilson, as a Stare, or Star-ling, (the opinion of some high authorities to the contrary, notwithstanding.) That this close observer of nature, and self-taught genius, was right in this, (as he was in almost every thing he advanced,) I had sufficient proof, last summer, to convince the most skeptical. I had two young Red Winged Starlings, and an old English Starling, in two cages, beside each other. The Red Wings, in their gait and attitudes, in their manner of eating the same food, in the tone of their voice, their imitative powers, and even the color of their plumage, were fac-similes of their great type, the old English Starling; and some of their notes bearing a resemblance like his to the articulation of syllables, I have no doubt they might be taught sentences like him. Their natural notes are few, but very musical, and their common call, Conk-er-ree, the last syllable dwelt upon, is very pleasing.

Food

They are a hardy bird, and in a cage they will eat almost anything you give them. I feed them on meal and milk, bruised hemp seed, and occasionally a bit of beef, cut in small pieces, or scraped. Keep plenty of gravel in the bottom of the cage, and give them water to wash.

Characteristics Of The Sexes

The male of the first and second year has the plumage streaked with brown, the red not being fully developed; the third year he is jet black ; shoulders a bright and rich scarlet, bordered with reddish white. The female has the upper parts brownish, lower parts spotted, or streaked with black and white. Young male like the female. Young female browner.

Location

Found throughout the United States. Migratory. Numbers winter in the Southern States.

Ciated with the strong-hooked bill of the Falcon. There is also a resemblance in the habits and manner of feeding of the Shrike. By stratagem or pursuit he seizes small birds by the throat, suffocating them, and then impaling them on thorns,* to be devoured at leisure; his claws being insufficient for either holding or tearing them; he also feeds on grasshoppers, and other large insects, like the Jay, and impales them in the same manner. On the approach of winter, this bird visits us (from the mountain forests to the north of us, where he breeds,) and is found in the vicinity of Boston; and in the midst of winter, when hard pressed with hunger, in many instances they have darted through panes of glass after Canaries and other birds, hung in cages inside, and have in general been taken in the very act, and some of them have been brought to me to see if they were Mocking Birds, as they bear some resemblance to that bird. In one instance, last winter, there was one who succeeded in killing the poor Canary Bird before any body came to the rescue; he effected his escape through the breach he had made, on the entry of an inmate of the house, and without his prey after all, which he was in the act of pulling through the wires of the cage when interrupted. It is a graceful and active bird, and the color of its plumage is chaste and finely contrasted; it has also some very-pleasant warbling notes, will imitate the notes of other birds; the female also sings. They are very amusing birds in a cage, and if some sharp sticks, made like thorns, are fastened inside of the cage, and live mice or insects are put in, they will, after killing them, impale them all round on the sticks. They have, in Europe, one of the same genus very closely allied to this species, but not now identified with it. The only difference is a little more white on the wing, and its being one inch less in length. They are there kept in cages, and are great favorites. They are caught by placing a bird and cage in a box trap, which is so constructed that as soon as he touches the cage the trap closes and shuts him up in darkness, from which he is immediately taken and transferred to another cage.

* From this practice is derived the name of Butcher.

Food

This bird, when caught, even when old, can be easily used to the cage by giving it live mice or insects, and leaving him alone, as at first; he will not eat, as long as you stand by. He will very soon get tame, and thrive well upon meal and milk, and a bit of fresh beef; gravel in the ciated with the strong-hooked bill of the Falcon. There is also a resemblance in the habits and manner of feeding of the Shrike. By stratagem or pursuit he seizes small birds by the throat, suffocating them, and then impaling them on thorns,* to be devoured at leisure; his claws being insufficient for either holding or tearing them; he also feeds on grasshoppers, and other large insects, like the Jay, and impales them in the same manner. On the approach of winter, this bird visits us (from the mountain forests to the north of us, where he breeds,) and is found in the vicinity of Boston ; and in the midst of winter, when hard pressed with hunger, in many instances they have darted through panes of glass after Canaries and other birds, hung in cages inside, and have in general been taken in the very act, and some of them have been brought to me to see if they were Mocking Birds, as they bear some resemblance to that bird. In one instance, last winter, there was one who succeeded in killing the poor Canary Bird before any body came to the rescue; he effected his escape through the breach he had made, on the entry of an inmate of the house, and without his prey after all, which he was in the act of pulling through the wires of the cage when interrupted. It is a graceful and active bird, and the color of its plumage is chaste and finely contrasted ; it has also some very pleasant warbling notes, will imitate the notes of other birds; the female also sings. They are very amusing birds in a cage, and if some sharp sticks, made like thorns, are fastened inside of the cage, and live mice or insects are put in, they will, after killing them, impale them all round on the sticks. They have, in Europe, one of the same genus very closely allied to this species, but not now identified with it. The only difference is a little more white on the wing, and its being one inch less in length. They are there kept in cages, and are great favorites. They are caught by placing a bird and cage in a box trap, which is so constructed that as soon as he touches the cage the trap closes and shuts him up in darkness, from which he is immediately taken and transferred to another cage.

* From this practice is derived the name of Butcher.

Food

This bird, when caught, even when old, can be easily used to the cage by giving it live mice or insects, and leaving him alone, as at first; he will not eat, as long as you stand by. He will very soon get tame, and thrive well upon meal and milk, and a bit of fresh beef; gravel in the cage, and plenty of water, as they are fond of bathing.

Characteristics Of The Sexes

The adult male has the whole of the upper parts of a rich pearl gray, the lower almost pure white; in young birds, mixed with waving lines of grayish; space between the bill and the eye, and surrounding the eye, black; wings, black; extremities, tipt with white; a spot of white on the lower part of the wing. The female is easily distinguished by the upper parts being light reddish brown ; the back brownish, and not coming to the bill; the lower parts are reddish brown, and the waving lines are brownish, and more developed.

Location

Found throughout the United States in winter; breeds to the Northward of Massachusetts.