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At the time of this investigation the following species of blackbirds were foudn in this area:

Great-tailed Grackle ([[underlined]] Megaquiscalus major macrourus [[/underlined]])
Red-winged Blackbird ([[underlined]] Agelaius phoeniceus [[/underlined]])
Brewer's Blackbird ([[underlined]] Euphagus cyanocephalus [[/underlined]])
Cowbird ([[underlined]] Molothrus ater [[/underlined]]).

From descriptions furnished by the rice growers it seemd that the Red-winged Blackbird known locally as the "Rice-bird" or "Reed-bird", was the most destructive. It is possible that the Cowbird was confused with this species also as I found Cowbirds abundant, yet no mentiion was made of them in discussin bird damage to rice. Complaints against the Great-Tailed Gracke [[sic]] which was known as the "Jackdaw" or "Crow-jack" varied but it seemed that it was in general injurious. Compared with the Redwings however there are comparatively few individuals of this species present. The status of Brewer's Blackbird was uncertain as in only a few instances was it charged directly with doing harm. As it is an abundant breeding species it seems probable that the flocks do feed in the rice fields during late summer and early fall; this however is mere supposition and need^[[s]] to be substantiated by observations at the proper season.

As the greater part of the damage takes place from the time that the rice is in the milk until it is threshed a period extending from the end of July to the first part of October, the harm must be accomplished by native birds. The Red-wings have about completed nesting at the beginning of this period and old and young gather in large flocks. It is probable these bands [[strikethrough]] that [[/strikethrough]] do the majore part of the damage. During fall and winter large flocks of other Red-wings and many Cowbirds come in here from the