Chapter II: Front Matter (2)

Description.—Head high, rising abruptly from bill; both sexes with
tendency toward fluffy, round crest. _Male_: Entire head bright
rufous, glossed with purplish; lower neck, all around, breast, and
upper back, blackish; rest of back and scapulars finely barred with
wavy black and white lines of equal width; wing-coverts brownish gray;
wings gray, without a noticeable speculum; upper and under
tail-coverts black; belly white, lower belly more or less barred like
back; sides barred as in back; eyes yellow; bill blue-gray. _Female_:
Upperparts dark grayish brown, darker on wings, all feathers more or
less margined with buffy or ashy; neck buffy, somewhat mottled; breast
and sides gray-brown, washed or margined with buffy; belly and under
tail-coverts somewhat suffused with buffy; eyes brown; bill blackish,
with blue-gray band at end. _Length_: 19 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common as a migrant, noticeably along
the larger waterways, from March 1 to April 25 and from October 10 to
November 15. Sometimes occurs in great flocks.

The high head and yellow eyes distinguish the male Redhead from the male Canvasback, which is otherwise similar in appearance.

CANVASBACK
_Aristonetta valisineria_ (Wilson)

Description.—Bill long and gradually sloping up to the head which is
long and low, different markedly in this respect from that of the
Redhead. _Male_: Head and neck rufous; chin and crown blackish; lower
neck, breast, and upper back, black; back and wing-coverts barred with
black and white, the white lines so much wider as to appear, even at
some distance, whiter than in the Redhead; belly white, sides finely
barred; upper and under tail-coverts and tail, black; eyes reddish
brown; bill blackish. _Female_: Head, neck, breast, and upper back,
light rufous; throat pale, the frontparts of head somewhat brighter;
back, grayish brown, feathers washed with wavy white lines which the
female Redhead does not have; belly white; sides grayish brown,
sometimes marked like back. _Length_: 21 inches. The female is a
little smaller than the male.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common and regular migrant,
principally along the larger waterways, usually from March 10 to April
20 and from October 1 to December 15, sometimes abundant; irregular in
winter.

The white back of the male Canvasback is noticeable at a distance. The female, which is rather similar to the female Redhead, may always be recognized by the long, rather thin bill and low head.

SCAUP
_Fulix marila nearctica_ (Stejneger)

Other Names.—Blue-bill; Black-head; Raft Duck; Greater Scaup; American
Scaup.

Description.—_Adult male_: Head, neck, breast, and upper back, black,
head with greenish reflections; back and scapulars barred with black
and white; speculum white; upper and under tail-coverts black; belly
white, lower belly and sides finely barred with black; bill blue-gray;
eyes yellow. _Female_: Area about base of bill white; head, neck,
upper back, and breast, dark brown, margined with buffy on breast;
rest of upperparts somewhat lighter brown; sides brown, marked with
wavy white lines; belly and speculum white. _Length_: 18½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common as a migrant from March 10 to
April 25 and from October 1 to December 10. The Scaups are among the
species of this family most commonly recorded at reservoirs and along
large waterways.

The two Scaups are not easy to distinguish in the field, and certain identification depends upon the males, for the females are very much alike. The male Scaup’s head shows _greenish_ reflections; the Lesser Scaup’s head is glossed with purplish.

LESSER SCAUP
_Fulix affinis_ (Eyton)

Other Names.—Blue-bill; Black-head; Raft Duck.

Description.—Decidedly similar, in both sexes, to the preceding
species, but smaller, and the male’s head with purplish, rather than
greenish reflections. The barring of the sides of the Lesser Scaup is
stronger than in the Scaup. The females of the two species are
practically indistinguishable in the field. _Length_: 16½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Commoner throughout than the preceding species,
although some of our field records may be open to question in view of
the similarity of the two. The white speculum, dark head, and
_blue-gray_ bill are good field characters to remember.

RINGED-NECKED DUCK
_Perissonetta collaris_ (Donovan)

Other Names.—Blue-bill; Black-head; Raft Duck.

Description.—Both sexes similar to the Scaup and Lesser Scaup in
general appearance, differing in the following respects: in the male
Ring-neck the chin is white; the head, which has a somewhat higher
crest than in either Scaup, is richly glossed with purplish blue;
there is a rich brown collar about the neck (not easily noted in the
field); the _back is blackish_, and the _speculum is gray_, not white;
the female Ring-neck may be distinguished from the female Scaups by
the gray speculum; the head and neck of the female Ring-neck often has
a mottled or spotted appearance. In both sexes the blackish bill,
which is crossed near the tip with a whitish band, is an excellent
field-mark. If the sun is bright, this band may give the impression
that the bird is holding some small shining object in its bill.
_Length_: 16½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—While our records tend to indicate that this
species is less common than the Scaup or Lesser Scaup, it is probably
fairly regular and common as a migrant, occurring at about the same
time as the Lesser Scaup.

GOLDENEYE
_Glaucionetta clangula americana_ (Bonaparte)

Other Names.—Cuphead; Whistler.

Description.—Both sexes with short, stubby bills and high heads.
_Male_: Head black, glossed with green; a white spot below and in
front of eye; neck, exposed part of wing-coverts, speculum and part of
scapulars, and underparts, white; rest of plumage black; eyes yellow.
_Female_: Head brown, neck paler; breast, back, and sides gray;
speculum and underparts white; eyes yellow. _Length_: 20 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant which sometimes occurs in winter when
there is open water, but is not often common. It is to be found from
March 1 to April 15 and from October 10 to November 30.

Goldeneyes will sometimes be seen resting on a floating piece of ice. The musical, whistling sound of their beating wings has been responsible for their common name, “Whistler.”

The large head and ludicrously short bill are fairly good field-marks for this species, even at a considerable distance. The strongly contrasting black and white plumage of the male is not easily to be confused with that of any other species.

The Barrow’s Goldeneye (_Glaucionetta islandica_) is much rarer in Pennsylvania than the Goldeneye. The male has a purplish head and a somewhat crescent-shaped patch in front of and below the eye. His scapulars are marked with white areas along the shafts. Records of this species are very desirable.

BUFFLEHEAD
_Charitonetta albeola_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Butterball; Dipper Duck.

Description.—About half as large as a Mallard; both sexes with short
bills and high, rounded crests, more or less as in the Goldeneye.
_Male_: Head black, glossed handsomely with greenish, purplish,
bluish, and fiery orange; a large white band across back of head from
eye to eye; lower neck, wing-coverts, speculum, outer scapulars, and
underparts, white; back and wings black; lower back and tail grayish;
eyes dark brown. _Female_: Head and upper breast dull brown, patch on
either side of head, speculum, and breast and belly, white. _Length_:
15 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Common, sometimes abundant, as a migrant, from
March 15 to April 15 and from October 1 to November 10. It is often
seen along the smaller, swifter streams and at small lakes. Mated
pairs are usually noted in spring.

The male, like the Wood Duck, is a creature of great beauty. The Bufflehead is a good diver, and can disappear at the wink of an eye with the agility of a grebe. It eats much animal matter, including small fish which it captures while diving. These ducks are often exceedingly fat, and this tendency, as well as the plump roundness of their body, has given them the common name, “Butterball.”

OLD SQUAW
_Clangula hiemalis_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Old Wife; Sou’ Southerly; Long-tailed Duck.

Description.—Male with very long, narrow, middle tail-feathers, longer
than in the Pintail; female without long tail-feathers. _Male in
winter_: Sides of head washed with grayish brown; sides of back of
head and upper neck black, more or less margined with buffy; rest of
head, neck, upper back, scapulars, and lower belly, white; back and
wings, breast, and upper belly, black; bill black with yellowish
orange band across end; eyes pale brown. _Female_: Upper parts dark
brown; scapulars and back more or less margined with grayish; sides of
head and neck white or whitish; breast gray; belly white. The male in
summer has the sides and front of head white; the rest of the plumage
is chiefly black, save the belly, which is white. _Length_: male, 21
inches; female, 16 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant from February 20 to April 10 and from
November 1 to December 20, sometimes occurring in winter, and
irregularly very abundant. Tremendous flocks have been noted at
Conneaut Lake and at Lake Erie.

The Old Squaw is a handsome and noisy species and demands attention wherever it is found. It usually feeds in deep water, and therefore is found but rarely in smaller ponds or along streams. The under wing-coverts are dark, and there is no speculum in the wing. Its rapid flight carries it along, a few feet above the water, at from 35 to 60 miles an hour, perhaps faster, and it alights with a swish. It is an expert diver.

THE SCOTERS

Three species of scoter occur in Pennsylvania. They are diving ducks and are usually to be found only on the larger bodies of water. As a rule, they are not common; they are fond of salt water, and are commonly found in the bays along the Atlantic coast. The adult males all have grotesque and highly colored bills. All scoters are commonly called “Black Ducks” in the interior; along the coast they are called also “Sea Coots.” Scoters will, as a rule, be found in large, raft-like flocks.

AMERICAN SCOTER
_Oidemia americana_ Swainson

Description.—_Male_: Black, with rich purplish reflections; ridges
among feathers of neck, bill black, with knob at base of upper
mandible _peach-yellow_; feet brownish red; eyes dark brown. _Female
and young_: Gray-brown in general appearance, with cheek region
whitish, sharply defined from crown; underparts whitish, irregularly
barred and mottled with dusky. _Length_: 19 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Rare migrant and winter visitant from November
until early April, commonest, perhaps, at Lake Erie and Conneaut Lake.

This is probably the rarest of the scoters in Pennsylvania; further data are desirable.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
_Oidemia deglandi_ Bonaparte

Description.—Size large, noticeably larger than a Mallard. _Male_:
Black, with white spot below and at rear of eye, and white speculum;
belly and sides rich deep brown; bill orange, with long knob, black at
base, feathers reaching forward on it far beyond corners of mouth;
feet red; _eyes white_. _Female and immature_: Deep brown, lighter
below; speculum white; spot at base of bill and ear-coverts whitish,
not always clearly defined. _Length_: 22 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—As a rule, rare, save at Lake Erie and Conneaut
Lake where it is sometimes fairly common during late fall; it is rarer
in spring than in fall.

The white speculum of this large, heavy species will serve to identify it at some distance.

SURF SCOTER
_Melanitta perspicillata_ (Linnæus)

Description.—Larger than Mallard. _Male_: Black, with square
crown-patch and triangular nape-patch of white; feet red; bill marked
with red, white, and yellow, a black spot near base; eyes white.
_Female and immature_: A whitish spot at base of bill and on
ear-coverts, much as in the White-winged Scoter; upperparts dark
brown; throat, breast, and sides grayer; belly white. _Length_: 20
inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Like the White-winged Scoter, rare, save at
Conneaut Lake and Lake Erie where it is a fairly common fall and rare
spring migrant, which sometimes occurs during the winter. Scoters are
occasionally seen along the Susquehanna and the Delaware rivers, but
they are not, as a rule, either common or regular.

The strange shape and color-pattern of the bills of male scoters will distinguish them at once in hand. They are given to flocking and, as they feed, most of the flock may disappear for seconds at a time, to bob up buoyantly as others of the flock slip under.

RUDDY DUCK
_Erismatura jamaicensis_ (Gmelin)

Other Names.—Butterball; Bullhead; Bullneck; Dipper Duck.

Description.—Both sexes with thick necks, short upper tail-coverts,
and stiff tails; about half as large as a Mallard. _Male_: Crown
black; cheeks and chin white; throat, neck, and back rich rufous;
lower back and tail blackish; breast and belly silvery white, somewhat
mottled along sides; bill pale gray-blue; eyes black. _Female and
immature_: Upperparts dark grayish brown, feathers marked with narrow,
wavy, buffy bars; sides of head and upper throat whitish; lower throat
and neck grayish; underparts silvery white. _Length_: 15 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common and regular as a migrant,
sometimes abundant, from April 1 to May 15 and from October 1 to
November 15. It is seen along smaller as well as larger waterways
where it may dive readily upon being approached.

The Ruddy Duck, with its stiff, upturned tail, is comical in appearance. The male, while in bright breeding plumage, is given to holding himself with a jaunty air. They are expert divers but sometimes have difficulty in rising from the water, for their wings are comparatively small. As they get under way they patter with their great feet while their wings beat the water noisily. The neck of the Ruddy Duck is unusually large for a duck. The head may even be pushed back into the skin of the neck; in most ducks the circumference of the neck is noticeably less than that of the head at its greatest diameter.

CANADA GOOSE
_Branta canadensis canadensis_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Wild Goose; Honker.

Description.—Size large, about that of a domestic Goose, with about
the same proportions; sexes similar. Head and neck black, a broad band
under eye, and across throat, white; upperparts brownish gray, the
feathers margined with a lighter shade, giving a somewhat scaled
appearance; breast and sides gray-brown, more or less as in back;
belly white; rump and tail black; upper tail-coverts white. Feet and
bill black; eyes dark brown. _Length_: About 3 feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and sometimes common migrant from
mid-February to early April and from October 15 to November 30,
sometimes occurring in winter, even when ice covers the lakes, at
which times the great birds stand about on the frozen surface. As a
rule, Canada Geese do not stop long in Pennsylvania; most flocks do
not linger here at all, merely passing over.

For us, since the days of our forefathers, and for the Red Man who originally inhabited Penn’s Woods, the V-shaped spring flocks of Canada Geese have heralded the breaking up of the winter, and, in the fall, the coming of the cold season. Canada Geese migrate both by day and night, but they are noticed at night more often than by day because in the comparative stillness of the dark hours their loud, musical bugling drifts down to us as we lie awake, thrilled at the sound. Could we see the great birds, could we know the distant clime toward which they are heading, some of the mystery might be dispelled; but their long journey, their great bodies speeding along at 60 miles an hour or more, and their wide, swishing wings are only suggested by the clamor and challenge that comes to us, holds us spellbound, then gradually dies away as the flock passes on.

Canada Geese are not so aquatic in habit as are ducks. Large flocks often descend to the fields where they feed upon grass or sprouting grain and where they walk about in a dignified fashion.

It is supposed that an old gander always leads the migration flocks. While this may not be the case, it is reasonable to assume that adult birds, with their experience and intelligence, should determine the movements of the flock. Canada Geese sometimes fly in a line, sometimes abreast, but the V-formation is characteristic.

The Greater Snow Goose (_Chen hyperboreus nivalis_), a white bird with black wing-tips, sometimes flies across Pennsylvania. It has been recorded once or twice in huge flocks. The White-fronted Goose (_Aner albifrons gambelli_), a gray goose with a white area at the base of the bill, black spots on the belly, and yellow feet, occurs rarely. The Brant (_Branta bernicla glaucogastra_), smallest of our geese and similar to the Canada Goose but with only a suggestion of a white band on the neck, occurs rarely. It is a maritime species, not often noted inland.

WHISTLING SWAN
_Cygnus columbianus_ (Ord)

Description.—Size very large; neck extremely long, and wing-spread
sometimes as much as 6 to 7 feet; sexes similar. _Adults_: Pure white;
bill and feet black, a small yellow spot at base of upper mandible
just in front of eye; eyes brown. Young birds are pale brownish gray
in color, usually darkest on the head and neck. As the immature
plumage is replaced by the adult plumage, a vague mottling appears.
_Length_: About 4½ feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly regular migrant along the larger
waterways; rare and irregular elsewhere; occasional in winter. It is
usually seen in early spring from March 20 to April 15 and from
October 15 to December 1.

A flock of swans flying in the sunlight is an inspiring spectacle. The birds are so large and their plumage so immaculate that they attract attention everywhere.

They sometimes migrate in immense flocks. In storms or on foggy nights they may become bewildered and descend to smaller streams, but, as a rule, they are found only along large open stretches of water.

At Harrisburg, swans sometimes spend the winter along the Susquehanna when the water is open.

The Trumpeter Swan (_Olor buccinator_), always a very rare bird in the eastern United States, and of late thought to be on the verge of extermination, is even larger than the Whistling Swan. The bill of this species is entirely black, lacking the yellow spot which is characteristic of the adult Whistling Swan and being of a different shape.

AMERICAN BITTERN
_Botaurus lentiginosus_ (Montagu)

Other Names.—Thunder-pump; Bum Cluck; Stake-Driver; Plum Pudd’n.

Description.—Sexes similar; larger than Crow. Upperparts brown,
considerably mottled, streaked, and barred with black; a glossy black
streak from corners of mouth down sides of neck; throat white; neck
and breast marked with broad buffy brown streaks, which are mottled
with brownish gray, in imitation of dead cat-tail leaves; belly buffy;
feet greenish; bill greenish yellow at base, blackish at tip; eyes
bright yellow. _Length_: 28 inches, with neck stretched out.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common migrant and summer resident,
nesting only in marshy situations. It arrives in early April and
leaves in late September or early October.

Nest.—A platform of cat-tail leaves and stalks, or other dead
vegetation, usually placed in a remote section of some marsh, among
rather high weeds. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, pale buffy brown.

The Bittern is a terrestrial heron and rarely alights in trees. It may be confused with the immature Black-crowned Night Heron, which, unlike the Bittern, often perches on a prominent branch or on a tree top.

To know the Bittern one must penetrate the swamp. From the cat-tails, a great brown bird arises, green feet awkwardly dangling. Rapidly the creature makes away, once it has started; perhaps it utters a startled squawk as it jumps from the grass.

In the spring, male Bitterns have a remarkable courtship ceremony which is accompanied by the queer sounds which have given the bird most of its common names. These names, most of which are very good renditions of the queer sounds the birds give, are: “Bum Cluck” or “Plum Pudd’n.” The familiar nicknames, “Stake-Driver” and “Thunder-Pump” also suggest the sounds. While they give these sounds, the male birds inflate their necks and fluff out their feathers, as they strut and bow, and snap their bills.

The sitting mother bird depends greatly upon her remarkably protective coloration. Taken unawares, the hunting Bittern will stand erect with bill pointing skyward, realizing that its dull colors, its streaked breast, and its sharp bill _all_ resemble cat-tail leaves. The eyes of a Bittern are so arranged that the bird can point its bill straight up yet at the same time look directly at us as we approach. Its golden-yellow eyes have a serpentine appearance.

Young Bitterns, in their ragged natal down, are odd creatures. They clamber about their crude cradle, soon developing remarkable strength in toes and feet.

The Bittern and young Black-crowned Night Heron are our only large, brown herons; the Bittern has yellow eyes; the young Black-crown has dark brown eyes.

LEAST BITTERN
_Ixobrychus exilis exilis_ (Gmelin)

Description.—Size very small, body hardly as heavy as that of a Robin;
proportions those of a heron, however, with long bill and feet and
short tail. _Male_: Crown, which has a crest, back, and tail, glossy
black; back of neck chestnut; lesser wing-coverts buffy; greater
wing-coverts and secondaries chestnut, darker than neck; underparts
buffy, somewhat streaked on neck with white and fine lines of
brownish; a black patch at each side of breast; throat, line along
sides of back and of breast, and under tail-coverts, whitish; feet
yellowish green; bill yellowish, tipped with dusky; eyes yellow.
_Female and immature_: Similar, but black of crown and back less
glossy, coloration throughout less striking. _Length_: 13 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Rather rare migrant and summer resident, save
locally, when it nests in cat-tail swamps and similar situations. Its
date of arrival is open to question since the birds are so silent and
retiring as to pass for the most part unobserved. They probably come
in mid-April and leave in late September.

Nest.—A platform of cat-tail stalks and similar materials built on the
ground, or a few inches above the ground, _or in weeds above the
water_, and surrounded by high weeds and grasses. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale
blue.

The Least Bittern is one of our quietest, most retiring birds, and is therefore but little known. It may occur regularly in cat-tail swamps where it has never been seen, simply because no one ventures into its damp, shadowy home among the high, green blades.

It moves slowly, as a rule, and with marvelous control. As it has very strong feet, it can climb up the cat-tail leaves where it sometimes perches so as to survey its surroundings the better.

If startled, it flies up rapidly; but, like a Rail, it does not like to fly far because its long, rather awkward wings appear to tire quickly, and it drops back into its retreat, where it is usually difficult to find it again.

The parent bird has the strange habit of destroying, and perhaps eating, her eggs if they are disturbed. We found a nest containing two fresh eggs at Sandy Lake, Mercer County. Upon returning, a few hours later, I found but a few shells in the nest. I feel certain the parent bird, either the male or female, had destroyed the eggs.

GREAT BLUE HERON
_Ardea herodias herodias_ Linnæus

Other Names.—Crane; Fish Crane; Sandhill Crane (all erroneous).

Description.—Size very large, the largest of our herons; sexes
similar. _Adults in breeding plumage_: Blue-gray, generally speaking;
center of crown and throat white; sides of crown and nape black, where
long, black feathers form a considerable crest; neck grayish brown,
tinged with pinkish; a narrow black, white, and buffy line down middle
of foreneck; feathers of lower neck much lengthened and narrowed, with
whitish and blackish streaks; bend of wing chestnut-brown; a ruff of
black on shoulders; breast and belly streaked with black and white;
feathers on legs reddish brown; legs and feet black; lower mandible
yellow; eyes bright yellow. _Immature_: Similar but entire crown black
and plumage considerably marked, margined, and washed with rusty.
Adults have plume-like feathers on the lower back which the immature
birds lack. _Length_: About 4 feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common summer resident along all water-ways;
irregular and local as a nesting species, however; usually found in
colonies. The birds arrive in mid-March and remain until late October.
They have been noted irregularly during winter.

Nest.—In Pennsylvania, the Great Blue Heron usually, if not always,
nests in trees; in some sections of the United States it nests on the
ground. The nest is a huge, sprawling affair, made of long sticks, and
placed high in a tree, which, if alive, becomes dead as a result of
the droppings from the birds. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale blue.

Reports concerning Sandhill Cranes in Pennsylvania usually refer to this species, as cranes do not occur here. Cranes have an elevated, short hind toe; the hind toe of a heron is on the same level as the other toes, and therefore shows in the track. Herons fly with their necks doubled back, except when they are springing into the air or alighting; cranes always hold their necks straight out.

The Great Blue Heron is an expert fisherman. Statuesque, he stands in the water, intently watching for fish, which he captures with his great, powerful bill, and he can swallow a 14-inch fish without great difficulty. He has favorite fishing-points, and here, in the mud along the bank, his great tracks may be seen. If the bird student wishes to see one of these herons he usually has but to wait at such a point for the evening hour of fishing, and the wide-winged bird, with neck drawn back into the body, and feet sticking straight out behind, will fly deliberately down to the angling-grounds, and there promptly devote himself to capturing a meal.

AMERICAN EGRET
_Casmerodius albus egretta_ (Gmelin)

Other Names.—Egret; White Crane (erroneous).

Description.—Size large, standing about 3 feet high. Pure white, with
_black-tipped yellow bill_, yellow eyes, and _black feet_. In its
breeding plumage it has exquisite plumes on the back. Birds seen in
Pennsylvania usually have no trace of these plumes. _Length_: About 3
feet, with neck fully stretched.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A midsummer wanderer, found chiefly in the
southeastern counties where it may occur in some numbers during July
and August.

The Egret, as it stands along a verdant bank, is a creature of great beauty. Its white plumage makes it conspicuous in any setting. It is larger than the Little Blue Heron which, in its white phase of plumage, also occurs in Pennsylvania during midsummer. The delicate nuptial plumes, stripped from the backs of nesting birds, were once very popular as decorations for women’s hats.

LITTLE BLUE HERON
_Florida cærulea cærulea_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—White Heron; White Crane (erroneous).

Description.—Smaller than Egret. White, with _dusky wing-tips_; bill
dark, dull gray-green; feet greenish. In its breeding-range some birds
are dark blue, others white. It is supposed that there are two phases
of plumage. In Pennsylvania the white phase is customarily seen.
_Length_: 22 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A midsummer wanderer, usually seen in the
southeastern counties during July and August.

This bird should not be confused with the Snowy Heron, a southern species which does not wander much during summer, and which _never has dusky spots_ on the wing-tips. The smaller Green Heron has a somewhat bluish back, but must not be confused with this species.

GREEN HERON
_Butorides virescens virescens_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Fly-up-the-Creek; Shite-poke; Green Bittern.

Description.—Size small; sexes similar. Crown, crest, and line below
the eye black, glossed with green; throat whitish, extending down neck
as a frontal line which widens at breast; neck reddish brown, glossed
with purplish; back with plume-like feathers, blue-green, appearing
blue in most lights; wing-coverts glossy green, margined with buffy;
tail green; belly gray, some feathers edged with buffy; bill yellowish
with dusky tip; feet and eyes bright yellow. _Immature_: Mottled in
appearance, considerably streaked with black on neck and underparts;
crest small; no plume-like feathers or blue-gray color on the back.
Nestlings are covered with long, irregular down. _Length_: 17 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common summer resident from April 10 to
September 30. It is to be found along all small streams and ponds.

Nest.—Of sticks, placed together as a shallow platform, from 6 to 30
feet from the ground in a bush or tree. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale blue.
Green Herons sometimes nest in small colonies, but in Pennsylvania are
more frequently found in solitary pairs.

The Green Heron has the interesting habit of twitching its tail nervously when it is excited. These small but adept fishermen are usually frightened from some favorite haunt along a stream. They fly up rapidly, uttering loud, harsh squawks which may be written _keeow_, or _skeeowp_. Their yellow feet and blue backs show plainly as the birds fly away. The fact that the Green Heron’s back is so noticeably blue should not lead the bird-student to think he is seeing the Little Blue Heron; a species which is rare in Pennsylvania and which, when it does occur, is usually found in its white plumage.

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON
_Nycticorax nycticorax nævius_ (Boddært)

Other Names.—Quawk; Bull Bittern.

Description.—Larger than Crow; bill heavy and blunt for a heron; neck
usually drawn in, though it is of considerable length, as in other
members of the family; sexes similar. _Adults_: Forehead, lores, neck,
and underparts white, somewhat grayish on neck; crown, upper back, and
scapulars black, glossed with green; two or three long white plumes on
back of crest; wings, tail, and lower back clear gray; legs and feet
yellow; bill dusky with yellowish green base and bare area in front of
eyes; eyes red. _Immature_: Grayish brown above, the feathers streaked
or tipped with buffy or whitish; outer webs of primaries rusty;
underparts whitish, streaked with dark gray-brown; feet and legs
yellow; bill dusky; eyes dark red-brown or red. _Length_: 2 feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A summer resident, locally abundant in eastern
and southeastern Pennsylvania, where colonies occur along the
Susquehanna and Delaware rivers; in western Pennsylvania the species
is rare and irregular; at Erie it has been noted a few times. It
arrives at its nesting-grounds in late March or early April and
remains until October.

Nest.—A platform of sticks, usually placed high in a tree. Many nests,
sometimes hundreds of them, are placed together in a favorite grove
which is usually near a lake or on an island in a river. At Harrisburg
the Night Herons nest on McCormick’s Island. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale
blue.

The loud, barking _qua_ of the Night Heron as it rises from its fishing-ground and flies over after nightfall is a startling sound. The species may be identified easily from this sound alone.

Immature birds look somewhat like a Bittern, but the Bittern is a bird of the ground, rarely alighting in trees, whereas the Night Heron, after being frightened from a retreat along the shore, usually alights on a high branch.

Night Herons sometimes circle over the water, snatching their food from the surface, like gulls. As a rule, such activities are noted only during the nesting season, however, when the young have to be fed. When there are no family duties, they prefer to hunt at night.

The heavy bill and habit of perching with neck drawn in gives the bird a characteristic appearance at a distance.

The nesting colony, while interesting to the bird-student, is offensively filthy and has a disagreeable odor. The young, when newly hatched, give forth a peculiar, chuckling _peep_ which has a somewhat ventriloquistic quality. As they develop they clamber about the branches, using their necks, wings, and bills in crawling from perch to perch.

KING RAIL
_Rallus elegans elegans_ Audubon

Description.—The largest of our rails, about the size of a crow, but
with slenderer body; sexes similar. Upperparts dark brown, feathers of
the back and scapulars widely margined with olive-gray; wings and tail
olive-brown; throat and areas in front of and above eye, white; neck
and breast rich reddish brown, much like the breast of a robin; sides
and flanks dark brown, or blackish, sharply and widely barred with
white; bill dull reddish yellow, tipped with black; feet dull reddish;
eyes bright red. Immature birds are darker and less handsomely marked.
_Length_: 15 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare, local migrant, probably occasional as a
summer resident. It nests only in marshy sections. Nesting records are
very desirable. It is to be found from April 15 to mid-September.

The King Rail, though a rather large bird, is so rare and retiring that it is rarely seen, and Pennsylvania records are few. It has been noted chiefly in the less mountainous counties and is apparently commoner in the fall, when the gunners sometimes take the bird. King Rails are weak fliers; sometimes they drop exhausted in the middle of a city and residents are startled at seeing a queer bird on the streets.

VIRGINIA RAIL
_Rallus virginianus_ Linnæus

Description.—Size of robin; sexes similar. Upperparts dark brown or
black, the feathers edged with olive-brown or gray; wings and tail
dark brown, reddish brown on coverts; forepart of superciliary line
and throat, white; cheeks grayish; underparts reddish brown, save on
flanks and under tail-coverts which are black or dark gray, sharply
barred with white; bill and feet reddish; eyes red. Immature birds are
darker throughout and the red-brown of the underparts is replaced by
blackish, mixed with white. _Length_: 9½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly regular but local summer resident,
sometimes common, from April 15 to September 30. It nests only in
marshy situations, where it lives among cat-tails or other aquatic
vegetation.

Nest.—Of cat-tail leaves or grasses, made in a cup, placed at the base
of water-plants on the ground, or a short distance above the water,
usually well sheltered from above, sometimes by a canopy of cat-tail
leaves which has been arranged by the parents. _Eggs_: 6 to 11, buffy
white, spotted with dark or reddish brown.

The pig-like grunts and squawks of a pair of Virginia Rails may bewilder the casual wayfarer near a cat-tail marsh. Rails are rarely seen but may appear along one of the open waterways if the observer remains motionless and silent.

SORA RAIL
Porzana carolina (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Ortolan; Reed Bird; Carolina Rail.

Description.—Smaller than a robin; bill rather short; sexes similar.
_Adults_: Center of crown, region at base of bill back to eye, and
broad line down chin and throat, black; front of crown, sides of head,
and rest of throat and breast, ashy gray, a tiny white spot back of
eye; upper-parts olive-brown, the feathers with blackish centers,
those of the back and scapulars narrowly but sharply edged with white;
wings dark brown, the coverts somewhat lighter; belly and sides of
under tail-coverts white; bill yellow; feet green; eyes brown.
Immature birds are similar but lack all black on face and throat; the
breast and neck are washed with cinnamon-brown, rather than gray, and
the upperparts are darker. _Length_: 8 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common and regular as a migrant; locally
abundant from April 25 to May 15 and from August 25 to October 15;
occurs as a summer resident wherever marshes furnish it a
nesting-site. It is not common as a breeding species.

Nest.—A crude cup made of dead cat-tail leaves or grass, arched over
and well concealed by surrounding marsh vegetation. _Eggs_: 8 to 16,
buffy, spotted with brown.

The Sora is a weak-winged bird and during migration often flies so low that it strikes itself against wires. These injured birds are often the only individuals of this retiring species which are seen by Pennsylvania bird students, unless the cat-tail marshes, where the birds nest, are visited and penetrated.

In the home of the Sora many strange call-notes are to be heard when the birds are curious or disturbed. Some of these notes are sweet and musical; others are strange and hardly bird-like. One call, which is a series of rapidly descending notes, is characteristic.

The Yellow Rail (_Coturnicops noveboracensis_) is smaller than the Sora and is rich buffy yellow with dark, streaked upperparts. It is exceedingly rare, in fact, virtually unknown, save at Erie and in the marshes about Philadelphia, where it occurs chiefly as a migrant. Additional records are very desirable.

The tiny Black Rail (_Creciscus jamaicensis jamaicensis_) is about as large as an English Sparrow, and is dark brown, sprinkled with white above, with a red-brown mantle from nape down neck, and dark ashy gray below, with barred flanks and red eyes. The Black Rail has been noted but a few times in Pennsylvania. Additional records are very desirable.

FLORIDA GALLINULE
_Gallinula chloropus cachinnans_ Bangs

Other Name.—Mud Hen.

Description.—Smaller than crow; bill of medium length; general
appearance rail-like; sexes similar. _Adults_: Head, neck, upper back
and underparts slaty gray, darker on crown and face; a row of white
streaks along sides and indistinct bars of white on the belly; lower
back and wings olive-brown, richest on scapulars and tail; under
tail-coverts white laterally, black in middle; bill, with frontal
shield, red, and yellow tip; feet greenish yellow, with red area on
tibiæ just above heel; eyes red-brown. _Immature_: Similar but with
underparts whitish, no red on legs, and bill brown, with small frontal
shield. _Length_: 13½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather rare migrant during mid-spring and
early fall; rare and local as a summer resident.

Nest.—A crude cup of dead cat-tail leaves, placed on the ground or
above the water, among water-plants. _Eggs_: 3 to 10, buffy, finely
spotted with brown.

The Florida Gallinule, while not often recorded in Pennsylvania, may be commoner than we suppose. Look for it in cat-tail marshes, along channels or little pools of open water. Its call-notes are rather chicken-like.

COOT
_Fulica americana_ Gmelin

Other Name.—Mud Hen.

Description.—Size of a small duck; feet with wide, flat _lobes_,
unique among American birds; sexes similar. _Adults_: Head and neck
black, rest of plumage dark slaty gray, somewhat paler below, and
sometimes irregularly barred with whitish on breast and belly; edge of
wing, tips of secondaries, and lateral undertail coverts, white; bill
whitish, with frontal shield and two small spots near tip
mahogany-red; legs and feet greenish, somewhat paler on tibiæ and on
lobes on toes. _Young_: Similar but with a brownish wash on back and
lighter below; frontal shield noticeably smaller. _Length_: 15 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly regular and common migrant, especially
on the lakes and larger waterways, from April 15 to May 15 and from
September 15 to November 15; often found in company with ducks. Rare
as a summer resident. It should be looked for along the shore of Lake
Erie in summer.

Nest.—A crude cup made of cat-tail leaves, sometimes placed in a
rather open situation, but arched over with grasses. _Eggs_: 7 to 15,
pale buffy white, heavily and evenly sprinkled with small dark brown
spots.

The Coot’s queer feet are distinctive. As the bird rises from the water, it patters along with these until it has sufficient momentum to rise. Nesting records for the Coot in Pennsylvania are desirable.

WOODCOCK
_Rubicolor minor_ (Gmelin)

Other Names.—Wall-eyed Snipe; Bog Snipe.

Description.—Appearance snipe-like, with very long bill and large eyes
in back of the head, but feet very short, more as in gallinaceous
birds; sexes similar, the female larger; three outer primaries narrow
and stiff. _Adults_: Back of crown black, crossed with buffy bars;
upperparts dark brown and black, the feathers barred, margined, and
speckled with buffy brown and gray; wing coverts buffy brown, barred
with darker brown; underparts buffy, tending toward rufous; tips of
tail-feathers gray above, silvery white underneath; eyes dark brown;
bill and feet pinkish flesh color. Downy young buffy brown
considerably marked with blackish. _Length_: 11 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather uncommon and somewhat irregular
migrant and summer resident, coming sometimes as early as the first
week of March and remaining until the middle of October. It is
sometimes common during migration, particularly in the fall.

Nest.—A mere depression in the leaves, usually in more or less open
woodland, sometimes concealed from above by brush or a bush or tree.
_Eggs_: 3 or 4, buffy brown, spotted with darker brown.

In spring the Woodcock must be sought in some bushy swale, along the borders of a marsh, or near a small stream where the low banks are constantly moist and where brush and old logs give this retiring species a retreat. Here the nocturnal birds bore in the mud with their long bills, searching for food which they may grasp with the mobile tips of their mandibles. When disturbed they fly up rapidly, their wings whistling musically as they make off, somewhat erratically, through the undergrowth.

The spring courtship flight of the Woodcock is remarkable. On warm evenings the males _bleat_ in their favorite haunts, then, as darkness descends, mount on whistling wings higher and higher, until they are far above the earth. They then hurl themselves back and forth as they start pitching toward the earth, the while producing a twittering sound with their throats as they drop at considerable speed, to alight not far from the point at which they started. Courting Woodcocks will sometimes alight within a few feet of a quiet observer.

Because the incubating bird is quiet and her back so perfectly resembles the leaves and twigs near her, she is very difficult to see. She so implicitly believes that she cannot be seen that she is not often flushed from her nest; sometimes she will permit her back to be stroked or her whole body to be lifted from her eggs.

WILSON’S SNIPE
_Capella gallinago delicata_ (Ord)

Other Names.—Jack Snipe; English Snipe (erroneous).

Description.—A little heavier than a Robin, but with short tail, very
long bill, and moderately long feet; sexes similar. Upperparts black,
plumage edged, barred, and variously marked with white, buffy, and
grayish; a light line through middle of crown, another over eye; wings
dark brown, outer edge of outer primary and tips of greater coverts,
white; tail black, tipped with orange-buff and white, the outer
feathers white, barred with black; throat and belly white; neck and
breast buffy, indistinctly barred with dark brown; sides barred with
black; under tail-coverts buffy, barred with black; bill greenish
dusky; feet dull green; eyes, which are placed rather far back in the
head, dark brown. The female is somewhat browner than the male;
immature birds are sometimes quite brownish, especially in the region
of the head and neck. _Length_: 11 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—As a migrant, rather regular and common,
particularly in suitable marshes or along the margins of streams, from
March 15 to May 20 and from September 15 to November 10; as a summer
resident, local, known to nest at Pymatuning Swamp, Crawford County,
and presumably in other northern counties where there are suitable
marshes.

Nest.—A shallow cup made of dead stalks of various plants, placed on a
small island or a water-soaked log, or in a low, moist, field, among
the grass. _Eggs_: 4, olive-brown, spotted with rich dark brown,
chiefly at the larger end.

The average bird student knows the Snipe as a bird which springs from a marshy spot with startled _scaip, scaip_ as it zigzags its way to a safe retreat, or mounts in the air to circle and return. At such a time the reddish brown band at the tip of the tail and the white belly, which flashes as the bird erratically turns, are good field-marks.

On its nesting-grounds the Snipe is a different creature. High overhead, in wide circles, the birds fly, giving forth strange windy hoots which they are said to produce by spreading widely the outermost feathers of the tail. When the performers come to earth they may perch on a wayside post, on a fence, or on a tree—an unheard-of feat for a Snipe at any other season. The male Snipe, and perhaps the female also, performs many queer antics during the nesting season.

The downy young, which leave their nests shortly after hatching, are beautiful creatures—dark brown and black with cream-colored and buffy spots and flecks which are arranged in a pattern which gives them a protective coloration. They are strong-legged creatures and can run rapidly and swim with ease as soon as they leave the nest.

The Dowitcher (_Limnodromus griseus griseus_), a shore-bird which resembles the Wilson’s Snipe, is a rare migrant. It is pale rufous, speckled with black below, and variously mottled above in summer; in winter it is brownish gray above, white below, with a few dark barrings; in all plumages the rump and upper tail-coverts and tail are noticeably barred with black and white. _Length_: 10½ inches.

The rare Stilt Sandpiper (_Micropalama himantopus_) has long _green_ legs, but otherwise looks rather like a Yellow-legs. In spring it has a red-brown patch on the face and heavily barred underparts; in the fall it is gray above, white below, with a few dusky spots on the breast. The upper tail-coverts in any plumage are white.

The Knot or Robin Snipe (_Calidris canutus rufus_), is a rare migrant also. It is dull rufous below in spring, and the upperparts are streaked and barred with black, white, and rufous. In winter it is gray above, with black and white barring on the upper tail-coverts; below it is white, with faint dark barring. The upperparts in winter have a scaly appearance as the result of light margins of the feathers. _Length_: 10½ inches.

PECTORAL SANDPIPER
_Pisobia maculata_ (Vieillot)

Other Name.—Oxeye.

Description.—Smaller than Robin. _Adults in summer_: Upperparts black,
the feathers margined with creamy buff, a distinct superciliary line
of buffy white; rump and upper tail-coverts black, narrowly tipped
with buffy; middle tail-feathers brownish gray, narrowly margined with
white; underparts white, the neck and breast rather heavily but finely
streaked with blackish and buffy brown. _Adults in winter and
immature_: Similar, but the general appearance much more reddish
brown. _Length_: 9 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Recorded chiefly at Erie; a rather rare and
irregular migrant in spring from March 20 to May 15; somewhat more
common and regular in midsummer and fall, occurring from late July to
late October, though it is highly probable that individuals do not
remain in one place during this period. As nesting duties in the north
are completed, the immature birds and adults in fresh plumage come
south in flocks.

The shore-birds are not, as a rule, common in Pennsylvania. There are not many extensive mud-flats where they may feed, and many of the streams have been polluted, destroying the animal food. Erie is such an admirable resting and feeding-ground for such birds that many of them stop there after their flight across Lake Erie, then strike out to the southward, _flying over_ most of Pennsylvania.

The White-rumped Sandpiper (_Pisobia fuscicollis_), which resembles the Pectoral Sandpiper but has a _distinctly white rump_, is a rare migrant, noted chiefly at Erie and in the Pymatuning Swamp region. The Baird’s Sandpiper (_Pisobia bairdi_) is rare, save at Erie, where it is a fairly regular and common fall migrant from late August to the end of September.

LEAST SANDPIPER
_Pisobia minutilla_ (Vieillot)

Other Names.—Meadow Peep; Oxeye.

Description.—About as large as an English Sparrow. _Adults in spring_:
Upperparts black, margined and tipped with buffy and reddish brown;
rump and upper tail-coverts black; middle tail-feathers black, outer
ones ashy gray; throat, superciliary, and narrow ring about eye,
white; neck and breast buffy, streaked with dark brown; rest of
underparts white, the sides with narrow streaks of dusky; bill
blackish; _feet dull green. Adults and young in winter_: Upperparts
brownish gray; breast pale brownish gray or grayish, indistinctly
streaked. _Length_: 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—The Least Sandpiper occurs with some regularity
both in spring and fall throughout the Commonwealth. It may be found
at almost any wayside puddle or along the margins of streams from
early May until about the end of the month and from mid-August to
early October, and is particularly common at Erie.

The Least Sandpiper is noticeably smaller than the common Spotted Sandpiper and does not have that species’ habit of “tipping up” its tail. It is, however, very similar in general appearance to the Semipalmated Sandpiper, which may occur at the same time, but differs in having _green feet_, and (if the bird be in the hand) in having no _partial webs_ between the toes.

RED-BACKED SANDPIPER
_Pelidna alpina pacifica_ Coues

Description.—About the size of a Spotted Sandpiper; bill slightly
curved at tip. _Adults in spring_: Back and scapulars bright reddish
brown, the feathers with dark centers; breast white, finely streaked
with dark brown; _large black patch on middle of belly_; lower belly
white. _Adults and young in winter_: Upperparts gray, wing-coverts
gray, edged with buffy; underparts white, the breast grayish, the
sides sometimes somewhat streaked. _Length_: 8 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant, rare in spring, fairly common in
fall, especially at Erie, where it has been noted from mid-August to
late October.

The gay spring plumage of this species is easily remembered. In the gray winter plumage it is not so easy to recognize, but its somewhat curved bill is diagnostic.

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
_Ereunetes pusillus_ (Linnæus)

Description.—About as large as an English Sparrow; half-webs between
the front toes, which are responsible for the bird’s name. _Adults in
spring_: Upperparts dark brown, plumage margined with brownish gray
and traces of reddish brown; rump grayish brown; upper tail-coverts
blackish; tail gray, central feathers darkest; underparts white, with
faint streaking on breast. Young birds in their first fall plumage
have a somewhat scaly appearance above as a result of the buffy tips
and borders of the feathers; their breasts are buffy, unstreaked; bill
black; feet blackish. _Length_: A little over 6 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant, commoner in the fall than in the
spring, and noted chiefly at Erie. It occurs during May and from late
July or early August to late September.

The legs and feet of this species are black; in the Least Sandpiper they are greenish. The bill of this species is about straight; that of the Least Sandpiper is slightly decurved at the tip; in any age or plumage the Semipalmated Sandpiper may be recognized when in the hand by its partially webbed front toes.

SANDERLING
_Crocethia alba_ (Pallas)

Description.—_Three toes_; a little smaller than Robin. _Adults in
summer_: Head, back, lower throat, and sides of breast, rusty brown,
the feathers edged with whitish and centered with black; wings with
white area on basal half of inner flight-feathers; belly and narrow
margins of tail-feathers white. _Adults in winter_: Gray above, white
below, with white face and eye-ring. _Young in first winter plumage_:
Whitish, streaked with black above; breast buffy; rest of underparts
white. _Length_: 8 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An abundant fall migrant at Erie from late July
on; rare elsewhere.

GREATER YELLOW-LEGS
_Totanus melanoleucus_ (Gmelin)

Other Name.—Yellow-legs Snipe.

Description.—Larger than Robin; legs very long and _yellow_; bill
long, slender, and straight. _Adults_: Upperparts black; head and neck
streaked with white; feathers of back spotted and barred with whitish;
upper tail-coverts and tail white, barred with black; underparts
white, breast spotted and sides barred with black. _Adults and young
in winter_: Similar but with less striking markings both above and
below; sides only slightly barred; bill and eyes black. _Length_: 14
inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common migrant throughout, to be
observed at small pools and larger bodies of water from mid-April
until May and from early August to latter October; not often seen in
flocks.

The Greater and Lesser Yellow-legs are much alike in appearance, this species being much the larger. Their loud, clear whistles and their habit of lifting their wings high above their backs as they alight are characteristic.

LESSER YELLOW-LEGS
_Totanus flavipes_ (Gmelin)

Other Names.—Summer Yellow-legs; Yellow-legs.

Description.—Remarkably similar to the Greater Yellow-legs in all
respects, even in habits, but noticeably smaller, even in the field.
_Length_: Almost 11 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common and regular migrant, often
commoner than the Greater Yellow-legs and more apt to be noted in
small flocks. It is to be found from late April to mid-May and from
early August to mid-October.

Look for the Yellow-legs along some mud-flat, preferably on an inland pool. The clear whistle may be imitated easily, and will sometimes lure the birds back after they have taken flight. Both the Greater and Lesser Yellow-legs jerk their bodies stiffly as they become uneasy.

SOLITARY SANDPIPER
_Tringa solitaria solitaria_ Wilson

Description.—Smaller than Robin; flight swift and graceful; _wings in
flight look black_. _Adults_: Upperparts dark olive-brown; head and
neck streaked, and back finely spotted with white; middle
tail-feathers dark, the others _white, barred with black_; underparts
white, the breast streaked, the sides sometimes barred with black. In
winter the birds are similar but are less streaked and spotted.
_Length_: 8½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Common and regular migrant from early May until
about the first of June and from mid-July to early October. It
sometimes occurs in midsummer and may nest, though we have no actual
records at present.

The Solitary Sandpiper is confused more easily with the Spotted Sandpiper than with any other species. It _jerks stiffly_ and does not bob constantly as does the Spotted when approached; the wings of the Solitary are dark, unmarked, while the Spotted Sandpiper’s wings have a band of white which shows plainly in flight; and the Solitary’s tail appears white in flight, while that of the Spotted is dark. Look for the Solitary Sandpiper at small pools in woodlands, or along the grassy margins of slow-moving streams or of ponds.

The Willet and Western Willet (_Catoptrophorus semipalmatus semipalmatus_ and _s. inornatus_) rarely occur. They are large gray shore-birds, much barred with blackish above and below in spring, plain gray above in winter, the wings always with large, noticeable white patches which show plainly in flight. _Length_: 15 inches.

BARTRAMIAN SANDPIPER; UPLAND PLOVER
_Bartramia longicauda_ (Bechstein)

Other Names.—Field Plover; Prairie Whistler.