Chapter III: Front Matter (3)

Description.—Larger than Robin; tail rather long and much pointed;
upperparts rich buffy; the head and neck streaked and the back barred
with black; primaries dark brown, the outermost barred with white;
inner tail-feathers dark brown, the outer ones buffy, all tipped and
edged with white, showing plainly in the field, and all more or less
barred with black and marked with noticeable subterminal band of
black; underparts whitish, the breast and sides washed with buffy and
marked with black in the form of delicate bars, arrow-heads, and
spots; legs and feet brownish yellow. Young birds are similar but the
buffy coloration is richer. _Length_: 11½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather local summer resident, found only in
wide, open fields, apparently rare in western Pennsylvania, save in
Mercer and Crawford counties where it nests irregularly, but fairly
common in southeastern Pennsylvania, where it inhabits the wide fields
in the less mountainous districts from early April to mid-September.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, usually in the middle of a large,
flat, upland field, not near water. _Eggs_: 4, buffy brown, spotted
with dark or reddish brown. The eggs are surprisingly large for so
small a bird, as is the case in all shore-birds.

The Upland Plover is a bird of wide pastures and grassy fields. It is difficult to approach, save at the nesting season, when it may come near so as to lead us away from its young; but its presence is announced by the high and musical whistle which has given the bird one of its popular names, “Prairie Whistler,” and which it utters from the ground, while in flight, or while perched on a fencepost, telegraph-pole, or tree.

The flight of this bird is singularly beautiful as, with wide wings beating through a comparatively short arc, it fairly quivers through the air. All its movements seem tremulous and graceful, and as it alights it lifts its wings gracefully, high above its back, and folds them carefully.

Its call-note, which is heard as the bird is disturbed, is a mellow, bubbling whistle, very musical, and with a quality of liquidity which few bird-notes possess.

The young birds run about shortly after hatching and are difficult to find. They never go to the margins of streams to hunt their food, as do other members of the family, and when autumn comes they mount to the sky and make their way to the prairies of Texas where they stop for a time while _en route_ to their winter home in Argentina.

If this magnificent bird is given careful protection, it may survive; but unless it is guarded in South America, as well as in its nesting-grounds, there is little hope for it.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER
_Actitis macularia_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Tilt-up; Tip-up; Peep.

Description.—Larger than an English Sparrow, with long, narrow,
pointed wings; upperparts brownish gray, with a faint greenish gloss,
more or less barred with black; an indistinct superciliary line of
white; face and underparts white, _spotted throughout with black_, the
largest spots on the sides and flanks; wings like back, the bases of
the primaries and secondaries whitish, showing in flight; inner
tail-feathers dark like back, outer ones lighter, about white, but
never appearing, even in flight, as white as in the Solitary
Sandpiper. Immature birds are not spotted below, and the barring of
the upperparts is restricted to the scapulars and wing-coverts; there
is a slight buffy gray wash on the breast. _Length_: 7½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Common summer resident throughout from
mid-April to late September. It is found along all small streams,
sometimes even in the mountains and heavily wooded districts.

Nest.—On the ground, often near a stream, sometimes in a field, and
made of dead weed-stalks, lined with finer materials. _Eggs_: 4,
whitish to brownish buffy, irregularly and sometimes heavily spotted
and blotched with reddish brown, usually about the larger end.

The Spotted Sandpiper is our best-known shore-bird. It is not particularly wary, and frequents all the small streams which have not been polluted. As it runs along the muddy margin, it bobs and teeters constantly, perhaps calling softly. Fluttering out over the water, its wing-tips almost touching the surface, it whistles _tweet_, _tweet, tweet, tweet_, clearly, and circles back to the shore or alights on a stone or fallen tree. The white areas in the wings show rather plainly in flight.

The young are so small and flimsy that they are comical, with their wisps of tails and long, slender feet. They can swim readily, however, and run with amazing rapidity. Even the adult can swim and dive if necessary.

The Spotted Sandpiper is a much more energetic, nervous bird than its relative, the Solitary Sandpiper, and it is not so often found wading about in deep water as is that somewhat larger, darker bird. When the two species fly up, the Solitary usually utters two or three loud, sharp whistles as it flies directly away, or up into the air. The Spotted, on the other hand, usually flutters away, just a little above the water, and customarily circles back to the shore not far away.

KILLDEER
_Oxyechus vociferus vociferus_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Killdee; Killdeer Plover.

Description.—Three toes; size of Robin; forehead, patch over eye,
throat, ring around neck, and underparts white, the breast crossed by
_two prominent black bands_; forepart of crown and line from bill
under eye, blackish; rest of head and upperparts gray-brown, with
greenish reflections; wings with bases of flight-feathers white,
showing plainly in flight; rump and upper tail-coverts bright
orange-brown; middle tail-feathers dark brown, outer feathers white,
all with white tip and irregular subterminal bar of black; bill black;
feet pale flesh-color; eyelids red. _Length_: 10½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A widely distributed migrant and summer
resident from mid-March to mid-November; occasional in winter.

Nest.—A depression in the sod or among gravel, sometimes rather
carefully lined with pebbles or bits of debris. _Eggs_: 4, whitish to
buffy brown, heavily spotted with dark or reddish brown.

Our Killdeer is a bird of the open pastures. Although it searches for food along the water’s edge, it often builds its nest some distance away. The striking coloration and clear whistled cry _kill-deer, kill-deer_ make this one of our most easily identified birds, even at a considerable distance.

The large Black-bellied Plover (_Squatarola squatarola cynosuræ_) is common during the fall migration at Erie from mid-August to mid-September and later, but is rare elsewhere in Pennsylvania. The black underparts of the adult in spring and the _black underwing feathers_ of the young and adult in winter are diagnostic marks. The call-note may be written _too-ree_.

Somewhat smaller is the Golden Plover (_Pluvialis dominica dominica_), whose black underparts and golden flecked upperparts make the spring plumage easily recognizable; it is dull brownish in fall, with golden flecks on the crown and back. At Erie it is common in fall from early September throughout the month; elsewhere in Pennsylvania it is rare, and it is not noted during the spring, for its northward migration route passes along the Mississippi Valley.

SEMIPALMATED PLOVER
_Charadrius semipalmatus_ Bonaparte

Other Name.—Ring Plover.

Description.—Like the Killdeer in general appearance, but much
_smaller, and with only one black band around the neck_; rump and
upper tail-coverts the same gray-brown as the back; eyelids yellow;
bill short, orange, tipped with black. _Length_: A little under 7
inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather rare migrant during May and from
August 10 to October 1, save at Erie, where it is regular and common.

The clear call-note of this species, _ker-ee, ker-ee_, suggests that of the Killdeer. Young Semipalmated Plovers coming south for the first time are often very easy to approach.

The Piping Plover (_Charadrius melodus_), which is about the size of the Semipalmated Plover and like it in pattern, is pale sandy above, with a blackish ring about neck, black primaries and central tail-feathers, and bright yellow eyelids and feet. This species nests at Erie, arriving in mid-April and remaining until early September; elsewhere in Pennsylvania it is very rare.

RUDDY TURNSTONE
_Arenaria interpres morinella_ (Linnæus)

Description.—Size of Robin; bill sharply pointed. _Adults in spring_:
Upperparts strikingly marked with black, white, and rusty red; tail
white, with black band near tip; underparts white, marked with black
on throat and breast. _In winter_: Upperparts blackish, the feathers
margined with grayish; lower back white; tail as in summer; legs
orange-red. _Length_: 9½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare but rather regular migrant in May and
September, noted chiefly at Erie.

RING-NECKED PHEASANT
_Phasianus colchichus torquatus_ Gmelin

Other Names.—Ring-neck; Pheasant; English Pheasant.

Description.—Size of a chicken; male with a long, pointed tail; female
with shorter, more rounded tail. _Adult male_: Head and neck, with
tufts on sides of head, glossy green; collar about neck white; back
and scapulars golden yellow, the centers of the feathers glossy green;
rump grayish, glossed with green, and marked with black spots; wings
light gray, the primaries barred with black; tail brown, barred with
black and glossed with pinkish; breast rich copper-red, glossed with
violet, the feathers tipped with black; sides golden yellow, spotted
with glossy purple; belly black; face bare, the skin deep red; bill
and feet light gray; eyes bright yellow. _Female and immature male_:
Pale sandy brown, the head and neck with a pinkish cast, and entire
upperparts streaked and barred with dark brown and black, giving the
bird an entirely different appearance and color pattern from that of
the adult male; eyes dark brown. _Length_: Male, about 30 inches;
female, about 24 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A permanent resident, very common in some
districts, notably in the less mountainous counties. It is becoming
common throughout much of the Commonwealth through the restocking
efforts of the Game Commission.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, lined with grasses or other
vegetation, usually placed in a field not far from a brush-lined
stream, or under a fallen bough at the edge of a woodland. _Eggs_: 8
to 20, olive-brown in color, glossy in appearance.

The Ring-neck is a native of Asia. It was brought to Great Britain at the time of the Roman invasion and has become thoroughly acclimated there. In many parts of the New World, Ring-necks have been introduced and they seem to make their way very well. They have been present in Pennsylvania for only a few years, yet during the 1927 hunting season 177,500 of the birds were taken as legal game.

In spite of its magnificent coloration, the Ring-neck is protectively colored, though birds which wander about through the open field, where they search for food, can be seen easily. As they fly up, it sometimes takes a second or two for them to get well under way, but they fly strongly and make a difficult mark for the sportsman once they learn the meaning of a gun.

BOB-WHITE
_Colinus virginianus virginianus_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Quail; Partridge; Virginia Partridge.

Description.—Size of small bantam chicken. _Male_: Head blackish,
mottled with gray and red-brown; throat, spots on neck, and a
prominent line above eye, white; back and breast mottled with gray,
pinkish brown, buffy, black, and white; scapulars bordered with buffy;
rump and tail gray; belly whitish, barred with black; flanks rusty
red, feathers margined with white. _Female_: Similar, but with buffy
yellow superciliary and throat. _Length_: 10 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Common permanent resident, chiefly in the less
mountainous counties, and usually to be found in cultivated districts.

Nest.—On the ground, in high grass or among brush, made of dry
grasses, arched over with grasses or other vegetation; usually placed
along a road, or at the edge of a field. _Eggs_: 12 to 24, pure white.

In winter Bob-Whites frequent old weed-patches, briar-thickets, or cornfields where the stalks have been left standing. They are very sociable, and wander about in flocks, searching for food, roosting together on the ground in a compact ring, their heads out and tails together. Being protectively colored, they usually do not fly until they are virtually tramped upon. When a flock is disturbed, they rush into the air on noisy wings and scatter in all directions. After a short time the birds begin to call to each other, _pur-lee, pur-lee_, and the flock reassembles.

With the coming of spring the flocks break up. Male birds mount favorite fence-posts, stones, or low boughs and give the clear whistle which every farmer boy can imitate. This whistle is one of the clearest and most powerful of bird-notes.

Male and female birds share the duties of incubating the eggs, which are turned over carefully so that they get the proper amount of heat. Sometimes the eggs are so numerous that they are piled upon each other in the nest, and at such times the lower layer of eggs must receive special attention. As a rule, all the eggs hatch.

Among the enemies of Bob-Whites are the blacksnake, which eats the eggs and young; the Cooper’s Hawk and the Goshawk, which capture the adults; and the skunk and other ground-prowlers which eat the eggs and sometimes the adults. Half-starved house cats are frequently serious enemies of this popular game-bird.

The Hungarian or European Gray Partridge (_Perdix perdix_ _perdix_), a bird a little larger than the Bob-White, gray in color with a dark brown horse-shoe shaped mark on the breast, a red-brown tail, and reddish eyelids, has been released in several parts of Pennsylvania as a game-bird, and it is now on the increase. The bright red-brown tail of this species is very noticeable in flight.

RUFFED GROUSE
_Bonasa umbellus umbellus_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Partridge; Gray Partridge; Birch Partridge; Silver-tail
(gray phase); Pheasant (erroneous).

Description.—Size of chicken, with broad, fan-shaped tail; sexes
similar. Upperparts principally reddish brown, irregularly marked with
black, buffy, gray, and whitish; _sides of neck with ruffs of broad,
black feathers_ glossed with greenish; tail reddish brown or gray, or
of intermediate shade, irregularly barred and mottled with black, with
a broad blackish band near end, and a gray tip; throat and breast
buffy; rest of underparts white, tinged with buffy and barred with
black or dark brown, the bars indistinct on the breast and belly,
stronger on the sides. The female, which is a little smaller, has
smaller ruffs on the neck, and, as a rule, a shorter tall. _Length_:
17 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A permanent resident throughout in the wilder,
wooded sections; variable in abundance as a result of unfavorable
nesting seasons, change of forest conditions, destruction by natural
enemies, disease, and heavy hunting.

Nest.—A hollow lined with leaves at the base of a stump, under a low
hemlock, or under the fallen branch of a tree. _Eggs_: 7 to 14, pale
buffy.

The Ruffed Grouse, our best-known game-bird, is a creature of personality. Protectively colored, he waits until he is almost trodden upon, then rises with a startling whir of wings, leaving the wayfarer thunderstruck. The female, as she incubates, is rarely seen, for she does not stir, and her back perfectly imitates her surroundings.

In the spring, the male Grouse struts and drums at chosen spots in the woodland. On a log he paces up and down, ruffs lifted, wide tail fully spread and elevated; or he stands erect, and, beating his chest rapidly with his wings, produces the drumming sound for which he is so famous. Grouse may drum at any time of the year, and sometimes at night, but they do so chiefly during the morning on spring days.

The young run nimbly soon after hatching and leave their nest at once. They develop rapidly. After a week they can fly readily though they are very small. The mother Grouse, in luring an enemy from her young, employs broken-wing tactics, dragging herself over the ground as though she were badly wounded.

In the winter, Grouse develop long lateral scales on their toes which function as snow-shoes. Their neat tracks in the snow lead from a roost under a branch to which dead leaves cling, and wander about the bushes and trees where the birds have been feeding on buds, twigs, and dried berries. Grouse are especially fond of aspen, birch, beech, and maple buds. They like wild-grape vines both for the food and the shelter which they afford. During summer, Grouse eat much insect food, as well as berries and leaves. They sometimes eat hemlock needles and leaves of mountain laurel.

WILD TURKEY
_Meleagris gallopavo silvestris_ Vieillot

Description.—Size and appearance very similar to that of the domestic
bird, but tips of tail-feathers and upper tail-coverts rich deep
chestnut; primaries barred with black and white; feet mahogany-_red_.
A large Wild Turkey gobbler in spring is a magnificent creature with
its rich, iridescent plumage, highly colored and wattled head, and
proud carriage. _Length_: About 4 feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Once fairly common throughout the State,
especially in the southern mountainous counties, but brought to the
verge of extermination through forest fires, excessive hunting, and
encroaches of civilization. The Game Commission has brought in some
birds from other States to replenish our stock; some mingling has
occurred between wild birds and domestic individuals which have
wandered from the farms. Wild Turkeys are now to be found chiefly
along the ridges of the South Mountain District, and seem to be
holding their own fairly well. While these are not strictly the
original strain, they are nevertheless wild, and are therefore fairly
representative of the race which once occurred. The Wild Turkey is a
permanent resident.

Nest.—A depression in the leaves, under brush, or in a thicket,
usually well concealed from above. _Eggs_: 6 to 15, cream-buff,
thickly but finely spotted with reddish brown.

The sight of a flock of Wild Turkeys coasting on their strong wings from the crest of a ridge to the lower levels is one long to be remembered. The spectacle before us, of weighty, muscular creatures hurling themselves through the air is difficult to believe, accustomed as we are to the flightless clumsiness of their cousins of the barnyard.

Having very keen senses, the Wild Turkeys are difficult to approach, for they are very wary and at the slightest warning make off on a run up the ridge, or leap into the air.

In summer, they eat many small fruits and insects, including grasshoppers, but in winter, when it is often necessary for them to scratch in the snow, they eat chestnuts and acorns, the berries of Jack-in-the-pulpit, corn if they live near the farms, and other such food as they can find. In some districts these splendid birds have difficulty in finding adequate food to carry them through the winter and in such regions the Game Protector sees that the birds are fed, and Boy Scouts, sportsmen’s organizations, and others coöperate in saving the birds.

The Wild Turkey gobbler, notably in the spring, has the same tendencies toward fighting and vainglorious display as has his domestic relative.

MOURNING DOVE
_Zenaidura macroura carolinensis_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Carolina Dove; Rain Crow (erroneous); Turtle Dove.

Description.—A little larger than a Robin; head small, tail long and
pointed. _Adults_: Crown clear gray; front of head, face, throat, and
lower neck, soft reddish brown, two small black spots back of and
below the eye; sides and back of neck gray, with patches of iridescent
feathers which reflect greenish, golden, and purplish lights; back and
wings grayish brown, some of the coverts and tertials with black
spots; rump and tail gray, the outer tail-feathers noticeably tipped
with white; underparts pinkish brown, lightest on belly and under
tail-coverts; bill black; feet reddish. _Female_: Less brightly
colored than male. Young birds in their first flight plumage are much
scaled in appearance and lack the bright colors of the adult.
_Length_: About 12 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common summer resident throughout, arriving
in late March and remaining until November. It is occasionally found
in winter when the ground is free of snow or when food in the form of
seed or grain is plentiful. In many sections it is becoming commoner.

Nest.—A flimsy, flat structure made of small twigs, weed-stalks, or
other bits of vegetation, placed, usually, on a horizontal branch or
in an ample crotch in an orchard tree or willow, often near a stream,
and usually not at great height from the ground. The nest is sometimes
placed on the ground. _Eggs_: 2, white.

Doves are often to be seen perched on a prominent dead branch, and at such times their small heads, erect posture, and pointed tails are noticeable. As they fly up from a field, or alight, the white in their outer tail-feathers shows plainly, but wherever they occur they may be recognized by the characteristic whistling sound of their wings in flight and their gentle cooing. This song may be written _coo-oo-oo, ooh, ooh, ooh_, the opening syllable using three notes, the middle note being the highest in the song. At close range this cry is rough and throaty; at a distance it is mellow and soft, its tender, mournful quality making adequate description difficult.

Young Doves are fed with partly digested food which the parents pump up from their stomachs. They are helpless, dowdy creatures while in the nest, and they sometimes come to an untimely end when a gale blows the structure from its scant moorings or when, from lack of proper balance, it topples to one side.

The white eggs, when fresh, are translucent as moonstones, and the sunlight, in penetrating the thin shells, discloses faintly the color of the golden yolk.

Doves eat a great deal of weed seed. They have no destructive habits whatever, and are worthy of all possible protection. They appear to be on the increase as a result of shortening the shooting season in the South, where they are popular as game-birds.

TURKEY VULTURE
_Cathartes aura septentrionalis_ Wied

Other Names.—Buzzard; Turkey Buzzard.

Description.—Smaller than a Turkey; head and upper neck virtually
bare; ruff of feathers about lower neck; wings long as in most birds
of prey, but feet without the sharp, curved claws of the hawk tribe;
plumage blackish brown, glossed with purplish when fresh, rusty and
soiled in appearance when old; under surface of flight-feathers
lighter, showing in flight; skin of neck and head reddish, with
whitish tubercles and ridges, and some hairs and small feathers; bill
whitish; feet dull flesh-color; eyes brown. Downy young, white in
color with pale blue-gray feet and head. _Length_: About 30 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and fairly common summer resident in
the southern half of the Commonwealth and locally in western
Pennsylvania, at least as far north as Crawford County, where it nests
in limited numbers at Pymatuning Swamp. It arrives in mid-March and
stays until November, or later. In the southernmost counties, and
occasionally elsewhere in its range, it remains throughout the winter.

Nest.—No nest is built. _Eggs_: 2, whitish, blotched irregularly with
black, brown, and gray, placed on the ground in a cavity among rocks
or in a hollow log.

At close range the Turkey Vulture is not a beautiful creature—its carriage is slovenly, its facial expression unpleasant, and its plumage harsh; but circling in the sky, its wide wings hardly moving for hours at a time, it becomes a glorified being, among the most graceful and well-balanced of our soaring birds.

It is equipped by Nature as a carrion-eater, the bare head and neck permitting it to eat the flesh of dead animals without soiling its feathers. Its feet are not used in capturing or carrying prey, but a considerable burden may be carried in the bill. When Vultures find a dead cow or horse, word seems to travel immediately to all nearby districts and the great birds swing silently in to the feast. They are frequently seen along roadsides where they devour rabbits and other small mammals which have been killed by motor cars.

It is said that the Turkey Vulture carries the germs of hog cholera and the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease. This is only occasionally, if ever, true, however, and, as a rule, it is a harmless and highly beneficial bird. Nevertheless, it is not protected in Pennsylvania at the present time.

Young Vultures cannot stand when newly hatched.

MARSH HAWK
_Circus cyaneus hudsonius_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Swamp Hawk; Marsh Harrier; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous);
Chicken Hawk; Hen Harrier.

Description.—Face with an owl-like ruff of feathers; wings _and tail_
long; feet long and slender. _Adult male_: Upperparts light ashy gray,
somewhat darker on top of head, and slightly streaked on neck; tips of
wings black; tail barred with black; _upper tail-coverts white_; lower
parts white, grayer on throat and upper breast, and flecked with pale
reddish brown on sides and flanks; eyes bright yellow. _Adult female_:
Plumage rich brown, considerably mottled throughout, sometimes heavily
streaked with blackish below, and feathers sometimes considerably
margined with buffy; _upper tail-coverts always white_; eyes yellow.
Immature birds are usually plain brown, unstreaked below, and have
brown eyes. The feet are always yellow. _Length_: About 20 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common though somewhat local migrant and
summer resident from March 15 to November 1. Less often seen in the
mountainous counties and occasionally noted in winter. Its summer
range depends more or less upon swampy country in which the nest is
characteristically built.

Nest.—On the ground in a swamp, composed of dead weed-stalks, cat-tail
leaves, and similar materials, sometimes with neat cup and lining, at
other times loosely constructed with little attempt at neatness.
_Eggs_: 4 to 7, pale blue or chalky white, occasionally _faintly_
spotted with brown.

The Marsh Hawk is usually to be seen flying near the ground over a field or low meadow. Beating its way along rapidly, it pauses at times to watch the grass where prey may hide, sometimes wheeling suddenly toward the ground as it captures a mouse or shrew. It may always be recognized by the _white upper tail-coverts_ which show plainly in flight, a mark which our other hawks do not have.

Occasionally the Marsh Hawk circles high in air where the white patch on the back is not visible. At such times the _long and somewhat pointed wings_, black wing-tips, long tail, and white appearance of the male and the dull brown appearance of the female will distinguish the species.

The male has the interesting custom of looping the loop during its season of courtship. At the nest the birds are very fierce in defending their young and swoop about the intruder, uttering loud, piercing, Flicker-like cries.

Its food consists of mice, frogs, snakes, and other creatures which are captured among the cat-tails or on the ground. Occasionally it takes a bird or visits the poultry-yard, but, as a rule, it is a beneficial species. It is not protected in Pennsylvania.

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
_Accipiter velox_ (Wilson)

Other Names.—Bird Hawk; Blue Darter; Chicken Hawk; Pigeon Hawk
(erroneous).

Description.—Small for a Hawk, being but little larger than a Robin;
wings comparatively short and rounded; tail long and _square at tip_:
female considerably larger than male. _Adults_: Top of head and neck
blackish, base of feathers of nape white; cheeks and malar region
whitish streaked with reddish brown; throat white, finely streaked
with black; upperparts blue-gray, the tail marked with three or four
blackish bands; underparts white, heavily barred with reddish brown
save on middle of belly and under tail-coverts. _Immature birds_:
_Brown_, not gray, plumage of the upperparts edged with rusty brown
and underparts _streaked_, not barred, with dark brown. The eyes of
adults are usually red; of immatures, yellow. The feet, which are long
and slender, are always yellow. _Length_: Male, 12 inches; female, 13½
inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant and summer resident throughout from
March 1 to November 25; occasionally to be seen in winter.

Nest.—A rather large, flat platform made of slender twigs, built near
the trunk on a hemlock bough, or in other sheltered situation, usually
30 to 40 feet from the ground. _Eggs_: 4 to 6, pale greenish white,
handsomely and irregularly blotched with rich brown.

The Sharp-shin is the enemy of all small birds. It is swift in flight and skulks along among the bushes, pouncing upon its victims suddenly. Near the nest of a pair of these birds located at McDonald Water Works, Washington County, there were no small birds—they had probably all been killed or driven out by the Sharp-shins.

Another very small member of this family, the Sparrow Hawk, is a bird of the open fields, with long, _pointed_ wings and red-brown back. The Sharp-shin sometimes circles rapidly in the open but does not hover over its prey as does the Sparrow Hawk.

Young Sharp-shins, which are downy white, are fed upon small birds which are neatly plucked by the parent.

COOPER’S HAWK
_Accipiter cooperi_ (Bonaparte)

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Blue Darter; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous); Hen
Hawk.

Description.—Almost precisely like the Sharp-shin in proportions and
coloration, but larger, the smaller male bird usually being a few
ounces heavier than the largest female Sharp-shin, but not always to
be distinguished easily from that species in the field. In the hand
the Cooper’s Hawk may always be recognized by the shape of the tip of
the tail which is _rounded_, not square, as it is in the Sharp-shin.
_Length_: Male, 16 inches; female, 19 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common summer resident in wooded
sections from March 1 to December 10; occasional in winter.

Nest.—A bulky mass of twigs, lined with flakes of bark, usually placed
from 40 to 60 feet from the ground in a beech tree. _Eggs_: 3 to 6,
chalky blue-white.

The Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, both bird-killers, are fairly common and are to be rated as our most objectionable birds of prey. They are not protected in Pennsylvania.

GOSHAWK
_Astur atricapillus atricapillus_ (Wilson)

Other Names.—Hen Hawk; Gray Hawk; Partridge Hawk; Squirrel Hawk;
Chicken Hawk.

Description.—A large, heavy-bodied Hawk, with comparatively short
wings and long tail; female considerably larger than male. _Adults_:
Crown black; area above and back of eye white, marked irregularly with
black; rest of head whitish, streaked with black; upperparts
blue-gray, the tail marked with three or four broad blackish bands;
underparts heavily and finely barred with clear gray _throughout_,
also somewhat streaked, particularly on the breast; eyes red or
red-brown; cere and feet yellowish green. _Immature birds_: Brown, not
gray; plumage of upperparts dark brown, margined and edged with buffy
and whitish, and on wing-coverts with rusty brown; underparts buffy
white, heavily streaked with blackish. _Length_: Male, 21 inches;
female, 24 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Rare as a permanent resident in the northern,
more mountainous counties; known to have nested at seven localities.
As a winter visitant, irregular, though in some sections, notably
among the eastern counties, to be found with some regularity from
about October 20 to March 1.

Nest.—A large mass of sticks, with a shallow cup, lined with bark and
occasional sprigs of green hemlock, placed from 40 to 60 feet up in a
beech or hemlock tree. _Eggs_: 3 to 5, chalky white, with a faint
bluish cast.

The Goshawk is our most savage destroyer of small game. In occasional winter invasions it is abundant, and at such times takes a terrific toll of Ruffed Grouse, Ring-necked Pheasants, poultry, and cotton-tail rabbits.

In the field, it has a very gray appearance, more so than any other species; even its heavily marked underparts, at a distance, are gray. It does not often circle in the sky, preferring to fly at about the level of tree tops, or, indeed, a few feet from the ground, so as to drop upon unsuspecting prey.

The parent birds are formidable warriors when their nest is disturbed. While I was making notes at a nest in Potter County, the heavy female bird struck me on the head, shoulders, and back a dozen times with her large feet. The male was wary, though he joined in the battle occasionally.

Rarely does the Goshawk capture mice or other destructive small mammals, eating virtually nothing but Grouse so long as these birds can be found. It is not protected in Pennsylvania.

RED-TAILED HAWK
_Buteo borealis borealis_ (Gmelin)

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Hen Hawk.

Description.—Large, with broad wings and comparatively short tail;
often seen circling in the sky or perched on a prominent dead stub;
female larger than male. _Adults_: Upperparts dark brown, glossed with
violet on back; scapulars and wing-coverts somewhat barred with buffy
brown; throat white; breast usually crossed by a brownish band or by a
row of streaks; rest of underparts whitish, barred and streaked with
blackish, particularly on flanks and sides; tibial feathers buffy;
tail bright red-brown with white tip and subterminal band of black;
eyes dark brown; feet and cere greenish yellow. Immature birds are
similar but the plumage of their upperparts is considerably mottled
and edged with buffy, and the tail is gray, crossed with many narrow
black bands. The underparts are often more heavily marked than in the
adults, and the eyes are grayish yellow, not dark brown. _Length_:
Male, 20 inches; female, 23 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common permanent resident, save at high
altitudes, where it is to be found only irregularly during winter.
Some Red-tails migrate into or through Pennsylvania during fall and
early winter, but it is now believed that most nesting birds actually
remain in one region during the entire year. In many sections of the
State it is becoming rarer each year.

Nest.—A bulky affair of twigs and branches, lined with leaves and
finer materials, placed usually in a large, high, deciduous tree, at
from 50 to 80 feet from the ground. _Eggs_: 2 or 3, whitish,
irregularly blotched and spotted with reddish brown.

The Red-tail may easily be confused with the Red-shoulder, which, while smaller, has the same proportions. The Red-shoulder is more often found in swampy country or in the lowlands; the Red-tail is a bird of the fields and open wood-lots. The Red-shoulder’s scream is clear and loud; that of the Red-tail is wheezy and often whistle-like in quality. The Red-shoulder’s flight is more rapid, at times more owl-like than that of the Red-tail, and, of course, the Red-shoulder’s tail is never red-brown, but is black, crossed with narrow white bands. Immature Red-shoulders are to be distinguished from immature Red-tails with difficulty, partly because the birds do not call much and partly because there is variation in the size of the sexes—a small male Red-tail being not much larger than a female Red-shoulder; in the hand, however, the young Red-shoulder is more conspicuously _streaked_ below than is the young Red-tail, and the feet are _always_ slenderer and more delicate than in the larger species.

The Red-tail’s food habits are, for the most part, innocent; nevertheless, it is not protected in Pennsylvania at the present time.

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
_Buteo lineatus lineatus_ (Gmelin)

Other Name.—Chicken Hawk.

Description.—Smaller than the Red-tail, with broad wings and
comparatively short tail. _Adults_: Head and neck dark brown, streaked
with reddish brown; back dark brown, with irregular barring and edging
of gray and whitish; wings black, barred and spotted with white,
lesser coverts rich reddish brown; tail black, crossed with three
distinct but narrow white bands; underparts reddish brown, barred on
belly, sides, and flanks with white; throat whitish, streaked, not
barred, with dusky; a black spot on malar region; under tail-coverts
white; feet and cere greenish yellow; eyes dark brown. _Immature
birds_: Dark brown above, neck and back streaked and spotted with
whitish and buffy; lesser wing-coverts reddish brown; primaries edged
with buffy brown; tail gray-brown crossed with several light bars;
underparts buffy white, streaked with black, principally on breast,
sides, and belly; eyes pale grayish, with a yellow cast. _Length_:
Male, 18½ inches; female, 21 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A somewhat local summer resident from March 1
to December 1, often found along river valleys or in swampy country;
winters occasionally, chiefly in the southern half of the
Commonwealth. Usually not so common as the Red-tail.

Nest.—Of twigs, lined with leaves and other fine materials, _and
usually with a sprig or two of fresh hemlock_, built in a hemlock,
beech, or other forest tree, usually from 30 to 60 feet from the
ground. Sometimes the Red-shoulder adds materials to the last year’s
nest of a Crow and uses this structure as a nest. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, pale
greenish white, irregularly blotched with dark reddish brown.

Even at a distance the bright reddish coloration of the underparts of the adult Red-shoulder should serve to distinguish it. The bird student will do well to remember that the Red-shoulder and Red-tail customarily choose prominent perches from which to watch for prey, whereas the Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shin, and Goshawk almost never choose such lookout posts. A large Hawk seen on a dead stub in the open is almost certainly either a Red-shoulder or a Red-tail. The flying Red-shoulder circles more rapidly than does the Red-tail, and with a glass the dark, white-barred tail should be seen easily.

It is fond of snakes, frogs, and mice, which it captures usually in the lowlands. Occasionally it catches a bird or young poultry, but it visits the farms only when food is scarce in its wilder habitat. Young Red-shoulders whose stomachs I examined at Pymatuning Swamp had eaten only grasshoppers, field-mice, snakes, frogs, and beetles.

The Red-shoulder’s loud, clear scream, when familiar to the bird student, is diagnostic. The Blue Jay can imitate this scream almost perfectly, however, so the bird student must use care in recording the species from call-note alone. This species, while for the most part innocent in food habits, is not protected in Pennsylvania.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK
_Buteo platypterus platypterus_ (Vieillot)

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous).

Description.—The Broad-wing, because of its name, is often thought to
be one of our largest hawks, but in reality it is one of the smaller
species, being about the size of a Crow. _Adults_: Gray-brown above;
throat white; malar region blackish; tail crossed with three distinct
and rather broad white bands; underparts warm brown, the belly and
sides heavily barred with white, the under tail-coverts largely
whitish; cere and feet yellowish green; eyes dark brown. _Immature_:
Dark brown, with head and neck considerably streaked; wing-coverts
edged with buffy white; underparts buffy white, heavily streaked with
black; tail grayish, marked with five or six black bands. _Length_:
Male, 16 inches; female, 17 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An uncommon and local summer resident from
about April 20 to October 1. This hawk is _not found_ in winter in
Pennsylvania, for it migrates to Central America during the cold
months.

Nest.—A platform of sticks, usually placed in a large crotch of a
deciduous tree, and not often at great height from the ground. An old
Crow nest is sometimes used. _Eggs_: 2 to 4, whitish, spotted and
blotched, sometimes very handsomely, with rich brown.

A _small_ hawk with wide wings, short tail, and the general appearance of a Red-tail is likely to be a Broad-wing. Look for it about deciduous woodlands. Its scream is feeble. It nests in woodlands not far from Pittsburgh.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
_Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis_ (Gmelin)

Other Name.—Chicken Hawk.

Description.—Larger than a Red-tail; two distinct types of plumage,
one light, one dark; feet, _down to the very toes_, fully feathered.
_Light phase of plumage_: Head and neck black, boldly streaked with
white; back dark brown; tail white at base, black on terminal third;
breast and throat buffy, broadly streaked with black; feathers of leg
buffy, spotted with blackish; belly and under tail-coverts _black_;
wing-linings white, with black spots at wrist and black tips on all
primaries and secondaries; cere and feet yellowish; eyes dark brown.
_Dark phase_: Brownish black, spotted irregularly with white on belly,
the tail marked with three or four narrow whitish bands. _Length_:
About 22 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare and irregular winter visitor from the
far North, usually seen in the more northerly counties and in fairly
open country.

The great Rough-leg will perch on a hay-stack or a low stump in an open field in preference to a high stub. In searching for prey, it beats over the ground in the manner of the Marsh Hawk. It is distinctly beneficial in food habits. In any plumage the bird in the hand may be recognized by the feathered feet; in the field the distinctly black underparts are diagnostic. Unfortunately, this species is not protected at the present time in Pennsylvania.

GOLDEN EAGLE
_Aquila chrysaëtos chrysaëtos_ (Linnæus)

Description.—Size very large; wing-spread from 6 to 8 feet; female
noticeably the larger. _Adults_: Plumage rich deep brown, save on
crown, nape, and hind neck where the pointed feathers are golden
brown, and on the basal half of the tail, which is barred with whitish
or gray; cere and toes yellow; bill blue-black; eyes dark brown;
tarsus, which is fully feathered down to the toes, white or pale
buffy. _Immature_: Similar, but the basal half or two-thirds of the
tail is _white_ and the under tail-coverts are margined with buffy.
_Length_: About 3 feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A winter visitant, usually rare, though
sometimes recorded several times during a single season. It is most
often to be seen in the mountainous counties.

The Golden Eagle is occasionally caught in steel traps which have been set for foxes or other fur-bearers. Each winter one or two of these great birds are thus made captive or shot by farmers who are protecting their poultry.

It is a magnificent creature, with its regal bearing, its deep set, brilliant eyes, and its sleek, lustrous plumage. In captivity it is not given to beating itself about, but bears itself with simple dignity, as though it understood the futility of trying to make an escape.

In the field, it is to be distinguished with difficulty from the immature Bald Eagle, the latter bird having white areas on the under wing which the Golden Eagle lacks. Close at hand, it will be noted that both birds have long feathers on the tibial region, the tips of these feathers sometimes reaching well toward the toes, but in the Golden Eagle the whole foot, down to the toes, is covered with short, thick plumage.

The Golden Eagle has been known to kill foxes and lambs. There is an authentic record of the killing of a sturdy, though small, fawn by one of these great birds. Pursuing the fawn through the woods, it frightened it over a sharp declivity, and its leg was broken in the fall. The Eagle’s long, vise-like talons and great bill finished the unfortunate creature.

BALD EAGLE
_Haliæëtus leucocephalus leucocephalus_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—American Eagle; White-headed Eagle.

Description.—Size very large, a wing-spread of over 6 feet. _Fully
adult birds_: Brownish black with head and neck, tail, and upper and
under tail-coverts, white; bill clear bright yellow; feet dull yellow;
eyes bright pale yellow. _Young birds in their first plumage_: Almost
black, with irregular mottling of white on underparts; bill and cere
dusky; eyes dark brown. In somewhat older young the plumage is much
mottled with white, buffy, and grayish on the upperparts as well as
below, and the under wings are blotched with white. As the bird grows
older the light areas become more extensive. In the fourth year the
head and tail become pure white and the mottling of the rest of the
plumage does not reappear. Immature Bald Eagles sometimes have the
general appearance of a Golden Eagle, but the feathers of the feet
_never_ extend down to the toes, as they do in the Golden Eagle.
_Length_: A little under 3 feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Rare and irregular migrant and summer resident
(occasionally noted in winter), save at Erie, where it is fairly
common. Here it searches for fish and refuse along the shore and nests
in the vicinity. In October and November, Bald Eagles from the North
Country migrate through Pennsylvania, following some of the ridges of
the eastern counties. They are sometimes noted along the Susquehanna
and Delaware rivers, where formerly, and perhaps in limited numbers
today, they nest on the larger wooded islands.

Nest.—A huge mass of sticks and débris, sometimes a wagon-load or
more, built into the principal crotch or top of a sycamore or other
large tree, often at great height from the ground. _Eggs_: 2 or 3,
chalky white.

The Bald Eagle is usually seen along waterways or in the mountains. It ranges widely and flies with great majesty, its wide, heavy wings giving it, even at great distance, the appearance of weight and strength.

It is fond of carrion and pursues the smaller Osprey or Fish Hawk until that bird is forced to give up the prey which it has captured. Bald Eagles rarely take poultry. They sometimes pursue water-fowl, but in Pennsylvania do not destroy much game or valuable wild-life and are therefore protected.

The cry of the Bald Eagle is a barking squeal, sometimes very high and thin, often scarcely to be heard.

A dark-colored Eagle with white patches showing on the under-wing is likely to be an immature Bald Eagle. The Golden Eagle almost always appears dark from below, save for the basal half of the tail, which is grayish or white.

DUCK HAWK
_Rhynchodon peregrinus anatum_ (Bonaparte)

Other Names.—Peregrine Falcon; Rock Hawk; Bullet Hawk; Blue Hawk;
American Peregrine; Ledge Hawk.

Description.—Size medium; female much larger than male; wings long and
pointed; plumage very firm and stiff. _Adults_: Top of head and patch
below eyes and on rear part of cheeks, black; back, wings, and tail
bluish slate, heavily barred with darker gray; tail tipped with white;
underparts buffy, barred and spotted with black, chiefly on sides and
flanks. _Immature_: Upperparts dark brown, the plumage considerably
margined with buffy or pale brownish; area below eye black; cheeks
brownish; underparts dark brown, all the feathers widely margined with
buffy, giving a mottled and streaked appearance; cere and feet yellow;
eyes very dark brown. _Length_: Male, 16 inches; female, 19 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare summer resident from March to November
along cliff-lined rivers. It occasionally occurs in migration and has
been known to winter in the Philadelphia region, where the solitary
birds live upon pigeons, and roost on the ledges of tall buildings.

Nest.—None is made. _Eggs_: 3 to 6, whitish, heavily spotted with
rusty or chocolate-brown, or solid brown, laid either on the bare rock
in a sheltered niche on a high cliff, or in a slight depression in the
earth on such a ledge, if there be any soil.

This is one of Pennsylvania’s rarest hawks. Along the Juniata River, and where there are cliffs along the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers, they are sometimes seen beating their way buoyantly, high in the air, or plunging down from the heights either in pursuit of prey or in play. Their call-note, a sharp and rapidly repeated _kee, kee, kee, kee_ echoes among the rocks. Near their nest the birds are vicious toward intruders.

For speed and daring, the Duck Hawk is famous. It pursues and captures the most rapid ducks, even Teal. I have seen it kill Pileated Woodpeckers and Crows, but, as a rule, it captures Meadowlarks, Blue Jays, Robins, and shorebirds which happen to pass by its eyrie, or for which it watches from its high vantage-point. It is particularly fond of domestic pigeons if there be any in the vicinity, and will live almost exclusively upon them as long as the supply lasts. Striking its prey with closed fists, it slashes the skin open with the long claws of the hind toe.

Sometimes a Duck Hawk may be seen from the train window in the vicinity of Huntingdon, Spruce Creek, Palmerton, or Dauphin. The Duck Hawk is not protected in Pennsylvania.

PIGEON HAWK
_Tinnuculus columbarius columbarius_ (Linnæus)

Description.—Size small, a little larger than a Sparrow Hawk, but
heavily built, and with plumage firm like that of the Duck Hawk.
_Adults_: Blue-gray, narrowly streaked with black above, an
inconspicuous band of buffy or pale reddish brown at neck, primaries
barred with white; tail blackish with three or four distinct, though
narrow, white or grayish bars, and a white tip; underparts buffy or
rich ochraceous, streaked with black, save on throat. _Immature_: Dark
brown above, the primaries and tail barred with buffy; underparts much
as in adult birds; cere and feet yellow; eyes black. _Length_: About
10 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare migrant, additional records for which
are very desirable. It usually occurs in late April and early May and
in late September and early October. It is said to have nested in Pike
County.

So many hawks are called Pigeon Hawk that it is difficult to make Pennsylvania farmers and gunners realize that this little hawk is really a comparatively rare bird. It flies rapidly, directly, and is, in general appearance, much like a Sparrow Hawk with a blue-gray back.

I have noted Pigeon Hawks in Pennsylvania only a few times. Each time the hawk was surrounded and besieged by a flock of swallows, one of which it may have been holding in its talons.

SPARROW HAWK
_Cerchneis sparveria sparveria_ (Linnæus)

Other Names.—Mouse Hawk; Killy Hawk; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous).

Description.—Size small, not much larger than a Robin; adults and
young alike; wings pointed. _Male_: Top of head blue-gray, with rusty
brown crown-patch; sides of head buffy or whitish, with black marks
below eye, on ear-coverts, and on side of nape; back rich reddish
brown, barred on scapulars, and sometimes on back, with black;
wing-coverts blue-gray, spotted with black; primaries black, barred
with white; tail rich rufous, tipped with white, and with a broad
subterminal bar of black; underparts whitish or buffy, sometimes quite
reddish, with spots or bars of black on sides and flanks; cere and
feet yellow; eyes dark brown. Female quite different, having the back
and tail heavily barred with black, the wing-coverts reddish brown
barred with black, and the underparts _streaked_ with pale reddish
brown. _Length_: About 10 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common and widely distributed summer resident
from March 10 to November 15. Occasional in winter.

Nest.—In a cavity in a tree or in a bird-box from 20 to 40 feet from
the ground. _Eggs_: 4 to 8, buffy or whitish, heavily spotted with
reddish brown.

The trim form of this elegant creature is a familiar roadside acquaintance, and the piercing _killee, killee, killee_ of the bird, as it hovers looking for prey, is characteristic. The Sparrow Hawk is distinctly beneficial, feeding upon grasshoppers, field mice, and other small mammals. It is protected by law at all times in Pennsylvania.

OSPREY; FISH HAWK
_Pandion haliaëtus carolinensis_ (Gmelin)

Description.—Size large, wings long, giving the bird in flight
somewhat the appearance of a gull; feet large, the outer toe
reversible, the under side of the toes with spiny scales for holding
slippery prey; upperparts blackish brown, the feathers margined with
brownish; nape and superciliary white or whitish spotted with black;
tail with from six to nine grayish bands, noticeable particularly on
the inner web; underparts shining white, with spots of brown on
breast, particularly in the female. The under wings are white save the
greater coverts and flight feathers which are prominently barred; a
black area at the bend of the wing; bill black; feet pale blue-gray;
eyes orange-yellow. _Length_: 23 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Common and regular, principally along the
waterways, as a migrant in April and May and in September and October.
Rare and local as a summer resident. Additional nesting records are
desirable.

Nest.—A bulky mass of sticks and débris, usually placed in a dead
tree, sometimes at the very top, from 20 to 50 feet from the ground.
_Eggs_: 2 to 4, whitish, spotted with reddish brown, or solid rich
brown. There is much variation in the color of the eggs.

The Osprey is usually seen near a lake or waterway. Its easy flight gives it somewhat the bearing of a gull, but its broad, barred tail and dark upperparts distinguish it even at a great distance.

The Osprey’s food is almost altogether fish. Its firm, glossy plumage, its great claws, its slender, long wings, are all adapted to the capture of fish, upon which it pounces from the air, plunging into the water, sometimes to be lost to view for a second or more. Occasionally it grips a fish so large that it cannot extricate its talons, and is dragged to an unfortunate death. When the Osprey rises from a plunge in the water it often halts in mid-air to shake itself free of water, a somewhat amusing performance.

Although the Osprey eats fish almost exclusively, it is protected in Pennsylvania. It sometimes captures the destructive carp which is such a pest in some localities. It does not often take trout or other valuable food or game-fish and never captures birds or game. Smaller birds, such as grackles, fear the Osprey so little that they have been known to build their own cradles among the foundation material of the Osprey’s bulky eyrie. Along the Atlantic Coast Ospreys sometimes nest on the ground.

BARN OWL
_Tyto alba pratincola_ (Bonaparte)

Other Names.—Monkey-faced Owl; Golden Owl.

Description.—Larger than a Crow; face with round ruff of feathers
about eyes; legs very long and lanky, with sparse feathering down to
tips of toes. Face white, with reddish brown area about eye and narrow
ring of reddish brown at outer edge of facial disc; upperparts golden
brown, much variegated with fine gray barring and black and white
speckling; underparts white, buffy, or ochraceous, finely spotted with
black. The under surface of the wings is principally white, but the
flight-feathers, as well as the tail, are narrowly barred with dark
gray; bill pale flesh-color; eyes black. _Length_: 18 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common though somewhat local summer
resident, chiefly in the southern and southeastern counties, and only
rarely in the northern and mountainous counties and at high altitudes,
from late March to November; occasional in winter. In the western
counties it has been known to nest as far north as Crawford County.

Nest.—In a large cavity in a tree, often a sycamore, or in a barn or
loft wherever the eggs may be laid with safety. _Eggs_: 5 to 9, white.