Chapter IV: Part 4

No hind toe. Rump and base of tail reddish-brown; breast crossed by two black bands. Like the Spotted Sandpiper, this bird is locally and abundantly distributed throughout the United States and Southern Canada; it is, however, rare in New England, where it is sometimes found in the Fall. It frequents meadows, fields and ploughed ground, where it feeds upon insects, and around the edges of pools and streams where it gets small shellfish and larvæ. As usual, they will attempt to lead an intruder away from their nest by feigning lameness.

Notes.—A loud, noisy and incessant “killdee.”

Nest.—A slight hollow in the ground, usually in a clump of weeds; sometimes lined and sometimes not; the four eggs are greenish-buff, heavily blotched with black.

Range.—Breeds locally throughout United States, except New England, and southern Canada; winters in southern U. S.

SEMIPALMATED PLOVER
274. Ægialitis semipalmata. 7 in.

Small web between the bases of the two outer toes. Single broad, black band across the breast; black line from base of bill to eye. They are very abundant on our seacoast in Fall, both in flocks composed entirely of their own kind, and also with Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers. They usually keep on the inner side of sandbars or muddy flats bordering marshes, rather than on the open ocean beach. It is also found in smaller flocks, about ponds and marshes in the interior of the country. They are usually unsuspicious and will allow a close approach, or if you are still, will run by within a very few feet.

Notes.—A clear double whistle, usually uttered when on the wing or when alarmed. They decoy to an imitation of it.

Nest.—On the ground; eggs buffy, sparsely specked with black (1.30 × .90); June.

Range.—Breeds from the Gulf of St. Lawrence northward; winters from the Gulf States southward.

PIPING PLOVER
277. Ægialitis meloda. 7 in.

Very pale above; no black in front of eye; black patch on each side of breast. Young similar, but the black replaced by grayish, as is the case with the last species. This species, apparently, never could be classed as abundant and of late years, it is becoming rather rare along our Atlantic coast; this is probably more due to the building of summer resorts and homes along their former breeding grounds than to hunters. They are rather more shy than the last species, but will usually attempt to escape by running along the beach or by hiding, rather than by flight. Owing to their light colors it is very difficult to see them at any distance.

Notes.—A two-syllabled piping whistle.

Nest.—On the ground; eggs buff with fine black specks.

Range.—Breeds on the coast from Va. to Newfoundland and in the Mississippi Valley.

SNOWY PLOVER
278. Ægialitis nivosa. 6.5 in.

Very small and very pale colored. Small black patch on either side of the breast, on ear coverts, and on crown. Bill more slender but longer than that of the Piping Plover.

Notes.—Low, mournful, piping whistles.

Range.—United States chiefly west of the Rockies, east to Kansas and north to Dakota.

WILSON PLOVER
280. Ochthodromus wilsonius. 7.5 in.

Bill large and heavy for birds of this genus. A black band across the neck, not extending to the back of the neck; dark line between eye and bill.

Notes.—A “mixture of whistle and chirp,” very different from that of allied plovers. (Elliott).

Nest.—A shallow hollow in the sand, sometimes concealed by short beach grass; eggs grayish, spotted and scratched with blackish brown (1.25 × .95).

Range.—Breeds on the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts north to Virginia; later may stray to Maine.

MOUNTAIN PLOVER
281. Podasocys montanus. 9 in.

No black on breast or sides, but with black hand on fop of head and a black line from bill to eye. Above grayish-brown; below buffy across the breast, white elsewhere. Mountain or Prairie Plover, as they are often and better called, are abundant on the western prairies. Like the Bartramian Sandpiper, they do not frequent the vicinity of water, but live and get their food in the dry grass-covered districts. They are not at all shy where they are not hunted. Like all the family, they are very fleet on foot, and may often be seen chasing grasshoppers or other active insects. Their flight is very rapid, often devious and usually at a low elevation.

Notes.—A single, low, musical whistle.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, anywhere on the prairie. Eggs brownish-gray, blotched with blackish.

Range.—West of the Mississippi River, breeding north to Dakota. Winters from Southwestern United States southward.

TURNSTONE
283. Arenaria interpres. 9.75 in.

Very similar to the next, which is the one figured, but slightly larger, and with black prevailing in the upperparts. This is the Old World species, found in America only in Labrador and Alaska.

RUDDY TURNSTONE
283.1. Arenaria interpres morinella. 9.5 in.

Bill short and stout, the upper mandible being straight, so that the bill has an upturned appearance. Legs reddish on adult birds and orange on young.

Known by a great many names, referring to its peculiarly pied appearance:—Calico-bird, Checkered-snipe, etc. An abundant species usually found on pebbled beaches.

Notes.—One or two clear whistles.

Nest.—A scantily lined hollow; eggs grayish, beautifully marbled with brown, lilac and blackish.

Range.—Breeds in the Arctic regions; winters in Southern South America, migrating on both coasts.

AMERICAN OYSTER-CATCHER
286. Hæmatopus palliatus. 19 in.

Bill very long, heavy, compressed, and thin and chisel-like at the tip. Bill and eye, red; legs flesh color. These large, awkward looking birds are not scarce on the South Atlantic coast, where they are met with in pairs or small companies. They run with great swiftness, or walk sedately along the beaches and marshes gathering insects and fiddler crabs, of which they are very fond. They are said to have got their name from the habit of eating oysters when they found them with the shell open, a practice that would be extremely hazardous for them to undertake, as these shellfish close their two valves very quickly and would be apt to catch the bird. Owing to their large size they are frequently shot at and, consequently, are usually shy.

Nest.—A depression in the sand; the two or three eggs are buffy, spotted with blackish-brown (2.20 × 1.50); May.

Range.—Breeds on the coast north to Virginia; later may stray to Nova Scotia. Winters south of the U. S.

MEXICAN JACANA
*** Jacana spinosa. 8 in.

A very peculiar species. Bill plover-like; at the base, terminating in a leaf-like sheaf that covers the forehead; a hard spur on the shoulder of each wing; legs and toes extremely long, the toenails being abnormally so, the hind nail often being an inch and a half long. Young very different from the adult.—Grayish-brown above, with wings greenish-yellow as in adult; below whitish, darker across the breast and on the sides; a light line above the eye. Jacanas are inhabitants of marshy, muddy pools and ponds, where they can easily run over the surface, their long toes getting a good foothold on the floating aquatic plants. They are said to be very pugnacious in defence of their young, and also to fight among themselves during the mating season.

Nest.—Nests made of weeds and trash, on little floating islands or lily pads. 3 to 5 olive colored eggs, curiously scrawled with black (1.20 × .95); May.

Range.—Is found and breeds within our borders only in Southern Texas.

GROUSE, PARTRIDGES, ETC.—Order Gallinæ
Family Odontophoridæ

BOB-WHITE; QUAIL; VIRGINIA PARTRIDGE
289. Colinus virginianus. 10 in.

Male with white throat, bordered with black; female with a yellowish-brown throat, and line above eye. One of the most popular “game birds,” so popular that it is exterminated in New England, and birds imported from the west are unable to regain the lost foothold. Found in stubble and low brush, where they hide until almost stepped upon. They feed upon insects and grain.

Notes.—A clear whistled “bob-white” and a series of low, clear whistles when in flocks.

Nest.—Of grass at the end of tunnel in tall grass bordering fields; 8 to 16 white eggs (1.20 × .95); May.

Range.—Resident east of the Rockies, north to Minn. and Ontario. 289a, Fla. Bob-white (C. v. floridanus), found in southern Florida, is extremely dark (shown on plate). 289b, Texan Bob-white (C. v. texanus) is paler with black areas wider.

SCALED PARTRIDGE
*** Callipepla squamata. 10 in.

With a whitish or buffy-white crest; plumage bluish-gray, with darker edges giving the bird the appearance of being covered with scales. The female is more brownish, but is marked the same as the male. These birds are locally abundant in arid, cactus-covered deserts, often at a distance from water, and frequently in company with Gambel Partridge.

Nest.—8 to 15 eggs are laid in some hollow under a low bush or cactus; they are creamy-white, dotted with minute specks of pale brown (1.25 × .95); April, May.

Range.—Mexico north to Central and Western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

293a. Chestnut-bellied Scaled Partridge (C. s. castanogastris), is more richly colored and has a chestnut patch on the middle of the belly. It is found in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico.

GAMBEL PARTRIDGE
295. Lophortyx gambelii. 10 in.

Head with an elegant recurved crest of six or seven feathers; normally these are carried in one packet so that there appears to be but one feather, but when excited, or during the mating season, they may separate the feathers, or sometimes curve them forward so as to touch the bill. Hindhead and sides chestnut, throat and middle of belly black. Female with the throat light and hindhead gray; crest small; no black on belly. An abundant species both in mountains, valleys or deserts, near or remote from water. Habits like those of the eastern Bob-white, but instead of taking wing, they will generally run.

Nest.—Eggs laid on the ground under any suitable cover; creamy-white, handsomely blotched with brown.

Range.—Resident in western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, north to southern Utah and Nevada.

MEARNS OR MASSENA PARTRIDGE
296. Cyrtonyx montezumæ mearnsi. 9 in.

Bill very stout and compressed. Crest large, puffy and flat. Markings on the male very grotesque and clownish; general color of the female, pinkish brown with streaks of black, and white specks, below, and barred and streaked above. These strange birds are very local in their distribution in the southwest, rare in some localities and occurring in quite large flocks in others. They are so confiding in their disposition, that this, in connection with their clownish plumage, has given them the name of “Fool” Quail. They frequent dry deserts, valleys, or mountains up to an elevation of at least 8,000 feet. When startled, they often squat down, and can almost be caught in the hand, but when they do fly, their flight is very rapid, and accompanied with a peculiar clucking noise.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, lined with grasses, and concealed in clumps of weeds or grass. Their eggs, like those of other partridges, are numerous, pure white, and not as sharply pointed as those of the Bob-white.

Range.—Western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

DUSKY GROUSE
297. Dendragapus obscurus. 20 in.

Plumage gray, white and black, with a few rusty markings on the back; wide gray band on tip of tail. Female smaller, browner and more barred above. These large grouse are found on side hills or in gulches, usually not far from water. Like our common Ruffed Grouse, during mating season, the males of this species strut about with tail fully spread over the back, and head thrown back until it nearly touches the tail. At this season they are very pugnacious and the woods will resound with their challenging “toots,”—loud and hollow sounds with a ventriloquial effect.

Nest.—Eggs laid on ground in woods, usually under fallen logs or at the bases of trees; buffy, sparsely spotted with brown (2.00 × 1.40); May, June.

Range.—Rocky Mts., from Mexico to Montana and east to South Dakota. 297b., Richardson Grouse (D. o. richardsonii), is found on the eastern slopes of the Rockies, north to British America. Little or no band on the tail.

HUDSONIAN SPRUCE GROUSE
298. Canachites canadensis. 15 in.

Very similar to the next, which is our common species, but the female is not quite as rusty. Found in Labrador and about Hudson Bay.

CANADA GROUSE; SPRUCE GROUSE
298c. C. c. canace. 15 in.

Male black and grayish; female chiefly rusty, barred with black. The Spruce Grouse is usually found in dense thickets and groves or swamps of evergreen woods. It is one of the least suspicious of birds, and in winter, is sometimes knocked down by sticks in the hands of deer hunters. Their flesh is unfit to eat and consequently they are not hunted.

Notes.—A drumming, said to be produced by the wings, when in the air; a clucking by the female.

Nest.—Eggs laid on the ground, usually under low, spreading branches of spruces; bright buff with bold black blotches (1.70 × 1.25).

Range.—Northern New England, New York and Minnesota, northward.

RUFFED GROUSE
300. Bonassa umbellus. 17 in.

Crested and with two large, black, neck-ruffs; plumage brown, black and white. Female with the ruffs smaller and usually brownish. These grouse have two color phases, the general tone of plumage being either reddish brown or gray, independent of age or sex of bird. These naturally wild, shy grouse are the kings of the eastern game birds, their wariness and speed with which they will dodge through the trees being the only reasons they have so long withstood the hunting to which they are subjected. During spring, the male struts often, tail expanded into a half circle, head thrown back to meet the upturned tail, and ruff spread so as to form a complete collar. They make a loud drumming by beating the air with their wings.

Nest.—Eggs on leaves in the woods; plain brownish-buff (1.55 × 1.15).

Range.—Resident from Va. and Ark. north to southern Canada. 300a., Canadian Ruffed Grouse (B. u. togata), is found in the southern British provinces and northern New England.

WILLOW PTARMIGAN
301. Lagopus lagopus. 15 in.

In winter, white with black tail feathers. In summer, usually reddish-brown with black bars. This species has a much stouter bill than the next.

Nest.—Eggs laid on the ground. Rich buffy, so heavily blotched and streaked with black as to nearly conceal it (1.75 × 1.25).

Range.—Breeds in the northern half of Canada, migrating southward to southern Canada.

301a., Allen Ptarmigan (L. l. alleni), found in Newfoundland, is similar, but in winter the shafts of the primaries are always black.

ROCK PTARMIGAN
302. Lagopus rupestris. 14 in.

In winter, like the last species, except that the bill is smaller, and the lores are black.

Range.—From the Gulf of St. Lawrence and northern British Columbia northward. 302a. Reinhardt Ptarmigan, replaces the last variety in northern Labrador. 303. Welch Ptarmigan (L. welchi), found in Newfoundland, is said to be grayer in summer.

PRAIRIE HEN; PINNATED GROUSE
305. Tympanuchus americanus. 18 in.

Tufts of neck feathers rounded or square at the ends, long on the males, and short on the females. Above, barred with brownish-black and white or buffy white, the bars being of about equal width; top of head barred black and grayish. Female differs from the male in having the tail feathers barred, whereas they are black in the male. Found locally throughout the prairie regions of the Mississippi Valley north to Manitoba. Owing to the immense numbers shot for sale in eastern markets, they have become exterminated in many places where they were formerly abundant. Male birds have a loose sac or naked skin beneath the tufts of feathers on the neck; they inflate these to the size of small oranges, and then produce a loud, hollow, resonant booming sound.

Nest.—Anywhere on the ground on the prairie; eggs olive-buff, finely specked with brown.

Range.—From La. and Tex. north to Manitoba and Dakota. 305. Attwater Prairie Hen, smaller and darker, is found in Louisiana and Eastern Texas.

HEATH HEN
306. Tympanuchus cupido. 17 in.

Neck feathers pointed; scapulars more broadly tipped with white; axillars always barred; top of head paler and always brownish. These differences will always separate this species from the very similar western bird. They were formerly found throughout Southern New England and the Middle States, their range meeting that of the Prairie Hen, but now they are restricted to the island of Martha’s Vineyard, south of Mass., and probably the true form is extinct there for western birds have been liberated on the island and interbred with the natives.

LESSER PRAIRIE HEN
307. Tympanuchus pallidicinctus. 16 in.

Nearest like the prairie hen but paler above, the brown bars being narrower and lighter colored, but with the edges blackish, giving the back of the bird a very different appearance from that of the Prairie Hen. It is found in western Kansas, Indian Territory and Texas.

PRAIRIE SHARP-TAILED GROUSE
308b. Pediæcetes phasianellus campestris. 18 in.

No pinnates or ruffs on the neck, but the head is crested a little more than that of the Prairie Hen; tail with the central feathers nearly two inches longer than the rest, which are also graduated so the outside ones are much the shortest. Plumage much paler than that of the Prairie Hen, and feathers on the breast and sides being marked with blackish loops. Found in more or less abundance on the plains and prairies west of the Mississippi River. In mating season flocks of them indulge in curious antics, dancing, ruffling their feathers, and cooing and crowing.

Nest.—Eggs laid in a hollow in the ground, usually sheltered by a tuft of grass or bunch of weeds. The eggs are brownish-drab, finely specked, over the whole surface, with blackish-brown (1.70 × 1.25).

Range.—West of the Miss. River, from New Mexico and Indian Territory north to Manitoba. 308. Sharp-tailed Grouse, is found in the interior of British America from Hudson Bay to Alaska. Darker and less rusty than the preceding.

SAGE GROUSE
309. Centrocercus urophasianus. 29 in.

The female of this large and very interesting grouse differs from the male only in its smaller size and paler, duller plumage. They are found in abundance on the dry sagebrush-covered plains about the Rocky Mts. and to the westward. In summer they feed largely upon insects and buds of various plants, but in fall and winter, their food is almost entirely the leaves of the sagebrush; at this season, in consequence, their flesh is unfit to eat, so they are not hunted for market, and are able to pursue a life of quiet as far as man is concerned. In spring, they indulge in amusing play, as do all the grouse; they have a few wiry hairs on either side of the neck, covering the naked sacs that correspond to those of the Prairie Hen; they strut about with these sacs inflated, and their spread tail, erect, making peculiar buzzing sounds.

Nest.—Eggs laid on the ground under sagebrush; greenish-buff, spotted rather sparingly with brown.

Range.—Sagebrush covered plains from New Mexico to Southern British Columbia and Assiniboia.

Family Meleagridæ

WILD TURKEY
310. Meleagres gallopavo silvestris. 48 in.

Female much smaller and duller colored than the male. These fine, large birds frequent woodlands and borders of streams, where they search through the underbrush for food in the daytime and sleep in the tallest trees at night. They are one of the shyest birds, and they have reasons for being, for they have been hunted until there are none left in New England and northern Middle States. Wild Turkeys strut and gobble precisely like domestic ones. Their plumage is more of a coppery bronze color and their upper tail coverts are rusty, without white edges.

Nest.—Eggs laid on the ground among leaves, usually in dense thickets; buff, spotted with brown (2.55 × 1.90).

Range.—From Penn. and Ohio south to the Gulf States west to Arkansas. 310b., Florida Wild Turkey, found in Florida, is smaller. 310c., Rio Grande Turkey, is found in southern Texas; it has upper tail-coverts edged with buff.

RING-NECKED OR MONGOLIAN PHEASANT
*** Phasianus torquatus ?

The male of this beautiful pheasant varies greatly in length according to the development of the tail, sometimes being 36 in. in length; the female averages about 22 in. and is plain colored, but still a very handsome bird. Males vary greatly in the richness of their colors, and in the width of the white collar on the neck, the latter depending upon the extent to which they have been interbred with the English Pheasant, the latter bird having no white on the neck. These pheasants have been introduced in Oregon and Washington and are very abundant there now. Attempts at introducing them in the East have not been as successful, but in some private preserves they are doing well. They are rather sluggish in their habits, compared to our Ruffed Grouse, and usually try to escape by running or hiding rather than by taking wing; when they do fly, they go in a straight line and rather slowly.

FAMILY CRACIDÆ

CHACHALACA
311. Ortalis vetula mecalli. 21 in.

Plumage olive-brown above, and gray below; head crested; sides of head and chin, naked, orange-red. These birds are found in southern Texas, in dense woods, thickets and chaparral. They are very noisy, their calls being loud, harsh, clackings, “cha-cha-lac,” repeated rapidly and taken up by all the birds in the neighborhood. They are not usually shy and are often domesticated. They are also hunted to some extent, but their flesh is said not to be very good eating, and their body is quite small compared to the length of the bird.

Nest.—A frail platform of sticks, placed in scrubby brush or bushes, a few feet above the ground. They lay four white or buffy-white eggs, the shell of which is very rough and hard (2.25 × 1.55); April.

Range.—Eastern Mexico north to southern Texas.

PIGEONS AND DOVES—Order Columbæ
Family Columbidæ

PASSENGER PIGEON
315. Ectopistes migratorius. 16 in.

Head and back bluish-slate; below, rich rusty brown. Only a few years ago, up to 1880, they were extremely abundant in eastern North America. Seemingly incredible stories are told of the immense flocks and roosting places of these birds, and most of them are authentic. It is unfortunate that the camera was not extensively used then, so we have no visual records of them. A nesting place in Michigan is described as 28 miles in length by about four in width, and every tree in the woods, throughout this whole tract, had several nests, and some were filled with them. Flocks darkening the sky and covering several square miles are recorded. And, today, but one or two stragglers are reported in a year, and these are usually doubtful. They were shot and netted at their roosting and nesting places, barreled up and sent to market for sale, this continuing so long as there were birds enough to make it profitable, and we reap the result—no birds.

MOURNING DOVE
316. Zenaidura macroura carolinensis. 12 in.

Upperparts olive-brown; below, buffy-gray; a small black mark on the ears above the iridescent neck patch.

These birds never flock as Passenger Pigeons did, traveling in companies of six to a dozen, and they have no common nesting or roosting places, but nest anywhere in the woods, orchards or vines. As they are not often hunted, they are not shy, and in some localities are very tame, especially when they are breeding. Their food consists of seeds, grain, berries and insects, most of which they get from the ground. They nest either in trees, bushes or on the ground, most often the former. Their nests are very frail platforms, composed of only a few twigs and rootlets; when on the ground, usually no nest is made. Their two eggs are pure white, as are those of all doves. They are loving birds, always cooing to each other, and are very attentive to their young until they are full grown.

Range.—Breeds throughout the United States and southern Canada, except northern New England and the Provinces.

WHITE-FRONTED DOVE
318. Leptotila fulviventris brachyptera. 12 in.

No black ear-mark; under wing coverts rusty chestnut. Forehead whitish; all but central pair of tail feathers tipped with white.

Nest.—Indistinguishable from that of the next species.

Range.—Central America and Mexico, north in February to valley of Lower Rio Grande.

WHITE-WINGED DOVE
319. Melopelia asiatica. 12 in.

Large black patch on the ears; tail only moderately long, and broadly rounded, with large white ends to the outer feathers. Besides the regular cooing notes, common to doves, this species has a peculiar song likened by some, to the first attempts at crowing, of a young rooster.

Nest.—A shabby platform of twigs, lined with bits of weeds, moss and leaves; placed at any height from the ground in bushes, trees or cacti. Eggs white.

Range.—Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and casually southern Florida, southward.

GROUND DOVE
320. Chæmepelia passerina terrestris. 6.75 in.

Size very small; tail short and nearly square. Back of head blue-gray; forehead and most of underparts pinkish. Bill, feet and eye, more or less red.

Nest.—A frail structure of twigs, lined with pine needles; placed usually at low elevations in bushes. The two eggs are pure white.

Range.—South Atlantic and Gulf States; abundant near the coasts; winters throughout its range.

320a., Mexican Ground Dove, found from Texas to California, is slightly paler than the eastern species.

INCA DOVE
321. Scardafella inca. 8 in.

Tail long, with the outer feathers tipped with white, and shorter than the middle ones. Feathers mostly margined with brownish-black. The bases of the primaries are bright chestnut, and the whole underwing is of that color; bill black; eye and feet reddish.

Range.—Southern Texas, southern Arizona and southern New Mexico.

VULTURES, HAWKS AND OWLS—Order Raptores
AMERICAN VULTURES—Family Cathartidæ

TURKEY VULTURE OR BUZZARD
325. Cathartes aura septentrionalis. 30 in.

Head naked; red or carmine; bill dull whitish; eyes brown; feet pinkish. Plumage blackish-brown.

Nest.—Their two eggs are laid upon the ground, between rocks, under logs, or in hollow trees; they are whitish, handsomely blotched with brown.

Range.—Breeds from the Gulf north to New Jersey, Illinois, Minnesota and British Columbia.

BLACK VULTURE
326. Catharista urubu. 24 in.

Entire plumage, including the naked head, black; feet and tip of bill yellowish. Under surface of the wings white, making it very easy to identify.

Nest.—Two eggs, greenish-white, blotched with brownish. (3.00 × 2.00).

Range.—Resident north to North Carolina, southern Illinois and Kansas.

FALCONS, HAWKS AND EAGLES—Family Falconidæ

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
327. Elanoides forficatus. 24 in.

Tail long and deeply forked; plumage white, and glossy black; feet short but stout; bill black, with cere and feet bluish-gray. The flight of these birds is very swift and swallow-like; at times they circle about for long periods, on motionless wings; at others, they will be seen swooping over marshes and low ground; the evolutions they perform during the mating season are wonderful to behold, floating, sailing, doubling and turning, in all imaginable positions, as though they were a part of the air itself.

Notes.—A shrill whistled “peet-peet.”

Nest.—Composed of twigs, lined with moss and rootlets; usually located in the tops of trees at great heights; 90 to 125 feet from the ground not being uncommon; eggs pale bluish-white, very handsomely marked with brown (1.85 × 1.5).

Range.—Breeds north to Virginia, Manitoba and Minnesota; winters south of the United States.

WHITE-TAILED KITE
328. Elanus leucurus. 16 in.

Head, underparts and tail, white; shoulders black; upperparts gray. Young, with the back tinged with rusty. Their food consists largely of snakes, but they also eat a great many small rodents and insects.

Nest.—Made of sticks, weeds and leaves, and placed in trees at quite an elevation from the ground; eggs creamy white, profusely blotched with brown.

Range.—Texas to central California, and less often east of the Miss. River, north to South Carolina.

MISSISSIPPI KITE
329. Ictinia mississippiensis. 14 in.

Head, underparts and ends of secondaries, bluish-gray. Lores and tail black; back dark; eyes red.

Nest.—Of sticks and weeds in the tops of tall trees; eggs bluish white, usually unmarked, but occasionally with a few brownish specks (1.65 × 1.25).

Range.—Breeds north to South Carolina, southern Illinois and Kansas; winters south of the United States.

EVERGLADE KITE
330. Rostrhamus sociabilis. 15 in.

Bill very slender and much hooked, the lower mandible being decurved somewhat, to match the upper; the cutting edge of the bill without a tooth or notch, as most hawks and kites have. Lores naked and yellowish, like the cere; eyes red. Plumage blackish; rump and bases of outer tail feathers, as well as tip white. This tropical species is found in the United States, only in the southern half of Florida, in the densest swamps, being fairly abundant in the Everglades. They are said to feed exclusively upon a certain species of water snail, and each bird has a particular perch to which he takes every snail he captures, and after skillfully extracting the animal with its curiously modified beak, it drops the shell on the mound beneath. (Bendire).

Nest.—Of twigs, lined with leaves and weeds, placed at low elevations in bushes or underbrush, often over water; eggs pale greenish-white, spotted with brown.

Range.—Southern Florida.

MARSH HAWK
331. Circus hudsonius. 19 in.

Upper tail coverts and base of tail white. Male, blue-gray above; below, whitish, streaked and barred with rusty. Female and young.—Above rusty brownish-black; below rusty with dusky streaks on the breast and sides. As shown by its name, this hawk is found most abundantly in or around marshes or wet meadows. I have found them especially abundant in boggy marshes such as frequented by bitterns. Their flight is quiet and owl-like, and as they do most of their feeding toward dusk, they often seem like owls as they flit by without a sound. Their food is composed chiefly of meadow mice and moles, which they spy and dash down upon as they fly at low elevations.

Notes.—A shrill whistle when their nest is approached.

Nest.—Of grasses, on the ground in marshes; four plain bluish-white eggs (1.80 × 1.40); May, June.

Range.—Breeds locally in the whole of the United States and Canada, north to Hudson Bay; winters in the southern half of the United States.

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
332. Accipiter velox. 12 in.

This little hawk, so near like the Cooper, is one of the most active of the family, and from this fact it gets its name _velox_, meaning swift. It is often seen in woods, orchard, or even about buildings in large cities, in which latter places, it does good service in catching English Sparrows. If they would confine their food to these birds, no one would object, but unfortunately they will take any little bird that comes within their reach, or that they are able to catch. They are one of the very few hawks that do live largely upon birds, and even they destroy a great many mice.

Notes.—A shrill, three-syllabled whistle.

Nest.—A rude and usually frail structure of twigs, placed in branches of trees, usually at quite low elevations (15 ft.). Eggs white, beautifully blotched with brown (1.45 × 1.15).

Range.—Breeds chiefly in northern U. S. and Canada; winters throughout the United States.

COOPER HAWK
333. Accipiter cooperi. 16 in.

This hawk is a large edition of the last species. All hawks vary in size, this one and the last, perhaps, more than any others. Female hawks are always the largest. A large female of the Sharp-shinned variety, is often as large as a small male Cooper, but the crown of the Cooper is darker than that of the Sharp-shinned, and his tail is always rounded, while that of the last species is nearly square at the end. This is also a destructive species; it is usually one of these two hawks, or the Goshawk, that is responsible for the ill-feeling with which farmers regard all of the family. All small hawks are known to farmers as “Chicken Hawks,” and large ones as “Hen Hawks,” but the majority of our hawks rarely disturb fowls.

Nest.—Of sticks in crotches of trees, usually quite high up; often old crows’ nests are used; eggs bluish-white, unmarked or very faintly specked with brown. (1.90 × 1.45); April.

Range.—Breeds from the Gulf north to southern Canada; winters from Mass. and Oregon southward.

AMERICAN GOSHAWK
334. Astur atricapillus. 23 in.

Adults, above bluish-slate, darkest on the crown; a whitish line over the eye; below white, finely waved with gray. Young, brownish-black, with lighter edgings to the feathers; below whitish, streaked with blackish-brown. Young birds can easily be distinguished from those of any other species by their large size and the long tail. This handsome species is one of the most rapacious and destructive of our birds of prey. Their short wings and long tail enable them to glide among the thickest foliage with great speed, and even the Ruffled Grouse cannot escape them. In the north where they live in summer, they destroy great numbers of Ptarmigan and Spruce Grouse, and come to us in the winter with their appetite whetted for a diet of poultry and our game birds, being exceedingly bold in their capture.

Nest.—Of sticks lined with weeds and bark, in tall trees; eggs white, unmarked.

Range.—Breeds throughout Canada; winters in the northern half of the United States.

HARRIS HAWK
335. Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi. 20 in.

Tail coverts, base and tip of tail, white. Adults with the shoulders, thighs and under wing-coverts, reddish-brown. Young with rusty edgings to feathers on the back; below, rusty buff with blackish spots or streaks; thighs barred with blackish. Space in front of eye, bare except for stiff hair-like bristles, yellowish like the cere. This species is the connecting link between the vultures and hawks of the genus _buteo_. Its feedings habits are similar to those of the vultures, with which it often associates when feeding upon carrion. They are very sluggish birds and their flight is slow and heavy; when not feeding they are usually perched on one foot on some dead limb, dozing.

Nest.—Made of sticks, twigs and weeds, placed in bushes or low trees. Their three or four eggs are dull white, unmarked (2.10 × 1.65).

Range.—Mexico, north to southern United States chiefly in Texas, but also found in New Mexico and casually east to Louisiana.

RED-TAILED HAWK
337. Buteo borealis. 21 in.

One of the handsomest and most powerfully built of our hawks. Adults with the tail rusty-red, with or without a narrow blackish band near the tip; below white, with a band of blackish streaks across the breast, and dusky markings on the sides. Young birds are similar, but have the tail grayish-brown with black bands. An examination of the food of this bird of prey, made by the Department of Agriculture, shows that, instead of living upon poultry as most farmers think, their food consists chiefly of frogs, snakes, lizards, mice and insects, less than one in ten of the stomachs examined containing any remains of poultry.

Notes.—A shrill whistle or scream.

Nest.—Of sticks, weeds, leaves and trash high up in tall trees; eggs white, spotted with blackish-brown.

Range.—Breeds in United States and Southern Canada; winters in the United States. 337a., Krider Hawk is a paler race found on the plains from Minn. to Texas. 337d., Harlan Hawk, is darker and has the tail mottled with blackish; found in the Gulf States.

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
339. Buteo lineatus. 19 in.

Adults with the shoulders bright reddish-brown; primaries and secondaries barred with black and white; below buffy thickly barred with rusty-brown. Young with the shoulders duller; underparts white, streaked all over with blackish-brown. This is one of the most abundant of the birds of prey in Eastern United States, and it is also one of the most useful, destroying quantities of moles and field mice, as well as grasshoppers. Usually one or more pairs will be found in a piece of woods. One pair that I know, and I presume it is the same pair, each year has its nest on the edge of a colony of Black-crowned Night Herons and, during the season, they live and feed their young largely upon the young of these birds.

Nest.—Of sticks, lined with weeds and strips of bark; eggs white, blotched with brown (2.15 × 1.75). April, May.

Range.—Breeds from the Gulf to Maine and Minnesota. 339a. Fla. Red-Shouldered Hawk, found in Florida and north to So. Car., is paler colored.

SENNETT WHITE-TAILED HAWK
341. Buteo albicaudatus sennetti. 22 in.

Adults grayish-slate above and to the sides of the throat; tail and underparts white, the former with a subterminal band of black and indistinct wavy lines and the latter with fine barring on the sides. The shoulders are largely chestnut. Young birds are brownish-black above and usually white below, but the underparts are variable—often streaked with rusty and blackish, or even wholly black.

They are useful hawks, their food consisting chiefly of insects and moles or mice.

Nest.—Built in bushes in open land, rarely more than six feet above ground. Composed of sticks, dry weeds and grasses making a bulky structure visible for a long distance. Three eggs are not uncommon but two is the usual number; they are dirty white with very few marks of brown (2.35 × 1.85). Their nesting season ranges from as early as February to July.

Range.—Not uncommon on the Gulf coast of Texas and in the lower Rio Grande Valley, southwards into South America.

SWAINSON HAWK
342. Buteo swainsoni. 20 in.

This species has the greatest variety of plumages of any of our hawks. It has only three outer primaries notched near the tips, while the two last species, which are the only ones that can be confused with it, have four. Adults in the light phase have a band of rich chestnut across the breast. Adults in the dark phase are uniform blackish-brown, with some rusty edgings and with thighs more or less rusty. Young birds are buffy below, with elongated blackish spots. Its harmless character can be understood from the fact that it is no unusual sight to find other birds, such as Arkansas Kingbird and Bullock Oriole, nesting in the same tree; and the first mentioned species goes even further than this, sometimes constructing its home in the sides of the nests of the hawks.

Nest.—Of sticks and twigs, either in trees or on the ground on rocky ledges; eggs white, spotted with brown (2.20 × 1.70).

Range.—Western N. A., breeding from Texas to the Arctic regions; east to Illinois and west to the Pacific.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK
343. Buteo platypterus. 16 in.

Adults grayish-brown above; below, streaked on the throat and breast, and barred below, with rusty-brown; tail with three blackish bars. Young similar above; below white, streaked with blackish-brown. They are most apt to be confused with the Cooper and Red-Shouldered Hawk, but when in flight, it can usually be distinguished at a distance, from the former by its shorter tail, and from the latter by its smaller size and rounded wings. They may be classed as abundant east of the Great Plains. They are rather solitary in their habits, especially during the breeding season, when but one pair is usually found in a piece of woods.

Notes.—A long, squeaking wail, sounding much like two branches rubbing together and creaking.

Nest.—Of sticks, invariably lined with pieces of bark; usually placed in crotches next to the trunks of large trees, but not usually at a great height; eggs whitish, more or less blotched with brown and gray.

Range.—Breeds north to New Brunswick and Manitoba; winters in southern half of the United States.

AMERICAN ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
347a. Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis. 22 in.

Legs feathered to the toes. Adults blackish on the back and belly; head and breast, more or less grayish-white, streaked with dusky; tail white, barred on the end with black; eyes brown. In the dark phase they are blackish-brown, more or less mixed with rusty. This large, heavily-built species is found in the United States, only in winter; it frequents thinly wooded districts or meadows, where it catches its prey, which consists of small rodents, insects and reptiles. It is very irregular in its appearance, especially in the east, but it is most often found near the coast. It is a sluggish species and I doubt if it does any harm to wild birds or to poultry; it certainly does a great deal of good.

Nest.—Of sticks, on rocky ledges; eggs bluish-white, boldly splashed with brown (1.90 × 1.55).

Range.—Breeds north of the United States border; winters in northern United States.

FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
348. Archibuteo ferrugineus. 23 in.

Legs feathered to the toes. Adults with back, shoulders, thighs and legs, rusty, barred or streaked with black; tail grayish-white, tinged with rusty. Young birds are brownish-black, above and without any rusty below. In the dark phase they are sooty-brown, more or less varied with rusty, and the tail is the same as in the light plumage. Their bill is larger and tail longer than that of the last species. A fairly abundant hawk on the plains and prairies west of the Miss., usually not at a great distance from water.

Nest.—Usually on the ground on bluffs or rocky ledges, but sometimes in trees; made of sticks and weeds; sometimes used year after year, and then becoming bulky, as it is added to each year; eggs white, handsomely spotted and blotched with blackish-brown, very variable.

Range.—Breeds west of the Miss., from Kansas, locally, and the Dakotas, abundantly, north to Saskatchewan. Winters south to Mexico.

GOLDEN EAGLE
349. Aquila chryœtos. 35 in.

Legs feathered to the toes. Plumage blackish-brown, adults having the lengthened feathers on the nape, golden-brown, and the tail more or less mixed with white; leg feathers rusty. These large, handsome, well-built birds of prey are fairly abundant in thinly settled country west of the Miss., especially in mountains and foot-hills. They are very powerful birds and a single pair of them will rule the whole country in which they reside. They are very shy in the presence of man and will never attack a person or show fight unless wounded or surprised at their meals. Their food consist of prairie dogs, rodents, ducks and even fawns.

Notes.—A shrill a “kee-kee-kee.”

Nest.—A very bulky structure of large sticks, lined with twigs, needles and in some cases evergreen; eggs creamy-white, spotted, splashed and clouded with various shades of brown and gray (2.90 × 2.50).

Range.—West of the Miss., from Mexico northward; rarely eastward to the Atlantic coast.

BALD EAGLE
352. Haliœetus leucocephalus. 34 in.

Legs not feathered to the toes. Adults with white head and tail. Young birds similar in color to those of the Golden Eagle, but blacker and with the legs always bare on the lower half. Young, with brown eyes, like those of the last; adults with yellow eyes and feet. This handsome bird of prey, our national emblem, is resident and locally distributed throughout the United States and Canada, always near streams or lakes, and most abundant on the seacoasts. Their food, like that of the Golden Eagle, is chiefly caught by themselves, and consists of any small mammals, geese, ducks, etc., and during the summer, or when their usual food is scarce, they feed upon fish, which they either catch for themselves or taken by force from Ospreys.

Nest.—Of sticks large and bulky, and usually in tops of very tall trees; two eggs, pure white (2.75 × 2.10).

Range.—Resident locally in whole of North America.

WHITE GRYFALCON
353. Falco islandus. 23 in.

Adults in perfect plumage, pure white, slightly barred on the back and spotted below with black.

Nest.—Of sticks, lined with grasses and feathers; placed on ledges of cliffs; eggs bulky white, specked with reddish brown, often so thickly that the ground color is obscured (2.30 × 1.80).

Range.—Arctic region, breeding in Northern Greenland, and wintering to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and casually to northern Maine.

GRAY GYRFALCON
354. Falco rusticolus. 23 in.

Adults white, heavily barred above, and streaked below with gray and black.

Range.—Arctic regions, south in winter, rarely to northern United States.

354a. GYRFALCON (F. r. gyrfalco). Similar to the last but darker, the latter being usually more white than dusky, while this is the reverse.

354b. BLACK GYRFALCON (F. r. obsoletus). Much darker than the last, the markings tending to be buffy white spots on a grayish black ground.

PRAIRIE FALCON
355. Falco mexicanus. 18 in.

A blackish patch on the sides of the throat, similar to that of the Duck Hawk. Above brownish black, much paler and never with the slaty color of the Duck Hawk; below streaked or spotted with blackish brown. These falcons are fairly abundant on the western plains and prairies, and are also found in wooded mountain regions. They are strong and active and will fight fiercely if captured. They live upon small mammals, birds and occasionally, grouse. Their flight is very swift and accomplished by rapid wing beats, with occasional sailings.

Notes.—A cackle, and rapidly repeated “kee-kee-kee.” (Bendire).

Nest.—A mass of sticks and trash, on bluffs or rocky ledges, and sometimes in trees; eggs reddish buff, thickly sprinkled and blotched with brown (2.50 × 1.60).

Range.—Eastern border of the Great Plains to the Pacific; and from Saskatchewan to southern Mexico.

DUCK HAWK
356a. Falco peregrinus anatum. 17 in.

Black moustache mark, or patch on each side of the throat. Adults white below, tinged with buffy on the breast and sides, and lightly barred with black; above bluish slate, darkest on the crown. Some adults are darker, and much more heavily barred than others. Young, brownish black with rusty edges to the feathers; below, buffy, heavily streaked with blackish. This is one of the handsomest and most dashing of the raptores, and is very similar to the one formerly most used for the chase in England. They are swift and fearless in pursuit of their prey, and the fastest flying ducks as well as the slower herons fall easy victims to their valor. Their feet are exceptionally large, and they are often, on this account, known as Great-footed Hawks.

Nest.—Eggs laid upon bare ledges or soil, with very little, if any, nest. Bright buff, marked with rich rusty brown (2.05 × 1.55).

Range.—Breeds in Northern United States and Canada, most abundant west of the Miss.

PIGEON HAWK
357. Falco columbarius. 12 in.

Adult male, bluish slate above, with black shaft lines to the feathers; below buffy on the breast, sides and thighs; streaked on the breast and barred on the flanks with black; tail with four black bands. Female and young, blackish brown above; below streaked with dusky. These little falcons are very bold and courageous when led by the pangs of hunger, chasing their prey close to human beings, and they have been known to follow birds, which, in their fright, have dashed through windows in houses. They live upon any of the smaller birds, as well as rodents, grasshoppers and other insects.

Nest.—Usually a slight platform of twigs in trees, deep in the woods, less often in cavities in trees, and sometimes on ledges; eggs buffy, heavily blotched with chestnut (1.50 × 1.20).

Range.—Breeds chiefly north of the United States, but occasionally on the northern border; winters in northern United States.

RICHARDSON MERLIN
357b. Falco columbarius richardsonii. 12 in.

Both adults and young are similar to the same of the last species, but they are much paler colored, and the tail is crossed by six light bars. The habits of this species, which seems to have quite a limited range, are precisely like those of the Pigeon Hawk. Like that species, it flies swiftly, with rapidly beating wings, and occasionally sails and soars. The under surface of the wings is prominently barred, but not as much so as that of the Pigeon Hawk; it is very conspicuous when in flight.

Nest.—Either in hollow trees, or a rude platform of sticks, usually not very high from the ground; eggs buffy white, handsomely blotched with brown (1.60 × 1.25).

Range.—From the Miss. to the Rockies, and from Mexico north to Saskatchewan, locally distributed.

SPARROW HAWK
360. Falco sparverius. 10.5 in.

This is the smallest and one of the handsomest of our hawks. Cannot be mistaken for any other species, because of its bright colors and odd marking. The female is barred on the back, wings and tail, while the male has but a few short bars on the back. The general tone of both, above, is a bright rusty-brown. This is the most abundant hawk that we have, and it is also best known, chiefly because it is found commonly in the vicinity of farmhouses and commonly on the outskirts of cities. Their flight is peculiar, a few rapid wing beats, then a short sail, alternately. They are very noisy in mating season and when the young birds first fly, their notes being a rapidly repeated, “killy-killy-killy.” Their food is of grasshoppers, mice and rarely small birds.

Nest.—Usually in cavities in trees, often in deserted Flicker holes, the eggs being laid upon the bare wood. They are cream colored, finely sprinkled and spotted with brown (1.35 × 1.10).

Range.—Breeds from the Gulf States to Labrador and Hudson Bay. Winters in southern United States.

AUDUBON CARACARA
362. Polyborus cheriway. 22 in.

These peculiar birds cannot be mistaken for any of our hawks or falcons. They are very sluggish birds, with habits resembling both those of buzzards and some of the hawks. They are usually known in localities where they are found, as Caracara Eagles. As we might suspect from the shape of their bill, the naked and bristle-covered lores, and the feet, which have not the strongly hooked talons of hawks, the food of these birds is largely carrion. It is terrestrial in its habits and is most often seen, when not in flight, either upon the ground, or standing erect on branches at low elevations. They are more quarrelsome in their disposition than are vultures, and frequently fight over their prey.

Nest.—A bulky, but shabby pile of sticks and weeds, in bushes or low trees; eggs buff, sprinkled, spotted or blotched with yellowish brown or chestnut (2.50 × 1.80).

Range.—Resident of the Mexican border of the U. S. and in southern Florida.

AMERICAN OSPREY; FISH HAWK
364. Pandion haliætus carolinensis. 23 in.

Real old birds have the head whiter, and less white edging to the back feathers, than do the young. Feet very strong, and very hard and rough, perfectly adapted to grasping slippery fish; outer toe can be used equally as well, either in front or behind, when perching or grasping their prey. Their food is entirely of fish, which they catch themselves, by plunging after it, hovering in the air a few seconds while watching the fish, preparatory to diving upon it. They are always found about water and are very numerous on the seacoasts, where twenty or more may frequently be seen at a time. They are protected by law in some states, and by public sentiment in most others.

Notes.—A loud, tremulous, piercing whistle.

Nest.—Usually in trees; large and bulky, of sticks; sometimes on the ground, telegraph poles, chimneys, etc. Eggs creamy buff, blotched with rich brown (2.40 × 1.80).

Range.—Breeds from the Gulf to Labrador and Alaska; winters in the southern half of the U. S.

FAMILY ALUCONIDÆ

BARN OWL
365. Aluco pratincola. 18 in.

Plumage very soft, finely barred and specked; general coloration gray, yellowish-brown and white. No ear tufts; eyes small and brown; face very long; legs very long. These peculiar owls are abundant in the south, where they are commonly known as “Monkey-faced Owls,” because of their odd visage. They are very useful birds, and are usually recognized as such. Their food consists almost wholly of small squirrels, rodents, reptiles and insects. It does most of its hunting just after dusk and early in the morning. Its flight is rather slow and entirely noiseless, as is that of all the members of the family.

Nest.—In hollow trees, under the roofs of barns or in caves; the four to six eggs are pure white (l.70 × 1.30).

Range.—United States, breeding north to New York, Ontario, and Washington. Winters in the southern half of the United States.

HORNED OWLS—Family Bubonidæ

AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL
366. Asio wilsonianus. 15 in.

This species can readily be distinguished from the next, which is the only one of the same size, by its long ear tufts; it is also darker, and the markings on the breast are largely in the form of bars. In the northern portions of the United States, this species is probably the most abundant of owls, excepting the little Screech Owl. It is often quite common, where its presence is little suspected, because, unless disturbed, it flies only at night and is a rather silent species. During the daytime it is usually sitting upright in the dense tops of evergreen trees. Crows often discover them, and proclaim their hiding place to the whole neighborhood by their incessant cawing. Owls of all kinds are in disfavor with crows.

Notes.—A soft-toned “wo-hunk, wo-hunk.” (Bendire.)

Nest.—They lay from four to seven pure white eggs, usually in old crow nests.

Range.—Resident from the Gulf to Nova Scotia and Manitoba.

SHORT-EARED OWL
367. Asio flammeus. 15.5 in.

Ear tufts very short; general color buffy, not nearly as brown nor as dark as the last species usually is. They are not nearly as nocturnal as most of the owls, and most of their hunting is done about dusk, when they may be seen flying close to the ground over marshes or low land. Their flight is perfectly silent, which aids them in securing their prey of field mice, which they usually get without stopping in their flight, just swooping down, extending their long legs, armed with wicked little claws, and it is all over with the little rodent, he being carried to a nearby stump, and devoured, fur, bones and all.