The study of the birds included in this book is much more difficult than
that of the small land birds. Many of the birds are large; some are very
rare; all are usually shy and have keen eyesight, trained to see at a
distance; in fact, many of them have to depend upon their vigilance for
their very existence. Therefore, you will find that the majority of
these birds will have to be studied at long range. Sometimes, by
exercising care and forethought, you may be able to approach within a
few feet of the bird you seek, or induce him to come to you. It is this
pitting your wits against the cunning of the birds that furnishes
one-half of the interest in their study. Remember that a quick motion
will always cause a bird to fly. If you seek a flock of plover on the
shore, or a heron in the marsh, try to sneak up behind cover if
possible; if not, walk very slowly, and with as little motion as
possible, directly towards them; by so doing you often will get near,
for a bird is a poor judge of distance, while a single step sideways
would cause him to fly. Shore birds can usually be best observed from a
small “blind,” near the water’s edge, where they feed. Your powers of
observation will be increased about tenfold if you are equipped with a
good pair of field glasses; they are practically indispensable to the
serious student and add greatly to the pleasures of anyone. Any good
glass, that has a wide field of vision and magnifies three or four
diameters, is suitable; we can recommend the ones described in the back
of this book.
WHAT TO MAKE NOTE OF.—What is the nature of the locality where seen;
marsh, shore, woods, etc? If in trees does it sit upright or horizontal?
If on the ground, does it run or walk, easily or with difficulty? If in
the water, can it swim well, can it dive, does it swim under water, can
it fly from the water easily, or does it have to patter over the surface
before flying? What does it seem to be eating? Does it have any notes?
Does it fly rapidly; with rapid wing beats or not; in a straight line or
otherwise? Does it sail, or soar? In flocks or singly? These and
hundreds of other questions that may suggest themselves, are of great
interest and importance.
A PLEA TO SPORTSMEN.—Many of the birds shown in this book are Game
Birds, that is, birds that the law allows you to shoot at certain
seasons of the year. Some of these are still abundant and will be for
numbers of years; others are very scarce and if they are further hunted,
will become entirely exterminated in two or three years. Bob-whites are
very scarce in New England; Prairie Hens are becoming scarce in parts of
the west; the small Curlew is practically extinct, while the larger ones
are rapidly going. In behalf of all bird lovers, we ask that you refrain
from killing those species that you know are rare, and use moderation in
the taking of all others. We also ask that you use any influence that
may be yours to further laws prohibiting all traffic in birds. The man
who makes his living shooting birds will make more, live longer and die
happier tilling the soil than by killing God’s creatures. We do not,
now, ask you to refrain from hunting entirely, but get your sport at
your traps. It takes more skill to break a clay pigeon than to kill a
quail.
[Illustration: TOPOGRAPHY OF A BIRD]
THINGS TO REMEMBER
Characteristics of Form or Habit That Will Determine to What Order or
Family Birds Belong.
ORDER 1. DIVING BIRDS—Pygopodes.
[Illustration: ORDER 1. DIVING BIRDS—Pygopodes.]
GREBES; Colymbidæ:—Form, duck-like; bill pointed and never flattened; no
tail; legs at extreme end of body; each flattened toe with an individual
web; wings small. Flies rapidly, but patters along the water before
taking wing. Expert divers, using wings as well as feet, to propel them,
under water.
LOONS. Family Gaviidæ:—Larger than Grebes; bill long, heavy, and
pointed; tail very short; feet webbed like a duck’s, but legs thin and
deep; form and habits, grebe-like.
AUKS, MURRES, PUFFINS. Family Alcidæ:—Bills very variable; tail short;
usually takes flight when alarmed, instead of diving as do grebes and
loons. With the exception of puffins, which stand on their feet, all
birds of this order sit upon their whole leg and tail. They are awkward
on land; some can hardly walk.
ORDER 2. LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS.—Longipennes.
[Illustration: ORDER 2. LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS.—Longipennes.]
SKUAS, JAEGERS. Family Stercorariidæ:—Marine birds of prey; bill
strongly hooked, with long scaly shield, or cere, at the base; claws
strong and curved, hawk-like; flight hawk-like; plumage often entirely
sooty-black, and always so on the back.
GULLS, TERNS. Family Laridæ:—Gulls have hooked bills, usually yellowish,
yellow eyes and pale, webbed feet. Heap, underparts and square tail are
white in adults; back, pearl-grey; exceptions are the four small
black-headed gulls, which also have reddish legs. Gulls fly with the
bill straight in front, and often rest on the water. Terns have forked
tails, black caps, and their slender, pointed bills and small webbed
feet are usually red. They fly with bill pointed down, and dive upon
their prey.
ORDER 3. TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS.—Tubinares.
[Illustration: ORDER 3. TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS.—Tubinares.]
FULMARS, SHEARWATERS, PETRELS. Family Procellariidæ:—Nostrils opening in
a tube on top of the hooked bill. Plumage of fulmars, gull-like;
shearwaters entirely sooty black, or white below; petrels blackish, with
white rumps,—very small birds. All seabirds.
ORDER 4. TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS.—Steganopodes.
[Illustration: ORDER 4. TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS.—Steganopodes.]
All four toes joined by webs.
TROPIC BIRDS. Family Phaethontidæ:—Bill and form tern-like; middle tail
feathers very long.
GANNETS. Family Sulidæ:—Bill heavy and pointed; face and small throat
pouch, bare.
SKAKE-BIRDS. Family Anhingidæ:—Bill slender and pointed; neck and tail
very long, the latter rounded; habits like those of the following.
CORMORANTS. Family Phalacrocoracidæ:—Bill slender, but hooked at the
tip; plumage glossy black and brown; eyes green. They use their wings as
well as feet when pursuing fish under water.
PELICANS. Family Pelecanidæ:—Bill very long and with a large pouch
suspended below.
MAN-O’-WAR BIRDS. Family Fregatidæ:—very long and strongly hooked; tail
long and forked; wholly maritime, as are all but the preceding three.
ORDER 5. DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS. Anseres.
[Illustration: ORDER 5. DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS. Anseres.]
Mergansers, with slender, toothed bills with which to catch the fish
they pursue under water.
Other ducks have rather broad bills, more or less resembling those of
the domestic duck. Their flight is rapid and direct. River ducks have no
web, or flap, on the hind toe; they get their food without going
entirely under water, by tipping up. Sea ducks have a broad flap on the
hind toe.
ORDER 6. FLAMINGOES. Odontoglossæ.
[Illustration: ORDER 6. FLAMINGOES. Odontoglossæ.]
Family Phoenicopteridæ:—Large, long-necked, pink birds with a crooked
box-like bill, long legs and webbed feet.
ORDER 7. HERONS, IBISES, ETC. Herodiones.
[Illustration: ORDER 7. HERONS, IBISES, ETC. Herodiones.]
Long-legged, wading birds, with all four toes long, slender and without
webs. Usually found about the muddy edges of ponds, lakes or creeks, and
less often on the sea shore. Wings large and rounded.
SPOONBILL. Family Plataleidæ:—Bill long, thin and much broadened at the
end; head bare.
IBISES. Family Ibididæ:—Bill long, slender and curved down. Ibises and
Spoonbills fly with the neck fully extended.
STORKS. Family Ciconiidæ:—Bill long, heavy, and curved near the end;
head and upper neck bare.
HERONS, BITTERNS, EGRETS. Family Ardeidæ:—Bill long, straight and
pointed; head usually crested, and back often with plumes. Herons fly
with a fold in the neck, and the back of the head resting against the
shoulders.
ORDER 8. MARSH BIRDS. Paludicolæ.
[Illustration: ORDER 8. MARSH BIRDS. Paludicolæ.]
Birds of this order, vary greatly in size and appearance, but all agree
in having the hind toe elevated, whereas that of the members of the last
order leaves the foot on a level with the front toes; neck extended in
flight.
CRANES. Family Grudidæ:—Very large and heron-like, but with plumage
close feathered; top of head bare; bill long, slender and obtusely
pointed.
COURLANS. Family Aramidæ:—Size mid-way between the cranes and rails;
bill long and slender.
RAILS, ETC. Family Rallidæ:—Bills are variable, but toes and legs long;
wings short; flight slow and wavering; marsh skulkers, hiding in rushes.
Gallinules have a frontal shield on the forehead, Coots have
lobate-webbed feet, short, whitish bills.
ORDER 9. SHORE BIRDS. Limicolæ.
[Illustration: ORDER 9. SHORE BIRDS. Limicolæ.]
Comparatively small, long legged, slender-billed birds seen running
along edges of ponds or beaches.
PHALAROPES. Phalaropodidæ.—Toes with lobed webs.
AVOCETS, STILTS. Recurvirostridæ:—Avocet, with slender recurved bill,
and webbed feet; stilt, with straight bill, very long legs, toes not
webbed.
SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. Family Scolopacidæ:—Bills very variable but
slender, and all, except the Woodcock, with long pointed wings; flight
usually swift and erratic.
PLOVERS. Family Charadriidæ:—Bill short and stout; three toes.
TURNSTONES. Family Aphrizidæ:—Bill short, stout and slightly up-turned;
four toes.
OYSTER-CATCHERS. Family Hæmatopodidæ:—Bill long, heavy and compressed;
legs and toes stout; three toes slightly webbed at base.
JACANAS. Family Jacanidæ:—Bill with leaf-like shield at the base; legs
and toes extremely long and slender; sharp spur on wing.
ORDER 10. FOWLS. Gallinæ.
[Illustration: ORDER 10. FOWLS. Gallinæ.]
Ground birds of robust form; bill hen-like; wings short and rounded;
feet large and strong.
PARTRIDGES, GROUSE. Family Tetraonidæ:—Legs bare in the partridges,
feathered in grouse.
TURKEYS, PHEASANTS. Family Phasianidæ:—Legs often spurred, or head with
wattles, etc.
GUANS. Family Cracidæ:—Represented by the Chachalaca of Texas.
ORDER 11. PIGEONS AND DOVES. Columbæ.
[Illustration: ORDER 11. PIGEONS AND DOVES. Columbæ.]
Family Columbidæ:—Bill slender, hard at the tip, and with the nostrils
opening in a fleshy membrane at the base. Plumage soft grays and browns.
ORDER 12. BIRDS OF PREY. Raptores.
[Illustration: ORDER 12. BIRDS OF PREY. Raptores.]
VULTURES. Cathartidæ:—Head bare; feet hen-like.
HAWKS, EAGLES. Falconidæ:—Bill and claws strongly hooked; nostrils in a
cere at base of bill.
BARN OWLS. Aluconidæ:—Black eyes in triangular facial disc; middle
toe-nail serrated.
HORNED OWLS, ETC. Bubonidæ:—Facial disc round; some species with ears,
others without.