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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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