are a uniform reddish brown, without barring. Their nests are like those
of the Red-shouldered variety, and almost always placed high up in the
largest trees. The eggs are very similar, but average lighter in
markings. Size 2.15 × 1.70. Data.--Diego, Cal., April 13, 1897. Nest in
a sycamore 20 feet from ground, made of sticks, leaves and feathers.
340. Zone-tailed Hawk. _Buteo abbreviatus._
Range.--Mexico and Central America, north to the Mexican border of the
United States.
This species, which is 19 inches long, is wholly black with the
exception of the tail, which is banded. Their nests are built in heavy
woods, and preferably in trees along the bank of a stream. The nest is
of the usual Hawk construction and the two to four eggs are white,
faintly marked with pale chestnut. Data.--Marathon, Texas. Nest of
sticks, lined with weeds and rabbit fur; on a horizontal branch of a
cotton-wood tree, 30 feet up.
[Illustration 213: White.]
[Illustration: 339b--340.]
[Illustration: White,]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]
Page 212
341. SENNETT'S WHITE-TAILED HAWK. _Buteo albicaudatus sennetti._
Range.--Mexican border of the United States and southward.
A large, handsome Hawk which may be identified by its dark upper parts
and white underparts and tail, the flanks and tail being lightly barred
with grayish; the shoulders are chestnut. It is especially abundant in
the southern parts of Texas, where it builds its nests of sticks and
weeds, lined with grasses, leaves and moss. They nest in March and
April, laying two, or rarely three, eggs which are a dull white, and
generally immaculate, but occasionally faintly or sparingly spotted with
brown. Size of eggs 2.25 × 1.80.
342. SWAINSON'S HAWK. _Buteo swainsoni._
Range.--Central and western North America, from the Mississippi Valley
and Hudson Bay, to the Pacific coast, breeding throughout its range.
In the greater part of its range, this is the most abundant of the Hawk
family. Its plumage is extremely variable, showing all the
intergradations from a uniform sooty blackish to the typical adult
plumage of a grayish above, and a white below, with a large breast patch
of rich chestnut. Their nesting habits are as variable as their plumage.
In some localities, they nest exclusively in trees, in others
indifferently upon the ground or rocky ledges. The nest is the usual
Hawk structure of sticks; the eggs are white, variously splashed and
spotted with reddish brown and umber. Size 2.20 × 1.70. Data.--Stark
Co., N. D., May 21, 1897. Nest of sticks, lined with weeds in an ash
tree. Collector, Roy Dodd.
[Illustration 214: Sennett's White-tailed Hawk.]
[Illustration: White.]
[Illustration: Swainson's Hawk.]
[Illustration: left hand margin,]
Page 213
343. BROAD-WINGED HAWK. _Buteo platypterus._
Range.--North America, east of the Plains, and from the British
Provinces southward.
A medium sized species, about 16 inches in length, and with a short tail
and broad rounded wings; adults have the underparts handsomely barred
with brown. Their nests are usually built in large trees, but generally
placed against the trunk in the crotch of some of the lower branches. It
is made of sticks and almost invariably lined with bark. The two to four
eggs are of a grayish white color, marked with chestnut, brown and stone
gray; size 1.90 × 1.55. Data.--Worcester, Mass., May 16, 1895. Nest
about 20 feet up in a large chestnut tree. The birds continually circled
overhead, their weird cries sounding like the creaking of branches.
Collector, A. J. White.
344. SHORT-TAILED HAWK. _Buteo brachyurus._
Range.--A tropical species, which occurs north to the Mexican border and
regularly to southern Florida, where it breeds in the large cypress
swamps. Its eggs are pale greenish white, sparingly spotted with brown,
chiefly at the large end. Size 2.15 × 1.60.
345. MEXICAN BLACK HAWK. _Urubitinga anthracina._
Range.--Mexican border of the United States and southward.
A coal black species about 22 inches in length, distinguished by the
white tip, and broad white band across the tail about midway. This is
one of the least abundant of the Mexican species that cross the border.
They are shy birds and build their nests in the tallest trees in remote
woods. Their two or three eggs are grayish white, faintly spotted with
pale brown; size 2.25 × 1.80. Data.--Los Angeles County, Cal., April 6,
1889. Nest of sticks, lined with bark and leaves; 45 feet up in a
sycamore tree. Collector, R. B. Chapman.
[Illustration 215: Grayish white.]
[Illustration: American Rough-legged Hawk.]
[Illustration: Grayish white.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]
Page 214
346. MEXICAN GOSHAWK. _Asturina plagiata._
Range.--Mexico, north to the border of the United States.
A beautiful, medium sized Hawk (17 inches long), slaty gray above, white
below, numerously barred with grayish; tail black, crossed by several
white bars. These are graceful and active birds, feeding largely upon
small rodents, and occasionally small birds. They nest in the top of
tall trees, laying two or three greenish white, unmarked eggs; size 1.95
x 1.60. Data.--Santa Cruz River, Arizona, June 3, 1902. Nest in the fork
of a mesquite tree about forty feet from the ground; made of large
sticks, lined with smaller ones and leaves. Three eggs. Collector, O. W.
Howard.
347a. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. _Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis._
Range.--Northern North America, breeding chiefly north of our borders
and wintering south to the middle portions of the United States.
The Rough-legs are large, heavily built birds of prey, specially
characterized by the completely feathered legs. The present species is
22 inches long, and in the normal plumage has a whitish head, neck,
breast and tail, the former being streaked and the latter barred with
blackish; the remainder of the upper and underparts are blackish brown.
Their nests are usually placed in trees, and less often on the ground
than those of the next species. These Rough-legs are very irregularly
distributed, and are nowhere as common as the next. While the greater
number nest north of the United States, it is very probable that a great
many nest on the higher ranges within our borders. The species is often
taken in summer, even in Massachusetts. They lay three eggs of a bluish
white color, boldly splashed with dark brown; size 2.25 x 1.75.
[Illustration 216: White.]
[Illustration: Rough-legged Hawk.]
[Illustration: Bluish white.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]
Page 215
348. FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG. _Archibuteo ferrugineus._
Range.--North America, west of the Mississippi, breeding from the
latitude of Colorado north to the Saskatchewan region.
This species nests very abundantly along our northern states,
particularly in Dakota. It is a larger bird than the preceding and can
easily be told by its reddish coloration, particularly on the shoulders
and tibia. While in some localities they nest only in trees, the greater
number appear to build their nests on the ground or rocky ledges, making
a large heap of sticks, weeds and grass. Their three or four eggs are
white, beautifully spotted and blotched, in endless variety, with
various shades of brown. Size 2.60 x 2.00. Data.--Stark Co., N. D.,
April 29, 1900. Nest built of coarse sticks on a clay butte.
349. GOLDEN EAGLE. _Aquila chrysætos._
Range.--North America, west of the Mississippi; most abundant in the
Rockies and along the Pacific coast ranges.
This magnificent bird, which is even more powerful than the Bald Eagle,
measures about 34 inches long, and spreads about 7 feet. Its plumage is
a rich brownish black, very old birds being golden brown on the nape.
They can be distinguished in all plumages from the Bald Eagle by the
completely feathered tarsus. They build their nests in the tops of the
tallest trees in the wild, mountainous country of the west, and more
rarely upon ledges of the cliffs. The nests are made of large sticks,
lined with smaller ones and leaves and weeds. Their eggs are the most
handsome of the Raptores, being white in color, and blotched, splashed,
spotted and specked with light brown and clouded with gray or lilac, of
course varying endlessly in pattern and intensity. Size 2.90 x 2.50.
Data.--Monterey Co., Cal., May 3, 1888. Three eggs. Nest of sticks,
lined with pine needles, in a pine tree, 50 feet up.
[Illustration 217: White.]
[Illustration: Rough-legged Hawk.]
[Illustration: Golden Eagle.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]
Page 216
[Illustration 218: BALD EAGLE.]
Page 217
351. GRAY SEA EAGLE. _Haliæetus albicilla._
A common species on the sea coasts of Europe; straggling to southern
Greenland, where it nests upon the rocky cliffs.
352. BALD EAGLE. _Haliæetus leucocephalus leucocephalus._
Range.--Whole of North America; most abundant on the Atlantic coast;
breeds throughout its range. This large white-headed and white-tailed
species is abundant in sufficiently wild localities along the Atlantic
coast. It only attains the white head and tail when three years old, the
first two years, being blackish. It is about 34 inches in length and
expands about seven feet, never over eight feet, and only birds of the
second year (when they are larger than the adults) ever approach this
expanse. Their food consists of fish (which they sometimes capture
themselves, but more often take from the Osprey), carrion, and Ducks,
which they catch in flight. Their nests are massive structures of
sticks, in the tops of tall trees. They very rarely lay more than two
eggs, which are white. Size 2.75 x 2.10. Data.--Mt. Pleasant, S. C.,
nest in top of a pine, 105 feet from the ground; made of large sticks
and lined with Spanish moss.
352a. NORTHERN BALD EAGLE.--_Haliæetus leucocephalus alascanus._
Range.--Alaska. This sub-species averages slightly larger than the Bald
Eagle, but never exceeds the largest dimensions of that species. Its
nesting habits and eggs are the same, except that it more often builds
its nests on rocky cliffs than does the Bald Eagle. The eggs are laid in
February and March.
[Illustration 219: White.]
[Illustration: Bald Eagle.]
[Illustration: deco.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]
Page 218
FALCONS AND CARACARAS
Family FALCONDIDAE
353. WHITE GYRFALCON. _Falco islandus._
Range.--Arctic regions; south in winter casually to northern United
States, chiefly on the coast.
Gyrfalcons are large, strong, active and fearless birds, about 23 inches
in length. Their food consists chiefly of hares, Ducks and Waders which
abound in the far north. The present species is snowy white, more or
less barred with blackish brown on the back and wings and with a few
marks on the breast. They nest upon the ledges of high cliffs, laying
three or four eggs of a buffy color, blotched and finely specked with
reddish brown, this color often concealing the ground color. Size of
eggs, 2.30 × 1.80. In America, they nest in Greenland and the Arctic
regions.
354. GRAY GYRFALCON. _Falco rusticolus rusticolus._
Range.--Arctic regions; south in winter to northern United States.
This species is of the size of the last but the plumage is largely gray,
barred with dusky. They nest more abundantly in southern Greenland than
do the preceding species. The nesting habits and eggs do not differ.
354a. Gyrfalcon. _Falco rusticolus gyrfalco._
Range.--Arctic regions; south casually to Long Island.
This sub-species is hardly to be distinguished from the preceding; its
nesting habits and eggs are identical, the nests being of sticks, lined
with weeds and feathers and placed upon the most inaccessible ledges of
cliffs.
[Illustration 220: Gray Gyrfalcon. White Gyrfalcon.]
[Illustration: Buff.]
[Illustration: Buff.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]
Page 219
354b. BLACK GYRFALCON. _Falco rusticolus obsoletus._
Range.--Labrador; south casually, in winter, to Long Island.
A slightly darker variety. Eggs indistinguishable. Data.--Ungava coast,
Labrador, May 25, 1900. Nest a heap of seaweed and feathers on sea
cliff, containing three eggs.
355. PRAIRIE FALCON. _Falcon mexicanus._
Range.--United States west of the Mississippi, and from Dakota and
Washington southward to Mexico.
This species abounds in suitable localities, generally placing its nests
upon rocky ledges and cliffs, and sometimes trees, generally upon the
banks of some stream. The nests are masses of sticks, lined with weeds
and grasses. The three or four eggs have a reddish buff ground color,
and are thickly sprinkled and blotched with reddish buff brown and
chestnut; size 2.05 × 1.60.
356a. Duck Hawk. _Falco peregrinus anatum._
Range.--Whole of North America, breeding locally, chiefly in mountainous
regions, throughout its range.
This beautiful species, characterized by its black moustache, is the
most graceful, fearless, and swiftest of the Falcons, striking down
birds of several times its own weight, such as some of the larger Ducks.
It breeds quite abundantly on the Pacific coast and in certain
localities in the Dakotas, laying its eggs on the rocky ledges. Their
eggs are similar to those of the Prairie Falcon, but are darker and
brighter, in fact they are the darkest, brightest marked, and most
beautiful of Falcon eggs; size 2.05 × 1.55.
[Illustration 221: Reddish buff.]
[Illustration: Prairie Falcon.]
[Illustration: Duck Hawk.]
[Illustration: Buff or reddish buff.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]
Page 220
356b. PEALE'S FALCON. _Falco peregrinus pealei._
Range.--Pacific coast from northern United States north to Alaska.
A darker form of the preceding, such as occurs in this section with a
great many other birds. The nesting habits and the eggs are precisely
like those of the Duck Hawk.
357. Pigeon Hawk. _Falco columbarius columbarius._
Range.--North America, breeding chiefly north of the United States
except in some of the higher ranges along our northern border. A small
Falcon, about 11 inches long, often confused with the Sharp-shinned
Hawk, but much darker and a more stoutly built bird. It is a daring
species, often attacking birds larger than itself; it also feeds on
mice, grasshoppers, squirrels, etc. They generally build a nest of
sticks in trees, deep in the woods; less often in natural cavities of
dead trees; and sometimes on rocky ledges. Their four or five eggs have
a brownish buff ground color, heavily blotched with brown and chestnut.
Size 1.50 × 1.22.
357a. BLACK PIGEON HAWK. _Falco columbarius suckleyi._
Range.--Pacific coast from northern United States north to Alaska.
Very similar in appearance to the preceding, but much darker, both above
and below. Its nesting habits and eggs will not differ in any manner
from those of the Pigeon Hawk.
357b. RICHARDSON'S PIGEON HAWK. _Falco columbarius richardsoni._
Range.--Interior of North America from the Mississippi to the Rockies
and from Mexico to the Saskatchewan.
This species is similar to the Pigeon Hawk, but is paler both above and
below, and the tail bars are more numerous and white. Their nesting
habits are the same as those of the preceding species, they either
building in hollow trees, or making a rude nest of sticks and twigs in
the tops of trees. The eggs have a creamy ground and are sprinkled with
dots and blotches of various shades of brown. Size 1.60 × 1.23. The egg
figured is one of a beautiful set of four in the collection of Mr. C. W.
Crandall.
[Illustration 222: Brownish buff.]
[Illustration: Pigeon Hawk.]
[Illustration: Richardson's Pigeon Hawk.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]
Page 221
358.1 MERLIN. _Falco æsalon._
This common European species was once accidentally taken in southern
Greenland. Their eggs are generally laid on the ground on cliffs or
banks.
359. APLOMADO FALCON. _Falco fusco-cærulescens._
Range.--Tropical America north to Mexican boundary of the United States.
This handsome and strikingly marked Falcon is found in limited numbers
within the United States, but south is common and widely distributed.
They nest at a low elevation, in bushes or small trees, making their
rude nests of twigs, lined with a few grasses. They lay three, and
sometimes four, eggs which have a creamy white ground color, finely
dotted with cinnamon, and with heavy blotches of brown. Size 1.75 ×
1.30.
359.1. KESTREL. _Falco tinnunculus._
Range.--Whole of Europe; accidental on the coast of Massachusetts.
This species is very similar in size and coloration to the American
Sparrow Hawk. They are much more abundant than the Sparrow Hawk is in
this country and frequently nest about houses, in hollow trees, on
rafters of barns, or on ledges and embankments. Their eggs are of a
reddish buff color, speckled and blotched with reddish brown, they being
much darker than those of the American Sparrow Hawk.
360a. Desert Sparrow Hawk. _Falco sparverius phalæna._
Range.--Western United States from British Columbia south to Mexico.
This variety is slightly larger and paler than the eastern form. There
are no differences in the identification of the two varieties.
[Illustration 223: Buff.]
[Illustration: Aplomado Falcon. Desert Sparrow Hawk.]
[Illustration: Reddish buff.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]
Page 222
360. SPARROW HAWK. _Falco sparverius._
Range.--North America, east of the Rocky Mountains and north to Hudson
Bay; winters from the middle portions of the United States, southward.
This beautiful little Falcon is the smallest of the American Hawks,
being only 10 inches in length. They are very abundant in the east,
nesting anywhere in cavities in trees, either in woods or open fields.
The eggs are generally deposited upon the bottom of the cavity with no
lining; they are creamy or yellowish buff in color, sprinkled, spotted
or blotched in endless variety, with reddish brown. Size 1.35 × 1.10.
These birds are very noisy, especially when the young are learning to
fly, uttering a loud, tinkling, "killy, killy, killy." They have a very
amiable disposition, and frequently nest harmoniously in the same tree
with other birds, such as Flickers and Robins.
360b. ST. LUCAS SPARROW HAWK. _Falco sparverius peninsularis._
Range.--Lower California.
This variety is smaller than the eastern, and even paler than the
western form. Eggs identical with eastern specimens.
361. CUBAN SPARROW HAWK. _Falco sparveroides._
A darker colored West Indian form, whose habits and nesting do not vary
from those of the common Sparrow Hawk; casually taken in Florida.
[Illustration 224: Buffy.]
[Illustration: Sparrow Hawk.]
[Illustration: Egg of Golden Eagle.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]
Page 223
[Illustration 225: SPARROW HAWK.]
Page 224
362. Audubon Caracara. _Polyborus cheriway._
Range.--Southern border of the United States south to South America.
A strikingly marked blackish and whitish species, much barred on the
fore back and the breast, with the head and throat largely white, except
for a black and somewhat crested crown. They are numerous in southern
Texas and also in the interior of southern Florida, where they are
resident. They build bulky, but shabby nests of sticks, weeds and grass,
piled into a promiscuous heap, generally located in bushes or low trees.
Their two or three eggs have a ground color varying from buff to bright
cinnamon, and are dotted and blotched with all shades of brown and
umber. On the whole, these eggs show a greater diversity of markings and
ground color than those of any other species. Size 2.50 × 1.80.
363. GUADALUPE CARACARA. _Polyborus lutosus._
Range.--Guadalupe Island and others off Lower California.
This species is somewhat like the preceding, but the plumage is duller,
and the coloration more uniform. Their nesting habits and eggs do not
vary essentially from those of Audubon Caracara. Mr. John Lewis Childs
has a set of two eggs taken June 8, 1896, on Santa Anita Island, by
Coolidge and Miller. The nest was made of sticks and situated in a giant
cactus. The eggs are slightly brighter and more clearly marked than any
of cheriway that I have ever seen.
[Illustration 226: Audubon's Caracara.]
[Illustration: Cinnamon.]
[Illustration: deco.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]
Page 225
OSPREY. Family Pandionidae
364. OSPREY. _Pandion haliætus carolinensis._
Range.--Whole of temperate America from the Arctic circle south to the
equator, most abundant along the sea coasts.
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.
Probably this great fisherman is as well known from one end of the
country to the other as any of our wild birds. He is protected by law in
a great many states and by custom in nearly all localities where they
breed. It is one of the pleasantest sights along the coast to watch a
number of these great birds as they soar at an elevation above the
water, watching for fish to come near the surface, when, with folded
wings, the bird speeds downward and plunges into the water, rarely
missing his prey. In many localities they are very tame and nest in the
vicinity of houses, sometimes even in the yard. Their nests are
platforms of sticks, which, being used year after year and constantly
added to, become of enormous proportions. They lay two or three eggs of
a bright creamy color, handsomely blotched with bright chestnut brown.
They show a great diversity of size as well as markings, but average
2.40 × 1.80.
[Illustration 227: American Osprey.]
[Illustration.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]
Page 226
[Illustration 228: C. A. Reed.
OSPREY LEAVING NEST.]
Page 227
BARN OWLS. Family Alucondidae
365. BARN OWL. _Aluco pratincola._
Range.--Chiefly in the southern parts of the United States; north
casually to Massachusetts, Minnesota and Washington.
This is one of the lightest colored of the Owls; it has a long,
peculiarly hooded face, from which it gets the name of "Monkey-faced
Owl." Its plumage is yellowish buff, specked and barred lightly with
blackish.
It nests usually in hollow cavities of trees, but appears to have no
objections to barns, holes in banks, or anywhere it can find a concealed
crevice in which to deposit its four to six pure white eggs; size 1.70 ×
1.30.
HORNED OWL. Family Strigidae
366. LONG-EARED OWL. _Asio wilsonianus._
Range.--North America, breeding from the southern parts of British
America, southward.
This species is 15 inches in length; it can easily be separated from any
other species by its long ear tufts, brownish face, and barred
underparts. Their food consists almost entirely of small rodents, which
they catch at night. Most of their nests are found in trees, they
generally using old Crow's or Hawk's nests. They also, in some
localities, nest in hollow trees, or in crevices among rocks. They lay
from four to seven pure white eggs; size 1.55 × 1.35.
[Illustration 229: White.]
[Illustration: Barn Owl.]
[Illustration: Long-eared Owl.]
[Illustration: White.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]
Page 228
[Illustration 230: L. S. Horton.
LONG-EARED OWL ON NEST.]
Page 229
367. SHORT-EARED OWL. _Asio flammeus._
Range.--Whole of North America, breeding from the middle portions of the
United States northward, and wintering in the United States.
This species is of the size of the last, but is paler, has very short
ear tufts, and is streaked beneath. Its habits are the same except that
it frequently hunts, over the marshes and meadows, on dark days and
towards dusk.
Their four to seven pure white eggs are laid upon the ground in marshy
places, sometimes upon a lining of sticks and weeds, and are generally
under a bush, or close to an old log. Size of eggs 1.55 × 1.25.
368. BARRED OWL. _Strix varia varia._
Range.--Eastern North America, from the British Provinces, southward;
west to the Rockies.