The ROSE-BREASTED HAWFINCH (_Coccoborus ludovicianus_) is an American
bird, equally remarkable for its beauty of plumage and sweetness of song.
It is about seven inches long and eleven inches across; the wing measures
three inches, and the tail rather more than two. The body is compact,
the wings broad and of moderate length; the tail comparatively short and
somewhat rounded; the beak short, strong, pointed, and almost conical;
the upper mandible slightly hooked. The plumage is soft, brilliant, and
very striking in its colours. The entire head, as well as the upper part
and nape of the neck, back, wings, and tail is glossy black; the first
row of feathers on the wing-covers and the tips of those on the second
row are white, as are the roots of the primary quills, the wings being
thus bordered by a double band of white. The inner web of the three
exterior tail-feathers is also white, and the sides of the breast, under
part of the body, lower portion of the neck, and middle of the breast,
of a magnificent carmine red, the latter colour being also visible upon
the lower wing-covers. The beak is whitish, the eyes are brown, and the
feet greyish brown. The plumage of the female is olive grey, spotted
with dark brown, each individual feather being marked in the middle with
the same colour. Over the head runs a yellow stripe, spotted and edged
with dark brown; the eyes are surrounded by a white line; the wings and
tail are brown, the lower portions of both having a yellowish shade; the
former are bordered by two light lines, which are much narrower than in
the male. The neck, breast, and sides are marked with dark brown, and the
lower wing-covers shaded with rose colour.
[Illustration: THE ROSE-BREASTED HAWFINCH (_Coccoborus ludovicianus_).]
Audubon tells us that he frequently observed these magnificent birds in
some parts of Louisiana, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, during the month of
March, as they passed over the country in the course of their migrations.
Pennsylvania, New York, and other States lying eastward, are likewise
often visited by them; but they are rarely seen in Labrador or on the
coasts of Georgia, or Carolina, although they inhabit the mountains of
those regions. They are generally numerous near the banks of a river,
and large parties of them frequent the neighbourhood of Lakes Ontario
and Erie. When in flight, these beautiful Finches rise high into the
air with violent and very decided strokes of the wings. The call-note
is uttered whilst flying, and ceases as soon as the bird has alighted
upon a tree-top, where it remains perched erect and motionless for a few
minutes, and then seeks shelter in some retired and shady spot. Many
varieties of seeds, buds, and tender shoots form their principal food,
and they are in the habit of seizing insects while on the wing. The nest,
which is built chiefly of twigs and leaves, lined with hair or delicate
fibres, is placed at variable distances from the ground, such localities
being preferred as are in the vicinity of water. There is but one brood
during the year, and both parents co-operate in the duties of incubation.
The young are at first fed upon insects, and at a later period on seeds,
softened in the crops of the parent birds; they do not attain their full
beauty of plumage until three years old. The song of the Rose-breasted
Hawfinch is rich and pleasing. Nuttall tells us that in fine weather it
will sing during the whole night, pouring out floods of song as varied
and enchanting as those of the Nightingale, the little songster appearing
to manifest the greatest delight at its own performance of strains that
are alternately plaintive, gay, and tender. The Mocking-bird is the only
American species that can bear comparison with it, so that its vocal
powers, combined with its great beauty and the ease with which it is
tamed, render it one of the most valuable birds of its size for purposes
of domestication.