Form stout and strong; head large; bill long, straight, wide at base,
and suddenly compressed to the point, which is sharp; aperture of the
nostrils large; wings long; second and third quills usually longest;
tail rather short, wide; legs short; tarsi very short; toes moderate,
united at their bases, flattened and padded beneath.
The two species which inhabit North America within the limits of the
United States belong to this genus, and it contains also various others
of different parts of the world. They are, however, most numerous in
South and Central America and Mexico.
1. Ceryle alcyon. (Linn.) The Belted King-Fisher.
Alcedo alcyon. Linn., Syst. Nat., I. p. 180. (1766.)
Ispida ludoviciana. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 452. (1788.)
Alcedo jaguacati. Dumont, Dict. Sci. Nat., I. p. 455. (1816.)
Alcedo guacu. Vieill., Nouv. Dict., XIX. p. 406?
Buffon, Pl. Enl., 593, 715; Catesby’s Carolina, I. pl. 69; Wilson, Am.
Orn., III. pl. 23, fig. 1; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 77, Oct. ed. IV. pl.
255.
Form robust; head large, with the feathers of the crown and occiput
lengthened, crest-like and erectile; wings long; second quill longest;
tail moderate; tarsus very short; tibia longer; entire upper-parts,
cheeks, and a wide transverse band or belt on the breast, light
ashy-blue, generally with minute white spots on the wing-coverts and
secondaries; throat and abdomen, and a small spot before the eye,
white; flanks, and frequently the sides, ashy-blue, with white spots;
quills black, more or less marked with white on their inner webs;
secondaries widely edged on their outer webs with ashy-blue, uniform
with other upper parts, and tipped narrowly with white; tail
bluish-black, outer feathers edged externally with light ashy-blue,
and middle feathers almost entirely of that color, and all having
about ten to twelve narrow transverse bands of white, and narrowly
tipped with white; under wing-coverts white. Younger, with the
pectoral band light reddish chestnut, and frequently with a second and
sometimes with a third band across the abdomen, and the sides and
flanks of the same color; bill and feet dark. Sexes alike? Specimens
occur with the wide pectoral band in all stages of change, from the
light red to light ashy-blue.
Dimensions. Total length, male, about 12 inches; wing, 6¼; tail, 3⅓
inches.
Hab. Throughout North America. Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Dr.
Heermann); Texas (Dr. Woodhouse); Canada (Dr. Hall); Florida (Mr.
Williams).
Frequently met with in all parts of the United States, frequenting
streams of water. It is a sprightly and handsome bird, and was until
recently considered as the only North American species of the extensive
family of King-Fishers. That honor must now, however, be partially
shared with the succeeding.
2. Ceryle americana. (Gmelin.) The Texan Green King-Fisher.
Alcedo americana. Gm., Syst., I. p. 451. (1788.)
Alcedo viridis. Vieill., Nouv. Dict., XIX. p. 413. (1818)?
Buff., Pl. Enl. 591.
Much smaller than the preceding; bill straight; wing rather long,
third quill longest; tail moderate; tarsus very short; legs rather
slender; two outer toes united at base; entire plumage above dark
shining green, darker and generally tinged with brownish on the head,
and with numerous very small spots or points of white on the forehead;
quills brownish-black, edged with green on their outer-webs;
secondaries white at their bases, and all the quills with white spots
on their outer-webs, regularly disposed, and forming three transverse
bands on the wing; outer feathers of the tail white, irregularly
marked on both webs with green; middle feathers green; breast bright
reddish chestnut, forming a wide transverse band; throat, and ring
around the back of the neck and abdomen, white; sides, flanks and
under tail-coverts spotted with green; inferior wing-coverts white,
with green spots; bill dark; feet lighter. Younger or female? Like the
preceding, but with the pectoral band green, uniform with the color of
the upper parts; white of the throat tinged with dull yellow.
Dimensions. Total length of skin, 7¼ inches; wing, 3¼; tail, 2½
inches.
Hab. Texas, Rio Grande (Capt. McCown, Mr. Clarke); Mexico (Lieut.
Couch); South America.
This handsome little King-Fisher, though well known as a bird of South
America, has, within the limits of the United States, only been observed
on the Rio Grande in Texas. Several naturalists, however, mention having
heard of a small species of King-Fisher in Southern California, and it
is probable that the present bird will yet be found inhabiting that
State.
This bird may very readily be distinguished from the common species of
the United States by its small size and different colors; but there are
other South American species of the same genus which it resembles. There
is a group of these birds, the species of which, in fact, bear so great
similarity to each other in form and in colors also, that they can be
distinguished specifically mainly by their size. This group embraces
_Ceryle amazona_, _inda_, _superciliosa_, _Cabanisii_, and the bird now
before us. The first is as large as our Belted King-Fisher (_Ceryle
alcyon_), and has been found in Mexico. All of these species are colored
very much like the present bird, though, as above intimated, presenting
marked difference in size.
The King-Fishers are most abundant in the southern regions of the world,
and the preceding two species are all that have ever been noticed within
the limits of the United States, though several others inhabit Mexico.
Two species also are known as birds of Europe, though one of them
(_Ceryle rudis_), like our second species in the United States, is a
visitor only in the southern countries of that division of the globe.
In Asia and the Asiatic islands, and in Australia, numerous species of
these birds are found. Some of the Australian species are the largest of
this family, being of the size of or larger than the Crow of the United
States, and are remarkable for their loud and discordant voices. They
belong to the genus _Dacelo_ of naturalists. Great diversity of size
occurs in this family. There are other species (of the genera _Ispidina_
and _Ceyx_), which are not larger than the Chipping Sparrow of this
country, though, to all intents and purposes, regularly established
King-Fishers, and probably preying on fishes of a size accordingly.
Though many of the birds of this family are partially aquatic in their
habits, and subsist exclusively on fishes, there are species principally
inhabiting the islands in the Pacific, and Australia, which are stated
to live habitually in forests, subsisting on reptiles and small
terrestrial animals of other classes. These birds belong to the genera
_Todiramphus_ and _Dacelo_ of authors.
Naturalists enumerate about ninety species of King-Fishers, of which
specimens of seventy-seven are in the collection of the Philadelphia
Academy.
We find recorded no species of King-Fishers to be considered as doubtful
or obscure birds of that portion of North America within our prescribed
limits.
With this family we close that division of the Perching Birds classed by
ornithologists as _Fissirostres_. Two other families, the _Trogonidæ_
and the _Meropidæ_, are not represented by species inhabiting the United
States or the more northern countries of this continent. Of the
_Trogonidæ_, however, several species are found in Mexico, one of which
(_Trogon mexicanus_) was observed by Lieut. Couch, in the northern part
of that country, and will very probably yet be found within the present
limits of this confederacy. All the American _Trogons_ are birds of
remarkable beauty, and one of them (_Calurus resplendens_) can scarcely
be surpassed in any country. It inhabits Central America, and is the
sacred bird of the aborigines, and mentioned by Mr. Stephens and other
travellers in the countries which it inhabits. Its plumage, and that of
many other American species, is of fine metallic golden green and
scarlet.
Of the _Meropidæ_, or Bee-eaters, no species inhabits America. Those
birds are almost restricted to Asia and Africa, one species only being
European.
[Illustration: Plate 41
Baird’s Buzzard
Buteo Bairdii (_Hoy_)]
BUTEO BAIRDII.—Hoy.
Baird’s Buzzard.
PLATE XLI. Adults?
Of the several new species of rapacious birds of North America, which
have been discovered within a few years, the bird now before the reader
is one of the most interesting. It is the second species now ascertained
to inhabit this continent, of a group constituting the typical genus
_Buteo_ of naturalists, which until a recent period was supposed to be
peculiar to the Old World, the previously known American species being
Swainson’s Buzzard (_Buteo Swainsonii_), a bird of the northern regions,
little known and nearly lost sight of until recently by ornithologists.
The birds of this group are more active and Falcon-like in their habits
than the other species of the North American Buzzards, all of which have
been classified in other sub-genera. They also appear to be more
strictly predatory in their habits.
The present species was discovered by P. R. Hoy, M. D., an active and
enthusiastic naturalist of Racine, Wisconsin, who first observed it and
obtained specimens in the vicinity of that city. In the same State, it
has also been observed by the Rev. A. O. Barry, of Racine, and Mr.
William Dudley, of Madison, both naturalists of extensive acquirements,
who have done much to elucidate the zoology of that district. All of
those gentlemen concur, however, in representing it as very probably a
visitor only in Wisconsin, and migrating to more northern regions of the
continent of America. In addition to their specimens, we have seen one
other only, which is contained in a collection now deposited in the
National Museum, Washington, and was obtained near the Great Salt Lake,
Utah Territory, by Lieut. E. G. Beckwith, of the United States Army, in
whose charge a party surveyed one of the proposed routes for a Railroad
to the Pacific Ocean.
We have to express our obligations to Dr. Hoy for his kindness in
furnishing the following notice of this bird for our present article:—
“Although never numerous, this fine Hawk is not unfrequently met with
during the fall and spring, especially in the vicinity of Racine, but is
exceedingly wary and difficult to approach, and as it is here an
inhabitant almost exclusively of the prairies, the procuring of
specimens even by an experienced hunter or collector, is almost entirely
dependant on encountering it accidentally within gunshot.
“This bird may be readily known, though seen at a considerable distance
or heighth in the air, by its long pointed wings and rapid flight; in
the last respect somewhat resembling the Duck Hawk (_Falco anatum_), and
in fact looking somewhat like that species when on the wing. I witnessed
not long since, a bird of this species flying rapidly, but he wheeled
about suddenly and struck into a covey of Partridges with wonderful
celerity of movement, and bore off in his talons sufficient evidence
that his exploit had been fully successful. This bird possesses much
greater activity of habits than any other of our Hawks of the same genus
(_Buteo_), and its mode of flight is quite different.
“The favorite haunts of this species are the broad prairies, over which
it may be seen generally flying or coursing around in quest of its prey,
or occasionally perched in repose, but very carefully keeping out of the
range of the gun. It is one of the most shy of our Hawks, and I have
never known an instance of its visiting the vicinity of the farm-house,
or disturbing the domestic poultry, as is done by nearly all other of
our birds of the Falcon kind, much to the disadvantage of their
reputation with our farmers and housewives. The present bird at least
saves his character in that respect, for he never comes near, and
prefers also that no one shall come near him.
“The prey of this species is principally Grouse, Quails, and other
birds; but when opportunity offers, he does not disdain field-mice, or
even snakes. The Pinnated Grouse, or Prairie Hen, as it is universally
called in our region of country (_Tetrao cupido_), is his most common
food, which, frequenting the prairies habitually, his pursuit of this
bird is the cause of his being so constantly seen in such localities.
Usually he has little difficulty in procuring a supply sufficient for
his wants. I am under the impression that this bird does not rear its
young in this part of Wisconsin, as I have never known its nest to be
found, though I have of various other species. I have never seen this
bird soar in the manner of other Buzzards. It is apparently a visitor
only to this part of the State of Wisconsin.”
The specimens obtained by Dr. Hoy, one of which is represented in the
upper figure in our plate, present considerable similarity in colors;
but we have seen one other, which had the colors much darker, and the
under-parts especially much marked with black. The latter specimen is
represented in our lower figure, and was obtained in the neighborhood of
Madison, Wisconsin, by Mr. William Dudley, Secretary of the Wisconsin
Natural History Society. The specimen from Utah Territory is almost
precisely identical in color with those obtained by Dr. Hoy.
We have no further information respecting this interesting species.