The ROUGH-LEGGED or WINTER BUZZARD (_Archibuteo lagopus_) is
distinguished from all its congeners by having its tarsi feathered, like
those of the Eagle. The beak of this species is small and narrow, very
decidedly curved, and furnished with a long hook; the wings, in which the
third and fourth quills exceed the rest in length, extend, when closed,
to the end of the long and rounded tail. The plumage is lax, its feathers
for the most part large, those upon the head and nape being small, and
rounded at the tip; the brow is white, the tips of the wings are dark
slate colour, the tail white, its grey tip striped with black; the breast
of the male and belly of the female are spotted with blackish brown; the
hose are reddish yellow or whitish grey, similarly marked. The coloration
of the feathers upon the other parts of the body is a strange mixture of
all these different tints. The length of this bird is from twenty-two to
twenty-five inches. The female is larger than her mate. The Rough-legged
Buzzard is found throughout all the northern countries of the globe,
proving itself everywhere to be a very formidable enemy to the Lemming.
The eyrie is built upon rocks as well as trees. This bird is sometimes
met with in England, where it has been killed once or oftener in almost
every county; it has, however, rarely been known to breed here, and is
usually obtained in spring or autumn, when changing its latitude from
north to south, or _vice versâ_.
Sir John Richardson, in his "Zoology of North America," tells us "that
this species advances east of the Rocky Mountains, as high as the
sixty-eighth parallel. It arrives in the fur countries in April or May,
and, having reared its young, retires southward early in October. It is
by no means an uncommon bird in the districts through which he travelled,
but, being very shy, only one specimen was procured. A pair were seen
building their nests with sticks on a lofty tree, standing on a low,
moist, alluvial point of land. They sailed round the spot in a wide
circle, occasionally settling on the top of a tree, but were too wary to
allow an approach within gun shot." In the softness and fulness of its
plumage, its feathered legs, and habits, this bird bears some resemblance
to an Owl. It flies slowly, sits for a long time on the bough of a tree,
watching for mice, frogs, &c., and is often seen skimming over swampy
pieces of ground, and hunting for its prey by the subdued daylight which
illuminates even the midnight hours in high latitudes. Wilson observes
that in Pennsylvania it is in the habit of coursing over the meadows
long after the sun has set. It is fitted for this nocturnal chase by
the fleeciness of its feathers, which contributes to render its flight
noiseless."