feathers pointed._ _Ads._ A white line over eye; breast buff streaked
with blackish. _Yng._ Crown as in ad., back black and rusty; below
white, breast buffy, no streaks. _Winter._ Back grayish brown streaked
with blackish; below as in yng., but breast grayer and with indistinct
streaks. _Notes._ A soft metallic _pleep-pleep_. (Nelson.)
Range.--"Eastern Asia, and coast of Alaska, migrating south to Java
and Australia." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 239.]
=239. Pectoral Sandpiper= (_Actodromas maculata_). L. 9. _Ads._ Middle
tail-feathers longest, pointed, blackish margined with rusty; above
black and rusty; below white, breast thickly streaked; upper
tail-coverts _black_. _Yng. and in winter_ much the same. _Notes._
Call, a grating whistle; song, a hollow, resonant, musical
_tA¨A¨-A"_, repeated eight times, made after filling A|sophagus
with air until it is puffed out to size of the body. (Nelson.)
Range.--North America; breeds in Arctic regions; winters south of
United States to South America; rare on Pacific coast.
[Illustration: 240.]
=240. White-rumped Sandpiper= (_Actodromas fuscicollis_). L. 7.5.
Longer upper tail-coverts _white_. _Ads._ Breast white, _distinctly
spotted_ or streaked. _Yng._ More rufous above; breast less distinctly
streaked. _Winter._ Brownish gray above; similar to yng. below.
Range.--Eastern North America; breeds in the interior north of Hudson
Bay; winters south of United States to southern South America; rare on
Pacific coast.
[Illustration: 241.]
=241. Baird Sandpiper= (_Actodromas bairdii_). L. 7.5. No rusty in
plumage. _Ads._ Longest upper tail-coverts _blackish_; breast buffy,
_faintly_ streaked. _Yng._ Similar, but back _conspicuously_ margined
with whitish. _Winter._ Above "buffy grayish brown," no white margins.
Range.--Interior of North America; breeds in the Arctic regions and
winters south of United States to southern South America.
[Illustration: 242.]
=242. Least Sandpiper= (_Actodromas minutilla_). L. 6. Smartest of our
Sandpipers. _Ads._ Above black, buff and rufous; below white breast
lightly streaked. _Yng._ Similar, but breast less distinctly streaked.
_Winter._ Above brownish gray, often streaked with black, below white.
_Notes._ _Peep-peep._
Range.--North America; breeds from Sable Island and Magdalens
northward; winters from Gulf States and California south to South
America.
[Illustration: 249.]
=249. Marbled Godwit= (_Limosa fedoa_). L. 18; B. 4; slightly
recurved. Tail barred, cinnamon and black; under wing-coverts cinnamon
with more or less fine black markings. _Ads._ Above black and
ochraceous; below buffy white finely and uniformly barred with black.
_Yng._ Similar, but with no or with but few bars below.
Range.--North America; breeds in the interior from western Minnesota,
rarely Iowa and Nebraska northward; winters south of United States to
Central America and West Indies.
[Illustration: 250.]
=250. Pacific Godwit= (_Limosa lapponica baueri_). L. 16. B. 3.7,
slightly recurved, tail barred black and white; under wing-coverts
black and white. _Ads._ "Head, neck and lower parts, plain cinnamon
color." (Ridgw.) _Winter._ Above black, grayish and rusty, former
prevailing; below white; throat streaked, elsewhere with irregular,
black bars. _Notes._ "A loud ringing _kA"-we'w_, repeated."
Range.--"Shores and Islands of the Pacific Ocean, from New Zealand and
Australia to Kamchatka and Alaska. On the American coast recorded
south of Alaska only from La Paz, Lower California." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 251.]
=251. Hudsonian Godwit= (_Limosa hA|mastica_). L. 15; B. 3.2, slightly
recurved. Under wing-coverts dusky; upper tail-coverts black and
white; tail black at end, white at base. _Ads._ Above black, rusty and
grayish, below chestnut-red barred with blackish and faintly tipped
with white. _Yng._ Similar, but below buffy whitish, breast grayer.
_Winter._ Similar below but above brownish gray.
Range.--Eastern North America chiefly interior; breeds in Arctic
Regions; winters south of United States to South America.
[Illustration: 270.]
=270. Black-bellied Plover= (_Squatarola squatarola_). L. 11. Hind-toe
present, small. _Ads._ Above black and white, no yellowish; below
black. _Yng._ Above grayish brown spotted with white and some
yellowish; below white. _Winter._ Similar to preceding but nearly
uniform brownish above.
Range.--Northern Hemisphere; breeds in Arctic Regions, winters in
America from Florida to Brazil.
[Illustration: 272.]
=272. American Golden Plover= (_Charadrius dominicus_). L. 10.5; W. 7.
No hind-toe; axillars dusky. _Ads._ Above conspicuously spotted with
yellow; below black, sides of breast white. _Yng._ Duller above, below
grayish white with dusky marks and yellowish wash. _Winter._ Similar
but no yellow below. _Notes._ Call, a plaintive _too-lee-e_; song, a
marvelously harmonious succession of notes. (Nelson.)
Range.--Western Hemisphere; breeds in Arctic Regions; winters from
Florida to Patagonia, rare on Pacific coast.
=272a. Pacific Golden Plover= (_C. d. fulvus_). Similar to No. 272 but
wing shorter, 6.5; yellow richer.
Range.--"Breeding from northern Asia to the Pribilof Islands and coast
of Alaska, south in winter through China and India to Australia and
Polynesia." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 254.]
=254. Greater Yellow-legs= (_Totanus melanoleucus_). L. 14; B. 2.2.
No rusty; upper tail-coverts mostly white; tail barred with black and
white or gray. _Ads._ Above black margined with whitish; below white
and black. _Yng._ Above grayish margined with whitish; below white,
breast lightly streaked. _Winter._ Similar but white margins less
conspicuous. _Notes._ A whistled _wheu_, _wheu-wheu-wheu-wheu-wheu-wheu_,
_wheu-wheu_.
Range.--North America; breeds from Minnesota, rarely northern
Illinois, and Anticosti northward; winters from Gulf States and
California to southern South America.
[Illustration: 255.]
=255. Yellow-legs= (_Totanus flavipes_). L. 10.7; B. 1.4. Similar in
color to preceding but smaller in size.
Range.--North America; breeds rarely in upper Mississippi Valley but
chiefly north of latitude 55A deg.; winters from Gulf States to southern
South America; rare on Pacific coast.
[Illustration: 258.]
=258. Willet= (_Symphemia semipalmata_). L. 15; W. 8; B. 2.1.
Primaries black with a broad white band; upper tail-coverts mostly
white. _Ads._ Above brownish gray, black, and a little buff; below
white heavily marked with black and slightly washed with buff. _Yng._
Above brownish gray margined with buffy; below white, breast lightly
streaked with dusky. _Winter._ Similar, but above plain brownish gray.
_Notes._ Song, _pilly-will-willet_, repeated.
Range.--Eastern North America; breeds from Florida to southern New
Jersey, later strays casually to Maine; winters from Gulf States to
South America.
=258a. Western Willet= (_S. s. inornata_). Similar to No. 258 but
slightly larger. W. 8.5; B. 2.4. In summer above paler, less heavily
marked with black both above and below. _Yng. and Winter._
Indistinguishable in color from No. 258.
Range.--Western United States; breeds from Texas to Manitoba; winters
from southern California and Gulf States southward. A rare migrant on
Atlantic coast from South Carolina to Florida.
[Illustration: 259.]
=259. Wandering Tatler= (_Heteractitis incanus_). L. 11. Tail-coverts
plain slaty gray. _Ads._ Above plain slaty gray; below white barred
with slaty gray. _Yng._ Above slaty gray more or less margined with
whitish; breast and sides slaty gray; throat and belly white.
_Winter._ Similar, but no white margins above.
Range.--Pacific coast; breeds from British Columbia northward; winters
south to Hawaiian Islands and Galapagos.
[Illustration: 282.]
=282. Surf Bird= (_Aphriza virgata_). L. 10; B. 1. Upper tail-coverts
and base of tail-feathers white. _Ads._ Above black, slaty, and rusty.
_Yng._ Above slaty margined with whitish; breast barred slaty and
whitish; belly white spotted with slaty. _Winter._ The same, but no
whitish margins.
Range.--"Pacific coast of America, from Alaska to Chili." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 273.]
=273. Killdeer= (_Oxyechus vociferus_). L. 10.5. Rump and upper
tail-coverts rusty. _Ads._ Above grayish brown and rusty; below white
with _two_ black rings. _Notes._ A noisy _kildeAe"_, _kildeAe"_.
Range.--North America, north to Newfoundland, Manitoba and British
Columbia; (rare on North Atlantic coast); breeds locally throughout
its range; winters from Virginia, Lower Mississippi Valley and
California south to South America.
[Illustration: 274. Foot detail 1/2 Size.]
[Illustration: 274.]
=274. Semipalmated Plover= (_A†gialitis semipalmata_). L. 6.7. Web
between bases of inner and middle toes. _Ads._ _One_ black ring around
neck; a white ring in front of it. _Yng._ Similar, but black parts
brownish; back margined with whitish. _Winter._ Same as last but no
whitish margins.
Range.--Breeds from Labrador northward; winters from Gulf States to
Brazil.
=275. Ring Plover= (_A†gialitis hiaticula_). L. 7.5. No webs between
toes. Similar to 274 but larger, bill yellow at base, black or brown
bands wider.
Range.--"Northern parts of Old World and portions of Arctic America,
breeding on the west shore of Cumberland Gulf." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 277.]
=277. Piping Plover= (_A†gialitis meloda_). L. 7; B. short, .5. Very
pale above. _Ads._ Above ashy, crown and _sides_ of breast black; no
rusty. _Yng._ Similar, but black replaced by ashy gray. _Notes._ A
short plaintive, _piping_ whistle, repeated.
Range.--Eastern North America; breeds from Virginia to Newfoundland;
winters from Florida southward.
=277a. Belted Piping Plover= (_A†. m. circumcincta_). Similar to No.
277 but black on sides of breast meeting to form a breast band.
Range.--Mississippi Valley; breeds from northern Illinois and Nebraska
north to Lake Winnipeg, east to Magdalen and Sable Islands; winters
from Gulf southward; casual migrant on Atlantic coast.
[Illustration: 278.]
=278. Snowy Plover= (_A†gialitis nivosa_). L. 6.5. No complete ring.
_Ads._ Black on crown; ear-coverts and sides of breast black. _Yng._
The same, but no black; above margined with whitish. _Winter._ Same as
last but no whitish margins.
Range.--Western United States east to Texas and Kansas; breeds from
Indian Territory and southern California northward; winters from Texas
and southern California southward.
[Illustration: 280.]
=280. Wilson Plover= (_Ochthodromus wilsonius_). L. 7.5; B. .8. No
black on hindneck. _Ad._ [Male]. One black breast-and crown-band;
some rusty about head. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar but black areas
brownish gray. _Yng._ Same as last, but above margined with whitish.
_Winter._ No whitish margins.
Range.--Tropical and temperate America; breeds north to Virginia, Gulf
States, and Lower California; winters southward to Brazil; casual
north to Nova Scotia.
Order X. GROUSE, PARTRIDGES, BOB-WHITES, ETC.
GALLINA†.
Family 1. GROUSE, PARTRIDGES, etc. TetraonidA|. 21 species,
22 subspecies.
Family 2. TURKEYS, PHEASANTS, etc. PhasianidA|. 1 species.
3 subspecies.
Family 3. CURASSOWS and GUANS. CracidA|. 1 species.
The members of the family TetraonidA| are usually placed in three
subfamilies as follows: (1.) PerdicinA|, containing the true Quails and
Partridges of the Old World and with no species in America.
(2.) OdontophorinA|, including the Bob-whites and so-called 'Quails'
and 'Partridges' of the New World, and with no species in the eastern
hemisphere. (3.) TetraoninA|, the Grouse, with representatives in the
northern parts of both hemispheres. All the members of the first two
families have the legs bare, while the Grouse have the legs, and
often even the toes, more or less feathered.
The application of different names to the members of this family, in
various parts of the country, often make it uncertain just what
species is referred to under a given title. Our Bob-white, for
example, is a 'Quail' at the north and a 'Partridge' at the south. As
a matter of fact it is, strictly speaking, neither a true Quail nor
Partridge but a member of a family restricted to America.
Again, the Ruffed Grouse is a 'Partridge' at the north and a
'Pheasant' at the south, whereas in truth it is neither one nor the
other. So far as the application of these local names goes, it is to
be noted that where the Bob-white is called 'Quail' the Grouse is
called 'Partridge' and that where it is called 'Partridge' the Grouse
is known as 'Pheasant'.
All the TetraonidA| are ground-inhabiting birds, and their plumage of
blended browns, buffs and grays brings them into such close harmony
with their surroundings that, as a rule, we are unaware of the
presence of one of these birds until, with a whirring of short, stiff,
rounded wings it springs from the ground at our feet. It is this habit
of 'lying close,' as sportsmen term it, in connection with their
excellent flesh, which makes the members of this family the favorites
of the hunter and epicure and only the most stringent protective
measures will prevent their extinction as their haunts become settled.
With the Ptarmigan this harmony in color is carried to a remarkable
extreme, the birds being white in winter and brown, buff and black in
summer; while during the early fall they assume a grayish, neutral
tinted plumage to bridge over the period from the end of the nesting
season, in July, to the coming of the snow in September.
The TetraonidA| all nest on the ground, laying usually from ten to
twenty eggs. The young, like those of their relative, the domestic
fowl, are born covered with downy feathers and can run about shortly
after birth.
The Turkey is the only wild member of the PhasianidA| in this country,
but the family is well-represented in the domesticated Chickens,
Peacocks, and Pheasants, all of which have descended from Old World
ancestors. Our domesticated Turkey is derived from the Wild Turkey of
Mexico, which was introduced into Europe shortly after the Conquest
and was thence brought to eastern North America. It differs from the
Wild Turkey of the eastern United States chiefly in the color of the
tips of the upper tail-coverts. These are whitish in the domesticated
Turkey, as they are in the Mexican race from which, it has descended,
and rusty brown in the Eastern Wild Turkey.
Besides the five races of Wild Turkey described beyond, another
species of Turkey is found in America. This is the Honduras or Yucatan
Turkey, now largely confined to the peninsula of Yucatan. It is not so
large as our bird, but is even more beautifully colored, its plumage
being a harmonious combination of blue, gray and copper.
Ring-necked and 'English' Pheasants have been introduced into various
parts of the United States, and in Oregon and Washington and in the
east, on various private game preserves, they have become naturalized.
The true English Pheasant (_Phasianus colchicus_) is believed to have
been introduced into England from Asia Minor probably by the Romans.
Unlike the Ring-necked Pheasant (_Phasianus torquatus_) it has no
white collar. The last named species, however, has also been
introduced into England where it freely interbreeds with the earlier
established English Pheasant and individuals without at least a trace
of white on the neck are now comparatively rare.
The Curassows and Guans are tropical American birds, only one species
reaching the southern border of the United States. They are arboreal
in habit and form an interesting link between the Partridges, etc. and
the Pigeons.
Bob-white and Partridge
[Illustration: 289.]
=289. Bob-white; 'Quail;' 'Partridge'= (_Colinus virginianus_). L. 10.
_Ad._ [Male]. Throat, forehead and line over eye white. _Ad._
[Female]. Throat, forehead and line over eye buff. _Notes._ Song, a
ringing, whistled _Bob-white_ or _buck-wheat-ripe_; calls, a
conversational _quit-quit_ and a whistled _where-are-you_ and _I'm
here_, repeatedly uttered when the individuals of a flock are
separated.
Range.--Eastern North America, resident from southern Dakota, southern
Minnesota, southern Ontario, southern Vermont, New Hampshire and
Maine, south to Georgia and western Florida; west to South Dakota,
Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and eastern Texas. "Introduced at various
points in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, California and
Washington." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 289a.]
=289a. Florida Bob-white= (_C. v. floridanus_). Similar to No. 289,
but smaller, L. 8.5, and much darker; black bars below more numerous.
_Range.--Florida; typical only in southern half of peninsula, grading
into No. 289 in northern and western parts of the state._
=289b. Texan Bob-white= (_C. v. texanus_). Similar to No. 289, but
brown and buff areas paler; black bars below wider.
Range.--Texas, except western part, rarely to western Kansas, south to
Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, Mexico.
[Illustration: 291.]
=291. Masked Bob-white= (_Colinus ridgwayi_). L. 9. _Ad._ [Male].
Throat black; breast and belly reddish brown. _Ad._ [Female].
Resembles [Female] of No. 289b. _Notes._ Song, _Bob-white_; call, when
the birds are scattered, _hoo-we_. (H. Brown.)
Range.--Northern Sonora, Mexico, north to Pima County, Arizona.
[Illustration: 296.]
=296. Mearns Partridge= (_Cyrtonyx montezumA| mearnsi_). L. 9. _Ad._
[Male]. Sides with numerous, large, crowded white spots. _Ad._
[Female]. _Pinkish brown_, above _streaked_ with buffy and marked with
chestnut and black, below with a few broken black bars.
_Notes._ A low, murmuring whine; a clear _dsiup-chiur_, when alarmed,
_chuk-chuk-chuk_. (Bendire.)
Range.--Northern Mexico, western Texas, southern New Mexico and
southern Arizona.
Partridges
[Illustration: 292.]
=292. Mountain Partridge= (_Oreortyx pictus_). L. 11. _Ads._
_Hindhead_ and _nape_ same color as back; inner margins of tertials
buff. _Notes._ Song, an explosive whistle ending in a throaty tone;
call, a rapidly repeated _cuh-cuh-cuh-cuh_, and a sharp _pit-pit_.
Range.--Pacific coast from Santa Barbara, California, north to
southern Washington.
=292a. Plumed Partridge= (_O. p. plumiferus_). Hindhead, nape, and
foreback same _color as breast_; inner margins of tertials _white_.
Range.--Sierra Nevada (both slopes), east to Panamint Mountains; and
to Mount Magruder, Nevada; south in the coast ranges from San
Francisco Bay to Lower California (Campos). (A.O.U.)
=292b. San Pedro Partridge= (_O. p. confinis_). Similar to No. 292a,
but upperparts much grayer, the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts
being gray very slightly tinged with olive; bill stouter. (Ridgway.)
Range.--San Pedro Martir Mountains, Lower California.
[Illustration: 293.]
=293. Scaled Partridge= (_Callipepla squamata_). L. 10. _Ads._ Belly
_without_ chestnut patch; breast and foreback grayish blue edged with
black; back brownish gray. _Notes._ A nasal _pe-cos' pe-cos'_
(Bailey.)
Range.--"Tableland of Mexico, from the Valley of Mexico, north to
central and western Texas, Santa Fe, New Mexico and southern
Arizona." (A.O.U.)
=293a. Chestnut-bellied Scaled Partridge= (_C. s. castanogastris_).
Similar to No. 293, but [Male] with chestnut patch on belly; [Female]
with belly much rustier than in [Female] of No. 293.
Range.--Lower Rio Grande Valley, northwest to Eagle Pass, Texas; south
into northeastern Mexico.
[Illustration: 294.]
=294. California Partridge= (_Lophortyx californica_). L. 10.
_Ad._ [Male]. Above _olive-brown_; belly patch chestnut. _Ad._
[Female]. Plumes shorter; throat whitish streaked with dusky; no
distinct chestnut patch on belly. _Notes._ Song, a pheasant like crow
and a crowing, emphatic _sit-right-down'_, _sit-right-down'_; calls,
a sharp _pit-pit pit_, and a note like that of a young Robin.
Range.--"Coast region of California south to Monterey, introduced in
Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia." (A.O.U.)
=294a. Valley Partridge= (_L. c. vallicola_). Similar to No. 294, but
much grayer above; sometimes plain bluish gray without brown tinge.
Range.--"From western and southern Oregon, except near the coast,
south through western Nevada and the interior of California to Cape
St. Lucas." (Bendire.)
[Illustration: 295.]
=295. Gambel Partridge= (_Lophortyx gambelii_). L. 10. _Ad._ [Male].
Throat, forehead and belly patch _black_; hindhead chestnut. _Ad._
[Female]. Similar, but throat grayish buff; forehead gray; no black on
belly; hind head brownish; crest smaller. _Notes._ Song, _yuk-kA¤e-ja._
Range.--"Western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Utah, southern
Nevada, southern California in the Colorado Valley and south into
northwestern Mexico." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 297.]
297. Dusky Grouse (_Dendragapus obscurus_). L. [Male], 20. [Female],
18. _Ad._ [Male]. Gray tail-band _over_ one inch wide on middle
feather; below grayish slate; above blackish with fine rusty and
grayish markings. _Ad._ [Female]. With more white below; foreback
regularly _barred_ with buffy; middle tail-feathers irregularly barred
with buff or grayish; terminal gray band finely marked with black.
_Notes._ A loud, ventriloquial, hooting or booming.
Range.--"Rocky Mountains, from central Montana and southeastern Idaho
to New Mexico and Arizona; east to the Black Hills, South Dakota and
west to East Humboldt Mountains, Nevada." (A.O.U.)
=297a. Sooty Grouse= (_D. o. fuliginosus_). Similar to No. 297, but
slightly darker, gray band on central tail feather _less_ than one
inch wide.
Range.--"Northwest Coast Mountains, from California to Sitka, east to
Nevada, western Idaho and portions of British Columbia." (A.O.U.)
=297b. Richardson Grouse= (_D. o. richardsonii_). Similar to No. 297a,
but _no_ tail band, or, if showing indistinctly from above, not
visible from below.
Range.--"Rocky Mountains, especially on the eastern slopes, from
central Montana, northern Wyoming and southeastern Idaho, into British
America to Liard River." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 298.]
=298. Hudsonian Spruce Grouse= (_Canachites canadensis_). L. 15.
_Ad._ [Male]. Tail-feathers tipped with brown; foreback margined with
_bluish gray_. _Ad._ [Female]. Above, bases of feathers more or less
barred with rusty especially on foreback; throat and breast barred
with rusty and black; belly as in male. _Notes._ A drumming sound
produced by the beating of the wings. (Bendire.)
Range.--Labrador and Hudson Bay region.
=298b. Alaska Spruce Grouse= (_C. c. osgoodi_). _Ad._ [Male]. Similar
to _Ad._ [Male]. of No. 298c, but margins to feathers of foreback
_brownish ashy_. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar to _Ad._ [Female] of No.
298c, but paler, barred with buff instead of rusty.
Range.--Alaska.
=298c. Canada Grouse= (_C. c. canace_). _Ad._ [Male]. Similar to
_Ad._ [Male]. of No. 298. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar to _Ad._ [Female] of
No. 298, but above more rusty, rusty bars deeper and more conspicuous,
showing throughout upper surface and on flanks.
Range.--Northern New England, northern New York, New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia and Quebec west to northern Minnesota.
[Illustration: 299.]
=299. Franklin Grouse= (_Canachites franklinii_). Resembles No. 298,
but tail without brown tips, sometimes tipped with white.
Range.--"Northern Rocky Mountains, from northwestern Montana to the
coast ranges of Oregon and Washington, and northward in British
America, reaching the Pacific coast of southern Alaska (latitude
60A deg.)." (A.O.U.)
Grouse and Ptarmigan
[Illustration: 300.]
=300. Ruffed Grouse; 'Partridge;' 'Pheasant'= (_Bonasa umbellus_).
L. 17. _Ad._ [Male]. Prevailing color above rusty brown; tail rusty
or gray. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar but neck-tufts smaller. _Notes._
The male produces a drumming sound by rapidly beating its wings; the
female utters a _cluck_ and when defending her brood, a singular low
whining sound.