torrents, over and _under_ which they seem equally at home. Darting
into the rushing waters they fly beneath the surface or feed on the
bottom with perfect ease, their thick, dense plumage evidently forming
a water-proof covering. Their nests are great balls of moss often
placed so near some boiling cascade as to receive frequent showers of
spray. The opening, however, is at the side, and the eggs and young
are well protected by an effective roof.
The Wrens, Thrashers, and Mockingbirds, (Family _TroglodytidA|_) form
two well defined subfamilies. The Wrens, (Subfamily _TroglodytinA|_)
number about one hundred and fifty species all but a dozen of which
are confined to America. The Thrashers and Mockingbirds, (Subfamily
_MiminA|_) number some fifty species, all of which are confined to
America.
As their dull, neutral colors would lead us to suppose, both Wrens and
Thrashers are inhabitants of the lower growth rather than of the
tree-tops, and while they may seek an elevated perch whence to deliver
their song, their food is secured and their time consequently largely
passed near or on the ground.
Few families of birds contain so many noted musicians, nearly every
member of this family being a singer of more than usual ability.
The Creepers, (Family _CerthiidA|_) number twelve species, only one of
which is found in America. This, however has a wide range and,
presenting more or less climatic variation in color, is recognized
under several subspecific names. Its habits, nevertheless, are much
the same everywhere. It climbs the trees of the mountains of Mexico or
of California with the same ceaseless energy it shows in Maine.
The sharply-pointed, stiffened tail-feathers of the Creeper are of
evident use to it as it ascends trees and pauses here and there to
pick out an insect's egg from the bark. The same type of tail feather
is shown by Woodpeckers, an excellent illustration of similar
structure accompanying similar habits in birds not at all closely
related.
The Nuthatches and Titmice, (Family _ParidA|_), like the Wrens and
Thrashers, belong in two well marked Subfamilies; The Nuthatches,
(Subfamily _SittinA|_) number about twenty species, only four of which
inhabit America; the Titmice, (Subfamily _ParinA|_) number some
seventy-five species, of which thirteen are American.
Nuthatches are tree-creepers, but climbing up or down with equal ease,
their tail is not employed as a prop, and consequently shows no
special development of pointed or stiffened feathers. Their toes,
however, are long, and their nails large and strong, evidently giving
them a firm grip on the bark of trees.
The Chickadees are generally resident birds and, as a rule, whatever
species we find in a given locality are apt to be there throughout the
year. We therefore become better acquainted with some of these lairds
than with others which are with us only a short season. This is
especially true of our eastern Black-capped Chickadee, which comes
familiarly about our homes in winter to partake of the feast of nuts
and suet which we spread for him at that season.
Feeding largely on the eggs or larvA| of insects particularly injurious
to trees, the Nuthatches and Titmice are of great value to man.
The Kinglets, Gnatcatchers, and Old World Warblers, (Family
_SylviidA|_) number about one hundred and twenty-five species, which
are divided among the following well-defined subfamilies: The
Kinglets, (Subfamily _RegulinA|_) seven species, three of which are
American; the Gnatcatchers, (Subfamily _PolioptilinA|_) some fifteen
species, all American; the Old World Warblers, (Subfamily _SylviinA|_)
about one hundred species, all Old World except one which inhabits the
Bering Sea coast of Alaska.
The Kinglets are small, olive green birds which may be mistaken for
Warblers but, aside from structural differences not evident in the
field, they may be known by their smaller size, greater tameness, and
habit of nervously flitting their wings at frequent intervals. One of
our species, the Ruby-crown, possesses a remarkably loud, clear, and
musical song, a surprising performance for so tiny a songster.
Kinglets build large nests of moss and feathers and lay as many as ten
eggs.
The Gnatcatchers are small, slender, grayish birds which once well
seen will not be confused with other species. The Gnatcatchers, like
the Kinglets, are architects of more than usual ability, building a
nest beautifully covered with lichens. The Thrushes, (Family
_TurdidA|_) are variously classified by different ornithologists, but
under the ruling of the American Ornithologists' Union they are
grouped in the same family with the Bluebird, Solitaires, and
Stonechats. This family numbers about three hundred species, of which
about one-half are true Thrushes (Subfamily _TurdinA|_). The members of
this subfamily are, as a rule, fine singers, many of them being among
the best known song birds, and from a musical point of view the group,
as a whole, is usually given the first place among birds. If, however,
all the fifteen known species of Solitaires sing as well as the four
species it has been my privilege to hear, I am assured that no one
would dispute their claim to the highest rank which can be awarded
singing birds.
In the succeeding pages, the five hundred and fifty odd species and
subspecies included in the preceding families of the Order Passeres
are grouped according to some obvious color character in order to
facilitate their identification in life. A satisfactory arrangement of
this kind is out of the question. Lines sharply separating the groups
proposed do not exist and some species appear to fit in one section as
well as in another. Nevertheless, it is hoped that in most instances,
the system will be found to serve the purpose intended. Under its
ruling our Perching Birds are grouped as follows:
1. With red markings.
2. With blue markings.
3. With orange or yellow markings.
4. With reddish brown or chestnut markings, chiefly in the form of
patches or uniformly colored areas.
5. Brownish, generally streaked birds.
6. Dull, inconspicuously colored birds, without prominent markings.
7. Gray, black, or black and white birds.
While the first object of the bird student is to learn to name birds I
would again urge him to acquaint himself with at least the arrangement
of the Orders and Families of our birds and their leading structural
characters. (see page 2.)
Having identified a bird, its family may always be determined by referring
to its number in the systematic list of birds at the end of the
book; and the more important characters of its Order and Family will
be found in the synopsis of Orders and Families beginning on page 9.
Perching Birds Marked With Red
[Illustration: 607.]
=607. Louisiana Tanager= (_Piranga ludoviciana_). L. 7.5. _Ad._
[Male]. Yellow; back, wings, and tail black, head more or less red.
_Ad._ [Female]. Above olive-green, head rarely red-tinged; below dusky
greenish yellow; wings and tail brownish edged with greenish, two
yellowish white wing-bars. _Yng._ [Male]. Like [Female], but head and
rump greener, underparts yellower. _Notes._ Call, _clit-tuck_; song,
resembles that of No. 608.
Range.--Western United States from the Plains to the Pacific; breeds
from Arizona to British Columbia; winters in Mexico and Central
America.
[Illustration: 608.]
=608. Scarlet Tanager= (_Piranga erythromelas_). L. 7.4. _Ad._ [Male].
Scarlet; wings and tail black. _Ad._ [Female]. Olive-green, yellower
below, wings and tail blackish brown, no wing-bars. _Yng._ [Male].
Like [Female], but brighter, wing-coverts black. _Ad._ [Male],
_Winter_. Like Yng. [Female], but wings and tail black. _Notes._ Call,
_chip-churr_; song, a rather forced whistle, suggesting a Robin's
song, but less musical, _Look-up_, _way-up_, _look-at-me_, _tree-top_;
repeated with pauses.
Range.--Eastern United States, west to the Plains: breeds from
Virginia and southern Illinois north to New Brunswick and Manitoba;
winters in Central and South America.
[Illustration: 609.]
=609. Hepatic Tanager= (_Piranga hepatica_). L. 7.8. Bill large. _Ad._
[Male]. Vermilion, back grayish; tail dull red. _Ad._ [Female]. _No
wing-bars_; above _grayish_ olive; crown and tail greener; below dusky
yellow. _Yng._ [Male]. Like [Female]. and variously intermediate
between it and ad. [Male]. _Notes._ Call, _clut-tuck_; song, like that
of No. 608, but somewhat more robin-like.
Range.--From Guatemala north in spring to New Mexico and Arizona;
winters in Mexico and Central America.
[Illustration: 610.]
=610. Summer Tanager= (_Piranga rubra_). L. 7.5; W. 3.8. _Ad._ [Male].
Rosy red. _Ad._ [Female]. 9. Olive-yellow above, dusky saffron below.
_Yng._ [Male]. Variously intermediate between Ad. [Male] and [Female].
_Notes._ Call, _chicky-tucky-tuck_; song, resembles in form that of
No. 608 but is more musical and less forced.
Range.--Eastern United States, west to the Plains; breeds from Florida
and western Texas north to southern New Jersey, southern Illinois, and
Kansas; winters in Central and South America.
=610a. Cooper Tanager= (_P. r. cooperi_). Similar to No. 610, but
larger; W. 4; bill more swollen, colors paler.
Range.--"Breeds from southwestern Texas to the Colorado Valley,
California, and from Arizona and New Mexico to northwestern Mexico;
south in winter to western Mexico; casually to Colorado."
[Illustration: 593.]
=593. Cardinal= (_Cardinalis cardinalis_). L. 9; W. 3.7; T. 4.1. _Ad._
[Male]. Forehead with a well-defined black band; feathers of back
(except in worn plumage) tipped with _olive-brown_ or _olive-gray_.
_Ad._ [Female]. Above olive-brown; crest, wings and tail dull red
edged with olive-brown; throat and region at base of bill gray; breast
buffy, sometimes tinged with red; belly whiter. _Notes._ Call, a
sharp, insignificant _tsip_; song, a rich, sympathetic whistle,
_whe-e-e-you_, _whe-e-e_, _hurry-hurry-hurry_, _quick-quick-quick_,
and other notes.
Range.--Eastern United States; resident from northern Florida and
eastern Texas north to southern New York and Iowa.
=593a. Arizona Cardinal= (_C. c. superbus_). Largest of our Cardinals,
L. 9.5; W. 4; T. 4.9. _Ad._ [Male]. Paler, more rosy, than No. 593;
margins to back feathers usually gray; black on forehead usually
separated by base of culmen. _Ad._ [Female]. Gray above like No. 593c,
but breast richer, much as in No. 593d; gray of throat more restricted
and often confined to the chin.
Range.--Southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico.
=593b. Saint Lucas Cardinal= (_C. c. igneus_). Similar to No. 593a,
but smaller; W. 3.6; T. 4; [Male] with even less, sometimes almost no
black on forehead; [Female] paler; gray on chin and about base of bill
less defined.
Range.--Southern Lower California.
=593c. Gray-tailed Cardinal= (_C. c. canicaudus_). W. 3.7. _Ad._
[Male]. Red bright as in No. 593d, but black on forehead narrower,
usually separated by base of culmen. _Ad._ [Female]. Grayer than
[Female] of No. 593, the edgings of wings and tail usually gray
_without_ an olive tinge.
Range.--Texas, except western and northeastern parts, and northeastern
Mexico.
=593d. Florida Cardinal= (_C. c. floridanus_). Smaller than No. 593,
W. 3.4; [Male] averaging deeper red; [Female] darker and richer in
color, particularly on breast.
Range.--Southern half of Florida.
[Illustration: 594.]
=594. Arizona Pyrrhuloxia= (_Pyrrhuloxia sinuata_). L. 9; W. 3.6;
T. 4.1. _Ad._ [Male]. Gray; in fresh plumage washed with brownish;
crest, wings and tail externally dull red; under wing-coverts, center
of breast and of belly, throat, and region about base of bill, rosy
red. _Ad._ [Female]. Usually little or no red about bill or on
underparts. _Notes._ Call, several flat, thin notes; song, a clear,
straight whistle. (Bailey.)
Range.--Northwestern Mexico, north to western Texas, southwestern
New Mexico, and Arizona.
=594a. Texas Pyrrhuloxia= (_P. s. texana_). Similar to No. 594, but
bill larger; underparts averaging slightly grayer; red before eyes
averaging duskier.
=594b. Saint Lucas Pyrrhuloxia= (_P. s. peninsulA|_). Similar in color
to No. 594, but decidedly smaller, with the bill larger; W. 3.4;
T. 3.7. (Ridgw.)
Range.--Cape Region of Lower California.
[Illustration: 515.]
=515. Pine Grosbeak= (_Pinicola enucleator leucura_). L. 8.5; W. 4.6.
_Ad._ [Male]. Rosy red in varying amounts; belly gray; wings, tail and
center of back feathers blackish brown; two white wing-bars. _Ad._
[Female]. Gray, head and rump greenish; breast tinged with greenish.
_Yng._ [Male]. Like [Female], but with head and rump reddish. _Notes._
Song, sweet; in winter strong and cheery; in spring tender and
plaintive. (Chamberlain.)
Range.--Northeastern North America; breeds from New Brunswick and
northern New England northward; winters south, irregularly, to
southern New England, Ohio, and Manitoba, and casually to District of
Columbia and Kansas.
=515a. Rocky Mountain Pine Grosbeak= (_P. e. montana_). Similar to
No. 515b, but decidedly larger, W. 4.8, and coloration slightly
darker; the adult male with the red of a darker, more carmine hue.
(Ridgw.)
Range.--"Rocky Mountains of United States, from Montana and Idaho
to New Mexico." (Ridgway.)
=515b. California Pine Grosbeak= (_P. e. californica_). Similar to
No. 515, but [Male] with red much brighter; feathers of back plain
ashy gray without darker centers; [Female] with little if any greenish
on rump.
Range.--Higher parts of "Central Sierra Nevada, north to Placer County
and south to Fresno County, California." (Grinnell.)
=515c. Alaskan Pine Grosbeak= (_P. e. alascensis_). Similar to
No. 515, but decidedly larger with smaller or shorter bill and paler
coloration, both sexes having the gray parts of the plumage distinctly
lighter, more ashy. (Ridgw.)
Range.--"Northwestern North America except Pacific coast, breeding in
interior of Alaska; south, in winter, to eastern British Columbia,
Montana (Bitterroot Valley), etc." (Ridgway.)
=515d. Kadiak Pine Grosbeak= (_P. e. flammula_). Similar to No. 515,
but with much larger, relatively longer and more strongly hooked bill;
wings and tail grayish brown instead of dull blackish.
Range.--"Kadiak Island and south on the coast to Sitka, Alaska."
(Ridgway.)
[Illustration: 521.]
=521. American Crossbill= (_Loxia curvirostra minor_). L. 6.1; W. 3.4;
B. .66. Tips of mandibles crossed. _Ad._ [Male]. Red, more or less
suffused with greenish or yellow. _Ad._ [Female]. Olive-green, rump
and underparts yellower. _Yng._ Resemble Ad. [Female]. _Notes._ Calls,
when feeding, a conversational twittering; louder and more pronounced
when flying; song, sweet, varied and musical, but of small volume.
Range.--Northern North America, chiefly eastward; breeds from northern
New England (in Alleghanies from Georgia) north and west to Alaska;
winters south irregularly to Virginia and Nevada; casually to South
Carolina and Louisiana.
=521a. Mexican Crossbill= (_L. c. stricklandi_). Similar to No. 521,
but larger; W. 4; B. .78.
Range.--"Mountains of Wyoming and Colorado, west to the Sierra Nevada,
and south through New Mexico, Arizona and the tablelands of Mexico to
Guatemala." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 522.]
=522. White-winged Crossbill= (_Loxia leucoptera_). L. 6. Tips of
mandibles crossed. _Ad._ [Male]. Rose-pink; middle of back black;
wings with _two white bars_. _Ad._ [Female]. Olive-green and dusky;
rump and underparts yellower; _wings with two white bars_.
_Yng._ Like Ad. [Female]. _Notes._ Resemble those of No. 521.
Range.--Northern North America; breeds from northern New England,
northern New York and northern Michigan northward; winters south
irregularly to Virginia, Illinois, British Columbia, and Nevada.
[Illustration: 595.]
=595. Rose-breasted Grosbeak= (_Zamelodia ludoviciana_). L. 8. _Ad._
[Male]. Black; rump, belly, tips of inner vanes of outer tail-feathers
and patch in wing white; under wing-coverts and breast rose. _Ad._
[Female]. Under wing-coverts saffron; above streaked brown and black;
below whitish streaked with blackish; a _white line over eye_; two
white wing-bars. _Yng._ [Male]. Resembles [Female], but under
wing-coverts _rose_; breast more or less rose-tinged. _Notes._ Call, a
sharp, steely _peek_; song, a rich, fluent, joyous carol.
Range.--Eastern United States, west to the Plains; breeds from
northern New Jersey, northern Ohio, and northern Indiana (and south in
Alleghanies to North Carolina), north to Nova Scotia and Manitoba;
winters in Central and South America.
=517. Purple Finch= (_Carpodacus purpureus_). L. 6.2; W. 3.2. Bill
swollen and rounded; nostrils large, partially covered by projecting,
grayish, bristly feathers; tail slightly forked. _Ad._ [Male]. Dull
rose, head and rump brightest; back brownish; lower belly white. _Ad._
[Female]. Above grayish brown, slightly edged with whitish and
brownish ashy; below white streaked with dark brownish; a more or less
distinct whitish stripe over the eye. _Yng._ Resemble Ad. [Female].
_Notes._ Call, _creak, creak_, and a querulous whistle; song, a sweet,
rapidly flowing warble. (See page 175.)
Range.--Eastern North America, west to the Plains; breeds from
northern New Jersey, the mountains of Pennsylvania, and northern
Illinois northward; winters from the northern States to the Gulf of
Mexico.
=517a. California Purple Finch= (_C. p. californicus_). Similar to No.
517, but [Male] duller and darker; [Female] _decidedly_ olive greenish
above. (See page 175.)
Range.--Pacific coast region; breeds in the mountains of California;
west of the Sierra north to British Columbia; winters from central
Oregon to southern Arizona.
[Illustration: 517.]
[Illustration: 518.]
=518. Cassin Purple Finch= (_Carpodacus cassini_). L. 6.5. _Ad._
[Male]. Similar to Ad. [Male] of No. 517 and No. 517a, but back much
blacker, streaks more sharply defined; crown as bright but appearing
_like a cap_; below much paler. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar to Ad.
[Female] of No. 517a, but larger and more sharply streaked with black,
both above and below. _Notes._ Resemble those of No. 517.
Range.--Western United States, east to the eastern base of the
Rockies, west to the Pacific; breeds in the mountains from New Mexico
north to British Columbia.
[Illustration: 519.]
=519. House Finch= (_Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis_). L. 6.1; W. 3.1.
_Ad._ [Male]. Throat, breast, _forehead_, _line over eye_, and rump,
bright rose-red; back grayish brown tinged with red; belly white,
streaked with brownish. _Ad._ [Female]. Above brownish gray obscurely
streaked with brownish, _no olive_ tint; below white streaked with
brownish. _Ad._ [Male] _in Winter_. Red areas dull purplish pink
tipped with grayish. _Yng._ Resemble Ad. [Female]. _Notes._ Call,
nasal, in chorus, chattering; song, a musical cheery, varied warble,
reminding one of that of No. 517, but recognizably different.
Range.--Western United States, east to the Plains, west to the
Pacific, and from northern Mexico north to southern Wyoming and
Oregon.
=519b. St. Lucas House Finch= (_C. m. ruberrimus_). Similar to No.
519, but smaller, W. 2.8; red more extended, always showing in males
on under tail-coverts.
Range.--Southern Lower California.
=519c. San Clemente House Finch= (_C. m. clementis_). Similar to
No. 519, but wing and tail averaging shorter, the bill decidedly,
and feet slightly larger; coloration somewhat darker. W. 3; B. .48.
(Ridgw.)
Range.--Santa Barbara Island, California; Todos Santos Island,
Lower California.
=520. Guadalupe House Finch= (_Carpodacus amplus_). Similar to
No. 519, but red deeper; back dark brown without red suffusion.
Range.--Guadalupe Island, Lower California.
=520.1 San Benito House Finch= (_Carpodacus mcgregori_). Similar to
No. 519, but much larger with relatively shorter wings and tail;
above much grayer and more distinctly streaked; red areas paler,
more flesh-colored, often dull yellow; W. 3.2; T. 2.5; B. .5. (Ridgw.)
Range.--San Benito Island, Lower California.
[Illustration: 527.]
=527. Greenland Redpoll= (_Acanthis hornemannii_). L. 6.1; W. 3.3.
A red crown-patch. _Ad._ [Male]. Rump, lower breast, sides and belly
_white_, generally _unstreaked_; breast and rump sometimes faintly
tinged with pink. In winter. Throat, breast, and above washed with
buff. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar to [Male], but no pink on breast or
rump, sides sometimes lightly streaked.
Range.--Breeds in Greenland; winters south to Labrador.
=527a. Hoary Redpoll= (_A. h. exilipes_). Similar to No. 527 but
smaller and darker; rump still _white_, but with sides more apt to
be streaked; L. 5; W. 3; T. 2.3; B. .3.
Range.--Breeds in Arctic regions; in America, winters south
irregularly to Massachusetts, Ontario, northern Illinois, and
Michigan.
[Illustration: 528.]
=528. Redpoll= (_Acanthis linaria_). L. 5.3; W. 2.8; T. 2.3. B. .36.
Crown-cap red. _Ad._ [Male]. Above blackish brown edged with yellowish
brown and some whitish; rump _heavily_ streaked with blackish edged
with whitish and tinged with rose; breast rose; sides heavily
streaked. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar, but no pink on rump or breast.
_Yng._ [Male]. Like female. _Notes._ Call like that of Goldfinch or
Siskin and _chit_; song like that of American Goldfinch but distinct.
(Minot.)
Range.--Breeds in northern parts of northern hemisphere; in America,
winters south to northern United States, irregularly to Virginia,
Alabama, Kansas, Colorado, and northern California.
=528a. HolbA"ll Redpoll= (_A. l. holbA"llii_). Similar to No. 528,
but larger, the bill longer; W. 3.2; T. 2.3; B. .38.
Range.--Breeds in northern parts of northern hemisphere; in America,
winters south, casually to northern United States, (Quebec, Ontario,
and Massachusetts.)
=528b. Greater Redpoll= (_A. l. rostrata_). Similar to No. 528,
but larger, above darker; L. 5.5; W. 3.2; T. 2.5; B. .35; depth
at base, .28.
Range.--"Southern Greenland in summer, migrating south in winter,
through Labrador to (sparingly) the northern border of the United
States, (New England, lower Hudson Valley, northern Illinois, etc.),
and west to Manitoba." (Ridgway.)
[Illustration: 749.]
=749. Ruby-crowned Kinglet= (_Regulus calendula_). L. 4.4.
A conspicuous whitish eye-ring. _Ad._ [Male]. A more or less
concealed vermilion crown-patch; back olive-green; underparts soiled
whitish more or less tinged with buffy; two white wing-bars.
_Ad._ [Female] _and Yng._ Similar, but no crown-patch. _Notes._ Call,
a wren-like _cack_; song, a surprisingly loud, rich, musical, varied,
flute-like whistle.
Range.--North America; breeds from the northern border of the United
States northward and south in the Rocky Mountains to Arizona and on
the Sierra Nevada of California; winters from South Carolina and
Oregon southward to Central America.
=749a. Sitkan Kinglet= (_R. c. grinnelli_). Similar to No. 749,
but more olive-green above, more buffy below.
Range.--Pacific coast; breeds In southern Alaska; winters southward
to California.
=750. Dusky Kinglet= (_Regulus obscurus_). Similar to No. 749,
but above sooty olive. _Ad._ [Male]. With crown-patch pinkish or
purplish vermilion-red. (Ridgw.) (See page 176.)
Range.--Guadalupe Island, Lower California.
--=European Goldfinch= (_Carduelis carduelis_). L. 5.50. Feathers at
base of bill red; crown and neck-stripe black; back brownish; wings
with a yellow band; inner webs of tail-feathers tipped with white;
below white tinged with brownish. _Notes._ Call, _twit_; song,
"sweet and varied." (See page 176.)
Range.--Introduced in this country near Hoboken, N. J., in 1878;
now not uncommon near New York City.
[Illustration: 443.]