as long as shortest toe-nail. _Ad._ [Male], _summer_. Head, rump,
secondaries, outer tail-feathers and below white; rest of plumage
largely black. _Ad._ [Female], _summer_. Similar, but crown blackish,
back edged with rusty or grayish. _Winter._ Above rusty and black,
below white, breast tinged with rusty. _Notes._ Calls, a clearly piped
whistle, and a peculiar _chirr_, often uttered when taking wing; song,
short, simple, but rather sweet. (Minot.)
Range.--Breeds in northern parts of northern hemisphere; in winter
south to northern states; irregularly to Georgia, southern Indiana,
Kansas, Colorado, and eastern Oregon.
=534a. Pribilof Snowflake= (_P. n. townsendi_). Similar to No. 534,
but larger, with relatively longer bill; [Male], W. 4.7; B. .5.
(Ridgw.).
Range.--Aleutian and Commander Islands, Pribilof Islands, Shumagin
Islands. (Ridgw.).
=535. McKay Snowflake= (_Passerina hyperborea_). L. 7.5; W. 4.6; B .4.
Similar to No. 534, but with more white. _Ad._ [Male], _summer_. Back
and scapulars entirely white. _Ad._ [Female], _summer_. Crown and
hindneck white. _Yng._ Not certainly distinguishable from Yng. of No.
534. (Ridgw.)
Range.--Breeds on Hall and St. Mathews Islands, Bering Sea; in winter
west coast of Alaska.
[Illustration: 605.]
=605. Lark Bunting= (_Calamospiza melanocorys_). L. 7.2. _Ad._ [Male].
Black, patch in wing white, outer tail-feathers tipped, tertials
margined with white. _Ad._ [Female]. Above grayish brown streaked with
blackish; below white conspicuously streaked with black; all but
central tail-feathers with white tips; broad wing-bars buff. _Yng._
[Male]. Variously intermediate between Ad. [Male] and [Female]. (See
page 251).
Range.--Western United States, chiefly east of Rockies; breeds from
western Kansas and eastern Colorado, north to western Minnesota and
Assiniboia; winters in Mexico; irregular west in migrations to Idaho
and southern California.
[Illustration: 484.]
=484. Canada Jay; Whiskey Jack= (_Perisoreus canadensis_). L. 11.5.
_Ads._ Black of hindhead reaching to back of eye; back, wings, and
tail gray, belly lighter, throat white; forehead buffy white.
_Notes._ _ca-ca-ca_ and a number of peculiar sounds impossible to
reproduce on paper. (Bendire.)
Range.--Eastern North America; Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, northern
New England, northern New York, northern Michigan; northern Minnesota,
north to Newfoundland and Hudson Bay region, west to the Rockies in
Alberta.
[Illustration: 484a.]
=484a. Rocky Mountain Jay= (_P. c. capitalis_). Similar to No. 484,
but head white, black of hindhead grayer and _not_ reaching to eye.
Range.--Rocky Mountain region from New Mexico and Arizona north to
Montana and Idaho.
=484b. Alaskan Jay= (_P. c. fumifrons_). Very near to No. 484, but
forehead averaging more yellowish.
Range.--Alaska; interior and west to Cook Inlet, north of southern
coast region.
=484c. Labrador Jay= (_P. c. nigricapillus_). Similar to No. 484, but
black of hindhead deeper and reaching forward as a well defined ring
around the eye; below browner.
Range.--Labrador.
[Illustration: 485.]
=485. Oregon Jay= (_Perisoreus obscurus_). Similar to No. 484, but
back feathers with _light shaft streaks_, forehead less white,
underparts nearly uniform white.
Range.--Pacific coast from northern California to southern British
Columbia.
=485a. Gray Jay= (_P. o. griseus_). Similar to No. 485, but larger and
grayer; back, etc., deep mouse gray, instead of brown; below grayish
white instead of brownish white. (Ridgw.)
Range.--British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California,
east of Coast and Cascade Ranges. (Ridgw.)
[Illustration: 491.]
=491. Clarke Nutcracker= (_Nucifraga columbiana_). L. 12. _Ads._ Gray;
wings and middle tail-feathers black, tips of secondaries and outer
tail-feathers white. _Notes._ A loud, harsh, _car-r-car-r_.
Range.--Mountains of western North America, from northern Lower
California, Arizona and New Mexico, north to northern Alaska: casually
east to Mississippi Valley.
[Illustration: 475.]
=475. American Magpie= (_Pica pica hudsonia_). L. 20. _Ads._ Bill
_black_; scapulars, belly and most of inner margins of primaries
white; wings glossy blue black, tail externally greenish; back and
breast velvety black. _Notes._ _Cack_, _cack_, also garrulous gabble
intermixed with whistling notes. (Bendire.)
Range.--Western North America, east to the Plains, west to Cascade and
Sierra Ranges; breeds from northern New Mexico and northern Arizona
north to Alaska strays farther east in winter.
=476. Yellow-billed Magpie= (_Pica nuttalli_). Similar to No. 475,
but bill and eye-space _yellow_; smaller, L. 18. _Notes._ A harsh,
rasping, _cac-cac-cac_; and a low, rich whistle, audible only at a
short distance.
Range.--California, west of Sierra Nevada, "north to Red Bluff and
south to Santa Paula." (Grinnell.)
[Illustration: 493.]
=493. Starling= (_Sturnus vulgaris_). L. 8.5; T. 2.5. _Ad. summer_,
Metallic green and purple spotted above with buffy; bill _yellow_.
_Ad. winter._ Similar, but above heavily spotted with brownish buff;
below heavily spotted with white; bill blackish. _Notes._ A
long-drawn, two-noted whistle, the second lower; and a chattering,
metallic call when in flocks.
Range.--Europe and northern Asia; accidental in Greenland; introduced
into New York City in 1890; now common, extending east to New Haven,
Connecticut, north to Ossining, New York, south to Staten Island and
Plainfield, New Jersey.
[Illustration: 495.]
=495. Cowbird= (_Molothrus ater_). L. 7.9; W. 4.2. _Ad._ [Male]. Head
and neck coffee-brown, body greenish black. _Ad._ [Female]. Brownish
gray, throat lighter. _Yng._ Like [Female]. _Notes._ A metallic
twitter, and by the male, a long-drawn, glassy _kluck-tse-e-e_; and
watery gurgling notes uttered with spread wings and tail.
Range.--United States: rare west of Rockies; breeds from Florida and
Texas north to New Brunswick and Little Slave Lake; west to eastern
Oregon, Nevada, and southeastern California; winters from southern New
Jersey, southern Illinois, Indian Territory, northern Texas, and
southeastern California, southward.
=495a. Dwarf Cowbird= (_M. a. obscurus_). Similar to No. 495,
but smaller, L. 7.5; W. 4.
Range.--Southwestern United States; from Gulf Coast of Texas west
along Mexican boundary to Arizona and Lower California; winters south
of United States.
[Illustration: 496.]
=496. Red-eyed Cowbird= (_Callothrus robustus_). L. 9. _Ad._ [Male].
Velvety bronze-black; wings and tail shining blue-black. _Ad._
[Female]. Dull black, wings and tail with slight greenish reflections.
Range.--Southern and eastern Mexico north, in spring, to Lower Rio
Grande, Texas.
[Illustration: 620.]
=620. Phainopepla= (_Phainopepla nitens_). L. 7.5. Crested. _Ad._
[Male]. Shining black; inner vanes of primaries largely white, showing
in flight. _Ad._ [Female]. Dark gray, tail blacker, wing-coverts and
quills narrowly margined with whitish. _Yng._ Like [Female]. _Notes._
Calls, commonest, like call of young Robin; male has also a scold, a
Meadowlark-like note and a harsh _ca-rack_ or _ca-racack_; song, a
jumble of flute-like tones and weak, squeaky notes. (Bailey.)
Range.--Mexico north to western Texas, southern Utah and southern
California; winters from Mexican border southward.
[Illustration: 509.]
=509. Rusty Blackbird= (_Scolecophagus carolinus_). L. 9.5. _Ad._
[Male]. Nearly uniform greenish black, sometimes with rusty edgings.
_Ad._ [Female]. Slaty gray, generally with some rusty edgings. Winter
plumage of both sexes similar to summer but widely tipped with rusty
above and yellowish rusty below. _Notes._ More musical than those of
other Blackbirds; calls, _tcback_ or _turalee_ repeated several times.
(Bendire.)
Range.--Eastern North America west to the Plains; breeds from New
Brunswick, northern New England, northern New York, and Manitoba,
north to Labrador and Alaska; winters from Virginia, southern
Illinois, and Kansas, southward.
[Illustration: 510.]
=510. Brewer Blackbird= (_Scolecophagus cyanocephalus_). L. 10. _Ad._
[Male]. Whole head violet-purple, rest of plumage bright greenish
black. _Ad._ [Female]. Grayish brown, throat paler, wings and tail
greenish black, no rusty. Winter plumage with light grayish brown
edgings to the feathers of the anterior part of the body.
_Notes._ _Chack_ and a loud, shrill whistle. (Bailey.)
Range.--Western North America from the Plains to the Pacific; breeds
from Texas and northern Lower California north to the Saskatchewan and
British Columbia; winters in the southern parts of its range; casually
east to Mississippi River states.
[Illustration: 511.]
=511. Purple Grackle= (_Quiscalus quiscula_). L. [Male], 12. _Ad._
[Male]. Head, purple, steel-green or steel-blue; back purple, brassy
green or greenish; the feathers _always_ with _iridescent_ bars.
_Notes._ _Tchak_ and a short unmusical call uttered with spread wings
and tail.
Range.--Eastern United States; breeds in lower Mississippi Valley and
east of Alleghanies, from Georgia to Massachusetts; winters from
Virginia southward through its breeding range.
=511a. Florida Grackle= (_Q. q. aglA|us_). Similar to 511, but slightly
smaller, head always violet purple; back always bottle-green, with
iridescent bars.
Range.--Florida, north on the Atlantic coast to Virginia, west on the
Gulf Coast to Texas.
=511b. Bronzed Grackle = (_Q. q. A|neus_). Head as in No. 511, back and
belly bronze, the feathers _wholly without_ iridescent bars.
Range.--Eastern United States west to the Rockies; breeds from
southern Texas to Great Slave Lake, east to Alleghanies, and, in New
York, east and northeast to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Labrador;
winters chiefly in lower Mississippi valley; migrates in part east of
the Alleghanies.
[Illustration: 513.]
=513. Boat-tailed Grackle= (_Megaquiscalus major_). L. [Male], 16;
W. 7.5; T. 7. _Ad._ [Male]. Head and neck glossy purple; back and
belly glossy greenish blue. _Ad._ [Female]. Much smaller, T. 5.2;
above blackish brown; below soiled rusty buff. _Notes._ _Tchack_,
a variety of hoarse, rather forced whistles and a gurgling roll as
of a Coot pattering over the water.
Range.--Florida, north along the coast to Virginia; west along coast
to Texas.
=513a. Great-tailed Grackle= (_M. m. macrourus_). Similar to No. 513,
but larger, [Male], L. 18; T. 9. Foreback and breast, as well as head
and neck, purple, only rump and lower belly greenish blue; [Female]
blacker both above and below than [Male] of 513. _Notes._ _Tchack_,
and a greater variety of squeaky calls and hoarse whistles than are
uttered by No. 513.
Range.--Eastern Texas and south into Mexico.
[Illustration: 486.]
=486. American Raven= (_Corvus corax sinuatus_). L. 24; W. 16; B. 2.7.
_Ads._ Resembling No. 488, in color but glossier below and with the
feathers of throat narrow and lengthened; nape feathers gray at base.
_Notes._ A hoarse, croaking, _craack-craack_, sometimes a deep,
grunting _koeer-koeer_; a clucking, and a metallic _klunk_. (Bendire.)
Range.--Western North America, from Guatemala north to British
Columbia; east to the Rockies, west to Pacific.
=486a. Northern Raven= (_C. c. principalis_). Similar to No. 486, but
larger, L. 25; W. 17; B. 3.
Range.--Eastern North America, from mountains of northern Georgia and
coast of Maine, north to Greenland; west to the Rocky Mountains.
[Illustration: 487.]
=487. White-necked Raven= (_Corvus cryptoleucus_). L. 18.5. _Ads._
Blue-black; feathers of throat narrow and lengthened and with feathers
of neck all around, _white at the base_. _Notes._ _Kwank-kwank_, less
loud and penetrating than those of No. 486. (Bendire.)
Range.--Northern Mexico, north to western Kansas, eastern Colorado
(rarely), and southern California; east to western Texas.
[Illustration: 488.]
=488. American Crow= (_Corvus americanus_). L. 19.3; W. 12.1; B. 2.00.
Black with steel-blue or deep, purplish reflections; below duller,
neck feathers not lengthened. _Notes._ _Caw_, _caw_, with many
variations; song, _car-r-r-uck_, _oo-oo-oo-oo-ah_.
Range.--North America, north to Arctic Circle; winters from northern
United States southward; local in west.
=488a. Florida Crow= (_C. a. pascuus_). Similar to No. 488, but wings
and tail somewhat shorter, bill and feet slightly larger, W. 12;
T. 7.3; B. 2.1.
Range.--Florida.
=489. Northwest Crow= (_Corvus caurinus_). Similar to No. 488 in color
but smaller; L. 16; W. 11; B. 1.7.
Range.--Northwest coast, from Oregon to Kadiak Island, Alaska.
[Illustration: 490.]
=490. Fish Crow= (_Corvus ossifragus_). L. 16; W. 11; B. 1.5. _Ads._
Resemble No. 488, in color, but back feathers are uniform blue-black
_without_ dull margins; underparts are nearly as bright as upperparts.
_Notes._ A hoarse, nasal, reedy _car_ resembling the call of the young
of No. 488.
Range.--Atlantic coast north to Connecticut, (casually Massachusetts),
west along Gulf coast to Louisiana; resident, except at northern limit
of range.
SYSTEMATIC TABLE
Of the Birds of America north of Mexico, arranged according to the
American Ornithologists' Union's 'Check-List of North American Birds',
Third Edition 1910, and Supplement[B], July, 1912.
(_The presence of brackets, [ ], indicates that the species is an
accidental visitant_).
[B] The Auk, xxix, 1912, pp. 380-387.
[C] Note that trinomials are now employed for all the
races of a species including the first one described. Hence in
place of No. 13, Puffin, _Fratercula arctica_, we now have
No. 13, Puffin, _Fratercula arctica arctica_. (See pages 6 and
7 for an explanation of this method.)
[E] Note also that in accordance with a ruling of the
A.O.U., the apostrophe is used with the names of birds named
after individuals. Thus in place of No. 16, Cassin Auklet, we
have No. 16, Cassin's Auklet. These changes affect all similar
cases throughout the Color Key. After identifying a species,
therefore, the student should turn to its number in the
Systematic Table to learn whether any change has been made in
its name. All alterations other than those of mere nomenclature
are given beyond in Appendix I.
Order PYGOPODES. Diving Birds
Family COLYMBIDA†. Grebes.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
1 Western Grebe A†chmophorus occidentalis 44
2 HolbA"ll's Grebe Colymbus holbA"lli 43
3 Horned Grebe " auritus 43
4 Eared Grebe " nigricollis californicus 43
5 Mexican Grebe " dominicus brachypterus 43
6 Pied-bill Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 43
Family GAVIIDA†. Loons.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
7 Loon Gavia immer 44
8 Yellow-billed Loon " adamsi 44
9 Black-throated Loon " arctica 44
10 Pacific Loon " pacifica 44
11 Red-throated Loon " stellata 44
Family ALCIDA†. Auks, Murres, and Puffins.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
12 Tufted Puffin Lunda cirrhata 45
13 Puffin Fratercula arctica arctica[C] 45
13_a_ Large-billed Puffin " " naumanni 45
14 Horned Puffin " corniculata 45
15 Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata 45
16 Cassin's Auklet[E] Ptychoramphus aleuticus 46
17 Paroquet Auklet Phaleris psittacula 47
18 Crested Auklet A†thia cristatella 47
19 Whiskered Auklet " pygmA|a 47
20 Least Auklet " pusilla 47
21 Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus 47
23 Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus 46
24 Kittlitz's Murrelet " brevirostris 46
25 Xantus's Murrelet " hypoleucus 46
26 Craveri's Murrelet " craverii 46
27 Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle 48
28 Mandt's Guillemot " mandti 48
29 Pigeon Guillemot " columba 48
30 Murre Uria troile troile 48
30_a_ California Murre " " californica 48
31 Brunnich's Murre " lomvia lomvia 48
31_a_ Pallas's Murre " " arra 48
32 Razor-billed Auk Alca torda 48
33 Great Auk Plautus impennis 48
34 Dovekie Alle alle 46
Order LONGIPENNES. Long Winged Swimmers
Family STERCORARIIDA†. Skuas and Jaegers
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
35 Skua Megalestris skua 51
36 Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus 51
37 Parasitic Jaeger " parasiticus 51
38 Long-tailed Jaeger " longicaudus 51
Family LARIDA†. Gulls and Terns
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
39 Ivory Gull Pagophila alba 52
40 Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla tridactyla 52
40_a_ Pacific Kittiwake " " pollicaris 52
41 Red-legged Kittiwake Rissa brevirostris 52
42 Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus 53
43 Iceland Gull " leucopterus 53
44 Glaucous-winged Gull " glaucescens 53
45 Kumlien's Gull " kumlieni 53
46 Nelson's Gull " nelsoni 53
47 Great Black-backed Gull " marinus 54
48 Slaty-backed Gull " schistisagus 54
49 Western Gull " occidentalis 54
[50] Siberian Gull " affinis A.V.
51 Herring Gull " argentatus 55
[52] Vega Gull " vegA| A.V.
53 California Gull " californicus 55
54 Ring-billed Gull " delawarensis 52
55 Short-billed Gull " brachyrhynchus 52
[56] Mew Gull " canus A.V.
57 Heermann's Gull " heermanni 54
58 Laughing Gull " atricilla 56
59 Franklin's Gull " franklini 56
60 Bonaparte's Gull " philadelphia 56
[60.1] Little Gull " minutus A.V.
61 Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea 56
62 Sabine's Gull Xema sabini 56
63 Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 58
64 Caspian Tern Sterna caspia 57
65 Royal Tern " maxima 57
66 Elegant Tern " elegans 57
67 Cabot's Tern " sandvicensis acuflavida 57
[68] Trudeau's Tern " trudeaui A.V.
69 Forster's Tern " forsteri 59
70 Common Tern " hirundo 59
71 Arctic Tern " paradisA|a 59
72 Roseate Tern " dougalli 59
73 Aleutian Tern " aleutica 58
74 Least Tern " antillarum 58
75 Sooty Tern " fuscata 60
[76] Bridled Tern " anA|theta 58
77 Black Tern Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis 60
[78] White-winged Black Tern " leucoptera A.V.
79 Noddy Anous stolidus 60
Family RYNCHOPIDA†. Skimmers.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
80 Black Skimmer Rynchops nigra 60
Order TUBINARES. Tube-nosed Swimmers
Family DIOMEDEIDA†. Albatrosses.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
81 Black-footed Albatross Diomedea nigripes 62
82 Short-tailed Albatross " albatrus 62
82.1 Laysan Albatross " immutabilis 62
[83] Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassogeron culminatus 62
[84] Sooty Albatross PhA"betria palpebrata 62
Family PROCELLARIIDA†. Fulmars, Shearwaters, and Petrels.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
[85] Giant Fulmar Macronectes giganteus A.V.
86 Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis glacialis 63
86_b_ Pacific Fulmar " " glupischa 63
86.1 Rodger's Fulmar " rodgersi 63
87 Slender-billed Fulmar Priocella glacialoides 63
[102] Pintado Petrel Daption capense A.V.
88 Cory's Shearwater Puffinus borealis 64
89 Greater Shearwater " gravis 64
[90] Manx Shearwater " puffinus A.V.
91 Pink-footed Shearwater " creatopus 64
92 Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri 64
[92.1] Allied Shearwater " assimilis A.V.
93 Black-vented Shearwater " opisthomelas 64
93.1 Townsend's Shearwater " auricularis 64
95 Sooty Shearwater " griseus 63
96 Slender-billed Shearwater " tenuirostris 64
96.1 Wedge-tailed Shearwater " cuneatus 63
[96.2] New Zealand Shearwater " bulleri A.V.
[97] Black-tailed Shearwater Priofinus cinereus A.V.
[98] Black-capped Petrel A†strelata hasitata 65
[99] Scaled Petrel " scalaris A.V.
100 Fisher's Petrel " fisheri A.V.
[101] Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulweri A.V.
103 Least Petrel Halocyptena microsoma 65
104 Stormy Petrel Thalassidroma pelagica 66
105 Forked-tailed Petrel Oceanodroma furcata 65
105.2 Kaeding's Petrel Oceanodroma kaedingi 65
106 Leach's Petrel " leucorhoa 66
106.1 Guadalupe Petrel " macrodactyla 66
[106.2] Hawaiian Petrel " castro A.V.
107 Black Petrel " melania 66
108 Ashy Petrel " homochroa 65
108.1 Socorro Petrel " socorroensis 66
109 Wilson's Petrel Oceanites oceanicus 66
[110] White-bellied Petrel Fregetta grallaria A.V.
[111] White-faced Petrel Pelagodroma marina A.V.
Order STEGANOPODES. Totipalmate Swimmers
Family PHAA<THONTIDA†. Tropic Birds.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
112 Yellow-billed Tropic-bird PhaA"thon americanus 69
113 Red-billed Tropic-bird " A|thereus 69
[113.1] Red-tailed Tropic-bird " rubricaudus A.V.
Family SULIDA†. Gannets.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
[114] Blue-faced Booby Sula cyanops 70
114.1 Blue-footed Booby " nebouxi 70
115 Booby " leucogastra 70
115.1 Brewster's Booby " brewsteri 70
[116] Red-footed Booby " piscator 70
117 Gannet " bassana 69
Family ANHINGIDA†. Darters.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
118 Water-Turkey Anhinga anhinga 73
Family PHALACROCORACIDA†. Cormorants.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
119 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 70
120 Double-crested Cormorant " auritus auritus 71
120_a_ Florida Cormorant " " floridanus 71
120_b_ White-crested Cormorant " " cincinatus 71
120_c_ Farallon Cormorant " " albociliatus 71
121 Mexican Cormorant " vigua mexicanus 71
122 Brandt's Cormorant " penicillatus 72
123 Pelagic Cormorant " pelagicus pelagicus 72
123_a_ Violet-green Cormorant " " robustus 72
123_b_ Baird's Cormorant " " resplendens 72
124 Red-faced Cormorant " urile 72
Family PELECANIDA†. Pelicans.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
125 White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos 73
126 Brown Pelican " occidentalis 73
127 California Brown Pelican " californicus 73
Family FREGATIDA†. Man-o'-War Birds.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page
128 Man-o'-war-bird Fregata aquila 73
Order ANSERES. Lamellirostral Swimmers
Family ANATIDA†. Ducks, Geese, and Swans.
A.O.U.
No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page