General Hints.
The _Loon_ and _Grebes_ are common representatives of the order of Diving
Birds. Their legs are set far back on the body, making it difficult for
them to walk at all.
*Grebes look like small, tailless ducks. They have long, slender necks,
short wings, smooth glossy plumage and flat, lobed feet. They
rarely leave the water and can dive or sink out of sight
instantly when disturbed, swimming to a distance with only the
tip of the bill out of water.
*Loons are very large, with flat, heavy bodies, short tails and long,
tapering bills. They are never crested, but are conspicuously
marked, and are equally expert with the grebes in diving and
sinking.
_Gulls_ and _Terns_ belong to the order of the _Long-winged Swimmers_,
but are better described by the name of _Skimmers_.
*Terns are much slenderer and usually smaller than gulls, have very
pointed bills and wings, and forked tails. They rarely if ever
swim, but skim swallow-like over the water, bill downward,
plunging into the water for their prey.
*Gulls are plumper than terns, with heavier bills and tails usually even.
They do not dive or plunge suddenly into the water, but fly and
soar or float about on the surface, sitting well up out of the
water.
_Ducks_, _Geese and Swans_ have webbed feet and short legs, and in
walking carry themselves almost horizontal. As a rule they have very
strong wings, enabling them to fly long distances at great speed. Our
ducks are most easily remembered in three groups:--
*1. The fish-eating Mergansers, whose plumage is largely black and white
and which have saw-edged bills and, usually, conspicuous
crests.
*2. The Sea Ducks, which are conspicuously marked but plainly colored,
frequent open water or the sea coast, diving, often to great
depths, for their food. Descriptions are given of the _Lesser
Scaup_, _Redhead_, _Canvas-back_, _American Golden-eye_,
_Old-squaw_ _and_ _Buffle-head_.
*3. The River Ducks, which have broad, rounded bills, are much variegated
in color and markings, and have a peculiar habit of feeding
head downwards, as though standing on their heads with the body
tipped up. The _Teals_, _Mallard_, _Wood Duck_ and _Pintail_
belong to this group. The females of these ducks, though
differing noticeably in size, may easily be confused.
*Geese are larger than ducks, feed mostly on land and are usually seen
during migration flying at a height in regular ranks after a
leader.
_Herons_ and _Bitterns_ belong among the _Wading Birds_. They have long,
pointed bills, long legs, loose, baggy plumage, broad wings and long
necks, curved s shaped in flight.
*Herons are tall, crested birds, with very long legs, bills and necks and
small tails. Their notes are harsh and squawking. Large numbers
sometimes nest together.
*Bitterns have shorter legs, necks and bills than herons and are very
rarely crested. They utter hoarse, resounding calls, and are
ordinarily solitary in habit.
_Rails and Coots_ are known as _Marsh Birds_, although the latter are
fine swimmers.
*Rails as a rule are smaller than bitterns and frequent grassy marshes
where they steal stealthily about, effectively concealed by
their dull streaky plumage. Short turned-up tails, short wings
and long legs are noticeable characteristics of these rapid
runners.
*Coots are ducklike in appearance and smoothly plumaged. Lobed feet
enable them to swim easily. Their bills spread out at the base
in the form of a plate or shield which extends up on to the
forehead.
_Plover_, _Sandpipers_ and the _Woodcock_ are strikingly different
representatives of the great order of _Shore Birds_. The plover family
have stout, short bills, while the sandpipers and woodcock belong to a
family which have soft probing bills of greatly varying length, for
obtaining their food in soft mud.
*Sandpipers have pointed wings, are dull-colored, and are usually found
slipping gracefully along the water's edge in search of food.
They skim rapidly over the water on outspread wings, and their
clear, reed-like notes are distinctly musical.
*Plovers are small and plump, with long pointed wings, short necks and
rather flat heads. They run and fly very rapidly, generally in
flocks piping loudly but sweetly. They frequent the inland as
well as the shore.
_Shore_ and _Water Birds_ are often extremely shy and they can detect the
presence of an observer at a distance. The caution is therefore
emphasized to approach them slowly and quietly.
Particular Hints.
*Note:--Owing to a lack of sufficient data the following _Shore_ and
_Water Birds_ are arranged according to the American Ornithologist's
Union order instead of their average first appearance. They have all been
seen, however, in Lincoln Park by the authors.
115. HORNED GREBE. 14 in.
(Colymbus auritus. 3.)
Brownish, sooty black, extending in narrow line up _back of neck_; rest
of neck, sides and upper breast rich chestnut-brown; _silky_ white below;
head and chin deep black, set off by buffy "horns" or crests, which slant
abruptly backwards from the eyes; black bill, tipped with yellow; eye,
red. Winter Plumage: Black parts sooty; brown replaced by white; grayer
below; crests and ruff less conspicuous. *Pied-billed Grebe.
116. PIED-BILLED GREBE. 13-1/2 in.
(Podilymbus podiceps. 6.)
Brownish-black, showing gray on head and neck; belly, dusky white,
otherwise brownish below; black throat-patch and a conspicuous black band
across bill. Winter Plumage: Throat whitish; browner below; no band on
bill. *Horned Grebe.
117. LOON. 33 in.
(Gavia imber. 7.)
Black, showing greenish on head and neck, spotted with square or oval
patches of white on back and wings and striped with white in front of
wings; white below; two conspicuous white-striped bars across the black
neck give the effect of a _broad black collar_; tail, very short; eye,
red; large black bill, long and pointed; dives and sinks like the
_Grebes_; note, an eerie, prolonged cry.
118. AMERICAN HERRING GULL. 24 in.
(Larus argentatus smithsonianus. 51a.)
White; wings and back, pearly blue-gray; bill yellow, showing a small
vermillion spot on either side; the longest wing feathers are partly
black, marked and _tipped with white_; the closed wing therefore shows
black towards the end, marked with a regular line of white spots and
tipped with white at the extreme point; eyelids, bright yellow; looks
large and heavy in flight. Winter Plumage: Streaked on head and neck with
gray. Immature Plumage: Dark and much streaked with brownish; bill
darker. *Ring-billed Gull.
119. RING-BILLED GULL. 19 in.
(Larus delawarensis. 54.)
Similar to the _American Herring Gull_, but _smaller_; bill,
greenish-yellow, bright at tip, _banded with black around the middle_;
wing tipped at extreme point with black; feet greenish-yellow; eyelids
vermillion-red. *American Herring Gull.
120. BONAPARTE GULL. 13 in.
(Larus philadelphia. 60.)
Back and wings, light pearl-gray; head and throat, dark slate color; back
of head, neck, underparts and square tail, white; wings tipped, and
_bordered narrowly on the outside edge with black_; feet and legs, red;
bill black. Winter Plumage: Hood, grayish white. Large flocks seen in
Lincoln Park. *Common Tern.
121. COMMON TERN. 15 in.
(Sterna hirundo. 70.)
Pearly gray back and wings, whiter on rump; _top of head, shining black_;
pure white on throat; dusky-white below; tail forked, _outer edge
darkest_; bill long and red, blackening towards tip; feet reddish. Winter
Plumage: Front of head and under-parts, white; bill nearly black.
*Bonaparte Gull.
122. AMERICAN MERGANSER. 25 in.
(Merganser americanus. 129.)
Black; rump and tail, ashy gray; head, throat and upper part of neck,
greenish black; wing, _largely white_, edged with black and crossed by a
black bar; white below, extending around the neck in a narrow collar;
long red bill tipped with black; eye, red; shows salmon tinge below in
flight. Female: Ashy-gray, with sharply defined brown head and neck and a
pale salmon or brownish tinge across upper breast; _throat_, _white_;
wings largely dark with a white patch; small crest on back of neck; feet
orange; eye yellow; rare; "pursues and catches food under water."
*American Golden-eye. *Red-breasted Merganser.
123. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 22 in.
(Merganser serrator. 130.)
Long ragged crest; head and neck black; broad white collar; broad
cinnamon band streaked with black across the breast, otherwise white
below, showing salmon tinge in flight; wing largely white, edged and
barred twice with black; eye and bill, red. Female: Back and wings dark
gray turning to brown on head and neck; much paler on sides of neck and
throat and gray across breast; crest, less prominent; white wing-patch;
common. *American Merganser.
124. HOODED MERGANSER. 18 in.
(Lophodytes cucullatus. 131.)
Black, including throat and neck; large, circular crest, white, bordered
with black; white below running up in front of the wings in two points;
sides brownish, finely lined with black; white wing-patch, crossed by
black bar; also lengthwise white streaks on end of wings; _short_ black
bill; eye yellow. Female: Grayish-brown; throat white; crest small; sides
unmarked. *Buffle-head.
125. MALLARD. 23 in.
(Anas boschas. 132.)
Head, throat and neck glossy green; _narrow_ white collar; breast, rich
brown; back, dark brownish; underparts, silver-gray; tail white, set off
by black feathers which curl up from either side of the black rump;
wing-patch purple, bordered on either side with a black and then a white
bar. Female: Buffy-brown and black; much streaked and speckled; lighter
on throat; shows wing-patch as in male; common.
126. GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 14-1/2 in.
(Nettion carolinensis. 139.)
Gray, finely lined on sides and shoulders with black; _white bar in front
of wing_; head, including throat, brown with a broad green stripe from
eye to back of head, ending in a small tuft; wings, gray-brown with
brilliant green and black wing-patch, bordered by buffy bars; breast very
pale reddish-brown, speckled with round black spots; buffy patches on
sides of tail; white belly. Female: Mottled brown; top of head and back
of neck dark brown; sides of head and neck buff-colored and finely
streaked; throat buff, unmarked; no green on head nor white bar in front
of wings; wing-patch as in male, but smaller. *Blue-winged Teal.
127. BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 15 in.
(Querquedula discors. 140.)
Back and underparts thickly mottled brownish and black, lightest below;
head slaty, showing purplish gloss; a conspicuous crescent-shaped white
stripe in front of eye; _shows blue_ on bend of wing, followed by a white
bar and a bright green wing-patch; white patch on sides of tail; bill
black. Female: Dusky-brown; black on top of head; streaked and whitish on
neck and sides of head; throat and about base of bill, _white_; back and
underparts, mottled and spotted; wing shows blue but no green; white bars
on head are wanting. *Green-winged Teal.
128. PINTAIL. 27 in.
(Dafila acuta. 143.)
Head, including throat, brown, darkest on top; long, swan-like neck,
black above, finely waved white and dusky on back and sides; _long middle
tail feathers_, black; white below with a conspicuous curved white stripe
running up sides of neck to head and ending in a point; bronzy patch on
wings. Female: Tail much shorter but pointed; dusky, everywhere streaked;
no white stripe on neck; whitish wing-bars; smaller than male.
*Old-squaw.
129. WOOD DUCK. 18 in.
(Aix sponsa. 144.)
Highly variegated; long, smooth, glossy crest, showing green and purple
iridescence and marked by two very narrow white parallel lines, curving
from bill and behind eye almost to end of crest; throat white, extending
irregularly in two stripes, one up behind eye, the other nearly around
neck; breast, glossy brown, spotted with white and set off on either side
by a conspicuous white stripe bordered with black; wings highly
iridescent, marked by green patch bordered with white. Female: Much
duller and less conspicuously marked; head brownish-gray, slightly
crested showing greenish tints; throat and line extending from it around
base of bill, with space about eye, white.
130. REDHEAD. 20 in.
(Aythya americana. 146.)
Puffy head and _upper_ part of neck and throat, bright reddish brown;
breast and upper part of back with rump, _black_; belly white; middle
back and _sides_ evenly and finely waved black and white, _which shows
gray at a distance_. Female: Grayish-brown, almost white on throat; brown
on head, light brown on neck. *Canvas-back.
131. LESSER SCAUP DUCK. 16 in.
(Aythya affinis. 149.)
Head, neck and breast black, showing _purple_ reflections on head; back
black and white, very narrowly barred; upper parts of wings dark, finely
mottled with white; lower part of wing brownish-black, showing a small
white patch; lower breast and belly white; bill, bluish, tipped with
black. Female: Black replaced by brown, lighter on head; region around
bill white. *Female Redhead, easily confused with female Lesser Scaup.
132. AMERICAN GOLDEN-EYE. 19 in.
(Clangula americana. 151.)
Black, glossed with green; white below, extending around the neck in a
collar; head bunchy, slightly crested and marked _below eye_ and just
back of eye by a nearly oval _white spot_; wings largely white; short
bill. Female: Brown, snuff-colored on head; white collar; white wing
patch; band of bluish gray across breast and down sides. *American
Merganser.
133. BUFFLE-HEAD. 15 in.
(Charitonetta albeola. 153.)
Head, throat and upper neck, iridescent black; conspicuous black crest
broadly banded with white over head from eye to eye; back black, ashy on
tail; wings black with a very large white patch; _collar and entire under
parts, white_. Female: Smaller; brownish, lighter below with no crest and
only a white patch on cheeks and a small white wing patch. *Hooded
Merganser.
134. OLD-SQUAW. 21 in.
(Harelda hiemalis. 154.)
Winter Plumage: Back, long tail-feathers and breast with conspicuous
_patch on sides of neck_, black; throat and upper breast, top of head,
neck and belly, white; cheeks grayish-brown; wings black and gray; bill
crossed by yellowish band. Female: Dark brown, lighter on head, grayish
on tail; throat, breast and region about the eye, gray-white; below
white, brown on lower part of throat; no long tail-feathers; smaller than
male. Summer Plumage: Head and neck, dusky black; grayish-white on sides
of head, and female shows more brown. *Pintail.
135. CANADA GOOSE. 40 in.
(Branta canadensis. 172.)
Head and neck, black with white throat-patch extending up to and just
behind eye; brownish-gray marked with lighter, darkest on back; rump and
tail, black above and white below; fly after a leader in harrow-shaped
ranks, often high up, crying, "honk, honk, honk."
136. AMERICAN BITTERN. 30 in.
(Botaurus lentiginosus. 190.)
Streaky tawny- and dark-brown; tawny-yellowish below, mixed with white
and streaked with dark brown; conspicuous black streak on sides of neck;
short brown tail; breast feathers loose and baggy; yellow eye; call, loud
resounding squawk or booming notes which have given it the common name of
"stake-driver."
137. LEAST BITTERN. 13 in.
(Ardetta exilis. 191.)
Crown, with back, tail and upper half of wings, shining greenish-black;
rest of wing shows buff and bright chestnut; throat and baggy breast,
whitish, shading into yellowish-brown on sides of neck, and chestnut on
back of neck; buffy white below; tufts of dark feathers on either side of
breast; yellow eye. *Green Heron.
138. GREEN HERON. 17 in.
(Butorides virescens. 201.)
Wings and back dark green, latter tinged with blue-gray; crown,
greenish-black; neck and breast, rich reddish brown; throat and line down
middle of neck to breast whitish, ending in light streaks on breast; the
smallest heron; carries neck curved in flight; squawking note, "scow."
*Least Bittern.
139. SORA. 8-1/2 in.
(Porzana carolina. 214.)
Olive-brown with lengthwise markings of black and some white; short tail
turned up, showing buffy white underside; sides _barred_ posteriorily
with white; front of head and _throat, black_; slaty line over eye; sides
of neck and breast, grayish slate; bill _short and yellowish_; legs long.
Young: No black; throat whitish and brown on breast; very stealthy;
skulks and crouches in grass.
140. AMERICAN COOT. 15 in.
(Fulica americana. 221.)
Smooth blackish slate color, lighter below and black on head and neck;
white bill shows _dark marks near the tip_; turned up tail; white
underneath; wing edged with white; eye red; young show white below and no
marks on bill; toes with scalloped edges. May be mistaken for a small
duck.
141. AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 10-1/2 in.
(Philohela minor. 228.)
Black, mixed black and rusty slate; below reddish-brown, no markings;
_large_ head with short neck and _very long straight bill_; eye set _high
up and far back_; crown barred crosswise with black and rusty; short
tail; burrows in soft mud for earthworms; nocturnal.
142. SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER. 6 in.
(Ereunetes pusillus. 246.)
Grayish-brown, marked with black and buffy; rump very dark; tail
tapering; underparts _pure white_, slightly tinged and streaked across
breast; white line over eye and dusky line beneath; note, "peep-peep."
*Other Sandpipers.
143. SOLITARY SANDPIPER. 8-1/2 in.
(Helodromas solitarius. 256.)
Back, dusky olive-brown, _finely spotted with white_; crown and back of
neck showing dark streaks; white below, throat unmarked; sides of head
and neck with breast slightly buffy and _distinctly streaked_; sides
lightly barred; wings dark brown with one narrow white wing-bar; middle
of tail very dark; outer feathers _white, barred with black_; note, a
soft whistle. *Spotted Sandpiper.
144. SPOTTED SANDPIPER. 7-1/2 in.
(Actitis macularia. 263.)
Greenish-ash marked lightly with black; _long white line over eye_; pure
white below everywhere with dark round spots; wings brownish, marked
broadly with white bar; flies close to the water with wings full-spread,
showing white wing-bar; note, penetrating "pee-weet, weet;" walks with
tilting motion. *Solitary Sandpiper.
145. KILLDEER. 10 in.
(Oxyechus vociferus. 273.)
Gray-brown; rump rusty-brown; tail rather long; white below; white collar
followed by a black collar, and a _black band across breast_; forehead,
line over eye and wing-bar, white; bill black; runs very swiftly; note,
loud and persistent "kill-dee" often heard high overhead.
Explanation of Chart.
The "height of the migration" usually comes during the second or third
week in May. This chart makes a comparison of the observations of six
years graphic.
For instance, the largest number of different species seen on any one
morning in 1903 was 68 (May 12), while in 1901 it was 48 (May 16).
The sudden rise or fall in the migration may also be seen at a glance.
May 9, 1899, for example, only 16 different species were observed and May
10 the record was 40. Similarly, in 1901, the number of species seen May
17 dropped from 45 to 15 in three days.
A chart showing the number of different kinds of birds
seen in _LINCOLN PARK_ during the
_HEIGHT OF THE MIGRATION_
Note to Key.
In response to many demands, the following simple field-key has been
devised, to the end that the beginner may be aided in learning to observe
correctly those points about a bird that appear most conspicuous in the
field or which are particularly distinctive.
Technical analyses and measurements have not been employed, but instead,
the birds are roughly placed in three groups according to size, the Robin
and English Sparrow marking respectively the 10-inch and 6-inch lines of
division.
The first part of the key deals with _general_ differences in color and
markings, while the second seeks to emphasize the most noteworthy
_special_ points which distinguish the different species. Incidentally a
few striking peculiarities of bill, wings and tail have been included.
It will readily be seen that a key embracing so little cannot do more
than reduce wild guessing to a few reasonable chances in identifying a
strange bird. Some practice is of course necessary to enable the student
to use the key readily. Its helpfulness will largely depend upon accuracy
of observation and a careful application of the points which it suggests.
Shore and water birds have been omitted--first, in order to keep the key
as simple as possible; second, because quite full descriptions of these
birds are given in the "Particular Hints;" and, third, for the reason
that beginners, as a rule, meet with far better success by becoming
familiar with the common land birds before attempting the study of water
and shore birds.