_Falco columbarius_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 1766, p. 128.—GMEL. Syst.
Nat. 1789, p. 281.—LATH. Ind. Orn. I, 44, 1790; Syn. I, 101, sp.
86; Supp. I, 27, 1802; Gen. Hist. I, 278, 1821.—DAUD. Tr. Orn. II,
83, 1800.—SHAW. Zoöl. VII, 188, 1812.—WILS. Am. Orn. pl. xv, fig.
3, 1808.—JARD. (WILS.) Am. Orn. I, p. 254, 1808.—JAMES. (WILS.)
Am. Orn. I, 61.—BREW. (WILS.) Am. Orn. I, 683, 1852.—RICH. Faun.
Bor. Am. II, 35, 1831.—AUD. Syn. B. A. p. 16, 1839; Orn. Biog. I,
466.—BONAP. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. II, 28; Isis, 1832, p. 1136; Eur. & N.
Am. B. p. 4, 1838.—NUTT. Man. I, 60, 1833.—CUV. Règ. An. (ed. 2), I,
322, 1829.—LESS. Tr. Orn. p. 92, 1831.—FORST. Phil. Trans. LXII, 382,
1772.—SWAINS. Classif. B. II, p. 212, 1837.—JARD. Ann. Nat. Hist.
XVIII, 118.—GOSSE, B. Jam. p. 17, 1847.—SAGRA, Hist. Nat. Cuba Ois. p.
23.—WEDDERB. Jard. Cont. Orn. 1849, p. 81.—HURDIS, Jard. Cont. Orn.
1850, p. 6.—DE KAY, Zoöl. N. Y. II, 15, pl. iv, f. 9, 1844.—GIRAUD, B.
Long Isl. p. 17.—BLACKIST. Ibis, III, 315. _Tinnunculus columbarius_,
VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. I, pl. xi, 1807; Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat. XII,
104, 1819; Enc. Méth. III, 1236, 1823. _Hypotriorchis columbarius_,
GRAY, List B. B. Mus. p. 55, 1844; Gen. B. fol. sp. 11, 1844.—CASS.
B. Calif. & Tex. p. 90, 1854.—WOODH. (Sitg.) Exp. Zuñi & Colorad.
p. 60, 1853.—HEERM. P. R. R. Rept. II, 31, 1855.—NEWB. P. R. Rept.
VI, 74, 1857.—CASS. B. N. Am. p. 9, 1858.—COOPER & SUCK. P. R. R.
Rept. XII, 1860, 142.—COUES, Pr. A. N. S. Phil. 1866, 6.—BREWER,
Oölogy, 12. _Lithofalco columbarius_, BONAP. Consp. Av. p. 26, 1850.
_Æsalon columbarius_, KAUP, Monog. Falc. Cont. Orn. p. 54, 1850.—GRAY,
Hand List, I, 21, 1869. _Falco obscurus_, GMEL. Syst. Nat. p. 281,
1789.—LATH. Ind. Orn. p. 44, 1790; Syn. Supp. I, 38, 1802; Gen. Hist.
I, 272, 1821.—DAUD. Tr. Orn. II, p. 123, 1800. _Falco intermixtus_,
DAUD. Tr. Orn. II, p. 141, 1800.—LATH. Gen. Hist. I, 136, 1821. _F.
temerarius_, AUD. B. Am. pls. lxxv, xcii, 1831; Orn. Biog. I, 380,
1831. _F. auduboni_, BLACKW. Res. Zoöl. 1840. _Accipiter palumbarius_,
CATESB. Carol. I, pl. iii, 1754.
SP. CHAR. _Adult male._ Above cinereous, varying in shade, but generally
of a slaty-bluish cast; each feather with a distinct shaft-streak of
black, these lines most conspicuous on the head above. Tail with a
very broad subterminal band of black, about one inch in width; there
are indications of three other bands, their continuity and distinction
varying with the individual, but generally quite conspicuous, and each
about half the width of the terminal one; the subterminal black band
is succeeded by a terminal one of white, of about three-sixteenths of
an inch in width, sometimes broader; on the lateral feathers the black
bands are always conspicuous, being in form of transverse oblong spots,
crossing the shaft, but less extended on the outer web, which is often
immaculate except at the end, the broad terminal band always extending
to the edge of the feather. Primaries dusky-black, margined terminally
more or less distinctly with whitish (sometimes fading on the edge
only); on the inner web is a series of about eight transverse oval
spots of white, and generally corresponding to these are indications of
bluish-ashy spots on the outer web. Beneath white, this purest on the
throat, which is immaculate: there is generally a more or less strong
tinge of fulvous beneath, this always prevalent on the tibiæ, and on a
distinct collar extending round the nape, interrupting the blue above;
the tibiæ frequently incline to ochraceous-rufous. Lateral portions of
the head with fine streaks of dusky, these thickest on upper edge of
the ear-coverts, leaving a distinct whitish superciliary streak, those
of opposite sides meeting on the forehead. Breast, upper part of the
abdomen, sides, and flanks, with longitudinal stripes of umber, each
with a shaft-streak of black; on the flanks their shape is modified,
here taking the form of spots running in chain-like series; tibiæ with
narrower and darker streaks; lower tail-coverts with narrow central
streaks like those on the tibiæ. Frequently there is a strong bluish
shade on flanks and lower tail-coverts, sometimes replacing the brown
of the spots on the former, and clouding in a similar form the latter.
Length, 11.00; extent, 23.75; wing, 7.75.
_Adult female._ Pattern of coloration as in the male, but the colors
different. The blue above replaced by dark umber-brown with a plumbeous
cast, and showing more or less distinct darker shaft-lines; these on
the head above very broad, giving a streaked appearance; white spots
on inner webs of primaries more ochraceous than in the male. Tail dark
plumbeous-brown, shading into blackish toward end, with five rather
narrow ochraceous or soiled white bars, the first of which is concealed
by the upper coverts, the last terminal. White beneath, less tinged
with reddish than in the male, the tibiæ not different from the other
portions; markings beneath as in the male.
_Juv._ Above plumbeous-brown, tinged with fulvous on head, and more
or less washed with the same on the rump; frequently the feathers
of the back, rump, scapulars, and wings pass into a reddish tinge
at the edge; this color is, however, always prevalent on the head,
which is conspicuously streaked with dusky. Tail plumbeous-dusky,
darker terminally, with five regular light bars, those toward the base
ashy, as they approach the end becoming more ochraceous; these bars
are more continuous and regular than in the adult female, and are
even conspicuous on the middle feathers. Primaries dusky, passing on
edge (terminally) into lighter; spots on the inner webs broader than
in the female, and pinkish-ochre; outer webs with less conspicuous
corresponding spots of the same. Beneath soft ochraceous; spots as in
adult female, but less sharply defined; tibiæ not darker than abdomen.
HAB. Entire continent of North America, south to Venezuela and Ecuador;
West India Islands.
Localities: Ecuador (high regions in winter, SCL. P. Z. S. 1858, 451);
Cuba (CAB. Jour. II, lxxxiii, Gundlach, Sept. 1865, 225); Tobago (JARD.
Ann. Mag. 116); S. Texas (DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 323, breeding?); W.
Arizona (COUES, Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 42); Costa Rica (LAWR. IX, 134);
Venezuela (SCL. & SALV. 1869, 252).