| Family 1. | GROUSE, PARTRIDGES, etc. | Tetraonidæ. | 21 species, 22 subspecies. |
| Family 2. | TURKEYS, PHEASANTS, etc. | Phasianidæ. | 1 species. 3 subspecies. |
| Family 3. | CURASSOWS and GUANS. | Cracidæ. | 1 species. |
The members of the family Tetraonidæ are usually placed in three subfamilies as follows: (1.) Perdicinæ, containing the true Quails and Partridges of the Old World and with no species in America. (2.) Odontophorinæ, including the Bob-whites and so-called 'Quails' and 'Partridges' of the New World, and with no species in the eastern hemisphere. (3.) Tetraoninæ, 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 Tetraonidæ 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 Tetraonidæ 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 Phasianidæ 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.
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289. Bob-white; 'Quail;' 'Partridge' (Colinus virginianus). L. 10. Ad. ♂. Throat, forehead and line over eye white. Ad. ♀. 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.) 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. 291. Masked Bob-white (Colinus ridgwayi). L. 9. Ad. ♂. Throat black; breast and belly reddish brown. Ad. ♀. Resembles ♀ 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. 296. Mearns Partridge (Cyrtonyx montezumæ mearnsi). L. 9. Ad. ♂. Sides with numerous, large, crowded white spots. Ad. ♀. 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. |
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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. 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 ♂ with chestnut patch on belly; ♀ with belly much rustier than in ♀ of No. 293. Range.—Lower Rio Grande Valley, northwest to Eagle Pass, Texas; south into northeastern Mexico. 294. California Partridge (Lophortyx californica). L. 10. Ad. ♂. Above olive-brown; belly patch chestnut. Ad. ♀. 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.) 295. Gambel Partridge (Lophortyx gambelii). L. 10. Ad. ♂. Throat, forehead and belly patch black; hindhead chestnut. Ad. ♀. Similar, but throat grayish buff; forehead gray; no black on belly; hind head brownish; crest smaller. Notes. Song, yuk-käe-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.) |
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297. Dusky Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus). L. ♂, 20. ♀, 18. Ad. ♂. Gray tail-band over one inch wide on middle feather; below grayish slate; above blackish with fine rusty and grayish markings. Ad. ♀. 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.) 298. Hudsonian Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis). L. 15. Ad. ♂. Tail-feathers tipped with brown; foreback margined with bluish gray. Ad. ♀. 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. ♂. Similar to Ad. ♂. of No. 298c, but margins to feathers of foreback brownish ashy. Ad. ♀. Similar to Ad. ♀ of No. 298c, but paler, barred with buff instead of rusty. Range.—Alaska. 298c. Canada Grouse (C. c. canace). Ad. ♂. Similar to Ad. ♂. of No. 298. Ad. ♀. Similar to Ad. ♀ 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. 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 60°)." (A. O. U.) |
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300. Ruffed Grouse; 'Partridge;' 'Pheasant' (Bonasa umbellus). L. 17. Ad. ♂. Prevailing color above rusty brown; tail rusty or gray. Ad. ♀. 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. Range.—Eastern United States from Minnesota, southern Ontario, southern New Hampshire and southern Vermont, south to Virginia and along the Alleghanies to Georgia; west to northwestern Arkansas. 300a. Canadian Ruffed Grouse (B. u. togata). Similar to No. 300, but slightly grayer above; tail generally gray; bars on breast and belly darker and better defined. Range.—Spruce forests of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine northern New Hampshire, northern Vermont and south to higher mountains of Massachusetts and northern New York; west to eastern slope of coast ranges of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia; north to James Bay. 300b. Gray Ruffed Grouse (B. u. umbelloides). Similar to No. 300a, but grayer; prevailing color of upperparts, including crown, gray; tail always gray. Range.—Rocky Mountains, from Colorado north to latitude 65° in Alaska, east to Mackenzie and poplar woods of western Manitoba. 300c. Oregon Ruffed Grouse (B. u. sabini). Similar to No. 300, but much darker, prevailing color of upper parts rusty brown; tail always rusty brown. Range.—Pacific coast ranges from Cape Mendocino, California, north to British Columbia. |
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301. Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus). L. 15. Bill large, more than .4 deep at base; tail black, narrowly tipped with white. Ad. ♂ Summer. Throat and upper breast rusty brown. Ad. ♂ Fall. Rustier and more finely marked above. Ad. ♀. Summer. Above black barred with buff and tipped with white; below buff barred with black; middle of belly whitish. Ad. ♀. Fall. Much like fall male. Ads., Winter. White, tail black tipped with white; no black before eye. Notes. Song, kû-kû-kû-kû while ascending five or ten yards in the air; a hard rolling kr-r-r-r when descending. (Nelson.) Range.—Arctic Regions; in America breeding south to Lat. 55° in winter migrating south to Lat. 50°; recorded once from Penobscot Co., Maine, and once from Manchester, Mass. 301a. Allen Ptarmigan (L. l. alleni). Similar to No. 301, but ♀ more finely marked; shafts of primaries, at all seasons, strongly black spreading to the web of the feather. Range.—Newfoundland. 302. Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus rupestris). L. 14. Bill less than .4 deep at base; tail black. Always to be known from No. 301 by its smaller bill. Ad. ♂ Summer. Above irregularly barred and mottled with gray and rusty buff; below barred black and white and rusty buff. Ad. ♂ Fall. Above minutely speckled black, gray and buff, the prevailing color being grayish brown. Ad. ♂ Winter. White, lores and tail black. Ad. ♀ Summer. Above black barred with rusty and margined with whitish; below rusty barred with black and tipped with whitish. Ad. ♀ Fall. Like fall ♂. Ad. ♀ Winter. Like winter ♂ but no black before eye. Range.—North America from Gulf of St. Lawrence and higher mountains of British Columbia north to Arctic Regions (except northern Labrador) west through Alaska to Aleutian Islands. 302a. Reinhardt Ptarmigan (L. r. reinhardti). Ad. ♂ Summer. Similar to No. 302, but "less regularly and coarsely barred above" (Ridgw.) Ad. ♀ Summer. Resembles ♀ of No. 302. Ads. Fall. Much grayer than No. 302 in fall. Ads. Winter. Like No. 302 in winter. Notes. When courting the male utters a growling kurr-kurr. (Turner.) Range.—Northern Labrador north to Greenland. 302b. Nelson Ptarmigan (L. r. nelsoni). Ad. ♂, Summer. Ground color of upperparts deep umber-brown, very finely and densely vermiculated; chest barred with bright tawny brown and black. Ad. ♀, Summer. Similar to ♂ of No. 302. (Ridgw.) Range.—Unalaska, Aleutian Islands. |
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302c. Turner Ptarmigan (L. r. atkhensis). Lighter in general hue than 302d and without black blotches on upperparts. (Elliot.) Ad. ♂, Summer. "Ground color of upperparts pale raw-umber brown, mixed with pale grayish; chest and neck barred with pale brownish ochre and black." Ad. ♀, Summer. Ground color of upperparts rusty, mixed with pale grayish buff, narrowly and irregularly barred with black; chest and neck coarsely barred with rusty and black. (Ridgw.) Range.—Atka, Aleutian Islands. 302d. Townsend Ptarmigan (L. r. townsendi). Ad. ♂, Summer. Above, breast and flanks raw umber finely vermiculated with black on back; with black blotches on head, neck and upperpart of back and wings. Ad. ♀, Summer. Above ochraceous, blotched and barred with black; lighter below. (Elliot.) Range.—Kyska and Adak, Aleutian Islands. 302.1. Evermann Ptarmigan (Lagopus evermanni). L. 13.9. Ad. ♂, Summer. Above and breast black slightly marked with rusty. Ad. ♀, Summer. Entire body plumage, ochraceous, blotched and barred with black and above tipped with white or ochraceous: below black bars wider and no white tips. (Elliot.) Range.—Attu, Aleutian Islands. 303. Welch Ptarmigan (Lagopus welchi). L. about 14. Bill and tail as in No. 302; plumage grayer than in No. 302. Ad. ♂, Summer. Above black finely and irregularly marked with wavy lines of buff and white. Ad. ♀, Summer. Above black finely and irregularly barred with buffy, grayish and white. Range.—Newfoundland. 304.? White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucurus). L. 13. Tail white. Ad. ♂, Summer. Breast barred, black and white. Ad. ♀, Summer. Above black barred with rich buff; below rich buff barred with black. Ads., Fall. Above and breast rich buff finely vermiculated with black. Ads., Winter. Entirely white. Notes. When about to fly and at the beginning of flight a sharp cackle like that of a frightened hen. (Grinnell.) Range.—"Alpine summits of Rocky Mountains; south to New Mexico; north into British America (as far as Fort Halkett, Liard River); west to higher ranges of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia." (Bendire.) 304a.? Kenai White-tailed Ptarmigan (L. l. peninsularis). Similar to No. 304, but in summer buff markings much paler; in fall, colors much grayer. Range.—Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. |
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305. Prairie Hen (Tympanuchus americanus). L. 18. Underparts with distinct brown and white bars of about equal width. Ad. ♂. A neck-tuft of ten or more rounded feathers. Ad. ♀. Neck-tufts much smaller; whole tail barred. Notes. Song, a loud "booming." Range.—"Prairies of Mississippi Valley; south to Louisiana and Texas; east to Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Ontario; west through eastern portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Indian Territory; north to Manitoba; general tendency to extension of range westward and contraction eastward; migration north and south in Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri." (A. O. U.) 305a. Attwater Prairie Hen (T. a. attwateri). Similar to No. 305>, but smaller and darker; neck-tufts proportionately wide; tarsus not fully feathered. Range.—Southwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas. 306. Heath Hen (Tympanuchus cupido). Similar to No. 305, but smaller; scapulars more broadly tipped with buff; neck-tuft of less than ten feathers; obtusely pointed; axillars barred with dusky. Range.—Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. 307. Lesser Prairie Hen (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). Similar to No. 305>, but smaller, more buffy above; brown bars below narrower than whitish spaces between them. Notes. Doubtless the same as those of No. 305. Range.—Southwestern parts of Kansas and western Indian Territory, western (and southern?) Texas. (Bendire.) 308. Sharp-tailed Grouse (Pediœcetes phasianellus). L. 17. Breast feathers with internal V shaped loops; no neck-tufts. Ads. Prevailing color above black; narrowly barred with rusty and margined with paler. Range—Interior of British America, east to Rocky Mountains, about James Bay (Moose Factory) and the west shore of Hudson Bay, northern Manitoba, north at least to Fort Simpson, Mackenzie River, northwest territory. (Bendire.) 308a. Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse (P. p. columbianus). Similar to No. 308, but prevailing color above buffy. Range.—"Northwest United States; south to northeastern California, northern Nevada and Utah; east to Montana and Wyoming, west to Oregon and Washington; north, chiefly west of Rocky Mountains, through British Columbia to central Alaska (Fort Yukon)" (Bendire.) 308b. Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse (P. p. campestris). Similar to No. 308a, but more rusty. Notes. Song, a bubbling crow, a rattling of tail-feathers, and stamping of feet. Calls, when disturbed, cack, cack, cack; a soft clear whistle and a grunt of alarm. (Seton.) Call of mother to young and of young in reply a guttural, raucous croak. (Grinnell.) Range—"Plains and prairies of United States, north to Manitoba; east to Wisconsin and northern Illinois; west to eastern Colorado; south to eastern New Mexico." (Bendire.) |
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309. Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Ad. ♂, L. 29; Ad. ♀, L. 22. Similar to ♂, but smaller, throat whiter; breast barred black and whitish. Notes. When courting, low, grunting, guttural sounds; when alarmed, a sort of cackle, käk, käk. (Bendire.) Range.—"Sage regions of the Rocky Mountain Plateau, and west chiefly within the United States, but north to Assiniboia and the dry interior of British Columbia; east to North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado; south to northern New Mexico, Utah and Nevada; west in California, Oregon and Washington, to the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range." (A. O. U.) Pheasant (Phasianus torquatus × P. colchicus). An introduced species, see remarks on page 114. 310. Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). ♂ Ad. L. about 48; upper tail-coverts and tail tipped with rusty chestnut: white bars in primaries entire, crossing the webs of the feathers. Notes. Similar to those of the domesticated Turkey. Range.—Eastern United States from Pennsylvania south to central Florida; west to Nebraska and northeastern Texas. 310a. Merriam Turkey (M. g. merriami). Similar to No. 310, but tail and upper tail-coverts tipped with whitish. Range.—"Mountains of southern Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and western Texas; and northern Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico." (Bailey.) 310b. Florida Wild Turkey (M. g. osceola). Similar to No. 310, but smaller; primaries with narrow broken bars not reaching across feather. Range.—Southern Florida. 310c. Rio Grande Turkey (M. g. intermedia). Tips of upper tail-coverts and of tail rusty buff intermediate in color between those of Nos. 310 and 310a. Range.—"Lowlands of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico." (A. O. U.) 311. Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula maccalli). L. 21. Ads. Above olive-brown; tail blacker, all but middle-feathers bordered with whitish; belly brownish. Notes. A loud, trumpeting cha-cha-laca, repeated a number of times. Range.—Tropical portions of eastern Mexico, from Vera Cruz north to Lower Rio Grande Valley. |
| Family 1. | PIGEONS and DOVES. | Columbidæ. | 13 species, 3 subspecies. |
Pigeons are distributed throughout the greater part of the globe, but their center of abundance appears to be in the Malay Archipelago, where about one hundred and twenty of the some three hundred known species are found. One hundred or more species have been described from the New World but only twelve of these inhabit North America.
The various races of domestic Pigeons, 'Pouters,' 'Fantails,' etc. are descendants of the Rock Dove of Europe, modified in form and habit through the selection by the breeder or 'fancier.'
Pigeons build a flimsy, platform nest of twigs and lay two white eggs. Both sexes incubate, one relieving the other at certain hours each day. The young are born naked and are fed by regurgitation, on 'Pigeons' milk,' the parent thrusting its bill into the mouth of its young and discharging therein food which has been softened in its own crop.
Some species of Pigeons nest in isolated pairs, others in large colonies, but it is the habit of many species to gather in large flocks after the nesting season.
The Wild or Passenger Pigeon, once so abundant in this county, was found in flocks throughout the year. Alexander Wilson, the 'father of American Ornithology' writing about 1808, estimated that a flock of Wild Pigeons seen by him near Frankfort, Kentucky, contained at least 2,230,272,000 individuals. Audubon writes that in 1805 he saw schooners at the wharves in New York city loaded in bulk with Wild Pigeons caught up the Hudson River, which were sold at one cent each.
As late as 1876 or 1877 there was a colony of nesting Wild Pigeons in Michigan, which was twenty-eight miles long and averaged three or four miles in width, and in 1881 the birds were still so abundant in parts of the Mississippi Valley that the writer saw thousands of birds, trapped in that region, used in a Pigeon match near New York City.
Today, however, as a result of constant persecution, the Wild Pigeon is so rare that the observation of a single individual is noteworthy.
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312. Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata). L. 15. Ad. ♂. Tail-band ashy above, whiter below; a white nape-band; tail square. Ad. ♀. Similar, or in some specimens, nape band absent; pinkish of crown and breast dingy. Notes. An owl-like hooting, sometimes a calm whoó-hoo-hoo, whoó-koo-hoo, at others a spirited hoóp-ah-whóo, and again wh'oo-ugh. (Bailey.) Range.—"Western United States from Rocky Mountains to the Pacific: north to Washington and British Columbia; south to Mexico and the highlands of Guatemala; distribution irregular, chiefly in wooded mountain regions." (A. O. U.) 312a. Viosca Pigeon (C. f. vioscæ). Similar to no. 312, but paler, more clearly bluish slate above; pink of crown and breast with a grayish bloom. Range.—Cape Region of Lower California. 313. Red-billed Pigeon (Columba flavirostris). L. 15. Ads. No tail-band; wings, tail, and belly slate; head and neck purplish pink; no iridescent markings. Notes. A fine, loud, coo-whoo-er-whoo. Range.—Costa Rica migrating north to southern Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. 314. White-crowned Pigeon (Columba leucocephala). L. 13.5 Ad. ♂. Crown white; body slate; lower hindneck iridescent; nape maroon. Ad. ♀. Much paler; crown ashy. Range.—Greater Antilles and Islands about Anegada Channel, coast of Honduras, Bahamas and certain Florida Keys. |
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315. Passenger Pigeon, Wild Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius). L. 16. Outer tail-feathers chestnut at base of inner web. Ad. ♂. Chin, whole head., and lower back bluish slate. Ad. ♀. Browner above, breast brownish ashy; neck feathers less iridescent. Notes. An explosive, squeaky, squawk. Range.—Formerly eastern North America north to Hudson Bay; now exceedingly rare, less so in the upper Mississippi valley than elsewhere. 316. Mourning Dove, Carolina Dove (Zenaidura macroura). L. 11.8. Outer tail-feathers slate color at base of inner web. Ad. ♂. Chin whitish; sides of head buffy; a black ear mark. Ad. ♀. Similar but paler, breast more ashy brown, neck-feathers less iridescent. Notes. Coo-o-o-ah, coo-o-o-coo-o-o-coo-o-o. Range.—North America, breeding from West Indies and Mexico north to southern Maine, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia; winters from southern New York, southern Illinois, Kansas and southern California southward. 317. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida zenaida). L. 10. Ad. ♂. Tail short, without white markings; all but central pair of feathers tipped with ashy blue; secondaries tipped with white. Ad. ♀. Similar but pinkish of crown and underparts brownish; neck feathers less iridescent. Notes. Resemble those of No. 316, but are louder and deeper. Range.—Greater Antilles, coast of Yucatan and Bahamas, north in April to Florida Keys. 318. White-fronted Dove (Leptotila fulviventris brachyptera). L. 12. No black ear-mark; under wing-coverts rusty chestnut. Ad. ♂. Forehead whitish; all but central pair of tail-feathers tipped with white. Ad. ♀. Forehead dingier; breast brownish ashy; neck feathers less iridescent. Notes. A short, soft coo. Range.—Central America and Mexico, north in February to valley of Lower Rio Grande. |
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319. White-winged Dove (Melopelia leucoptera). L. 12. Wing-coverts, externally, widely margined with white; large black ear marks. Ads. All but central pair of tail-feathers bluish slate with a black band and whitish tip. Notes. A loud, crowing cookeree-cookeree-coo-ree-coo, crow-co-er-coo, crow-co-er-coo. Range.—Southern border of United States from Texas to Arizona south to Lower California and Central America, Cuba and Jamaica, casual at Key West, Florida. 320. Ground Dove; Mourning Dove (Columbigallina passerina terrestris). L. 6.7. Smallest of our Doves. Ad. ♂. Forehead and underparts deep vinaceous pink; hindhead and nape ashy blue margined with dusky; base of bill coral, tip black. Ad. ♀. Forehead and breast brownish gray; breast feathers with dusky centers and margins. Notes. A soft, crooning coo. Range.—Atlantic and Gulf States north to northern North Carolina, west to eastern Texas; more common near coast. 320a. Mexican Ground Dove (C. p. pallescens). Similar to No. 320, but forehead and underparts much paler; back grayer. Range.—Texas to southern California and south to Central America. 320b. Bermuda Ground Dove (C. p. bermudiana). Similar to 320a, but smaller and paler; bill wholly black. (Bangs and Bradlee.) Range.—Bermuda. 321. Inca Dove (Scardafella inca). L. 8. Ads. Tail long, outer feathers tipped with white; plumage above and below margined with dusky, giving a scaled appearance. Range.—Southern Texas (San Antonio), southern Mexico and southern Arizona south to Lower California and Central America. 322. Key West Quail-Dove (Geotrygon chrysia). L. 12. Ads. A white line below eye; belly white; back rich rusty with beautiful, metallic, purplish, green and blue reflections; tail rusty with no white. Range.—Cuba, Hayti, Bahamas and, rarely, Florida Keys. 322.1. Ruddy Quail-Dove (Geotrygon montana). L. 11. Ad. ♂. No white line below eye; breast dull pinkish; belly deep buff; back rich rusty with purplish reflections, tail rusty without white. Ad. ♀. Above olive-brown with greenish reflections; below rusty buff. Range.—Mexico south to Brazil; West Indies; casual at Key West Florida. 323. Blue-headed Quail Dove (Starnœnas cyanocephala). L. 12. Ads. Crown and sides of throat dull blue; middle of upper breast black with white bars and pinkish tips; belly rusty brown, lower back as in No. 316. Notes. A hollow sounding hu-up, the first syllable long, the second short. (Gundlach.) Range.—Cuba, and rarely Florida Keys. |
| Family 1. | AMERICAN VULTURES. | Cathartidæ. | 3 species. |
| Family 2. | FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, etc. | Falconidæ. | 33 species, 13 subspecies. |
| Family 3. | BARN OWLS. | Strigidæ. | 1 species. |
| Family 4. | HORNED OWLS. | Bubonidæ. | 19 species, 20 subspecies. |
In the Raptores we have a group of birds of great value to man but whose services for the most part, are so little appreciated that, far from protecting these birds, we have actually persecuted them.
The Vultures, it is true, are given credit for their good work as scavengers and they are protected both by law and by public sentiment. Every one knows that a living Vulture is infinitely more useful than a dead one. As a result throughout countries inhabited by these birds they are usually both abundant and tame, entering the cities to feed in the streets with an assurance born of years of immunity from harm.
But how differently their kin of the family Falconidæ act in their relations to man! 'Wild as a Hawk' has become an adage. These birds are universally condemned. To kill one is a commendable act. Every ones hand is raised against them. In some localities a price has actually been set upon their heads.
A fondness for chickens, it is alleged, is the chief crime of Hawks, and in popular parlance all Hawks are 'Chicken Hawks' and as such are to be killed on sight.
Naturalists have long been aware that only one of our common Hawks habitually preys upon poultry while most of our species, by feeding largely on meadow mice, are actually beneficial. It was not, however, until this matter received the attention of the Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture, that the economic status of Hawks, as well as of Owls, was placed on a sound scientific basis. In Dr. A. K. Fisher's report on the food of Hawks and Owls, issued by the Biologic Survey in 1893, the results of the examination of the contents of several thousands stomachs of these birds is tabulated. It is stated, for example, that only three out of two hundred and twenty stomachs of the so-called 'Chicken' or Red-shouldered Hawk contained the remains of poultry, while mice were found in no less than one hundred and two, and insects in ninety-two.
That the Sparrow Hawk is also wrongly named is clear from a study of its food, only fifty-four out of three hundred and twenty stomachs examined containing remains of birds, while insects were found in two hundred and fifteen.
As a matter of fact, among our commoner Hawks, the Cooper and Sharp-shinned are the only ones feeding largely on birds and poultry, and if the farmer will take the pains to ascertain what kind of Hawk it is that pays unwelcome visits to his barn-yard, he will be spared the injustice of condemning all Hawks for the sins of one or two.
Feeding after sunset, when the small mammals are most active, Owls are even more beneficial than Hawks. The Great Horned Owl, it is true, has an undue fondness for poultry, but the bird is generally so rare near thickly populated regions that on the whole it does comparatively little harm.
Fortunately, it is those Owls which are most common in settled regions which are of most value to man. Thus, our little Screech Owl feeds chiefly on mice and insects. Only one of the two hundred and fifty-five stomachs examined by Dr. Fisher contained the remains of poultry while mice were found in ninety-one and insects in one hundred. Of the Short-eared or Marsh Owl, seventy-seven out of one hundred and one stomachs contained mice remains, and the same injurious little rodents were found in eighty-four out of one hundred and seven stomachs of the Long-eared Owl.
The bones and hair of the small mammals eaten by Owls are rolled into oblong pellets in the stomach and are ejected at the mouth. These pellets may often be found in large numbers beneath the roosts in which Owls pass the day. In 200 such castings of the Barn Owl Dr. Fisher found the remains of 454 small mammals of which no less than 225 were meadow mice.
Hawks build large-bulky nests of sticks placing them usually well up in large trees, and lay, as a rule, four eggs which are generally whitish, blotched with brown. The Marsh Hawk is an exception. Its nest built largely of grasses, is placed on the ground in marshes and the eggs, often numbering six and rarely eight, are bluish white unmarked.
The Owls nest in holes in trees or banks, or, in some instances, an old Hawk or Crow nest may be occupied. The eggs usually number three to five and are always pure white.