Color Key to North American Birds / with bibliographical appendix

324. California Vulture (Gymnogyps californianus). L. 44-55; Ex. 8 1-2 to nearly 11 feet. (Ridgw.) Ads. Head and neck orange, blue, and red, unfeathered; feathers around neck and on underparts narrow and stiffened; greater wing-coverts tipped with white; under wing-coverts white.

Range.—"Coast ranges of southern California from Monterey Bay, south to Lower California and east to Arizona" (Bailey). Recorded from Burrard Inlet, British Columbia (Fannin).

325. Turkey Vulture; Turkey Buzzard (Cathartes aura). L. 30; T. 11. Ads. Head and neck red unfeathered; brownish black; no white in plumage; bill whitish. Notes. A low hissing sound when disturbed.

Range—Western Hemisphere from central and northeast New Jersey, central Illinois, northern Minnesota, the Saskatchewan region and British Columbia, south to Patagonia; winters from southern New Jersey, southern Illinois and southern California southward.

326. Black Vulture; Carrion Crow (Catharista urubu). L. 24. T. 8. Ads. Head and neck unfeathered, black, plumage black; under surface of wings silvery. Notes. A low grunting sound when disturbed.

Range.—Tropical America, north, as a resident to North Carolina, southern Illinois and southern Kansas; west to the Plains, south to northern South America, strays as far north as Maine and South Dakota.

364. American Osprey; Fish Hawk (Pandion haliaëtus carolinensis). L. 23. Nape white; feet large; no bars on primaries. Ad. ♂. Below white with few or no spots on breast. Ad. ♀. Similar, but breast with numerous grayish brown spots and streaks. Notes. Loud, plaintive, whistles.

Range.—America; breeds from Florida, Texas and Lower California, north to Labrador, Great Slave Lake and northern Alaska; winters from South Carolina and Lower Mississippi Valley to northern South America.

327. Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus). L. 24. Ads. Back purplish black, wings and tail blue-black. Notes. A shrill, keen, e-e-e or we-we-we. (Bendire.)

Range.—Middle America; summers north to Virginia, central Illinois, northern Minnesota, Manitoba and Dakota; west to central Kansas, rarely to Colorado; winters in Central and South America.

328. White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus). L. 15.5. Ads. Shoulders black; back and middle tail-feathers ashy gray; rest of tail-feathers, forehead and underparts white. Yng. Upperparts with rusty. Notes. A plaintive, musical whistle. (Barlow.)

Range.—Middle America north to South Carolina, southern Illinois, Indian Territory, western Texas, Arizona and central California; south to Argentine Republic; rare east of the the Mississippi.

329. Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis). L. 14. Ads. Head, ends of secondaries, and underparts bluish gray; back bluish slate; tail black without bars. Yng. Head streaked black and white; back blackish, tipped with rusty; tail with three or four broken white bars; underparts buffy, streaked with rusty and blackish.

Range.—Middle America; breeds north to South Carolina, southern Illinois and Kansas; winters in tropics.

330. Everglade Kite; Snail Hawk (Rostrhamus sociabilis). L. 18. Longer upper tail-coverts and base of tail white. Ads. Slaty black; end of tail with brownish and whitish bands. Yng. Above blackish brown tipped with rusty; below mottled rusty, blackish and buff.

Range.—Tropical America north to southern Florida and eastern Mexico; south to Argentine Republic.

331. Marsh Hawk; Harrier (Circus hudsonius). L. ♂, 19; ♀, 22. Upper tail-coverts and base of tail white. Ad. ♂. Above gray or ashy; underparts with rusty spots. Ad. ♀, and Yng. Above brownish black with more or less rusty, particularly on the nape; below brownish rusty with black streaks on breast. Notes. A peevish scream and peculiar clucking or cackling. (Preston.)

Range.—North America; breeds locally north to about latitude 60°; winters from southern New York, northern Illinois, northern Kansas, Colorado and British Columbia south to Central America.

332. Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter velox). L. ♂, 11.2; ♀, 13.5; T. ♂, 5.5; ♀, 7. Tail square at end. Ads. Above slaty gray; crown darker; below barred white and rusty brown. Yng. Above blackish brown lightly margined with rusty; below white streaked with brown. Note the relatively long tail in this and the two following species. Notes. Cac-cac-cac. (Ralph.)

333. Cooper Hawk (Accipiter cooperii). L. ♂, 15.5; ♀, 19; T. ♂, 7.7; ♀, 9. Similar in color to No. 332, but tail rounded; adult with crown blacker. Notes. A cackling or chattering. (Bendire.)

Range.—North America; breeds from southern Mexico north to British America; winters from Massachusetts, Lower Mississippi Valley and Oregon southward.

334. American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus). L. ♂, 22; ♀, 24; T. ♂, 10; ♀, 11.5. Ads. Above bluish slate; crown darker; a whitish line over the eye to the nape; below finely marked with gray and white. Yng. Above blackish brown, rusty and buff; below buffy white streaked with blackish.

334a. Western Goshawk (A. a. striatulus). Similar to No. 334, but Ad. dark plumbeous above, markings on lower parts heavier and darker. Stripes on lower parts of Yng. broader and blacker. (Ridgw.) Notes. A shrill scream and a frequently repeated keeah or kreeah. (Bendire.)

Range.—"Western North America; north to Sitka, Alaska; south to California; east to Idaho. Breeds in the Sierra Nevada south to latitude 38°." (A. O. U.)

346. Mexican Goshawk (Asturina plagiata). L. 17. Ads. Above slaty gray; below barred slaty-gray and white. Yng. Above blackish brown with rusty markings, particularly on wing-coverts; longer upper tail-coverts white with black spots or bars; tail brownish with numerous black bars; below whitish with large elongate spots. Notes. A peculiar piping note uttered while hovering in the air. (Bendire.)

Range.—Middle America, from Panama north, in March, to Mexican border of United States.

335. Harris Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi). L. ♂, 19; ♀, 22. Longer upper tail-coverts, base and tip of tail white. Ads. Shoulders, thighs and under wing-coverts, reddish brown; under tail-coverts white. Yng. Similar but streaked below with rusty, buff and black; legs barred with white. Notes. A long, harsh, Buteo-like scream. (V. Bailey.)

Range.—Middle America from Panama north to southern Texas, rarely Mississippi and southern California.

337 Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo borealis). L. ♂, 20; ♀, 23. Four outer primaries notched. Ads. Tail rusty brown with a black band, sometimes broken, near its tip; below buffy white, a band of spots across the belly; legs usually without bars. Yng. Tail grayish brown with a rusty tinge and numerous blackish bars; upper tail-coverts barred black and white; below less buffy than in adult; legs more often barred. Notes. A shrill whistle, suggesting the sound of escaping steam.

337a. Krider Hawk (B. b. kriderii). Similar to No. 337, but nearly or wholly white below. Ads. Usually without black tail band.

Range.—"Great Plains of United States from Minnesota to Texas;, east irregularly or casually to Iowa and northern Illinois." (Bendire).

337b. Western Red-tail (B. b. calurus). Very variable in color. Ads. Sometimes sooty brown above and below with more or less rusty; in light phase resembles No. 337, but tail averages paler and sometimes has more than one bar; the underparts are deeper and legs are usually barred with rusty. Yng. Similar to Yng. of No. 337, but markings below heavier; flanks more barred.

Range.—Western North America from Rocky Mountains to Pacific; north to British Columbia, south to central America; generally resident.

337d. Harlan Hawk (B. b. harlani). Ads. Above sooty brown; tail closely mottled with blackish, rusty and whitish; below varying from white, more or less-spotted on belly to sooty brown. Yng. Similar, but tail barred with blackish, gray, rusty or whitish.

Range.—"Gulf States and Lower Mississippi Valley, north (casually) to Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Pennsylvania; east to Georgia, and Florida." (Bendire).

339. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). L. ♂, 18.3; ♀, 20.3. Four outer primaries notched. Ads. Lesser wing-coverts bright reddish brown. Yng. Below whitish streaked with brownish; lesser wing-coverts less reddish; primaries with rusty buff. Notes. A loud screaming keé-yer, keé-yer.

339a. Florida Red-shouldered Hawk (B. l. alleni). Smaller than No. 339. (W. ♂, 11.) Ad. Much grayer above, no rusty on head, much paler below.

Range.—Florida north along coast to South Carolina; west along coast to eastern Texas.

339b. Red-bellied Hawk (B. l. elegans). Similar to No. 339, but rusty of breast usually unbroken. Young with lower parts deep brownish or dusky prevailing; less buff on primaries. (Ridgw.)

Range.—Pacific coast from Lower California north to British Columbia; east rarely to Colorado and western Texas.

342. Swainson Hawk (Buteo swainsoni). L. ♂, 20. Three outer primaries notched. Ad. ♂. Breast patch rusty brown. Ad. ♀. Breast-patch grayish brown. Dark phase. Brownish black more or less varied with rusty; tail obscurely barred. Yng. Below rich rusty buff with elongate black spots. Notes. Pi-tick, pi-tick, frequently repeated. (Bendire.)

Range.—"Western North America from Wisconsin, Illinois, Arkansas and Texas to the Pacific coast; north to Arctic regions and south to Argentine Republic, casual east to Maine and Massachusetts. Breeds nearly throughout its North American range." (A. O. U.)

343. Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus). L. ♂, 15.8; ♀, 16.7. Three outer primaries notched. Ads. Tail with two whitish bands and a brownish tip; below barred with rusty brown. Yng. No buff in primaries; tail brownish with several black bars; below whitish, streaked with blackish. Notes. A high, sharp, keen, penetrating whistle.

Range.—Eastern North America, breeds west to Plains, north to New Brunswick and Saskatchewan; winters from southern New Jersey south to northern South America.

340. Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo abbreviatus). L. ♂, 19; ♀, 21. Ads. Tail with little if any white tip; inner webs of all but middle feathers with black and white bars. Yng. Browner; tail grayish brown; white on inner webs, with numerous blackish bars. Notes. Not unlike those of Buteo borealis. (Belding.)

Range.—Tropical America north to southern Texas, southern Arizona and southern California.

344. Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus). L. 17; T. 7. Ads. Above slaty gray, tail barred with black and tipped with white; sides of breast rusty; rest of underparts white. Dark phase. Blackish, forehead whitish; tail lighter than back, barred with black. Yng. Above blackish brown, below cream buff, without black markings. Notes. Somewhat resembling the scream of the Red-shouldered Hawk, but more prolonged. (Pennock.)

Range.—Tropical America, north to eastern Mexico; rare in Florida.

345. Mexican Black Hawk (Urubitinga anthracina). L. ♂, 19; ♀, 21. Ads. Tail with a white tip and broad white band across all the feathers. Yng. Above brownish black, buff and rusty; below buffy striped with blackish; tail with several black and whitish bars. Notes. Piping cries like the spring whistle of Numenius longirostris. (Bendire.)

Range.—"Tropical America in general, north to central Arizona, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas." (Bendire).

362. Audubon Caracara (Polyborus cheriway). L. 22. Tail white with a black end and numerous black bars. Ads. Breast and hindneck barred; belly black. Yng. Crown, back, and belly dark brown; hindneck, breast and belly streaked with buffy. Notes. Generally silent, but sometimes utters a prolonged cackling note. (B. F. Goss.)

363. Guadalupe Caracara (Polyborus lutosus). Resembles No. 362, but has rump and upper tail-coverts dull brownish buff broadly barred with dull brown; tail brownish buff with broad bars of grayish brown bordered by narrower zigzag bars or lines of dusky; terminal band less than 2.00 wide. (Ridgway.)

Range.—Guadalupe Island, west of Lower California.

341. Sennett White-tailed Hawk (Buteo albicaudatus sennetti). L. ♂, 21; ♀, 23. Three outer primaries cut. Ads. Grayish slate above. Yng. Above brownish black; breast usually white, throat blackish, belly heavily marked with rusty and blackish; sometimes wholly black below; tail generally silvery gray., white on inner webs with numerous indistinct blackish bars. Notes. A cry much like the bleating of a goat (Merrill.)

Range.—"From southern Texas and Arizona south to Mexico." (Bailey.)

347a. American Rough-legged Hawk (Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis). B. .7 deep, smaller than in No. 348. L. ♂, 21; ♀, 23. Legs feathered to the toes. Ads. Basal half of tail white, end half barred with black; belly with more or less black. Yng. No black bars on end half of tail; buffier below, more black on belly. Black phase. Black more or less varied with brown and rusty as it approaches light plumage of ad. or yng; but to be known by feathered legs.

Range.—North America; breeds north of United States; winters south to Virginia, Missouri and central California.

348. Ferruginous Rough-Leg (Archibuteo ferrugineus). B. 1. deep, larger than in No. 347a; L. ♂, 22; ♀, 24. Legs feathered to toes. Ads. Above rich rusty streaked with black; legs rusty barred with black; tail grayish sometimes washed with rusty. Yng. Above blackish brown margined with rusty; below white; breast with a few streaks; legs spotted; tail with inner webs and base white; outer webs grayish. Dark phase. Sooty brown more or less varied with rusty; tail as in ad.

Range.—"Western North America from the Plains (east North Dakota to Texas), west to the Pacific and from the Saskatchewan region south into Mexico; casually east to Illinois. Breeds from Utah, Colorado and Kansas north to the Saskatchewan Plains." (A. O. U.)

355. Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus). L. ♂, 17; ♀, 20. A blackish patch on the sides. Ad. ♂. Above including middle tail feathers, grayish brown; back with more or less concealed buffy bars. Ad. ♀. No buffy bars on back. Yng. Above margined with rusty and whitish; head much as in ad. Notes. Kee, kée, kee and a sort of cackle. (Bendire.)

Range.—"United States from the eastern border of the Plains to the Pacific and from the Dakotas south into Mexico; casual east to Illinois. Breeds throughout its United States range." (A. O. U.)

349. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaëtos). L. ♂, 30-35; ♀, 35-40; Ex. ♂, 78-84; ♀, 84-90. (Ridgw.) Legs feathered to toes. Ads. Back of head and nape paler than body; basal two-thirds of tail white. Yng. Base of tail with broken grayish bars. Notes. A shrill, kee-kee-kee, and, when alarmed, kiah-kiah repeated a number of times. (Bendire.)

Range—Northern parts of northern hemisphere; in America south into Mexico; rare east of Mississippi, more common in Rocky Mountains and mountains of Pacific coast.

352. Bald Eagle (Haliæetus leucocephalus). L. ♂, 33; ♀ 35; Ex. ♂, 84; ♀, 89. Legs not feathered to toes. Ads. Head, neck and tail white. Yng. Head and body blackish, more or less varied with white; tail blackish mottled with white. Notes. Of the male, a loud, clear cac cac-cac; of the female harsh and broken. (Ralph.)

352a. Alaska Bald Eagle (H. l. alascanus). Similar to No. 352, but larger. W. ♂, 23.8; ♀, 24.6; T. ♂, 11.5; ♀, 12; Tar. ♂, 4.1; ♀, 3.7. (Townsend.)

Range.—Alaska.

353. White Gyrfalcon (Falco islandus). L. ♂, 22; ♀, 24. Tarsus feathered in front nearly to toes; only outer primary notched. Under tail coverts pure white. Ads. Below white with few or no black markings. Yng. Dark areas above larger, below with elongate blackish spots.

Range.—Arctic regions, in America south in winter casually to Maine.

354. Gray Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus). L. ♂, 22; ♀, 24. Tarsus feathered in front nearly to toes; only outer primary notched. Under tail coverts with dusky margins. Ads. Crown usually more white than dusky; above barred with blackish and grayish; below white, breast streaked; sides and legs barred with dusky. Yng. Above dark brown with broken buffy bars and margins: tail with white and brown bars of nearly equal width, below white everywhere streaked with blackish.

354a. Gyrfalcon (F. r. gyrfalco). Similar to No. 354, but head usually with more dusky than white; back in ad. indistinctly barred with grayish. Yng. With dark stripes of lower parts usually about equal in width to white interspaces.

Range.—"Northern Europe and Arctic America, from northern Labrador and coasts of Hudson Bay to Alaska" (Ridgw.); south in winter casually, to northern border of United States as far as Long Island.

354b. Black Gyrfalcon (F. r. obsoletus). Similar to No. 354, but much darker; above plain dusky with few or no buffy markings; below dusky margined with buffy, the former prevailing. Notes. A chattering ke-a, ke-a, ke-a, blending into a rattling scream. (Turner.)

Range.—Labrador: south in winter to northern New England; casually to Long Island.

356. Duck Hawk (Falco peregrinus anatum). L. ♂, 16; ♀, 19. Sides of throat black. Ads. Above bluish slate; below buffy. Yng. Above blackish margined with rusty; tail with broken rusty bars and whitish tip; below deep rusty buff streaked with blackish; under surface of wing uniformly barred. Notes. Loud screams and noisy cacklings. (Bendire.)

Range.—Western Hemisphere; breeds locally from Southern States to Arctic regions; winters from Northern States southward; more common west of Rocky Mountains.

356a. Peale Falcon (F. p. pealei). Ads. Crown uniform with back; chest heavily spotted with blackish; bars of remaining underparts very broad. (Ridgw.)

Range.—"Pacific coast region of North America from Oregon to the Aleutian and Commander Islands, breeding throughout its range." (A. O. U.)

357. Pigeon Hawk (Falco columbarius). L. ♂, 10.5; ♀, 13. Two outer primaries notched. Ad. ♂. Above slaty blue; middle tail feather with not more than four black bands. Ad. ♀ and Yng. Above dark blackish brown; bars in middle tail feather five or less; below more heavily barred than in ♂.

357a. Black Merlin (F. c. suckleyi). Similar to No. 357, but much darker above and more heavily, marked below; bars on tail and under side of wing nearly obsolete.

Range.—Pacific coast from northern California to Sitka; east to eastern Oregon and Washington.

358. Richardson Merlin (Falco richardsonii). Resembles No. 357, but is paler and has the central tail feather crossed by six light bars, counting the terminal one.

Range.—Interior of North America from eastern border of Great Plains west; rare west of Rockies; north to, at least, latitude 53°; south to Mexico.

359. Aplomado Falcon (Falco fusco-cærulescens). L. ♂, 16; ♀, 17.5. Middle of belly black. Ads. Above slaty gray; breast buff, lower belly rusty. Yng. Similar but grayish brown above, belly paler.

Range.—South and Central America north to southern border of the United States.

360. Sparrow Hawk (Falco sparverius). L. 10; ♀, 11. Ad. ♂. Tail with one black bar; below spotted. Ad. ♀. Whole back barred; tail with numerous black bars; below streaked. Notes. A rapidly repeated killy-killy-killy, usually uttered while on the wing.

360a. Desert Sparrow Hawk (F. s. phalæna). Similar to No. 360, but slightly larger and appreciably paler; ♀ with black bars above narrower; streakings of underparts finer and more rusty. ♂, L. 10.6; W. 7.5; T. 5.3; ♀, L. 10.8; W. 7.7; T. 5.3. (Mearns.)

Range.—"Western United States, north to western British Columbia and western Montana south, to Mazatlan in northwestern Mexico." (A. O. U.)

360b. St. Lucas Sparrow Hawk (F. s. peninsularis). Similar to No. 360a, but paler; smaller than No. 360. ♂, W. 6.4; T. 4.5; ♀, W. 7; T. 4.7. (Mearns.)

Range—Lower California (Cape Region only?)

365. Barn Owl; Monkey-faced Owl (Strix pratincola). L. 18. No ear-tufts; eyes black. Ads. Above gray and yellowish buff; below white more or less washed with buff and spotted with black. Yng. More buffy below. Notes. A sudden, harsh scream and a screaming cr-r-r-r-e-e, repeated several times generally when flying.

Range.—United States north to Long Island, (rarely Massachusetts), southern Ontario, Minnesota and Oregon; migrates slightly south and winters south to Mexico.

366. American Long-eared Owl (Asio wilsonianus). L. 14.8. Ear-tufts long; eyes yellow. Ads. Above varied with gray; belly barred. Notes. Usually silent except during the breeding season when they utter a soft toned, slow wu-hunk, wu-hunk and a low, twittering, whistling dicky, dicky, dicky. (Bendire.)

Range.—North America; breeds from Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and British Columbia south into Mexico.

367. Short-eared Owl (Asio accipitrinus). L. 15.5. Ear tufts short; eyes yellow. Ads. No gray above; belly streaked. Notes. A shrill barking call like the ki-yi of a small dog. (Lawrence.)

Range.—"Nearly cosmopolitan;" in America breeds locally from Virginia, northern Mississippi Valley, and Dakotas northward; winters from northern United States southward.

378. Burrowing Owl (Speotyto cunicularia hypogæa). L. 10. Tarsi bare behind. Ads. Spotted above with buffy; belly barred; chin and breast-patch white. Yng. Less distinctly spotted above; belly without bars. Notes. A mellow, sonorous coo-c-o-o; a chattering note uttered when flying, and a short, shrill alarm-note, tzip-tzip. (Bendire.)

378a. Florida Burrowing Owl (S. c. floridana). Similar to No. 378, but slightly smaller and whiter throughout; spots above white with little if any buff; tarsi nearly bare.

Range.—Interior of southern Florida.

368. Barred Owl (Syrnium varium). L. 80. No ear-tufts; eyes black. Ads. Head, back and breast barred; toes feathered nearly if not quite to the nails. Notes. A loud, sonorous whoo-whoo-whoo-too-whoo, to-whoo-ah; a long-drawn, whoo-ah; rarely a wild scream; and when two individuals meet, a remarkable medley of hoots and ha-has.

368a. Florida Barred Owl (S. v. alleni). Similar to No. 368, but smaller, darker; black bars especially on breast, wider; toes nearly if not quite bare.

Range.—Florida; north along coast to South Carolina; west along coast to Texas.

368b. Texas Barred Owl (S. v. helveolum). Similar to No. 368 in color, but with the toes bare as in No. 368a.

Range.—Southern Texas.

369. Spotted Owl (Syrnium occidentale). Resembles No. 368, but has the head and neck spotted with white; primaries with broad, whitish tips. Notes. Probably similar to those of No. 368. (Bendire.)

Range.—Western United States from southern Colorado and New Mexico, west to California, south to Lower California and Guanajuato, Mexico.

369a. Northern Spotted Owl (S. o. caurinum). Similar to No. 369, but darker; white markings smaller; white spots on head and neck reduced to minimum; white tips to primaries nearly obsolete. (Merriam.)

Range.—Western Washington and British Columbia.

370. Great Gray Owl (Scotiaptex nebulosa). L. 27. No ear-tufts; eyes yellow. Ads. Above black finely and irregularly marked with white; breast streaked; feet feathered to toe-nails. Notes. Said to be a tremulous, vibrating sound. (Fisher.)

Range.—North America; breeds north of Lat. 55°; winters south to northern border of United States casually as far as New Jersey, Illinois, Minnesota, Idaho, and northern California.

371. Richardson Owl (Nyctala tengmalmi richardsoni). L. 10. Ads. Above grayish brown with numerous white spots, particularly on head; feet feathered to toes and usually with indistinct, dusky bars. Notes. A musical, soft whistle. (Wheelright.) A peculiar grating cry. (Nelson.) (See next page.)

Range.—Northern North America; breeds from Gulf of St. Lawrence and Manitoba northward; winters south to northern border of United States, casually to Massachusetts, Iowa, and Colorado; no Pacific coast record (?).

372. Saw-whet Owl; Acadian Owl (Nyctala acadica). L. 8. Ads. Above cinnamon brown; forehead with many, hindhead with few streaks; back with white spots; feet and legs less heavily feathered than in No. 371 and without dusky bars. Yng. Breast and back cinnamon brown with few white markings; belly rusty buff, unstreaked. Notes. A frequently repeated whistle; sometimes high, sometimes low; generally begins slow and ends rapidly; resembles noise of saw-filing. (Ralph.)

Range.—North America; breeds from mountains of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts (rarely), northern New York, northern Illinois; and, in Rocky Mountains, from Mexico northward; winters south to Virginia, Kansas and central California.

372a. Northwest Saw-whet Owl (N. a. scotæa). Similar to No. 372, but darker both above and below, dark markings everywhere heavier; flanks, legs and feet more rufescent. (Osgood.)

Range.—Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia.

379. Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium gnoma). L. 7. Top of head spotted. Ads. Above grayish brown; spots whitish. Yng. No spots on head. Notes. A soft cooing coohuh, coohuh, repeated a number of times. (Bendire.)

379a. California Pygmy Owl (G. g. californicum). Similar to No. 379, but darker; spots above buff or rusty.

Range.—Humid coast region from Monterey, California, north to British Columbia.

379.1. Hoskin Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium hoskinsii). Similar to No. 379a, but smaller and grayer, the forehead and facial disc with more white, the upperparts less distinctly spotted. (Brewst.)

Range.—Southern Lower California.

380. Ferruginous Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium phalænoides). L. 7. Top of head streaked. Ads. Above varying from grayish brown marked with whitish to plain reddish brown without marks; below white streaked with grayish brown or reddish brown. Yng. No streaks on head. Notes. A softly whistled coo repeated many times at intervals of about one second.

Range.—Tropical America; from Brazil north to Mexican border of United States.

381. Elf Owl (Micropallas whitneyi). L. 6. Smallest of our Owls. Ads. Above grayish brown, head spotted; back barred with rusty; below mixed rusty, white and grayish. Notes. A tremulous cha-cha, cha-cha, in different keys, sometimes low, sometimes distinct. (Bendire.)

Range.—Tableland of Mexico from Puebla north to Mexican border of United States; Lower California, and (rarely) California.

373. Screech Owl (Megascops asio). L. 9.4; W. 6.4; T. 3. Two color phases; with ear-tufts; eyes yellow. Ad. Gray phase. Above buffy gray irregularly marked with black; below gray, white, rusty and black. Ad. Red phase. Above bright rusty brown with a few black streaks; below white streaked with black and barred with rusty brown. Yng. Above gray or rusty barred with black and white; below white thickly barred with blackish. Notes. A frequently repeated tremulous, wailing whistle; often followed by a slower refrain-like call; a castanet-like snapping of the mandibles.

373a. Florida Screech Owl (M. a. floridanus). Smaller than No. 373, W. 6.0; T. 2.8. Two color phases. Similar to those of No. 373, but averaging darker and more heavily marked below; especially in red phase.

Range.—Florida, north along coast to South Carolina; west along coast to Louisiana.

373b. Texas Screech Owl (M. a. mccalli). Similar to No. 373, but smaller, W. 6.1; underparts, especially sides of belly, with more black bars; toes barer. I have seen only a gray phase.

Range.—"From western and southern Texas across east border of tablelands of Mexico." (Bailey.)

373c. California Screech Owl (M. a. bendirei). W. 6.6. A gray color phase only. Resembling No. 373, but somewhat darker above; less buff about the nape; black streakings more regularly distributed; underparts much as in No. 373b.

Range.—California and southern Oregon.

373d. Kennicott Screech Owl (M. a. kennicottii). L. 10; W. 7.25. Ads. Sooty brown prevailing above; blackish markings below nearly if not fully as wide as white ones; darkest of our Screech Owls.

Range.—Pacific coast from Oregon to Sitka.

373e. Rocky Mountain Screech Owl (M. a. maxwelliæ). W. 7. Similar to No. 373f above but paler; pale grayish buff predominating; black markings throughout much narrower and less numerous than in No. 373g; palest of our Screech Owls.

Range.—"Foothills and adjacent plains of the east Rocky Mountains from Colorado north to Montana" (Bendire).

373f. Mexican Screech Owl (M. a. cineraceus). A gray color phase only. Similar to No. 373b. but much grayer above; buff markings of No. 373b almost wholly absent; below black bars more numerous and narrower than in No. 373b.

Range.—"New Mexico, Arizona, Lower California, and western Mexico." (A. O. U.)

373g. Aiken Screech Owl (M. a. aikeni). A gray color phase only. W. 6.5. Similar to 373f, but still grayer; almost no buff above; black markings wider on head, back, and underparts.

Range.—"Plains, El Paso County, Colorado, south probably to central New Mexico and northeastern Arizona." (A. O. U.)

373h. MacFarlane Screech Owl (M. a. macfarlanei). A gray color phase only. Ads. Of the size of kennicottii, but with color and markings of bendirei. W. 7.2; T. 3.8. (Brewst.)

Range.—"Eastern Washington and Oregon to western Montana and probably intermediate regions, and north to the interior of British Columbia." (Bailey.)

373.1. Spotted Screech Owl (Megascops trichopsis). L. 7.7. Ads. Above mixed black, grayish brown and buff; black prevailing on head; feathers of foreback with buffy white spots on either side near the end; below much as in No. 373f.

Range.—Southern Arizona and southward into northern Mexico.

373.2. Xantus Screech Owl (Megascops xantusi). W. 5.3. Ad. ♂. Above drab, back tinged with pinkish rusty and faintly vermiculated with reddish brown; breast paler ashy faintly suffused with pinkish or rusty; belly whitish; underparts finely barred with reddish brown and streaked with clove-brown. (Brewst.)

Range.—Cape Region of Lower California.

374. Flammulated Screech Owl (Megascops flammeola). L. 7. Ads. Ear-tufts small; eye surrounded by rusty, then by gray; crown, nape and tips of scapulars largely rusty; neck band rusty.

374a. Dwarf Screech Owl (M. f. idahoensis). Similar to No. 374, but slightly smaller and paler, especially on underparts where ground color is white and black markings are restricted.

Range.—Idaho, eastern Oregon and California (San Bernardino Mountains, 3 specimens, Grinnell).

375. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). ♂, L. 22; W. 15. Ads. Ears conspicuous; the feathers nearly throughout the body rusty basally; facial disc rich rusty. Notes. A loud, low, deep-toned whoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, whooo-whooo, variable, but usually on the same note; rarely a hair-raising scream.

375a. Western Horned Owl (B. v. pallescens). Smaller and paler than No. 375, W. 13.7; facial disc washed with rusty.

Range.—Western United States, except Pacific coast region, east to Great Plains; casually Wisconsin and Illinois north to Manitoba and British Columbia; south to Mexico.

375b. Arctic Horned Owl (B. v. arcticus). Black and white prevailing above; bases of feathers light yellowish buff; below black and white with little or no buffy; facial disc gray.

375c. Dusky Horned Owl (B. v. saturatus). Size of No. 375b, but much darker; black bars below equalling white ones in width; darkest bird of group.

Range.—"Pacific coast region from Monterey Bay, California, north to Alaska; east to Hudson Bay and Labrador." (A. O. U.)

375d. Pacific Horned Owl (B. v. pacificus). Somewhat smaller than No. 375b, W. 13.5; more like No. 375 in color but less rusty.

Range.—California, except humid coast region; east to Arizona.

375e. Dwarf Horned Owl (B. v. elachistus). Similar to No. 375c, but very much smaller. W. ♂, 12.8; ♀, 13.4. (Brewster.)

Range.—Lower California.

376. Snowy Owl (Nyctea nyctea). L. 25. Ad. ♂. White more or less barred with blackish. Ad. ♀. Similar, but more heavily barred.

Range.—Northern parts of northern hemisphere; in America breeds from Lat. 50° northward; winters south to northern United States; straggles as far as Texas and California.

377a. American Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula caparoch). L. 15; T. 7.2 long and rounded. Ads. Above brownish black, crown thickly spotted, scapulars conspicuously margined with white; chin blackish; belly barred. Notes. A shrill cry generally uttered while flying. (Fisher.)

Range.—Northern North America: breeds from Newfoundland and northern Montana northward; winters south to northern United States, rarely to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Illinois; rare on Pacific coast.