Part 25

=485a. Gray Jay= (_P. o. griseus_). Similar to No. 485, but larger and grayer; back, etc., deep mouse gray, instead of brown; below grayish white instead of brownish white. (Ridgw.)

Range.--British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California, east of Coast and Cascade Ranges. (Ridgw.)

=491. Clarke Nutcracker= (_Nucifraga columbiana_). L. 12. _Ads._ Gray; wings and middle tail-feathers black, tips of secondaries and outer tail-feathers white. _Notes._ A loud, harsh, _car-r-car-r_.

Range.--Mountains of western North America, from northern Lower California, Arizona and New Mexico, north to northern Alaska: casually east to Mississippi Valley.

=475. American Magpie= (_Pica pica hudsonia_). L. 20. _Ads._ Bill _black_; scapulars, belly and most of inner margins of primaries white; wings glossy blue black, tail externally greenish; back and breast velvety black. _Notes._ _Cack_, _cack_, also garrulous gabble intermixed with whistling notes. (Bendire.)

Range.--Western North America, east to the Plains, west to Cascade and Sierra Ranges; breeds from northern New Mexico and northern Arizona north to Alaska strays farther east in winter.

=476. Yellow-billed Magpie= (_Pica nuttalli_). Similar to No. 475, but bill and eye-space _yellow_; smaller, L. 18. _Notes._ A harsh, rasping, _cac-cac-cac_; and a low, rich whistle, audible only at a short distance.

Range.--California, west of Sierra Nevada, "north to Red Bluff and south to Santa Paula." (Grinnell.)

=493. Starling= (_Sturnus vulgaris_). L. 8.5; T. 2.5. _Ad. summer_, Metallic green and purple spotted above with buffy; bill _yellow_. _Ad. winter._ Similar, but above heavily spotted with brownish buff; below heavily spotted with white; bill blackish. _Notes._ A long-drawn, two-noted whistle, the second lower; and a chattering, metallic call when in flocks.

Range.--Europe and northern Asia; accidental in Greenland; introduced into New York City in 1890; now common, extending east to New Haven, Connecticut, north to Ossining, New York, south to Staten Island and Plainfield, New Jersey.

=495. Cowbird= (_Molothrus ater_). L. 7.9; W. 4.2. _Ad._ [Male]. Head and neck coffee-brown, body greenish black. _Ad._ [Female]. Brownish gray, throat lighter. _Yng._ Like [Female]. _Notes._ A metallic twitter, and by the male, a long-drawn, glassy _kluck-tse-e-e_; and watery gurgling notes uttered with spread wings and tail.

Range.--United States: rare west of Rockies; breeds from Florida and Texas north to New Brunswick and Little Slave Lake; west to eastern Oregon, Nevada, and southeastern California; winters from southern New Jersey, southern Illinois, Indian Territory, northern Texas, and southeastern California, southward.

=495a. Dwarf Cowbird= (_M. a. obscurus_). Similar to No. 495, but smaller, L. 7.5; W. 4.

Range.--Southwestern United States; from Gulf Coast of Texas west along Mexican boundary to Arizona and Lower California; winters south of United States.

=496. Red-eyed Cowbird= (_Callothrus robustus_). L. 9. _Ad._ [Male]. Velvety bronze-black; wings and tail shining blue-black. _Ad._ [Female]. Dull black, wings and tail with slight greenish reflections.

Range.--Southern and eastern Mexico north, in spring, to Lower Rio Grande, Texas.

=620. Phainopepla= (_Phainopepla nitens_). L. 7.5. Crested. _Ad._ [Male]. Shining black; inner vanes of primaries largely white, showing in flight. _Ad._ [Female]. Dark gray, tail blacker, wing-coverts and quills narrowly margined with whitish. _Yng._ Like [Female]. _Notes._ Calls, commonest, like call of young Robin; male has also a scold, a Meadowlark-like note and a harsh _ca-rack_ or _ca-racack_; song, a jumble of flute-like tones and weak, squeaky notes. (Bailey.)

Range.--Mexico north to western Texas, southern Utah and southern California; winters from Mexican border southward.

=509. Rusty Blackbird= (_Scolecophagus carolinus_). L. 9.5. _Ad._ [Male]. Nearly uniform greenish black, sometimes with rusty edgings. _Ad._ [Female]. Slaty gray, generally with some rusty edgings. Winter plumage of both sexes similar to summer but widely tipped with rusty above and yellowish rusty below. _Notes._ More musical than those of other Blackbirds; calls, _tcback_ or _turalee_ repeated several times. (Bendire.)

Range.--Eastern North America west to the Plains; breeds from New Brunswick, northern New England, northern New York, and Manitoba, north to Labrador and Alaska; winters from Virginia, southern Illinois, and Kansas, southward.

=510. Brewer Blackbird= (_Scolecophagus cyanocephalus_). L. 10. _Ad._ [Male]. Whole head violet-purple, rest of plumage bright greenish black. _Ad._ [Female]. Grayish brown, throat paler, wings and tail greenish black, no rusty. Winter plumage with light grayish brown edgings to the feathers of the anterior part of the body. _Notes._ _Chack_ and a loud, shrill whistle. (Bailey.)

Range.--Western North America from the Plains to the Pacific; breeds from Texas and northern Lower California north to the Saskatchewan and British Columbia; winters in the southern parts of its range; casually east to Mississippi River states.

=511. Purple Grackle= (_Quiscalus quiscula_). L. [Male], 12. _Ad._ [Male]. Head, purple, steel-green or steel-blue; back purple, brassy green or greenish; the feathers _always_ with _iridescent_ bars. _Notes._ _Tchak_ and a short unmusical call uttered with spread wings and tail.

Range.--Eastern United States; breeds in lower Mississippi Valley and east of Alleghanies, from Georgia to Massachusetts; winters from Virginia southward through its breeding range.

=511a. Florida Grackle= (_Q. q. aglæus_). Similar to 511, but slightly smaller, head always violet purple; back always bottle-green, with iridescent bars.

Range.--Florida, north on the Atlantic coast to Virginia, west on the Gulf Coast to Texas.

=511b. Bronzed Grackle = (_Q. q. æneus_). Head as in No. 511, back and belly bronze, the feathers _wholly without_ iridescent bars.

Range.--Eastern United States west to the Rockies; breeds from southern Texas to Great Slave Lake, east to Alleghanies, and, in New York, east and northeast to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Labrador; winters chiefly in lower Mississippi valley; migrates in part east of the Alleghanies.

=513. Boat-tailed Grackle= (_Megaquiscalus major_). L. [Male], 16; W. 7.5; T. 7. _Ad._ [Male]. Head and neck glossy purple; back and belly glossy greenish blue. _Ad._ [Female]. Much smaller, T. 5.2; above blackish brown; below soiled rusty buff. _Notes._ _Tchack_, a variety of hoarse, rather forced whistles and a gurgling roll as of a Coot pattering over the water.

Range.--Florida, north along the coast to Virginia; west along coast to Texas.

=513a. Great-tailed Grackle= (_M. m. macrourus_). Similar to No. 513, but larger, [Male], L. 18; T. 9. Foreback and breast, as well as head and neck, purple, only rump and lower belly greenish blue; [Female] blacker both above and below than [Male] of 513. _Notes._ _Tchack_, and a greater variety of squeaky calls and hoarse whistles than are uttered by No. 513.

Range.--Eastern Texas and south into Mexico.

=486. American Raven= (_Corvus corax sinuatus_). L. 24; W. 16; B. 2.7. _Ads._ Resembling No. 488, in color but glossier below and with the feathers of throat narrow and lengthened; nape feathers gray at base. _Notes._ A hoarse, croaking, _craack-craack_, sometimes a deep, grunting _koeer-koeer_; a clucking, and a metallic _klunk_. (Bendire.)

Range.--Western North America, from Guatemala north to British Columbia; east to the Rockies, west to Pacific.

=486a. Northern Raven= (_C. c. principalis_). Similar to No. 486, but larger, L. 25; W. 17; B. 3.

Range.--Eastern North America, from mountains of northern Georgia and coast of Maine, north to Greenland; west to the Rocky Mountains.

=487. White-necked Raven= (_Corvus cryptoleucus_). L. 18.5. _Ads._ Blue-black; feathers of throat narrow and lengthened and with feathers of neck all around, _white at the base_. _Notes._ _Kwank-kwank_, less loud and penetrating than those of No. 486. (Bendire.)

Range.--Northern Mexico, north to western Kansas, eastern Colorado (rarely), and southern California; east to western Texas.

=488. American Crow= (_Corvus americanus_). L. 19.3; W. 12.1; B. 2.00. Black with steel-blue or deep, purplish reflections; below duller, neck feathers not lengthened. _Notes._ _Caw_, _caw_, with many variations; song, _car-r-r-uck_, _oo-oo-oo-oo-ah_.

Range.--North America, north to Arctic Circle; winters from northern United States southward; local in west.

=488a. Florida Crow= (_C. a. pascuus_). Similar to No. 488, but wings and tail somewhat shorter, bill and feet slightly larger, W. 12; T. 7.3; B. 2.1.

Range.--Florida.

=489. Northwest Crow= (_Corvus caurinus_). Similar to No. 488 in color but smaller; L. 16; W. 11; B. 1.7.

Range.--Northwest coast, from Oregon to Kadiak Island, Alaska.

=490. Fish Crow= (_Corvus ossifragus_). L. 16; W. 11; B. 1.5. _Ads._ Resemble No. 488, in color, but back feathers are uniform blue-black _without_ dull margins; underparts are nearly as bright as upperparts. _Notes._ A hoarse, nasal, reedy _car_ resembling the call of the young of No. 488.

Range.--Atlantic coast north to Connecticut, (casually Massachusetts), west along Gulf coast to Louisiana; resident, except at northern limit of range.

SYSTEMATIC TABLE

Of the Birds of America north of Mexico, arranged according to the American Ornithologists' Union's 'Check-List of North American Birds', Third Edition 1910, and Supplement[B], July, 1912.

(_The presence of brackets, [ ], indicates that the species is an accidental visitant_).

[B] The Auk, xxix, 1912, pp. 380-387.

[C] Note that trinomials are now employed for all the races of a species including the first one described. Hence in place of No. 13, Puffin, _Fratercula arctica_, we now have No. 13, Puffin, _Fratercula arctica arctica_. (See pages 6 and 7 for an explanation of this method.)

[E] Note also that in accordance with a ruling of the A.O.U., the apostrophe is used with the names of birds named after individuals. Thus in place of No. 16, Cassin Auklet, we have No. 16, Cassin's Auklet. These changes affect all similar cases throughout the Color Key. After identifying a species, therefore, the student should turn to its number in the Systematic Table to learn whether any change has been made in its name. All alterations other than those of mere nomenclature are given beyond in Appendix I.

Order PYGOPODES. Diving Birds

Family COLYMBIDÆ. Grebes.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

1 Western Grebe Æchmophorus occidentalis 44 2 Holbœll's Grebe Colymbus holbœlli 43 3 Horned Grebe " auritus 43 4 Eared Grebe " nigricollis californicus 43 5 Mexican Grebe " dominicus brachypterus 43 6 Pied-bill Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 43

Family GAVIIDÆ. Loons.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

7 Loon Gavia immer 44 8 Yellow-billed Loon " adamsi 44 9 Black-throated Loon " arctica 44 10 Pacific Loon " pacifica 44 11 Red-throated Loon " stellata 44

Family ALCIDÆ. Auks, Murres, and Puffins.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

12 Tufted Puffin Lunda cirrhata 45 13 Puffin Fratercula arctica arctica[C] 45 13_a_ Large-billed Puffin " " naumanni 45 14 Horned Puffin " corniculata 45 15 Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata 45 16 Cassin's Auklet[E] Ptychoramphus aleuticus 46 17 Paroquet Auklet Phaleris psittacula 47 18 Crested Auklet Æthia cristatella 47 19 Whiskered Auklet " pygmæa 47 20 Least Auklet " pusilla 47 21 Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus 47 23 Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus 46 24 Kittlitz's Murrelet " brevirostris 46 25 Xantus's Murrelet " hypoleucus 46 26 Craveri's Murrelet " craverii 46 27 Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle 48 28 Mandt's Guillemot " mandti 48 29 Pigeon Guillemot " columba 48 30 Murre Uria troile troile 48 30_a_ California Murre " " californica 48 31 Brunnich's Murre " lomvia lomvia 48 31_a_ Pallas's Murre " " arra 48 32 Razor-billed Auk Alca torda 48 33 Great Auk Plautus impennis 48 34 Dovekie Alle alle 46

Order LONGIPENNES. Long Winged Swimmers

Family STERCORARIIDÆ. Skuas and Jaegers

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

35 Skua Megalestris skua 51 36 Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus 51 37 Parasitic Jaeger " parasiticus 51 38 Long-tailed Jaeger " longicaudus 51

Family LARIDÆ. Gulls and Terns

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

39 Ivory Gull Pagophila alba 52 40 Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla tridactyla 52 40_a_ Pacific Kittiwake " " pollicaris 52 41 Red-legged Kittiwake Rissa brevirostris 52 42 Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus 53 43 Iceland Gull " leucopterus 53 44 Glaucous-winged Gull " glaucescens 53 45 Kumlien's Gull " kumlieni 53 46 Nelson's Gull " nelsoni 53 47 Great Black-backed Gull " marinus 54 48 Slaty-backed Gull " schistisagus 54 49 Western Gull " occidentalis 54 [50] Siberian Gull " affinis A.V. 51 Herring Gull " argentatus 55 [52] Vega Gull " vegæ A.V. 53 California Gull " californicus 55 54 Ring-billed Gull " delawarensis 52 55 Short-billed Gull " brachyrhynchus 52 [56] Mew Gull " canus A.V. 57 Heermann's Gull " heermanni 54 58 Laughing Gull " atricilla 56 59 Franklin's Gull " franklini 56 60 Bonaparte's Gull " philadelphia 56 [60.1] Little Gull " minutus A.V. 61 Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea 56 62 Sabine's Gull Xema sabini 56 63 Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 58 64 Caspian Tern Sterna caspia 57 65 Royal Tern " maxima 57 66 Elegant Tern " elegans 57 67 Cabot's Tern " sandvicensis acuflavida 57 [68] Trudeau's Tern " trudeaui A.V. 69 Forster's Tern " forsteri 59 70 Common Tern " hirundo 59 71 Arctic Tern " paradisæa 59 72 Roseate Tern " dougalli 59 73 Aleutian Tern " aleutica 58 74 Least Tern " antillarum 58 75 Sooty Tern " fuscata 60 [76] Bridled Tern " anætheta 58 77 Black Tern Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis 60 [78] White-winged Black Tern " leucoptera A.V. 79 Noddy Anous stolidus 60

Family RYNCHOPIDÆ. Skimmers.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

80 Black Skimmer Rynchops nigra 60

Order TUBINARES. Tube-nosed Swimmers

Family DIOMEDEIDÆ. Albatrosses.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

81 Black-footed Albatross Diomedea nigripes 62 82 Short-tailed Albatross " albatrus 62 82.1 Laysan Albatross " immutabilis 62 [83] Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassogeron culminatus 62 [84] Sooty Albatross Phœbetria palpebrata 62

Family PROCELLARIIDÆ. Fulmars, Shearwaters, and Petrels.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

[85] Giant Fulmar Macronectes giganteus A.V. 86 Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis glacialis 63 86_b_ Pacific Fulmar " " glupischa 63 86.1 Rodger's Fulmar " rodgersi 63 87 Slender-billed Fulmar Priocella glacialoides 63 [102] Pintado Petrel Daption capense A.V. 88 Cory's Shearwater Puffinus borealis 64 89 Greater Shearwater " gravis 64 [90] Manx Shearwater " puffinus A.V. 91 Pink-footed Shearwater " creatopus 64 92 Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri 64 [92.1] Allied Shearwater " assimilis A.V. 93 Black-vented Shearwater " opisthomelas 64 93.1 Townsend's Shearwater " auricularis 64 95 Sooty Shearwater " griseus 63 96 Slender-billed Shearwater " tenuirostris 64 96.1 Wedge-tailed Shearwater " cuneatus 63 [96.2] New Zealand Shearwater " bulleri A.V. [97] Black-tailed Shearwater Priofinus cinereus A.V. [98] Black-capped Petrel Æstrelata hasitata 65 [99] Scaled Petrel " scalaris A.V. 100 Fisher's Petrel " fisheri A.V. [101] Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulweri A.V. 103 Least Petrel Halocyptena microsoma 65 104 Stormy Petrel Thalassidroma pelagica 66 105 Forked-tailed Petrel Oceanodroma furcata 65 105.2 Kaeding's Petrel Oceanodroma kaedingi 65 106 Leach's Petrel " leucorhoa 66 106.1 Guadalupe Petrel " macrodactyla 66 [106.2] Hawaiian Petrel " castro A.V. 107 Black Petrel " melania 66 108 Ashy Petrel " homochroa 65 108.1 Socorro Petrel " socorroensis 66 109 Wilson's Petrel Oceanites oceanicus 66 [110] White-bellied Petrel Fregetta grallaria A.V. [111] White-faced Petrel Pelagodroma marina A.V.

Order STEGANOPODES. Totipalmate Swimmers

Family PHAËTHONTIDÆ. Tropic Birds.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

112 Yellow-billed Tropic-bird Phaëthon americanus 69 113 Red-billed Tropic-bird " æthereus 69 [113.1] Red-tailed Tropic-bird " rubricaudus A.V.

Family SULIDÆ. Gannets.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

[114] Blue-faced Booby Sula cyanops 70 114.1 Blue-footed Booby " nebouxi 70 115 Booby " leucogastra 70 115.1 Brewster's Booby " brewsteri 70 [116] Red-footed Booby " piscator 70 117 Gannet " bassana 69

Family ANHINGIDÆ. Darters.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

118 Water-Turkey Anhinga anhinga 73

Family PHALACROCORACIDÆ. Cormorants.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

119 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 70 120 Double-crested Cormorant " auritus auritus 71 120_a_ Florida Cormorant " " floridanus 71 120_b_ White-crested Cormorant " " cincinatus 71 120_c_ Farallon Cormorant " " albociliatus 71 121 Mexican Cormorant " vigua mexicanus 71 122 Brandt's Cormorant " penicillatus 72 123 Pelagic Cormorant " pelagicus pelagicus 72 123_a_ Violet-green Cormorant " " robustus 72 123_b_ Baird's Cormorant " " resplendens 72 124 Red-faced Cormorant " urile 72

Family PELECANIDÆ. Pelicans.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

125 White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos 73 126 Brown Pelican " occidentalis 73 127 California Brown Pelican " californicus 73

Family FREGATIDÆ. Man-o'-War Birds.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page

128 Man-o'-war-bird Fregata aquila 73

Order ANSERES. Lamellirostral Swimmers

Family ANATIDÆ. Ducks, Geese, and Swans.

A.O.U. No. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Page