Part 7

Range.--North America; breeds within Arctic Circle; winters from British Columbia (?) Lower Mississippi Valley, Chesapeake Bay, south to Gulf of Mexico; rare on Atlantic Coast north of Virginia.

=181. Trumpeter Swan= (_Clor buccinator_). L. 65. Nostril about in middle of bill. _Ads._ White, bill and feet black; _no_ yellow on lores. _Yng._ Head and neck brownish; rest of plumage washed with grayish. _Notes._ Loud and sonorous in tone like those of a French horn. (Elliot.)

Range.--"Chiefly the Interior of North America, from the Gulf Coast to the Fur Countries, breeding from Iowa and the Dakotas northward; west to the Pacific Coast; rare or casual on the Atlantic." (A.O.U.)

Geese

=169.1. Blue Goose= (_Chen cærulescens_). L. 28. _Ads._ Head and neck white; below brownish gray; foreback like breast; rump gray. _Yng._ Similar but head and neck grayish brown.

Range.--North America; breeds in Hudson Bay region; winters on west coast of the Gulf of Mexico; two California records; said to have occurred in New Jersey.

=171a. American White-fronted Goose= (_Anser albifrons gambeli_). L. 28. _Ads._ Forehead and rump white; below spotted with black. _Yng._ Similar but no white on head no black below.

Range.--North America; breeds in Arctic region; winters on Gulf Coast, California and Mexico; rare on Atlantic coast.

=176. Emperor Goose= (_Philacte canagica_). L. 26. _Ads._ Foreneck blackish; rest of head and neck white sometimes tinged with rusty; tail mostly white. _Yng._ Body less distinctly scaled; head and hindneck spotted with grayish. _Notes._ When flying, a deep, hoarse, strident _clâ-hâ, clâ-hâ, clâ-hâ_; when alarmed and about to fly, a ringing _û-lûgh_,_-ûlûgh_. (Nelson.)

Range.--"Coast and islands of Alaska north of the Peninsula; chiefly about Norton Sound and Valley of the Lower Yukon; Commander Islands, Kamchatka; casually south to Humboldt Bay, California." (A.O.U.)

Geese and Brant

=172. Canada Goose= (_Branta canadensis_). L. 38. _Ads._ A white patch on cheeks and throat; rest of head and neck black; no whitish ring at base of black neck. _Yng._ Similar but with blackish on white of throat. _Notes._ A sonorous _honk_.

Range.--North America; breeds from Labrador, Minnesota and British Columbia, north chiefly in the interior, to Alaska; winters from Long Island, Illinois and British Columbia south to Mexico and southern California.

=172a. Hutchins Goose= (_B. c. hutchinsii_). Similar to No. 172, but smaller; L. 30; tail feathers, 14-16.

Range.--Western North America; breeds in Arctic regions; winters from British Columbia and Kansas south to Lower California and Mexico.

=172b. White-cheeked Goose= (_B. c. occidentalis_). Size of No. 172, but throat blackish, lower neck with white collar.

Range.--"Pacific coast region, from Sitka, south in winter to California." (A.O.U.)

=172c. Cackling Goose= (_B. c. minima_). Similar to No. 172b, but smaller, L. 24; tail feathers 14-16.

Range.--Western North America; breeds in Alaska; winters from British Columbia southward; east rarely to Wisconsin.

=173. Brant= (_Branta bernicla glaucogastra_). L. 26. _Ads._ Sides of neck with white markings; belly _whitish_. _Notes._ A guttural _car-r-rup_, or _r-r-r-rouk_. (Elliot.)

Range.--Northern hemisphere; breeds in Arctic regions; winters in America, from Mississippi Valley east, and from Illinois and Massachusetts southward; rare in interior.

=174. Black Brant= (_Branta nigricans_). L. 26. _Ads._ _Sides_ and _front_ of neck with white markings; belly nearly as dark as back. _Notes._ A low guttural _gr-r-r-r-r_; on alarm repeated often with emphasis. (Nelson.)

Range.--Western North America; breeds in northern Alaska and eastward; winters from British Columbia to Lower California; occasional on Atlantic Coast.

Order VI. FLAMINGOES.

ODONTOGLOSSÆ.

Family 1. FLAMINGOES. Phœnicopteridæ. 1 species.

Flamingoes might be called long-legged Ducks. Their feet are webbed, and their bill is set with ridges, which serve as sieves or strainers, as do the 'gutters' on a Duck's bill. They are, however, wading birds and their webbed feet are of use in supporting them on the soft mud of shallow lagoons or bays where they search for the favorite food of small mollusks. In feeding the flat top of the bill is pressed into the mud when its tip points upward toward the bird's body. Flamingoes fly with the neck and legs stretched to the utmost presenting on the wing a picturesque, but by no means so graceful an appearance as do the Herons. Their voice is a vibrant _honking_ like that of a Goose.

Order VII. HERONS, STORKS, IBISES, ETC.

HERODIONES.

Family 1. SPOONBILLS. Plataleidæ. 1 species.

Family 2. IBISES. Ibididæ. 3 species.

Family 3. STORKS and WOOD IBISES. Ciconiidæ. 1 species.

Family 4. BITTERNS, HERONS, ETC. Ardhidæ. 14 species, 3 subspecies.

The Roseate Spoonbill was formerly a common bird in Florida and along the Gulf coast, but so many have been killed for their plumage that in the United States the species is now exceedingly rare except in the most remote parts of southern Florida.

Spoonbills build a rude nest of sticks in mangrove bushes or small trees and lay three to five whitish eggs speckled with shades of brown.

Ibises are usually found in flocks along the shore of lagoons, lakes, etc., or in marshy places. They fly with the neck outstretched and are generally silent. Their nests of reeds, weed stalks, etc., are sometimes placed in low bushes, at others in grassy marshes. The eggs number from three to five. They are plain blue in the Glossy Ibis, greenish white with chocolate markings, in the White Ibis.

The Storks are largely Old World birds, only three of the some twenty known species inhabiting the Western Hemisphere. But one of these is found regularly north of the Rio Grande, the so-called Wood Ibis which is abundant in southern Florida. It lives in flocks and builds a nest of sticks usually in cypress trees, often forty feet from the ground, laying two or three white eggs. When flying the neck is extended. It progresses by alternate flapping and sailing and occasionally soars high overhead in circles, like a Vulture.

The Bitterns and Herons unlike our other long-legged wading birds, fly with a fold in the neck. They belong in two subfamilies, the _Botaurinæ_ and _Ardeinæ_, respectively. The Bitterns are usually solitary birds inhabiting grassy or reedy marshes where their colors harmonize with their surroundings and render them difficult to see. The American Bittern nests on the ground and lays three to five pale brownish eggs. The Least Bittern usually weaves a platform nest of reeds among rushes growing in the water and lays four or five bluish white eggs.

Herons feed along the shore and are consequently more often seen than Bitterns. With the exception of the Green Heron and the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, which usually nest in isolated pairs, our species gather in colonies to nest. Several hundred pairs occupying a limited area in some wooded or bushy swamp to which, when undisturbed, they return year after year.

Herons build a rude platform nest of sticks, sometimes placing it in bushes, sometimes in the tallest trees, and at others on the ground or beds of reeds in marshes. The eggs are greenish blue in color and usually four in number. It is among those Herons, which in nesting time are adorned with delicate plumes or aigrettes, that the greatest ravages of the millinery hunter have been made. Attacking these birds when they have gathered on the nesting ground, they are not permitted to rear their young and the species is thus exterminated branch and root.

The voice of Herons is a harsh squawk varying in depth of tone with the size of the bird.

Flamingo, Spoonbill and Ibis

=182. Flamingo= (_Phoenicopterus ruber_). L. 45; from toe to bill, 60. _Ads._ Rosy red, lighter on back; primaries and secondaries black. _Yng._ Smaller, grayish brown; lighter below. _Notes._ A _honk_ resembling that of a Canada Goose.

Range.--Atlantic coasts of tropical and subtropical America; resident (breeding?) in southwestern Florida (Monroe county); casual west to Texas, north to South Carolina.

=183. Roseate Spoonbill= (_Ajaia ajaja_). L. 32. _Ads._ Head and throat bare; sides of breast and end of tail rusty buff; lesser wing-coverts, upper and under tail-coverts carmine. _Yng._ Head feathered, buff and carmine replaced by pink.

Range.--Tropical and subtropical America; north to Gulf States.

=185. Scarlet Ibis= (_Guara rubra_). L. 24. _Ads._ Scarlet: tips of primaries black. _Yng._ Grayish brown, lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts white; underparts dull white.

Range.--"Florida, Louisiana and Texas, southward to the West Indies and northern South America. No record of its recent occurrence in the United States." (A.O.U.)

Ibises

=184. White Ibis= (_Guara alba_). L. 25. _Ads._ White, tips of outer primaries black, face orange red. _Yng._ Grayish brown, rump, breast and belly white. _Notes._ When near nest, _crook_, _croc_, _croo_; when disturbed, a loud, hoarse, _bunk_, _bunk_, _hunk_. (Audubon).

Range.--Tropical America; breeds north to Lower California, southern Indiana, southern Illinois and South Carolina; winters from Gulf southward; accidental in South Dakota, Connecticut and Long Island.

=186. Glossy Ibis= (_Plegadis autumnalis_). L. 24. _Ads._ Front of head black with greenish reflections. _Yng._ Head and neck fuscous brown margined with white, rest of underparts fuscous brown; back with greenish reflections.

Range.--Tropical and subtropical regions in America; rare or local in southeastern United States; casual north to Massachusetts and Illinois.

=187. White-faced Glossy Ibis= (_Plegadis guarauna_). L. 24. _Ads._ Front of head _white_. _Yng._ Resembles young of No. 186.

Range.--Tropical and subtropical America; north to California, (rarely British Columbia), Texas, Kansas, east rarely to Florida; winters south of United States.

=188. Wood Ibis= (_Tantalus loculator_). L. 40. _Ads._ Head and neck bare; white, primaries, secondaries and tail blackish. _Yng._ Resembles ad. but head and neck feathered, grayish brown. _Note._ When alarmed, a rough, guttural croak. (Audubon.)

Range.--Tropical and subtropical America; breeds In Gulf States, (Lower California?), and later may stray as far north as New York, Wisconsin, and California.

Bitterns

=190. American Bittern= (_Botaurus lentiginosus_). L. 28. _Ads._ A glossy black streak on either side of the neck. _Yng._ Similar to ad. but colors much deeper, more rusty. _Notes._ Call, _quawk_; song, _pump-er-lunk_.

Range.--North America north to Labrador and British Columbia, breeding chiefly north of latitude 35°; winters from about latitude 35° southward.

=191. Least Bittern= (_Ardetta exilis_). L. 13. _Ad._ [Male]. Hindneck rufous, foreneck, underparts, and under tail-coverts white and buff. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar, but crown and back brown, below streaked with brownish. _Notes._ Call, an explosive _quab_; song, a soft _coo_ repeated four or five times.

Range.--North America; breeds from Gulf States to New Brunswick and Manitoba; winters from Gulf States southward. "Less common west of Rocky Mountains; on the Pacific coast north to northern California." (A.O.U.)

=191.1. Cory Bittern= (_Ardetta neoxena_). L. 13. _Ad._ [Male]. Hindneck black, foreneck chestnut, belly mixed black and chestnut, under tail-coverts black. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar, but crown and back duller.

Range.--Eastern North America; recorded from Florida, Ontario, (breeding), Massachusetts, and Michigan; about 20 specimens known.

Herons

=192. Great White Heron= (_Ardea occidentalis_). _Ads._ White, no "aigrette" plumes. A white Heron about the size of a Great Blue Heron. What is supposed to be a gray-blue phase of this bird has been called _Ardea wuerdmanni_, a bird which resembles No. 194, but has the head and neck whitish.

Range.--Southern Florida, Cuba and Jamaica.

=196. American Egret= (_Herodias egretta_). L. 41. _Ads._ White, about 50 _straight_ "aigrette" plumes grow from the back between the wings; legs and feet _black_. Ads. when not breeding and Yng., the same, but no plumes.

Range.--Tropical and temperate America; breeds north to Virginia, southern Illinois, and California; later strays to New Brunswick, Minnesota, and Oregon; winters from southern California and Gulf States southward.

=197. Snowy Heron= (_Egretta candidissima_). L. 24. _Ads._ White, about 50 _recurved_ "aigrette" plumes grow from back between the wings; legs black, feet _yellow_. Ads. when not breeding and Yng. The same, but no plumes.

Range.--Tropical and temperate America; bred formerly north to Long Island, southern Illinois and California; now very rare in eastern North America; winters from Gulf States and southern California southward.

=194. Great Blue Heron= (_Ardea herodias_). L. 45; W. 18.5; B. 5.5; Tar. 7. _Ads._ Center of crown white, head crested; legs blackish. _Yng._ Similar, but no crest, crown wholly black, plumage more streaked.

Range--Northern South America north to Arctic regions; breeds locally throughout most of North America range; winters from about latitude 42° southward.

=194a. Northwest Coast Heron= (_A. h. fannini_). Similar to No. 194 but much darker; upperparts bluish slate black; tarsus shorter, 5.3.

Range.--Pacific coast from Vancouver to Sitka.

=194b. Ward Heron= (_A. h. wardi_). Similar to No. 194 but whiter below, neck darker; legs olive; larger, L. 52; W. 20; B. 6.5; Tar. 8.

Range.--Florida; coast of Texas.

=202. Black-crowned Night Heron= (_Nycticorax nycticorax nævius_). L. 24. _Ads._ Crown and back greenish black lower back, wings and tail ashy; head with two or three rounded white plumes, except just after breeding season. _Yng._ Grayish brown streaked with white; below white streaked with blackish; outer webs of primaries, _pale rufous_. _Notes._ An explosive _qûawk_.

Range.--Western hemisphere; breeds in North America north to New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, and Oregon; winters from California and Gulf States southward.

=203. Yellow-crowned Night Heron= (_Nyctanassa violaceus_). L. 23. _Ads._ Blue-gray; crown and ear-coverts whitish, rest of head black; scapulars streaked with black; head with two or three rounded, white plumes, except just after nesting season. _Yng._ Crown _black_, streaked with whitish; primaries _bluish slate, no rufous_; back brownish streaked with white; below whitish streaked with blackish.

Range.--Tropical and subtropical America; breeds north to South Carolina, southern Illinois, and Lower California; strays to Massachusetts and Colorado; winters from Gulf States southward.

=198. Reddish Egret= (_Dichromanassa rufescens_). L. 29. Two color phases independent of age. _Ads._ _Dark phase_, Head and neck rufous; back slate; about 30 "aigrette" plumes. _White phase._ White, including plumes; tips of primaries sometimes speckled with gray. _Yng._ Rufous and gray, or white, without plumes.

Range.--West Indies and Central America north to coasts of Gulf States, Illinois (rarely), and Lower California.

=199. Louisiana Heron= (_Hydranassa tricolor ruficollis_). L. 26. _Ads._ "Aigrette" plumes, short, dirty gray; rump and belly white; legs blackish. _Yng._ Head and neck brownish; throat and line down foreneck white; above slaty washed with brownish, rump, and belly white.

Range.--West Indies and Central America north to Gulf States, casually to Long Island and Indiana.

=200. Little Blue Heron= (_Florida cœrulea_). L. 22. _Ads._ Head and neck maroon; rest of plumage slaty blue. _Yng._ White, tips of primaries bluish, legs _greenish yellow_.

Range.--Tropical America and eastern United States; breeds north to Virginia and Illinois, later may stray north as far as Nova Scotia; winters from South Atlantic and Gulf States southward.

=201. Little Green Heron= (_Butorides virescens_). L. 17. Smallest of our Herons. _Ads._ Crown, glossy green-black; throat and line down foreneck buffy; rest of head and neck purplish chestnut; back green washed with bluish gray. _Yng._ Neck and below streaked with blackish; back-feathers not lengthened; duller. _Notes._ A rattling _oc-oc-oc-oc-oc_, a startling _scow_, and, more rarely, a deep, hollow groan. (Brewster.)

Range.--Tropical and temperate North America; breeds from Gulf States north to Nova Scotia and Manitoba; winters from Gulf States southward to northern South America.

=201a. Frazar Green Heron= (_B. v. frazari_). Similar to No. 201, but rather larger and darker, neck more purplish, light stripings on throat and foreneck more restricted. (Brewster.)

Range.--Lower Califorinia.

=201b. Anthony Green Heron= (_B. v. anthonyi_). Similar to No. 201, but slightly larger, and paler, light markings of wings, neck, and throat less restricted and whiter. (Mearns.)

Range.--Arid portions of southwestern United States, south into Mexico.

Order VIII. CRANES, RAILS, ETC.

PALUDICOLÆ.

Family 1. CRANES. Gruidæ. 3 species.

Family 2. COURLANS. Aramidæ. 1 species.

Family 3. RAILS, GALLINULES, and COOTS. Rallidæ. 12 species, 3 subspecies.

Cranes bear a general resemblance to Herons in that they are long-legged, long-necked birds, but when on the wing, they carry the neck fully extended, a habit which will readily distinguish them from the curved neck Herons. Cranes are less aquatic than Herons and are often found feeding on the prairies or pine-barrens where worms, grasshoppers, lizards, roots, etc., form their fare. They nest on the ground laying two buffy eggs thickly marked with brown. The young, unlike the nearly naked, helpless young of Herons, are born covered with down and can soon follow their parents. The Cranes have loud sonorous voices; the Herons raucous croaks.

The Limpkin is a singular inhabitant of the more retired Florida swamps. It feeds upon the ground largely upon a kind of land shell, but also perches in trees. Its nest of twigs is placed in a small tree or bush, and it lays from four to seven pale buffy eggs stained and speckled with cinnamon brown.

The Rails (Subfamily Rallinæ) are inhabitants of grassy marshes where, trusting to their long legs, they more often escape observation by running than by flying. One may hear their characteristic notes coming from the dense growth only a few yards distant and still be unable to catch a glimpse of their maker.

Rails nest on the ground laying six to twelve or fifteen buffy eggs spotted with reddish brown. The young of all our species are born covered with a shining black down.

The Gallinules (Subfamily Gallinulinæ) are more aquatic than the Rails and are consequently less difficult to observe.

The Coots (Subfamily Fulicinæ) are still more aquatic than the Gallinules, as might be supposed from their lobed toes, in fact are as much at home in the water as though they were Ducks. Both Gallinules and Coots lay eight to sixteen buffy, thickly speckled eggs in a nest of reeds often built on a pile of rushes in the reeds.

Cranes and Limpkin

=204. Whooping Crane= (_Grus americana_). L. 50. _Ads._ White; skin of top of head dull red; primaries black. _Yng._ Head feathered, plumage more or less washed with rusty.

Range.--Interior of North America: breeds from northern Mississippi Valley north to Arctic regions; winters from Gulf States southward.

=205. Little Brown Crane= (_Grus canadensis_). L. 35. W. 18; B. 4. _Ads._ Skin of top of head dull red; plumage brownish gray. _Yng._ Head feathered, plumage with more or less rusty.

Range.--"Northern North America from Hudson Bay to Alaska, migrating south through western United States east of Rocky Mountains to Mexico." (Ridgway.)

=206. Sandhill Crane= (_Grus mexicana_). Similar to No. 205, but larger. L. 44: W. 20; B. 5. _Notes._ A loud, sonorous, grating, _krrrow_, repeated five or more times.

Range.--North America; breeds locally from Texas, Cuba, Florida north through Mississippi Valley to Manitoba, British Columbia, and Oregon; winters from northern California and Gulf States southward.

=207. Limpkin= (_Aramus giganteus_). L. 28. _Ads._ Glossy olive-brown, striped with white; wings and tail more bronzy. _Notes._ A loud _wah-ree-ow_, repeated and the last note prolonged into a wail.

Range.--Central America and West Indies north to southern Texas and Florida.

Rails

=208. King Rail= (_Rallus elegans_). L. 15. _Ads._ Above olive-brown, black, and olive-gray; wing-coverts reddish brown; neck and breast cinnamon; belly and sides _blackish_, _sharply_ and broadly barred with white. _Notes._ A loud _bup_, _bup_, _bup_, repeated and ending in a roll.

Range.--Eastern United States; breeds from Florida north to Connecticut and South Dakota; strays to Maine; winters from Virginia and Lower Mississippi Valley south to Gulf States.

=209. Belding Rail= (_Rallus beldingi_). Similar to No. 208, but paler; flank-bars narrower.

Range.--Lower California.

=210. California Clapper Rail= (_Rallus obsoletus_). L. 17. Above grayish olive-brown streaked with blackish brown; breast cinnamon; flanks dusky brown narrowly banded with white. Margins to back feathers much broader than in forms of _crepitans_.

Range.--Salt Marshes of Pacific coast north to Washington.

=212. Virginia Rail= (_Rallus virginianus_). L. 9.5; B. 1.5. _Ads._ Above blackish and grayish brown; wing-coverts reddish brown; below cinnamon, flanks black and white. Resembling a King Rail in color, but much smaller. _Notes._ Calls, _kep_ or _kik_; song, a grunting sound and _cut_, _cûtta-cûtta-cûtta_. (Brewster.)

Range.--North America; breeds from Pennsylvania, Long Island, northern Illinois, and middle California north to Labrador, Manitoba, and British Columbia; winters from about its southern breeding limits south to Cuba and Guatemala.

=215. Yellow Rail.= (_Porzana noveboracensis_). L. 7; B. .5. _Ads._ Above black and buffy barred with white; breast buffy; sides brownish barred with white. Notes. An abrupt cackling, _'krék_, _'krek_, _'krek_, _'krek_, _kûk_, _'k'k'k_. (Nuttall.)

Range.--Eastern North America north to New Brunswick, Quebec, and Hudson Bay, west to Manitoba and rarely California; probably breeds chiefly north; winters in southern States.

=211. Clapper Rail, Marsh Hen= (_Rallus crepitans_). L. 14.5; W. 5; B. 2.5. _Ads._ Above _pale_ olive bordered by _gray_; wing-coverts _pale_ grayish brown; breast _pale_ cinnamon; flanks barred _gray_ and white. _Notes._ _Gkak_, _gkak_, _gkak_, at first loud and rapid, ending lower and slower.

Range.--Salt marshes of the Atlantic coast; breeds from North Carolina to Connecticut; winters from Long Island (rarely) southward, north casually to Massachusetts; south casually to Louisiana.

=211a. Louisiana Clapper Rail= (_R. c. saturatus_). Similar to No. 211, but above rich brown edged with olive; breast darker cinnamon; bill more slender, 2.3.

Range.--Coast of Louisiana.

=211b. Scott Clapper Rail= (_R. c. scotti_). Similar to No. 211, but much darker; sooty brown or black above edged with olive-brown or olive-gray; breast and neck cinnamon, washed with brownish; flanks brown and white. Darkest bird of group.