Chapter 4

The Paroquet has paid the penalty of wearing bright plumes, of making a desirable cage-bird, of being destructive to fruit, and of having little fear of man. Once abundant and wide-spread, for nearly the past half a century it has been restricted to Florida, where the species will soon go out of existence, if it has not already done so. Its nesting habits are unknown.

CUCKOOS, KINGFISHERS, ETC. ORDER COCCYGES

CUCKOOS, ANIS, ETC. FAMILY CUCULIDÆ

YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO

_Coccyzus americanus americanus. Case 7, Fig. 1_

Broadly white-tipped tail-feathers, a partly yellow bill, and largely reddish brown primaries distinguish this species from its black-billed cousin. L. 12-1/2, of which one-half is tail.

_Range._ Nests from northern Florida to Canada; winters in tropical America, returning to the United States in April.

Washington, common S.R., May 3-Oct. 13. Ossining, common S.R., May 4-Oct. 31. Cambridge, common S.R., May 12-Sept. 15. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 20-Sept. 25. Glen Ellyn, quite common S.R., May 15-Sept. 29. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 21-Aug. 20.

Cuckoos are common birds, but are more often heard than seen. Their notes are not like those of the cuckoo clock, which exactly imitates the voice of the European Cuckoo, but a series of _cuck-cuck-cucks_ and _cow-cows_ repeated a varying number of times. The Cuckoo rarely makes long flights but slips from one tree to another, seeking at once the inner branches and avoiding an exposed perch. The nest, a platform of sticks, thinly covered, is placed in low trees or bushes. The 3-5 greenish blue eggs are laid in May.

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO

_Coccyzus erythrophthalmus. Case 7, Fig. 2_

A wholly black bill (note that in both our Cuckoos it is slightly curved), wings without reddish brown, and small, inconspicuous white tips to the tail-feathers distinguish this species from the preceding.

_Range._ A more northern species than the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Nests from Virginia (Georgia in the mountains) to Quebec; winters in tropical America, reaching the southern States in April.

Washington, rather rare S.R., May 5-Oct. 6. Ossining, common S.R., May 3-Oct. 7. Cambridge, common S.R., May 12-Sept. 20. N. Ohio, tolerably common S.R., May 1-Sept. 25. Glen Ellyn, S.R., May 5-Oct. 21. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 8-Sept. 27.

The day after penning the foregoing notes on the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, I saw a Black-bill make a prolonged, dashing flight through the open, alight on the limb of a dead, leafless tree, directly over a young girl who was calling loudly to an active dog near her, and from this conspicuous perch utter its low _coo-coo_ notes, both looking and sounding more like a Dove than a conventional Cuckoo. So while we may say that the Cuckoos are much alike in habits one must not accept generalized statements too literally. There is much individuality among birds, a fact that makes their study far more interesting than if all were cast in the same mold.

The notes of this species are softer than those of the Yellow-bill, but the difference between the calls of the two species must be learned from the birds, not from books. The nest of the Black-bill is the more compactly built of the two, and its eggs are of a deeper shade.

KINGFISHERS. FAMILY ALCEDINIDÆ

BELTED KINGFISHER

_Ceryle alcyon. Case 3, Fig. 18; Case 5, Fig. 10_

The female resembles the male, but the sides and the band across the breast are reddish brown. This is our only Kingfisher. Crest, color, size, habits, all distinguish him. L. 13.

_Range._ North America; winters from Illinois and Virginia, southward; migrates north in early April.

Washington, common P.R., except in midwinter. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 1-Nov. 23; casual in winter. Cambridge, common S.R., Apl. 10-Nov. 1; rare W.V. N. Ohio, common S.R., Mch. 20-Nov. 1; rare W.V. Glenn Ellyn, isolated pairs, Apl. 1-Nov. 19. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch. 21-Dec. 12.

The Belted Kingfisher is a watchman of the waterways who sounds his loud rattle when we trespass on his territory, a gallant fisherman, who, like a Falcon 'waits on' with fluttering wing, and the moment his aim is taken plunges headlong with a splash on some fish that has ventured too near the surface.

The nest is made at the end of a burrow in a bank; 5-8 white eggs are laid in May.

WOODPECKERS, WRYNECKS, ETC. ORDER PICI

WOODPECKERS. FAMILY PICIDÆ

IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER

_Campephilus principalis_

Our largest Woodpecker, black with a white stripe down each side of the neck, white showing in the wing in flight, the male with a flaming red crest, the female with a black one and both with an ivory-white bill. L. 20.

_Range._ Formerly southeastern United States to North Carolina; now rare and local in the wilder, less settled portions of the Gulf States.

When man appears, the Ivory-bill disappears. This is not alone due to the destruction of the birds' haunts but to the bird's shy, retiring nature. Its days are numbered even more surely than are those of the forests it inhabits.

The nesting cavity is usually made in a cypress some forty feet from the ground, and 3-5 white eggs are laid in March.

HAIRY WOODPECKER

_Dryobates villosus villosus. Case 2, Figs. 28, 29_

The Hairy is a large edition of the Downy with white, unmarked outer tail-feathers. The male has a red head-band. L. 9-1/2.

_Range._ Middle and northern states; a permanent resident. The southern Hairy Woodpecker (_D. v. auduboni_) inhabits the southeastern United States north to southern Virginia. It is smaller than the Hairy and has less white in the plumage. L. 8-1/10.

The Northern Hairy Woodpecker (_D. v. leucomelas_) is found from the northern United States northward. It is larger and whiter than the Hairy. L. 10.

The Newfoundland Hairy Woodpecker (_D. v. terrænovæ_) is larger and darker than the Hairy; it inhabits Newfoundland.

Washington, rare P.R. Ossining, rare P.R. Cambridge, uncommon W.V., one summer record. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, fairly common P.R.

The Hairy is not so common as his small cousin the Downy, and does not so readily make friends. He prefers the woods to our orchards and is for these reasons less often seen at our feeding-stands. The Hairy's notes are noticeably louder than the Downy's. The nest-hole is usually in a dead tree. The 2-4 white eggs are laid the last half of April.

DOWNY WOODPECKER

_Dryobates pubescens medianus. Case 2, Figs. 26, 27_

The Downy differs from the Hairy Woodpecker in color by having the outer tail-feathers with black bars, but it is the bird's obviously smaller size that will serve to distinguish it. L. 6-3/4.

_Range._ From Virginia northward into Canada. A Permanent Resident. The Southern Downy Woodpecker (_D. p. pubescens_, Case 3, Fig. 25) is smaller, darker below and with the white markings smaller. L. 6. It inhabits the south Atlantic and Gulf States north to North Carolina.

Washington, common P.R. Ossining, common P.R. Cambridge, common P.R. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, common P.R. SE. Minn., common P.R.

Our commonest Woodpecker; an alert, active little driller for insects and their eggs and larvæ, and frequent visitor to our lunch-counters, particularly if we supply them with suet. His sharp _peek, peek_, running at times into a diminishing string of _peeks_, and his rolling tatoo, as he pounds a limb with amazing rapidity, are prominent parts of every-day bird language, the tatoo being a 'song' of the breeding season.

Four to six white eggs are laid in a hole, usually in a dead tree, the first week in May. The Southern Downy nests in April.

RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER

_Dryobates borealis_

Between the Downy and Hairy in size (L. 8-1/2) with a general resemblance to both, but the male with a small tuft of red feathers on each _side_ of the back of the head.

_Range._ Southeastern States north to North Carolina.

An inhabitant of the pine woods, who utters a coarse _yank-yank_ note and may at times be seen feeding from the terminal tufts of pine 'needles' in the higher branches. The nest is usually in a living pine; the 2-5 white eggs are laid in April.

ARCTIC THREE-TOED WOODPECKER

_Picoides arcticus_

Two toes in front and one behind, a solid black back and an orange-yellow crown in the male distinguish this from all our other Woodpeckers. Size of the Hairy, L. 9-1/2.

_Range._ Canada, and northern parts of our border states, rarely south in winter, as far as Nebraska and Ohio.

Cambridge, one record. N. Ohio, rare W.V. SE. Minn., rare.

An inhabitant of the spruce and balsam forests of our northern states, occasionally straggling southward in winter. Nests in May.

THREE-TOED WOODPECKER

_Picoides americanus americanus_

Two toes in front and one behind, an orange-yellow crest in the male, and a black back _closely and evenly barred with white_ distinguish this bird; it is somewhat smaller than the preceding, L. 8-3/4.

_Range._ Canada, south to the northern parts of our boundary states; unknown south of Massachusetts.

Not so common as the Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker, and less often found south of its breeding range. Nests in early June.

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER

_Sphyrapicus varius varius. Case 3, Fig. 26, Case 5, Fig. 30_

The female has the throat white, and rarely, crown wholly black. Young birds have the throat whitish, crown dull black, breast brownish. The black breast-patch and red forehead, and red or white throat are distinguishing characters. L. 8-1/2.

_Range._ Nests from northern New England and Minnesota (in Alleghanies from North Carolina) to Canada; winters from Pennsylvania (rarely) southward to the Gulf States.

Washington, common T.V., Mch.-May; Sept. and Oct., Occasional in winter. Ossining, common T.V., Apl. 5-May 13; Sept. 18-Oct. 23; casual in winter. Cambridge, not uncommon T.V., Apl. and Sept. 15-Nov. 1; occasional W.V. N. Ohio, common T.V., Apl. 1-May 20; Sept. 15-Oct. 20. Glen Ellyn, common T.V., Mch. 31-May 12; Sept. 14-Oct. 13. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch. 25-Oct. 19.

This is the mysterious maker of the rows of little holes drilled in even lines, like hieroglyphics, on the trunks of apple and other trees. Using his brush-tipped tongue as a swab, he drinks the sap that oozes from these punctures.

As a migrant the Yellow-belly is not conspicuous. His business takes him into the heart of living trees and he is usually seen only when flying from one to another. His low 'snarling' note attracts the attention of only the observant.

The nest-hole is 25-40 feet up; the 5-7 white eggs are laid in May.

PILEATED WOODPECKER

_Phloeotomus pileatus pileatus_

Next to the nearly extinct Ivory-bill this is the largest of our Woodpeckers. (L. 17.) Both sexes have a flaming red crest (reaching the forehead in the male) the remainder of the plumage being black, with the throat, a stripe from the bill down the sides of the neck, and the basal half of the wing-feathers white; bill horn-color.

_Range._ Southeastern and Gulf States, north to North Carolina. The Northern Pileated Woodpecker (_P. p. abieticola_) is found thence northward into Canada and west to the Pacific. It is a larger bird, with the white areas larger.

In the south the Pileated is by no means rare and seems not averse to the presence of man; but in the north he retires to the wilder forested areas and we are apt to see him only when we go a-camping. And he is well worth seeing with his flaming crest and powerful bill which, used either as a chisel or drum-stick, produces impressive results. Strangely enough the Pileated's notes resemble those of the Flicker but are louder.

The nest is usually well up; the 3-5 white eggs are laid in April in the south, in May in the north.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKER

_Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Case 3, Figs. 21, 22; Case 6, Fig. 43_

Adults of both sexes have the whole head red; young, during their first winter, have the head grayish brown, and a black band across the white wing-feathers. L. 9-3/4.

_Range._ Eastern United States, west to Rockies; local east of the Alleghanies and north of Pennsylvania.

Washington, rather common S.R., rare W.V. Ossining, rare P.R., common in fall, Aug. 27-Oct. 12. Cambridge, irregular at all seasons; sometimes common in fall. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 20-Sept. 25; occasionally winters. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Feb. 19-Nov. 6; a few winter. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 4-Sept. 17; rare in winter.

Adding to the normal habits of a Woodpecker marked skill as a flycatcher, the Red-head stops his grub-hunting and swings out after a passing insect with a dazzling display of red, white and blue-black. Noisy as he is conspicuous, he beats his log-drum, rolls a tree toad-like _krrring_, or, with tireless persistency utters a whistled croak. In the northeastern states Red-heads are distributed irregularly. They are rarely common in the summer, but in the fall they sometimes appear in numbers. Whenever they come we are soon aware of their presence.

The nest is generally in a dead tree; the 4-6 white eggs are laid in May.

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER

_Centurus carolinus. Case 3, Fig. 23_

Back and wings evenly barred with black and white, hence the name 'Zebra'; the female and young have the front part of the crown gray. L. 9-1/2.

_Range._ Eastern United States, north to southern Pennsylvania, western New York and southern Minnesota; casually further.

Washington, locally common P.R. Cambridge, A.V., one record. N. Ohio, tolerably common P.R. SE. Minn., uncommon P.R.

A common, hoarse-voiced resident of orange groves and gardens who with a _chuh-chuh_, jerkily hitches himself upward in the routine of the daily grub hunt. It is rare at the northern part of its range, but resident wherever found. The nest is in dead or living trees; the 4-6 white eggs are laid in late April or early May.

NORTHERN FLICKER

_Colaptes auratus luteus. Case 2, Figs. 21, 22; Case 3, Fig. 20_

The white rump and yellow wing-linings, displayed in flight; black breast-crescent, spotted underparts and fairly large size, readily distinguish this beautiful bird. The female very properly lacks the male's 'moustache.' L. 12.

_Range._ Eastern North America, from North Carolina and southern Illinois to Canada and Alaska. The Southern Flicker (_C. a. auratus_) a smaller, darker race, inhabits the South Atlantic and Gulf States.

Washington, common S.R., rare W.V. Ossining, common S.R., Mch. 25-Oct. 30; a few winter. Cambridge, very common S.R., common W.V. N. Ohio, common S.R., Mch. 10-Nov. 15 a few winter. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Mch. 7-Dec. 24; a few winter. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch. 21-Oct. 16.

Thirty years ago the Flicker, High-hole or Yellow-hammer, was prey of any boy with a gun and was correspondingly wild and little known; now, thanks to the Audubon Society, he is almost as domestic as the Robin. In search of ants and their eggs, he hunts our lawns and even accepts the hospitality of our nest-logs. A great acquisition to our dooryard life is this bird of beautiful colors, quaint habits, and strange notes. His loud, strongly accented call, _kée-yer_, his rapidly repeated mellow _weéchew, weéchew_, possess character even if they lack musical quality.

The Flicker nests in holes and lays from 5-9 white eggs in late April or early May.

GOATSUCKERS, SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS. ORDER MACROCHIRES

NIGHTHAWKS, WHIP-POOR-WILLS, ETC. FAMILY CAPRIMULGIDÆ

CHUCKWILL'S WIDOW

_Antrostromus carolinensis. Case 6, Fig. 40_

A larger, browner bird than the Whip-poor-will, with branched, not simple bristles at the sides of the bill. Breast-patch whiter in the male than in the female. L. 12.

_Range._ Southern states north to Virginia; wintering from southern Florida southward and migrating northward in March.

Washington, one record. Cambridge, A.V., one record, Dec.

What the Whip-poor-will is to the north the Chuckwill is to the south. The difference in their names expresses the syllabic difference in their calls, but the Chuckwill's notes are uttered more evenly and lack the marked accent on the first "Whip" of its northern cousin's song.

The Chuckwill lays its two eggs in April on the ground in the woods, where it lives. They are white with delicate lilac markings and a few brownish spots.

WHIP-POOR-WILL

_Antrostomus vociferus vociferus. Case 6, Fig. 41_

Outer wing-quills barred with rusty, breast-band white in the male, buff in the female. L. 9-3/4.

_Range._ Breeds from northern Georgia north to Canada, winters from the Gulf States southward, starting north in April.

Washington, common S.R., Apl. 13-Oct 13. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 19-Oct. 17. Cambridge, formerly S.R., now chiefly T.V., Apl. 30-Sept. 20. N. Ohio, locally common S.R., Apl. 29-Sept. 15. Glen Ellyn, rare, spring records only, Apl. 19-May 21. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 17-Sept. 28.

A mysterious, silent, flitting shadow, should we chance to arouse it from its sleep in the forest by day, at dusk the Whip-poor-will takes the center of the stage and announces his presence to the world. _Whi['p]-poor-will, whi['p]-poor-will_ he calls with a snap and a swinging rhythm that makes the twilight ring with the oft-repeated notes.

Two eggs are laid on the ground in the woods in May. They are dull white with delicate obscure lilac markings, and a few brownish gray spots.

NIGHTHAWK

_Chordeiles virginianus virginianus. Case 6, Fig. 39_

A white mark across the black outer wing-quills is very conspicuous in flight; seen from below it suggests a hole in the bird's wing. The female has the throat buff and no white band in the tail. L. 10.

_Range._ Eastern North America from the Gulf States and Georgia north to Canada and Alaska. Winters in the tropics coming north in April. The Florida Nighthawk (_C. v. chapmani_) a smaller race (L. 8-1/2) is a Summer Resident in the Gulf States.

Washington, not common S.R.; abundant T.V., Apl. 19-Oct. 8. Ossining, common S.R., May 9-Oct. 11. Cambridge, rare S.R., common T.V., May 15-Sept. 25. N. Ohio, locally common S.R., May 1-Sept. 20. Glen Ellyn, not common S.R., common T.V., May 1-Oct. 14. SE. Minn., common S.R.. May 4-Sept. 30.

Doubtless because we see the Nighthawk and only hear the Whip-poor-will the notes of the latter have been often attributed to the former, with the result that many people think there is but one species. While it is true that there is a general resemblance in form, in details of color and markings, the two birds are quite unlike, while so far as notes and habits are concerned, few members of the same family differ more. The Whip-poor-will haunts the shadows of the woods and rarely flies far above the ground, the Nighthawk, like a Swift, courses high in the open, even over city house-tops, where anyone who looks may see him. The Whip-poor-will's notes have made him famous, the Nighthawk calls only a nasal _peent, peent_, and, diving earthward on set wings, produces a hollow, booming sound. Both nest on the ground, but the Nighthawk lays in the fields or on pebbly roofs, and its two finely marked eggs (laid in May or June) are quite unlike those of the Whip-poor-will.

SWIFTS. FAMILY MICROPODIDÆ

CHIMNEY SWIFT

_Chætura pelagica. Case 6. Fig. 42_

A near relative of the Hummingbird, not of Swallows. Note the 'spine'-tipped tail-feathers.

_Range._ Eastern North America; winters in Central America; reaches the Gulf States in March.

Washington, abundant S.R., Apl. 6-Oct. 27. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 19-Oct. 23. Cambridge, abundant S.R., Apl. 25-Sept. 20. N. Ohio, abundant S.R., Apl. 10-Oct. 20. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Apl. 16-Sept. 29. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 20-Sept. 18.

A twittering courser of evening skies who makes his home in our chimneys. Here the bracket-like nest of dead twigs is attached to the bricks by the bird's saliva, to be loosened, at times, after heavy rains and fall to the fire-place below. In the fall great flocks roost in chimneys, generally large ones, returning night after night.

The 4-6 white eggs are laid in May.

HUMMINGBIRDS. FAMILY TROCHILIDÆ

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD

_Archilochus colubris. Case 7, Figs. 4, 3_

Females and young lack the 'ruby' throat.

_Range._ Eastern North America, nesting from Florida to Quebec; winters from central Florida to Panama.

Washington, common S.R., Apl. 23-Oct. 23. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 30-Oct. 3. Cambridge, very common T.V., uncommon S.R., May 10-Sept. 20. N. Ohio, common S.R., May 1-Sept. 15. Glen Ellyn, rare S.R., May 1-Sept. 22. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 19-Oct. 8.

Any Hummingbird seen east of the Mississippi may, with confidence, be called a Ruby-throat; exceptions will probably prove to be sphinx moths, which, it must be confessed, look singularly hummingbird-like as they hover before flowers. When the eggs are laid the male deserts the female, leaving to her the task of incubation and care of the young.

The nest, most exquisite of bird homes, is saddled to a limb usually 15 or more feet up. The two bean-like white eggs are laid in May.

PERCHING BIRDS. ORDER PASSERES

FLYCATCHERS. FAMILY TYRANNIDÆ

KINGBIRD

_Tyrannus tyrannus. Case 7, Fig. 6_

Note the white-tipped tail; young birds lack the orange crest. L. 8-1/2.

_Range._ North America; nests from northern Florida to Canada; winters in South America, reaching Florida in March.

Washington, common S.R., Apl. 18-Sept. 23. Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 29-Sept. 10. Cambridge, common S.R. May 5-Sept. 1. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 20-Sept. 15. Glen Ellyn, fairly common S.R., Apl. 16-Sept. 6. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 26-Aug. 31.

A valiant defender of his home who, at the approach of Crow or Hawk, utters his steely, chattering, battle-cry and sallies forth to attack. Fearlessly he plunges down on an enemy many times his size who dodging this way and that beats a hasty retreat before his active, aggressive assailant. In the fall migration Kingbirds gather in loose flocks.

The nest is placed near the end of a branch about 20 feet up; the 3-5 white eggs spotted with dark brown, are laid in May.

GRAY KINGBIRD

_Tyrannus dominicensis dominicensis. Case 7, Fig. 7_

Resembles the Kingbird but is lighter gray, and the tail lacks the conspicuous white tip.