Color Key to North American Birds Part 5

Order XI. Pigeons and Doves. COLUMB?.

(1 family, 13 species, 3 subspecies.)

Walking birds, feeding both on the ground and in trees; bill slender, grooved, nostrils opening in a fleshy membrane; tail variable, short and square, or long and pointed; feet stout, often reddish. Color usually grayish brown. Call-notes a characteristic cooing.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MOURNING DOVE.]

Family 34. PIGEONS AND DOVES. Columbidae.

Characters those of the Order.

Order XII. Vultures, Hawks, and Owls. RAPTORES.

(4 families, 56 species, 33 subspecies.)

Generally large birds with hooked bill; strong, heavy feet, and long, curved nails; wings large; tail rather long, usually square.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TURKEY VULTURE.]

Family 35. AMERICAN VULTURES. Cathartidae.

Bill not strongly hooked; toe-nails comparatively weak; nostrils large, piercing the bill; head and more or less of neck, bare.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RED-TAILED HAWK.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FOOT OF RED-TAILED HAWK.]

Family 36. FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC.

Falconidae.

Nostrils opening in a cere at the base of the bill; hook of bill and claws well developed; plumage firm and close; tarsus usually largely bare.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BARN OWL.]

Family 37. BARN OWLS. Strigidae.

Eyes black, set in a somewhat triangular facial disc; bill more or less concealed by feathers; nostril opening at the edge of a fleshy cere; inner edge of middle toe-nail serrate; no 'ears'; tarsus feathered.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SCREECH OWL.]

Family 38. HORNED OWLS, ETC. Bubonidae.

Eyes yellow or black, set in a circular facial disc; bill more or less concealed by feathers; nostrils opening at the edge of a fleshy cere; tarsus feathered.

Order XIII. Paroquets and Parrots. PSITTACI.

(1 family, 2 species.)

Usually bright green birds with, a heavy hooked bill, broad scoop-shaped lower mandible; long, pointed wings; tail, in Parrots, generally square; in Paroquets, pointed; feet heavy, two toes in front and two behind.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CAROLINA PAROQUET.]

Family 39. PARROTS AND PAROQUETS. Psittacidae.

Characters the same as those of Order.

Order XIV. Cuckoos, Trogons, Kingfishers, Etc. COCCYGES.

(3 families, 8 species, 2 subspecies.)

A composite Order of several groups of birds bearing no close relation to each other. Cuckoos have slightly curved bills, long tails, and two toes in front and two behind. Trogons have short, rather broad, stout bills, and soft, loose plumage, often green above, red below; moderately long tails; small feet with two toes in front, two behind.

Kingfishers have long, rather stout, pointed bills; wings, long; tail, medium; three toes in front and one behind; middle and outer toes joined for half their length.

[Ill.u.s.tration: YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO.]

Family 40. CUCKOOS, ANIS. ETC. Cuculidae.

Toes two in front, two behind; bill, usually, more or less decurved; tail, long and rounded, the outer feathers being, generally, much shorter than the middle pair.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COPPERY-TAILED TROGON.]

Family 41. TROGONS. Trogonidae.

Toes two in front, two behind; bill, short; upper mandible decurved and dentate; tail square; plumage, soft, loose, and generally s.h.i.+ning green above.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BELTED KINGFISHER.]

Family 42. KINGFISHERS. Alcedinidae.