What Bird is That? Part 4

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE

_Elanoides forficatus forficatus_

The head and lower parts are white, the rest of the plumage glossy black; the tail deeply forked.

L. 24.

_Range._ Florida to South Carolina, and up the Mississippi Valley rarely to Saskatchewan; winters south of the United States, returning in March.

Was.h.i.+ngton, three records, Aug.; Apl. SE. Minn., uncommon S.R., May 4.

Color, form, grace, and power of motion combine to make the flight of the Swallow-tail an impressive demonstration of the bird's mastery of the air. It feeds on lizards and small snakes which it captures when on the wing from the branches of trees. The nest is placed in the upper branches of tall trees, 2-3 eggs heavily marked with brown being laid in Florida in April; in Iowa in June.

WHITE-TAILED KITE

_Ela.n.u.s leucurus_

A gray bird with white underparts, rather short white tail and black shoulders. L. 15.

_Range._ Chiefly southwestern United States and southward east to the lower Mississippi Valley.

This is a rare bird east of the Mississippi. It frequents open marshy places and feeds upon small snakes, lizards, gra.s.shoppers, etc., which it captures on the ground. The nest is built in trees, and the 3-5 eggs, heavily marked with brown, are laid in May.

MISSISSIPPI KITE

_Ictinia mississippiensis_

A slaty-blue bird with black tail and wings and red eyes. L. 14.

_Range._ Southern United States, north to South Carolina, and southern Indiana; winters chiefly south of the United States and returns in April.

A low-flying hunter of insects, snakes and frogs. It migrates in loose flocks sometimes near the earth, at others far above it. The nest is placed in tall trees. The eggs are laid in May; they number 1-3, and are dull white, occasionally with a bluish tinge.

EVERGLADE KITE

_Rostrhamus sociabilis_

A dark slate-colored bird with a white rump and a rather slender hooked bill. The young are quite different; black above, tipped with reddish brown, below mottled and barred with black, reddish brown and buff, but with the white rump-patch of the adult. L. 18.

_Range._ Tropical America north to southern Florida.

The Everglade Kite is found in marshes and about lakes and ponds hunting for its favorite food of large snails, which it extracts from their sh.e.l.ls by means of its hooked bill. It is rarely seen north of southern Florida. The nest is placed in bushes or among reeds. The 2-3 eggs, which are heavily marked with brown, are laid in March.

MARSH HAWK

_Circus hudsonius. Case 3, Fig. 15_

The immature bird and adult female are dark brown above, reddish brown below, but, in any plumage, the species may be known by the white upper tail-coverts which show clearly in flight. L., male, 19; female, 22.

_Range._ North America, wintering from New Jersey southward; migrates northward in March.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common W.V., July-Apl. Ossining, tolerably common S.R., Mch. 6-Oct. 30; a few winter. Cambridge, common T.V., Mch. 20-Nov. 10, one breeding record. N. Ohio, not common S.R., Mch. 5-Nov. 30. Glen Ellyn, S.R., several pairs, Apl. 4-Nov. 6. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch. 6-Nov.

1.

The Marsh Hawk quarters low over the fields turning sharply here and there to follow the course of a meadow mouse in the gra.s.s forest below.

As a rule the bird is silent but in the mating season he repeats a 'screeching' note. The nest is made on the ground in the marshes; the 4-6 white eggs are laid in May.

SHARP-s.h.i.+NNED HAWK

_Accipiter velox. Case 1, Figs. 11, 12; Case 3, Figs. 7, 8_

The s.e.xes differ only in size, the female being much the larger. There is a marked difference in color between adult and immature birds, the latter being more commonly seen. L. male, 11; female, 13.

_Range._ North America; wintering from Ma.s.sachusetts southward.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common P.R. Ossining, common P.R.

Cambridge, common T.V., Apl. 3-May 11; Sept.

5-Oct. 25; rare S.R., uncommon W.V. N. Ohio, not common P.R., a few winter. Glen Ellyn, not common S.R., Mch. 19-Dec. 9. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch.

28-Dec 28.

This small, bird-killing Hawk dashes recklessly after its victims, following them through thick cover. It is less often seen in the open than the Sparrow Hawk, which it resembles in size, but from which it may be known by its different color, longer tail, and much shorter wings. It nests in trees 15-40 feet from the ground. The eggs, 3-6 in number, are bluish white or cream, marked with brown and are laid in May.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SHARP-s.h.i.+NNED HAWK.

Note the Long Tail.]

COOPER'S HAWK

_Accipiter cooperi. Case 1, Figs. 9, 10_

A large edition of the Sharp-s.h.i.+nned Hawk, with the tail more rounded, the adult with a darker crown. L. male, 15; female, 19.

_Range._ Nests throughout United States; winters from southern New England southward.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common S.R., less common W.V.

Ossining, tolerably common P.R. Cambridge, common T.V., not uncommon S.R., rare W.V., Apl. 10-Oct.

20. N. Ohio, not common, Mch. 20-Nov. 1; a few winter. Glen Ellyn, local S.R., a few winter. SE.

Minn., common S.R., Mch. 3.

This is the real 'Chicken Hawk,' but it is less often seen and heard than the soaring, screaming Buteos to which the name is usually applied.

It resembles the Sharp-s.h.i.+nned in habits but being larger may prey on larger birds. The female may be easily distinguished from the Sharp-s.h.i.+nned by her larger size, but the male is not appreciably larger than a female Sharp-s.h.i.+n.

The nest is built in a tree 25-50 feet up. The bluish white, rarely spotted eggs are laid in late April or early May.