The Bird Book Part 45

This beautiful little Falcon is the smallest of the American Hawks, being only 10 inches in length. They are very abundant in the east, nesting anywhere in cavities in trees, either in woods or open fields.

The eggs are generally deposited upon the bottom of the cavity with no lining; they are creamy or yellowish buff in color, sprinkled, spotted or blotched in endless variety, with reddish brown. Size 1.35 1.10.

These birds are very noisy, especially when the young are learning to fly, uttering a loud, tinkling, "killy, killy, killy." They have a very amiable disposition, and frequently nest harmoniously in the same tree with other birds, such as Flickers and Robins.

360b. ST. LUCAS SPARROW HAWK. _Falco sparverius peninsularis._

Range.--Lower California.

This variety is smaller than the eastern, and even paler than the western form. Eggs identical with eastern specimens.

361. CUBAN SPARROW HAWK. _Falco sparveroides._

A darker colored West Indian form, whose habits and nesting do not vary from those of the common Sparrow Hawk; casually taken in Florida.

[Ill.u.s.tration 224: Buffy.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Sparrow Hawk.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Egg of Golden Eagle.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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[Ill.u.s.tration 225: SPARROW HAWK.]

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362. Audubon Caracara. _Polyborus cheriway._

Range.--Southern border of the United States south to South America.

A strikingly marked blackish and whitish species, much barred on the fore back and the breast, with the head and throat largely white, except for a black and somewhat crested crown. They are numerous in southern Texas and also in the interior of southern Florida, where they are resident. They build bulky, but shabby nests of sticks, weeds and gra.s.s, piled into a promiscuous heap, generally located in bushes or low trees.

Their two or three eggs have a ground color varying from buff to bright cinnamon, and are dotted and blotched with all shades of brown and umber. On the whole, these eggs show a greater diversity of markings and ground color than those of any other species. Size 2.50 1.80.

363. GUADALUPE CARACARA. _Polyborus lutosus._

Range.--Guadalupe Island and others off Lower California.

This species is somewhat like the preceding, but the plumage is duller, and the coloration more uniform. Their nesting habits and eggs do not vary essentially from those of Audubon Caracara. Mr. John Lewis Childs has a set of two eggs taken June 8, 1896, on Santa Anita Island, by Coolidge and Miller. The nest was made of sticks and situated in a giant cactus. The eggs are slightly brighter and more clearly marked than any of cheriway that I have ever seen.

[Ill.u.s.tration 226: Audubon's Caracara.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cinnamon.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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OSPREY. Family Pandionidae

364. OSPREY. _Pandion haliaetus carolinensis._

Range.--Whole of temperate America from the Arctic circle south to the equator, most abundant along the sea coasts.

Real old birds have the head whiter, and less white edging to the back feathers, than do the young. Feet very strong, and very hard and rough, perfectly adapted to grasping slippery fish; outer toe can be used equally as well, either in front or behind, when perching or grasping their prey.

Probably this great fisherman is as well known from one end of the country to the other as any of our wild birds. He is protected by law in a great many states and by custom in nearly all localities where they breed. It is one of the pleasantest sights along the coast to watch a number of these great birds as they soar at an elevation above the water, watching for fish to come near the surface, when, with folded wings, the bird speeds downward and plunges into the water, rarely missing his prey. In many localities they are very tame and nest in the vicinity of houses, sometimes even in the yard. Their nests are platforms of sticks, which, being used year after year and constantly added to, become of enormous proportions. They lay two or three eggs of a bright creamy color, handsomely blotched with bright chestnut brown.

They show a great diversity of size as well as markings, but average 2.40 1.80.

[Ill.u.s.tration 227: American Osprey.]

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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[Ill.u.s.tration 228: C. A. Reed.

OSPREY LEAVING NEST.]

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BARN OWLS. Family Alucondidae

365. BARN OWL. _Aluco pratincola._

Range.--Chiefly in the southern parts of the United States; north casually to Ma.s.sachusetts, Minnesota and Was.h.i.+ngton.

This is one of the lightest colored of the Owls; it has a long, peculiarly hooded face, from which it gets the name of "Monkey-faced Owl." Its plumage is yellowish buff, specked and barred lightly with blackish.

It nests usually in hollow cavities of trees, but appears to have no objections to barns, holes in banks, or anywhere it can find a concealed crevice in which to deposit its four to six pure white eggs; size 1.70 1.30.

HORNED OWL. Family Strigidae

366. LONG-EARED OWL. _Asio wilsonia.n.u.s._

Range.--North America, breeding from the southern parts of British America, southward.

This species is 15 inches in length; it can easily be separated from any other species by its long ear tufts, brownish face, and barred underparts. Their food consists almost entirely of small rodents, which they catch at night. Most of their nests are found in trees, they generally using old Crow's or Hawk's nests. They also, in some localities, nest in hollow trees, or in crevices among rocks. They lay from four to seven pure white eggs; size 1.55 1.35.

[Ill.u.s.tration 229: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Barn Owl.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Long-eared Owl.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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[Ill.u.s.tration 230: L. S. Horton.

LONG-EARED OWL ON NEST.]