What bird is that?

by Frank M. Chapman

HAWKS, EAGLES, KITES, ETC. FAMILY BUTEONIDÆ

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.

Washington, 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
Elanus leucurus

A gray bird with white underparts, rather short white tail and black shoulders. L. 15½.

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, grasshoppers, 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 shells 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.

Washington, 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 grass 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-SHINNED HAWK
Accipiter velox. [Case 1], Figs. 11, 12; [Case 3], Figs. 7, 8

The sexes 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, 11¼; female, 13½.

Range. North America; wintering from Massachusetts southward.

Washington, 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.

Sharp-Shinned Hawk.
Note the Long Tail.

COOPER'S HAWK
Accipiter cooperi. [Case 1], Figs. 9, 10

A large edition of the Sharp-shinned Hawk, with the tail more rounded, the adult with a darker crown. L. male, 15½; female, 19.

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

Washington, 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-shinned in habits but being larger may prey on larger birds. The female may be easily distinguished from the Sharp-shinned by her larger size, but the male is not appreciably larger than a female Sharp-shin.

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.

GOSHAWK
Astur atricapillus

The adult is blue-gray above with a darker crown and a white line over the eye. The underparts are finely and beautifully marked with gray and white. Young birds resemble the young of Cooper's Hawk, but are much larger. L., male, 22; female, 24.

Range. North America, nests chiefly north of the United States and winters southward, usually rarely, as far as Virginia.

Washington, casual in winter. Ossining, rare W.V., Oct. 10-Jan. 14. Cambridge, irregular and uncommon W.V. SE. Minn., W.R., Nov. 5-Apl. 4.

Like its smaller relatives the Sharp-shin and Cooper's Hawks, this powerful raptor is a relentless hunter of birds. It is particularly destructive to Ruffed Grouse. Fortunately it does not often visit us in numbers. It nests in trees, laying 2-5 white eggs, rarely marked with brownish, in April.

RED-TAILED HAWK
Buteo borealis borealis. [Case 1], Figs. 5, 6; [Case 3], Fig. 13.

This, the largest of our common Hawks, is a heavy-bodied bird with wings which when closed, reach nearly to the end of the tail. The adult has the tail bright reddish brown with a narrow black band near the tip. The immature bird has the tail rather inconspicuously barred with blackish, and a broken band of blackish spots across the underparts. L. male, 20; female, 23.

Range. Eastern North America, migrating only at the northern limit of its range. There are several races, Krider's Red-tail, a paler form inhabiting the great Plains, and Harlan's Hawk, a darker form with a mottled tail, the lower Mississippi Valley.

Washington, common W.V., rare S.R. Ossining, common P.R., less common in winter. Cambridge, rare T.V., locally W.V., Oct. 10-Apl. 20. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, P.R., not common, chiefly T.V. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch. 2.

The Red-tail resembles the Red-shoulder in general habits, but it is more a bird of the fields, where it may be seen perched on the limb of a dead tree or similar exposed situation. Its note, a long-drawn, squealing whistle, is quite unlike that of the Red-shoulder. The Red-tail feeds chiefly on mice and other small mammals. With the Red-shoulder it is often called 'Chicken Hawk,' but does not deserve the name. It nests in trees 30-70 feet up and in April lays 2-4 eggs, dull white sparingly marked with brown.

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
Buteo lineatus lineatus. [Case 1], Fig. 4; [Case 3] Fig. 12

Red-shouldered Hawk. Adult.
Note the Barred Tail.

Seen from below the reddish brown underparts and black and white barred tail will identify adults of this species. Immature birds are streaked below with blackish; the tail is dark grayish brown indistinctly barred, but the shoulder is always rusty, though this is not a marking one can see in life. L., male. 18½; female, 20¼.

Range. Eastern North America from northern Florida to Canada; resident except in the northern part of its range.

Washington, common P.R. Ossining, common P.R. Cambridge, common, Apl.-Nov., less common in winter. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, P.R., more common than the Red-tail; chiefly T.V.

A medium-sized, heavy-bodied Hawk with wings which, when closed, reach well toward the tip of the tail. It lives both in the woods and open places, and may be flushed from the border of a brook or seen soaring high in the air. Its note, frequently uttered, as it swings in wide circles, is a distinctive Kèe-you, Kèe-you, quite unlike the call of any of our other Hawks. It is often well imitated by the Blue Jay. The Red-shoulder feeds chiefly on mice and frogs. It nests in trees 30-60 feet up and, in April, lays 3-5 eggs, white marked with brown.

The Florida Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus alleni), a smaller form with grayer head and paler underparts, is a resident in Florida and along the coast from South Carolina to Mexico. It nests in February.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK
Buteo platypterus

With a general resemblance to the Red-shouldered Hawk, but smaller; no red on the bend of the wing, or rusty in the primaries, only the outer three of which are 'notched.' L., male, 15¾; female, 16¾.

Range. Eastern North America. Breeding from the Gulf States to the St. Lawrence; winters from Ohio and Delaware to S.A.; migrates northward in March.

Washington, uncommon P.R. Ossining, tolerably common S.R., Mch. 15-Oct. 23. Cambridge, uncommon T.V. in early fall, rare in spring and summer; Apl. 25-Sept. 30. N. Ohio, not common P.R. Glen Ellyn, not common S.R., Apl. 10-Oct. 4. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch. 11.

A rather retiring, unwary Hawk which nests in thick woods and is less often seen in the open than the Red-shoulder, but, when migrating, hundreds pass high in the air, with other Hawks. Its call is a high, thin, penetrating whistle. It nests in late April and early May, laying 2-4 whitish eggs marked with brown.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis

Legs feathered to the toes; basal half of tail white; belly black. Some individuals are wholly black. L., male, 21; female, 23.

Range. Breeds in northern Canada; usually rare and irregular in the northern U.S., from November to April.

Washington, rare and irregular W.V. Ossining, casual. Cambridge, T.V., not common, Nov.-Dec.; Mch.-Apl. N. Ohio, not common W.V., Nov. 20-Apl. 3. Glen Ellyn, quite common W.V., Oct. 12-Apl. 30. SE. Minn., W.V., Oct. 15-Mch.

Frequents fields and marshes, where it hunts to and fro after mice, which form its principal fare.

GOLDEN EAGLE
Aquila chrysaetos

With the Bald Eagle, largest of our raptorial birds; with a general resemblance to the young of that species, in which the head and tail are dark, but with the legs feathered to the toes. L., male, 32½; female, 37½.

Range. Northern parts of the northern Hemisphere; in the United States, rare east of the Mississippi.

Washington, rare W.V., Ossining, A.V. Cambridge, 1 record. N. Ohio, rare W.V. SE. Minn., P.R.

The Golden Eagle is so rare in the eastern United States and its general resemblance to a young Bald Eagle is so close, that only an experienced ornithologist could convince me that he had seen a Golden Eagle east of the Mississippi.

BALD EAGLE
Haliæetus leucocephalus leucocephalus. [Case 3], Fig. 11

When immature the head and tail resemble the body in color, and at this age the bird is sometimes confused with the more western Golden Eagle. The latter has the head browner and the legs feathered to the toes. L., male, 33; female, 35½.

Range. North America but rare in the interior and in California, migratory at the northern limit of its range.

Washington, not common P.R. Ossining, common P.R. Cambridge, of irregular occurrence at all seasons. N. Ohio, tolerably common P.R. SE. Minn., P.R., becoming rare.

An adult Bald Eagle will at once be recognized by its white head and tail; the immature birds by their large size. Eagles are usually found near the water where fish may be obtained either on the shore or from the Osprey. The call of the male is a human-like, loud, clear cac-cac-cac; that of the female is said to be more harsh and often broken. Eagles nest in tall trees and on cliffs, and lay two or three dull white eggs, in Florida, in November and December; in Maine, in April.

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