ORDER XV.—ACCIPITRIFORMES, DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY.
F. 66. Serpentariidae, Secretary-Bird, 2 sp. E.
F. 67. Vulturidae, Vultures, 17 sp.—8(5)O., 6(0)P., 9(5)E.
F. 68. FALCONIDAE (29), HARRIERS, GOSHAWKS, EAGLES, FALCON, etc., 485 sp.—99 (86) A., 106(58)O., 70(19)P., 118(91)E., 53(17)Nc., 144(112)Nl.
2
18
151 Spotted Harrier (Jardine), Spotted Swamp-Hawk, Circus assimilis, Cel. to A., T.
Stat. c. plains 22
Facial disc, hind-neck, back, chest dark-gray; crown rust-red streaked black; shoulders, rest of under rich-chestnut spotted white; tail barred dark-brown, gray; legs long, yellow; m., smaller, duller. Lizards, mice, small snakes, birds.
152[*] Allied Harrier (Gould), Swamp-Hawk, Kahu, C. gouldi, A., T., N. Cal., Norfolk Is., Lord Howe Is., N.Z., Fiji =vt. Eur. Marsh-Harrier.
Stat. v.c. swampy 20
Upper, head dark-brown; facial disc indistinct brown; under buffy-white streaked and tinged red-brown; upper base tail white; rest tail brownish-gray; f., larger. Reptiles, mice, birds.
5
63
153 Gray Goshawk (New Holland, Gray-backed), Astur clarus (cinereus), A.
v.r. dense brushes 16.5
Upper gray; throat, under white finely barred gray; feet yellow, claws black; f., larger. Reptiles, mice, birds.
154 White Goshawk, A. novae-hollandiae, E.A., S.A., T.
r. timber 16.5
Pure white; m., much smaller. Food as 153.
155[*] Australian Goshawk, Chicken-Hawk, A. fasciatus (approximans), A., T., Norfolk Is., N. Cal. =vt. Eur. Goshawk.
Stat. c. timber, f., 20; m., 15
Upper dark-brown; shoulder thigh rust-red; tail dark-brown barred black; throat buff; under buff barred brown; f., larger. Food as 153.
156 Lesser Goshawk (Western, Chestnut-colored), A. cruentus, V. (acc.), W.A., N.W.A.
Stat. c. timber 17
Back, wings, tail slaty-brown; chestnut-red, indistinct collar; under barred brown white; chin buffy-white; f., upper brown. Birds, mice, lizards.
| 184 Blue Mountain Lorikeet 185 Musk Lorikeet 191 Gang-gang Cockatoo | 193 Pink Cockatoo 194 Rose-breasted Cockatoo 196 Cockatoo-Parrot | 197 Superb Parrot 198 Black-tailed Parrot 199 King Parrot |
| 200 Crimson Parrot 202 Rosella 203 Mallee Parrot | 204 Blue Bonnet 205 Many-colored Parrot 206 Red-backed Parrot | 209 Grass Parrot 213 Swift Parrot 214 Warbling Grass-Parrot |
1
42
157[*] Collared Sparrow-Hawk, Accipiter cirrhocephalus, N.G., A., T. =vt. Eur. Sparrow-Hawk.
[~157 Astur cirrhocephalus.]
Stat. r. timber, f., 14; m., 12
1
1
158[*] Wedge-tailed Eagle, Eaglehawk (e), Uroaëtus audax, A., T. =vt. Eur. Golden Eagle (32in.).
Stat. c. timber, plains 38
"Noble bird;" largest eagle known; upper, under blackish-brown; feathers edged pale-brown; hind-neck golden-brown; f., larger. Rabbits, rats, carrion.
1
4
159 Little Eagle, Eutolmaëtus morphnoides, N.G., A.
r. timber 22
Back of head, under rufous striped black; back, rump, wings brown; tail grayish-brown, barred blackish-brown. Carrion, rats, mice.
1
10
160 White-bellied Sea Eagle, Haliaëtus leucogaster, Ind. Malay to A., T., Oceania =vt. American Bald Eagle.
r. shores 30
"Noble species;" white; wing-quills, base-tail blackish-brown; f., larger; young; head buff; upper wings chocolate-brown; under buffy-brown. Dead fish, shellfish. "Floats like a great butterfly."
2
4
161 Whistling-Eagle (-Hawk), Haliastur sphenurus, A., N. Cal.
Nom. c. swamps, shores 24
Under light sandy-brown streaked white; back, wings brown marked lighter, spotted white; tail ashy-brown; head, neck sandy streaked lighter; f., larger. Caterpillars, mice, rats, floating food.
1
6
162 Allied Kite, Milvus affinis, Sunda Is., Cel. to A. =vt. Eur. Black Kite.
Nom. c. open country 20
Upper glossy brown; wing-quills black; slightly-forked tail brown; under rufous-brown; chest dark lines; f., sim. Scavenger, birds.
1
1
163 Square-tailed Kite, Lophoictinia isura, A. =vt. Eur. Common Kite.
r. timber, plains 19
Neck, shoulders, under reddish-orange; chest marked black; head streaked black; abdomen, flanks barred lighter; upper blackish-brown; square tail brownish-gray; f., larger. Caterpillars, birds.
1
1
164 Black-breasted Buzzard, Gypoictinia melanosternum, A. (interior).
v.r. timber, plains 23
"Fine species;" crown, face, chest, abdomen black; flanks chestnut; hind-neck light-brown; upper brownish-black; wing-quills white base, rest black; this white patch gives appearance of window in wing when flying; f., larger. Animals.
2
5
165[*] Australian Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris, A.
Mig. r. open plains 12.5
Upper delicate-gray; head, under white; jet black shoulder, patch under wing; tail grayish-white; f., sim. Insects, reptiles.
166 Letter-winged Kite, White-breasted Sparrow Hawk (e), E. scriptus, E.A., S.A., W.A.
r. plains (interior) 12.5
Like 165, but more black on under angle of wing gives letter W when wings expanded; f., sim. Insects.
4
37
167[*] Black-cheeked Falcon, Falco melanogenys, A., T. =vt. Eur. Peregrine Falcon.
Stat. c. plains, coast, rocky 15
Crown, side of head black; upper-breast creamy spotted black; rest of under barred black, reddish-gray; upper, wings, tail dark-gray; tail barred brown, gray; f., larger. Birds.
168 Gray Falcon, Blue (Smoke) Hawk, F. hypoleucus, A. =vt. Eur. Gyrfalcon.
v.r. timber, plains f., 17; m., 12
"Rare beautiful falcon;" bluish-white below; grey above; tail barred gray, brown. Birds.
169 Black Falcon, F. subniger, A.
v.r. plains (inland) 17
Dark, sooty-brown, paler below; chin whitish; f., larger.
170[*] Little Falcon (White-fronted), Duck Hawk (e), Australian Hobby, F. lunulatus, A., T., =vt. Eur. Hobby.
Stat. c. plains f., 13.5; m., 11.5
Forehead white; upper grayish-black; cheeks black; tail barred gray, chestnut; throat buff; chest reddish-buff, striped dark-brown; under, thighs reddish; incomplete whitish collar; f., larger. Birds, insects.
2
3
171 Striped Brown Hawk (Western, Orange-speckled), Hieracidea berigora, A.
[~171 Ieracidea berigora.]
v.c. swampy, plains 17
Upper dark-brown; wings spotted reddish; incomplete collar, under buff-white striped dark-brown; throat whitish; naked skin round bill yellow; tail barred dark-brown, gray; f., larger. Caterpillars, insects, birds.
172[*] Brown Hawk, H. orientalis, A., T.
[~172 I. orientalis.]
Stat. v.c. timber 17
Head, upper dark-brown; line over eye, throat buff; under buff spotted rust-brown; tail brown barred rust-red; Skin round bill bluish; f., larger. Food as 171.
1
28
173[*] Nankeen Kestrel, Windhover, Mosquito Hawk, Sparrowhawk (e), Cerchneis cenchroides, A., T., N.Z. =vt. Eur. Kestrel.
Stat, v.c. timber, plains 11.5
Upper cinnamon-red, spotted black; tail rufous, faintly banded black above, tipped white, then black bar; side neck, throat, abdomen, under tail white; chest buff striped black; f., larger. Insects, mice.
F. 69. PANDIONIDAE (1), OSPREYS, 6 sp.—3(0)A., 5(1)O., 1(0)P., 1(0)E., 1(0)Nc, 1(0)Nl.
1
3
174 White-headed Osprey, Fish Hawk, Pandion leucocephalus, Mol., N.G., A., T. =vt. cos. bird.
Stat. r. shores 23
Crown, hind-neck, throat, abdomen, under tail white; upper dark-brown; chest mottled brown; side-neck dark-brown, marked white; wing-quills black; dives; f., sim. Fish.
Just as the Diurnal Birds of Prey (e.g., Hawks) are closely related to those of the Northern Hemisphere, so are the Nocturnal Birds of Prey (Owls) very closely related to those of the Old World. The different kinds of Owls are so closely similar that there are many disputes as to their classification, and it is not likely that we shall ever be able to recognize in the living, free state all the species recognized by scientists.
Indeed, I was much interested at the Adelaide Museum to see our leading ornithologists fail to pick out the skins of two English Barn Owls when they were placed with three Australian Lesser Masked Owls, and yet ornithologists give our birds such widely-different names that literature is useless to us. These names have seriously hampered the popularization of bird-study in Australia. If ornithologists, with skins in hand, cannot separate them, what is the use of manufacturing species?
As Owls are active late in the afternoon or at night, there has always been a certain amount of mystery regarding them, and, speaking generally, the ordinary observer knows little of them. Two of the Australian birds have forced themselves on our notice to some extent. The Powerful Owl, the largest of our Owls, has alarmed many by means of its blood-curdling screeches heard in quiet forest gullies.
The Boobook Owl, though not often seen, calls "Mopoke," which sounded like "Boobook" to the aboriginal ear, but became "Cuckoo"—the best-loved bird-call of their far-distant home to the ears of the homesick first white residents. And was it not, they asked, what one might expect in a country where Christmas came at the wrong time of the year, where the trees were always green, and shed their bark instead of their leaves—where the leaves grew vertically, instead of horizontally, and so gave no shade—was it not natural that the Cuckoo, a day bird in England, should become a night bird in this land of paradoxes and contradictions? Thus Australia's reputation was added to even by the Boobook Owl.
Confusion was caused, for, when daylight came, and the Frogmouth was seen sitting in the tree, the Frogmouth was supposed to be responsible for the frequent calls of the previous night. However, some reliable observers, notably Mr. C. H. McLennan, "Mallee Bird," and Mr. T. H. Tregellas, claim that the Frogmouth does call "Mopoke'" occasionally, but the Boobook Owl is the bird that is responsible for the frequent "Mopoke" on calm evenings.
The Owls are divided into two families. The members of the first family—the Owls Proper, or Hawk-Owls—have the facial disc almost absent, while in the second family the facial disc is complete. In each, the eyes are directly obliquely forward, and, since they are not capable of much movement, the bird turns its head from side to side. Though mainly nocturnal, Owls are sometimes seen hunting for their prey by day. As they feed mostly on mice, rats, and insects, they are very valuable birds. The feathers are very soft, with a weak central axis, so that no sound is made when flying. They are thus able to approach their prey without giving warning. The Powerful Owl well deserves its name, as it possesses great strength, and is a formidable enemy if wounded. However, Owls are, fortunately, seldom shot at.
Like Hawks, Owls catch their prey with and carry it in their feet, unless the feet are required for climbing. One peculiarity of the feet is that the bird can reverse one toe, so that it can have three toes in front and one behind, like most birds, or two in front and two behind, like Parrots and Cuckoos.
Although not so strong of flight as the Diurnal Birds of Prey (e.g., Hawks), Owls have managed to spread throughout the world, so that they are found even in New Zealand. The different kinds are not easily separated, so most people are satisfied when they have classed a bird as an Owl, though you will probably want to divide them into two groups—the Owls Proper and the Barn Owls.