Illustrations of the Birds of California, Texas, Oregon, British and Russian America

by John Cassin

III. SUB-FAMILY HALCYONIDÆ. THE KING-FISHERS.

General form short, thick, and robust; bill usually long, sharp, and adapted to striking and seizing their prey, which, in the greater part of the species, consists of fishes; wings generally long, and adapted to quick though not long-continued flight; tail usually short; legs short, frequently very strong; toes long, frequently partially joined together and flattened on the soles.

Of this extensive family, species are distributed throughout all the temperate and tropical regions of the world, though much more abundant in the latter. Many species habitually frequent the vicinity of the water, and subsist on fishes and small aquatic animals of other classes, but there are birds of this family that are found in the recesses of forests and other comparatively dry localities.

Two species only of King-Fishers have as yet been discovered in the United States.

I. GENUS CERYLE. Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 312.

Form stout and strong; head large; bill long, straight, wide at base, and suddenly compressed to the point, which is sharp; aperture of the nostrils large; wings long; second and third quills usually longest; tail rather short, wide; legs short; tarsi very short; toes moderate, united at their bases, flattened and padded beneath.

The two species which inhabit North America within the limits of the United States belong to this genus, and it contains also various others of different parts of the world. They are, however, most numerous in South and Central America and Mexico.

1. Ceryle alcyon. (Linn.) The Belted King-Fisher. Alcedo alcyon. Linn., Syst. Nat., I. p. 180. (1766.) Ispida ludoviciana. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 452. (1788.) Alcedo jaguacati. Dumont, Dict. Sci. Nat., I. p. 455. (1816.) Alcedo guacu. Vieill., Nouv. Dict., XIX. p. 406?

Buffon, Pl. Enl., 593, 715; Catesby’s Carolina, I. pl. 69; Wilson, Am. Orn., III. pl. 23, fig. 1; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 77, Oct. ed. IV. pl. 255.

Form robust; head large, with the feathers of the crown and occiput lengthened, crest-like and erectile; wings long; second quill longest; tail moderate; tarsus very short; tibia longer; entire upper-parts, cheeks, and a wide transverse band or belt on the breast, light ashy-blue, generally with minute white spots on the wing-coverts and secondaries; throat and abdomen, and a small spot before the eye, white; flanks, and frequently the sides, ashy-blue, with white spots; quills black, more or less marked with white on their inner webs; secondaries widely edged on their outer webs with ashy-blue, uniform with other upper parts, and tipped narrowly with white; tail bluish-black, outer feathers edged externally with light ashy-blue, and middle feathers almost entirely of that color, and all having about ten to twelve narrow transverse bands of white, and narrowly tipped with white; under wing-coverts white. Younger, with the pectoral band light reddish chestnut, and frequently with a second and sometimes with a third band across the abdomen, and the sides and flanks of the same color; bill and feet dark. Sexes alike? Specimens occur with the wide pectoral band in all stages of change, from the light red to light ashy-blue.

Dimensions. Total length, male, about 12 inches; wing, 6¼; tail, 3⅓ inches.

Hab. Throughout North America. Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Dr. Heermann); Texas (Dr. Woodhouse); Canada (Dr. Hall); Florida (Mr. Williams).

Frequently met with in all parts of the United States, frequenting streams of water. It is a sprightly and handsome bird, and was until recently considered as the only North American species of the extensive family of King-Fishers. That honor must now, however, be partially shared with the succeeding.

2. Ceryle americana. (Gmelin.) The Texan Green King-Fisher. Alcedo americana. Gm., Syst., I. p. 451. (1788.) Alcedo viridis. Vieill., Nouv. Dict., XIX. p. 413. (1818)?

Buff., Pl. Enl. 591.

Much smaller than the preceding; bill straight; wing rather long, third quill longest; tail moderate; tarsus very short; legs rather slender; two outer toes united at base; entire plumage above dark shining green, darker and generally tinged with brownish on the head, and with numerous very small spots or points of white on the forehead; quills brownish-black, edged with green on their outer-webs; secondaries white at their bases, and all the quills with white spots on their outer-webs, regularly disposed, and forming three transverse bands on the wing; outer feathers of the tail white, irregularly marked on both webs with green; middle feathers green; breast bright reddish chestnut, forming a wide transverse band; throat, and ring around the back of the neck and abdomen, white; sides, flanks and under tail-coverts spotted with green; inferior wing-coverts white, with green spots; bill dark; feet lighter. Younger or female? Like the preceding, but with the pectoral band green, uniform with the color of the upper parts; white of the throat tinged with dull yellow.

Dimensions. Total length of skin, 7¼ inches; wing, 3¼; tail, 2½ inches.

Hab. Texas, Rio Grande (Capt. McCown, Mr. Clarke); Mexico (Lieut. Couch); South America.

This handsome little King-Fisher, though well known as a bird of South America, has, within the limits of the United States, only been observed on the Rio Grande in Texas. Several naturalists, however, mention having heard of a small species of King-Fisher in Southern California, and it is probable that the present bird will yet be found inhabiting that State.

This bird may very readily be distinguished from the common species of the United States by its small size and different colors; but there are other South American species of the same genus which it resembles. There is a group of these birds, the species of which, in fact, bear so great similarity to each other in form and in colors also, that they can be distinguished specifically mainly by their size. This group embraces Ceryle amazona, inda, superciliosa, Cabanisii, and the bird now before us. The first is as large as our Belted King-Fisher (Ceryle alcyon), and has been found in Mexico. All of these species are colored very much like the present bird, though, as above intimated, presenting marked difference in size.

The King-Fishers are most abundant in the southern regions of the world, and the preceding two species are all that have ever been noticed within the limits of the United States, though several others inhabit Mexico. Two species also are known as birds of Europe, though one of them (Ceryle rudis), like our second species in the United States, is a visitor only in the southern countries of that division of the globe.

In Asia and the Asiatic islands, and in Australia, numerous species of these birds are found. Some of the Australian species are the largest of this family, being of the size of or larger than the Crow of the United States, and are remarkable for their loud and discordant voices. They belong to the genus Dacelo of naturalists. Great diversity of size occurs in this family. There are other species (of the genera Ispidina and Ceyx), which are not larger than the Chipping Sparrow of this country, though, to all intents and purposes, regularly established King-Fishers, and probably preying on fishes of a size accordingly.

Though many of the birds of this family are partially aquatic in their habits, and subsist exclusively on fishes, there are species principally inhabiting the islands in the Pacific, and Australia, which are stated to live habitually in forests, subsisting on reptiles and small terrestrial animals of other classes. These birds belong to the genera Todiramphus and Dacelo of authors.

Naturalists enumerate about ninety species of King-Fishers, of which specimens of seventy-seven are in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy.

We find recorded no species of King-Fishers to be considered as doubtful or obscure birds of that portion of North America within our prescribed limits.

With this family we close that division of the Perching Birds classed by ornithologists as Fissirostres. Two other families, the Trogonidæ and the Meropidæ, are not represented by species inhabiting the United States or the more northern countries of this continent. Of the Trogonidæ, however, several species are found in Mexico, one of which (Trogon mexicanus) was observed by Lieut. Couch, in the northern part of that country, and will very probably yet be found within the present limits of this confederacy. All the American Trogons are birds of remarkable beauty, and one of them (Calurus resplendens) can scarcely be surpassed in any country. It inhabits Central America, and is the sacred bird of the aborigines, and mentioned by Mr. Stephens and other travellers in the countries which it inhabits. Its plumage, and that of many other American species, is of fine metallic golden green and scarlet.

Of the Meropidæ, or Bee-eaters, no species inhabits America. Those birds are almost restricted to Asia and Africa, one species only being European.

Plate 41
Baird’s Buzzard
Buteo Bairdii (Hoy)

BUTEO BAIRDII.—Hoy.
Baird’s Buzzard.
PLATE XLI. Adults?

Of the several new species of rapacious birds of North America, which have been discovered within a few years, the bird now before the reader is one of the most interesting. It is the second species now ascertained to inhabit this continent, of a group constituting the typical genus Buteo of naturalists, which until a recent period was supposed to be peculiar to the Old World, the previously known American species being Swainson’s Buzzard (Buteo Swainsonii), a bird of the northern regions, little known and nearly lost sight of until recently by ornithologists.

The birds of this group are more active and Falcon-like in their habits than the other species of the North American Buzzards, all of which have been classified in other sub-genera. They also appear to be more strictly predatory in their habits.

The present species was discovered by P. R. Hoy, M. D., an active and enthusiastic naturalist of Racine, Wisconsin, who first observed it and obtained specimens in the vicinity of that city. In the same State, it has also been observed by the Rev. A. O. Barry, of Racine, and Mr. William Dudley, of Madison, both naturalists of extensive acquirements, who have done much to elucidate the zoology of that district. All of those gentlemen concur, however, in representing it as very probably a visitor only in Wisconsin, and migrating to more northern regions of the continent of America. In addition to their specimens, we have seen one other only, which is contained in a collection now deposited in the National Museum, Washington, and was obtained near the Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory, by Lieut. E. G. Beckwith, of the United States Army, in whose charge a party surveyed one of the proposed routes for a Railroad to the Pacific Ocean.

We have to express our obligations to Dr. Hoy for his kindness in furnishing the following notice of this bird for our present article:—

“Although never numerous, this fine Hawk is not unfrequently met with during the fall and spring, especially in the vicinity of Racine, but is exceedingly wary and difficult to approach, and as it is here an inhabitant almost exclusively of the prairies, the procuring of specimens even by an experienced hunter or collector, is almost entirely dependant on encountering it accidentally within gunshot.

“This bird may be readily known, though seen at a considerable distance or heighth in the air, by its long pointed wings and rapid flight; in the last respect somewhat resembling the Duck Hawk (Falco anatum), and in fact looking somewhat like that species when on the wing. I witnessed not long since, a bird of this species flying rapidly, but he wheeled about suddenly and struck into a covey of Partridges with wonderful celerity of movement, and bore off in his talons sufficient evidence that his exploit had been fully successful. This bird possesses much greater activity of habits than any other of our Hawks of the same genus (Buteo), and its mode of flight is quite different.

“The favorite haunts of this species are the broad prairies, over which it may be seen generally flying or coursing around in quest of its prey, or occasionally perched in repose, but very carefully keeping out of the range of the gun. It is one of the most shy of our Hawks, and I have never known an instance of its visiting the vicinity of the farm-house, or disturbing the domestic poultry, as is done by nearly all other of our birds of the Falcon kind, much to the disadvantage of their reputation with our farmers and housewives. The present bird at least saves his character in that respect, for he never comes near, and prefers also that no one shall come near him.

“The prey of this species is principally Grouse, Quails, and other birds; but when opportunity offers, he does not disdain field-mice, or even snakes. The Pinnated Grouse, or Prairie Hen, as it is universally called in our region of country (Tetrao cupido), is his most common food, which, frequenting the prairies habitually, his pursuit of this bird is the cause of his being so constantly seen in such localities. Usually he has little difficulty in procuring a supply sufficient for his wants. I am under the impression that this bird does not rear its young in this part of Wisconsin, as I have never known its nest to be found, though I have of various other species. I have never seen this bird soar in the manner of other Buzzards. It is apparently a visitor only to this part of the State of Wisconsin.”

The specimens obtained by Dr. Hoy, one of which is represented in the upper figure in our plate, present considerable similarity in colors; but we have seen one other, which had the colors much darker, and the under-parts especially much marked with black. The latter specimen is represented in our lower figure, and was obtained in the neighborhood of Madison, Wisconsin, by Mr. William Dudley, Secretary of the Wisconsin Natural History Society. The specimen from Utah Territory is almost precisely identical in color with those obtained by Dr. Hoy.

We have no further information respecting this interesting species.