Western Bird Guide. Reed Charles Keller
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Название: Western Bird Guide
Автор: Reed Charles Keller
Издательство: Public Domain
Жанр: Зарубежная классика
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Nest.– On islands in the lakes and rivers of Alaska. The nest is generally made of moss, grass and weeds and placed on the ground.
Range.– Breeds from the interior of British Columbia to Alaska. Winters in the south to Lower California.
HEERMANN GULL
A handsome little species, often called the White-headed Gull. In summer the entire head, neck and throat are white, with a red bill and legs. The body color shades abruptly from the neck into slaty, both the upper and under parts. The primaries and tail are black.
Nest.– Similar to others of the Gull family, with three eggs greenish drab in color marked with brown, black and lilac (2.45 × 1.50).
Range.– Pacific coast of North America.
BONAPARTE GULL
In summer, tip and outer web of outer primaries black; inner web and shaft white, with a black bill. The head and neck are gray; while in winter the head is white with gray spots back of the eyes. Young birds have the back mixed with brownish and the tail with a band of black near the tip. They are rarely found in the U. S. with the black hood.
Nest.– They nest in great numbers in the marshes of the northwest. The nests of sticks and grass are placed on the higher parts of the marshes and the usual complement of three eggs is laid. The eggs are grayish to greenish brown, marked with dark brown spots (1.90 × 1.30).
SABINE GULL
A handsome bird, having the slaty hood bordered behind with a black ring; the primaries black, white tipped, and the tail slightly forked. In winter the head and throat white with the back of the neck dusky.
Nest.– They breed abundantly on the marshes of northern Alaska and Greenland. The two or three eggs are greenish brown in color and marked with dark brown (1.75 × 1.25).
CASPIAN TERN
The largest and most beautiful of the Tern family. The bill is large, heavy and bright red. The crest with which this species is adorned is black. The mantle is pearl color and the breast is white. Winter birds have the crown mixed with white, and the young are blotched with blackish in the wings and tail.
Nest.– They sometimes nest in large colonies and then again only a few pair will be found on an island. Eggs vary from gray to greenish buff, marked with brown and lilac. The two eggs usually being laid in a hollow in the sand.
Range.– North America, breeding from the Gulf Coast and Lower California to the Arctic regions.
ELEGANT TERN
In the breeding plumage the under parts of the Terns are tinged with rosy, which probably first gave the birds their name.
Nest.– They lay but a single egg, in a slight depression in the sand, creamy brown with light brown markings (2.40 × 1.40).
Range.– Central and South America, in summer to California.
FORSTERS TERN
These beautiful birds are often known as “Sea Swallows,” because of their similarity in flight to those well-known land birds. They are the picture of grace as they dart about high in the air, bill pointed downward, alert and ready to dart down upon any small fish that may take their fancy.
Nest.– A slight depression in the sand, rarely lined with grass, in which are laid three, sometimes four, eggs varying in color from almost white to brownish, thickly spotted with brown and lavender (1.80 × 1.30).
Range.– Throughout North America; breeding from Manitoba to the Gulf Coast.
COMMON TERN
This bird differs from the above in the red of the bill being more blackish at the tip, and the under parts being a pearly gray in place of white, tail not quite as much forked, and shorter; edge of outer primaries and outer tail-feathers blackish.
Nest.– These breed much more abundantly on the Atlantic coast. Their eggs are more rounded (1.75 × 1.40).
ARCTIC TERN
A similar bird to the last; more northern in its distribution; and the pearly gray mantle somewhat darker both above and below. Bill quite red and feet much smaller and bright red. When their nesting colonies are approached they will rise in clouds, circling about high in the air, uttering at times their peculiar cry.
Nest.– Similar to the others, with very little if any attempt at nest building. Usually placing the two or three eggs on the bare sand or gravel just above the water line. There is no difference in the color or markings of the eggs from the others (1.75 × 1.40).
Range.– More northerly than the preceding, to the Arctic Regions and wintering from California to the Gulf States.
ALEUTIAN TERN
This handsome Tern is of the same form and size as the Common Tern, but has a darker mantle, and the forehead is white, with a black line extending from the bill to the eye.
Nest.– Is much the same as the Arctic, but the eggs are somewhat smaller and narrower (1.70 × 1.15).
LEAST TERN
This is the smallest of our Terns; not much larger than a swallow and in flight are much the same, darting through the air, taking insects the same as swallows, or dipping into the water for small minnows that are showing themselves near the surface.
Nest.– Simply a depression in the sand or gravel just above the water line, with two to four creamy white eggs beautifully marked with different shades of brown and lilac (1.25 × .95).
Range.– Throughout the United States to northern South America, breeding abundantly on the coast of southern California.
BLACK TERN
We always think of the Terns as light colored birds, either white or pearly; but here we have one nearly black. Adults in summer having the head, neck and under parts black, with the back, wings and tail gray.
Nest.– Their nesting habits vary also as much as their color. Nests are of weeds and grass in the sloughs on the prairies. Two to four eggs are a dark greenish brown with black spots (1.35 × .95).
ALBATROSSES – Family Diomedeidæ
BLACK-FOOTED СКАЧАТЬ