A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

Tail long, much rounded, the lateral feathers two inches shorter than the middle. Upper part of head brownish-black, closely spotted with white, hind neck black, with two broad longitudinal bands of white spots; rest of upper parts dark brown, spotted with white; tail with eight transverse bars of white, the feathers tipped with the same; facial disks greyish-white, margined with black; lower parts transversely barred with brown and dull white.

Male, 153/4, 311/2. Female, 171/2.

From New Jersey on the east, and from Columbia River on the west, northward; but not in the central plains. Migratory.

Hawk Owl, Strix hudsonica, Wils. v. vi. p. 64.

Strix funerea, Bonap. Syn. p. 35.

Hawk Owl, Strix funerea, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 115.

28. 2. Surnia nyctea, Linn. Snowy Day-Owl. – Snowy Owl

Plate CXXI. Male and Female.

Tail rather long, moderately rounded; plumage white; head and back spotted; wings, tail, and lower parts barred with dusky brown. Young pure white. Individuals vary much in markings.

Male, 21, 53. Female, 26, 65.

From South Carolina on the east, and Columbia River on the west, northward. Migratory.

Snowy Owl, Strix nyctea, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 116.

Snowy Owl, Strix nyctea, Aud. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 135: v. v. p. 382.

29. 3. Surnia passerina, Linn. Passerine Day-Owl. – Little Night Owl

Plate CCCCXXXII. Fig. 3. Female.

Tail rather short, arched, nearly even; wings almost as long as the tail, the outer four quills cut out on the inner web, the outer five sinuated on the outer; filaments of the first free and slightly recurved, as are those of the second and third beyond the sinus. General colour of upper parts chocolate-brown, the feather of the head with an oblong median white mark; hind neck with very large white spots, forming a conspicuous patch; on the back most of the feathers with a single large subterminal roundish spot, as is the case with the scapulars and wing-coverts, most of which, however, have two or more spots; quills with marginal reddish-white spots on both webs, the third with six on the outer and four on the inner, with two very faint pale bars toward the end; the tail similarly marked with four bands of transversely oblong, reddish-white spots; feathers of the anterior part of the disk whitish, with black shafts, of the lower part whitish, of the hind part brown tipped with greyish-white; a broad band of white crossing the throat, and curving upwards on either side to the ear; a patch of white on the lower part of the fore-neck; between these a brownish-grey band. Lower parts dull yellowish-white, each feather with a broad longitudinal band of chocolate-brown; abdomen and lower tail-coverts unspotted; tarsal feathers dull white.

Female, 101/2; wing from flex. 61/4; tail 31/2.

From Nova Scotia eastward. Rather rare.

Little Night Owl, Strix passerina, Aud. v. v. p. 269.

31. 5. Surnia cunicularia, Gmel. Burrowing Day-Owl

Plate CCCCXXXII. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

Feet rather long, slender; tarsus covered with short soft feathers, of which the shafts only remain toward the lower part; toes short, their upper surface covered with bristles or the shafts of feathers; tail short, arched, narrow, slightly rounded. Bill greyish-yellow; claws black. General colour of upper parts light yellowish-brown, or umber-brown, spotted with white; the quills with triangular reddish-white spots from the margins of both webs, there being five on each web of the first; the tail similarly barred, there being on the middle feathers four double spots, and the tips of all white. Face greyish-white; throat and ruff white, succeeded by a mottled brown band, beneath which is a patch of white; the rest of the lower parts yellowish-white, with broad bars of light reddish-brown, which are closer on the sides of the breast; abdomen, lower tail-coverts, and legs without spots.

Male, 10, 24. Female, 11.

Prairies west of the Mississippi. Abundant.

Burrowing Owl, Strix cunicularia, Say, in Long's Exped. v. i. p. 200.

Burrowing Owl, Strix cunicularia, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 68.

Burrowing Owl, Strix cunicularia, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 264.

Burrowing Owl, Strix cunicularia, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 118.

30. 4. Surnia passerinoides, Temm. Columbian Day-Owl

Plate CCCCXXXII. Fig. 4, 5. Male.

Tail of moderate length, straight, slightly rounded; wings rather short, much rounded, fourth quill longest, outer three abruptly cut out on the inner web, the first with its filaments thickened but not recurvate, those of the second and third also thickened toward the end. General colour of the upper parts olivaceous brown; the head with numerous small, roundish, yellowish-white spots margined with dusky, of which there are two on each feather; the rest of the upper parts marked with larger, angular, whitish spots; the quills generally with three small and five large white spots on the outer and inner webs; the tail barred with transversely oblong white spots, of which there are seven pairs on the middle feathers. Facial disk brown, spotted with white; throat white, then a transverse brown band, succeeded by white; the lower parts white, with longitudinal brownish-black streaks, the sides brown, faintly spotted with paler. Young with the upper parts rufous, the head with fewer and smaller white spots; those on the lower part of the hind neck very large; the back, scapulars, and wing-coverts unspotted; the wings marked as in the adult, but with pale red spots in the outer, and reddish-white on the inner webs; the tail with only five bands of spots; the lower parts white, longitudinally streaked with light red, of which colour are the sides of the body and neck, and a band across the throat.

Male, 7, wing 37½/12.

Columbia River.

Cheveche chevechoide, Strix passerinoides, Temm. Pl. Col. 344.

Little Columbian Owl, Strix passerinoides, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 271.

GENUS II. ULULA. NIGHT-OWL

Bill short, strong, very deep, its upper outline decurved from the base; lower mandible abruptly rounded, with a notch on each side. Nostrils broadly elliptical, rather large. Conch of ear very large, elliptical, extending from the base of the lower jaw to near the top of the head, with an anterior semicircular operculum in its whole length. Feet rather short, strong; tarsi and toes covered with very soft downy feathers. Plumage full, and very soft; facial disks complete. Wings rather long, very broad, much rounded, the third quill longest; the filaments of the first, half of the second, and the terminal part of the third, free and recurved. Tail of moderate length, arched, slightly rounded.

32. 1. Ulula Tengmalmi, Gmel. Tengmalm's Night-Owl

Plate CCCLXXX. Male and Female.

General colour of upper parts greyish-brown tinged with olive; feathers of the head with an elliptical central white spot; those of the neck with a larger spot; scapulars with two or four large round spots near the end, and some of the dorsal feathers and wing-coverts with single spots on the outer web; all the quills margined with white spots on both webs, arranged in transverse series, there being six on the outer web of the third; on the tail five series of transversely elongated white spots. Disk yellowish-white, anteriorly black; ruff yellowish-white, mottled with dusky; throat brown, chin white; lower parts yellowish-white, longitudinally streaked with brown; some of the feathers of the sides with two white spots; tarsal and digital feathers greyish-yellow, with faint transverse brown bars.

Male, 11, wing 610/12. Female, 12.

From Maine on the east, and from Columbia River on the west, northward.

Strix Tengmalmi, Tengmalm's Owl, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 94.

Tengmalm's Owl, Strix Tengmalmi, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 559.

33. 2. Ulula Acadica, Gmel. Acadian Night-Owl. – Little Owl. Saw-whet

Plate CXCIX. Male and Female.

General colour of upper part olivaceous brown; scapulars and some of the wing-coverts spotted with white; the first six primary quills obliquely barred with white; tail darker, with two narrow white bars; upper part of head streaked with greyish-white; disks pale yellowish-grey; ruff white, spotted with dusky. Lower parts whitish, the sides and breast marked with broad elongated patches of brownish-red.

Male, 71/2, 17. Female, 81/2, 18.

From North Carolina on the east, and from Columbia River on the west, northward.

Little Owl, Strix passerina, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 61.

Strix acadica, Bonap. Syn. p. 38.

Strix acadica, American Sparrow Owl, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 97.

Acadian Owl, Strix acadica, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 137.

Little or Acadian Owl, Strix acadica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 567: v. v. p. 397.

GENUS III. STRIX, Linn. SCREECH-OWL

Bill short, compressed, deep, strong; upper mandible with its dorsal outline straight to the end of the cere, then curved, the sides nearly flat and erect, the tip deflected, with a rounded but sharp-edged point; lower mandible with the dorsal line convex, the sides convex, the edges arched, the tip obliquely truncate. Conch of the ear semicircular, extending from over the anterior angle of the eye to the middle of the lower jaw; aperture large, somewhat square, with an anterior operculum fringed with feathers. Legs rather long, tarsus long, feathered, scaly at the lower part; toes large, the first short, the inner nearly as long as the middle, all with series of small tuberculiform oblong scales, intermixed with a few bristles, and three broad scutella at the end. Claws arched, long, extremely sharp, the edge of the third thin and transversely cracked in old birds. Plumage very soft and downy; facial disks complete. Wings long, ample, rounded; the first quill with the filaments recurved. Tail rather short, even.

34. 1. Strix Americana, Aud. American Screech-Owl. – Barn Owl

Plate CLXXI. Male and Female.

Feathers margining the operculum with the shaft and webs undeveloped. Bill pale greyish-yellow; claws and scales brownish-yellow. General colour of upper parts greyish-brown, with light yellowish-red interspersed, produced by very minute mottling; each feather having toward the end a central streak of deep brown, terminated by a small oblong greyish-white spot; wings similarly coloured; secondary coverts and outer edges of primary coverts with a large proportion of light brownish-red; quills and tail transversely barred with brown; lower parts pale brownish-red, fading anteriorly into white, each feather having a small dark brown spot at the tip.

Closely allied to Strix flammea, but larger, and differing somewhat in colour, being generally darker, with the ruff red. A character by which they may always be distinguished is found in the operculum, the feathers margining which are in the present species reduced to their tubes, the shafts and filaments being wanting, whereas in the European species each tube bears a very slender shaft, about half an inch long, and furnished with about half a dozen filaments on each side.

Male, 17, 42. Female, 18, 46.

Southern States. Breeds from Texas to North Carolina. Never seen in the interior, or to the north. Rather common.

White or Barn Owl, Strix flammea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vi. p. 57.

Strix flammea, Bonap. Synops. p. 38.

White or Barn Owl, Strix flammea, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 139.

Barn Owl, Strix flammea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 403: v. v. p. 388.

GENUS IV. SYRNIUM, Cuv. HOOTING-OWL

Bill short, stout, broad at the base; upper mandible with its dorsal outline convex to the end of the cere, then curved, the sides sloping and nearly flat, the tip compressed, decurved, acute; lower mandible small, with the dorsal line convex, the tip narrow, the edges decurved toward the end. Nostrils large, elliptical. Conch of the ear of medium size, and furnished with an anterior semicircular operculum, beset with slender feathers. Legs rather short; tarsi very short, and with the toes feathered. Claws slightly curved, long, slender, compressed, acuminate. Plumage very soft and downy; facial disks complete. Wings very large, much rounded, the outer quill with the tips of the filaments separated and recurved, as are those of the terminal portion of the next; the outer six with the inner webs sinuate. Tail broad, rounded.

35. 1. Syrnium cinereum, Linn. Great Cinereous Hooting-Owl. – Cinereous Owl

Plate CCCLI. Female.

Upper parts greyish-brown, variegated with greyish-white in irregular undulated markings; the feathers on the upper part of the head with two transverse white spots on each web; the smaller wing-coverts of a darker brown, and less mottled than the back; the outer scapulars with more white on their outer webs; primaries blackish-brown toward the end, in the rest of their extent marked with a few broad light grey oblique bands, dotted and undulated with darker; tail similarly barred; ruff-feathers white toward the end, dark brown in the centre; disks on their inner sides grey, with black tips, in the rest of their extent greyish-white, with six bars of blackish-brown very regularly disposed in a concentric manner; lower parts greyish-brown, variegated with greyish and yellowish-white; feet barred with the same.

Female, 301/2, 481/2.

From Massachusetts on the east, and Columbia River on the west, northward. Migratory.

Great Grey or Cinereous Owl, Strix cinerea, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 128.

Cinereous Owl, Strix cinerea, Swain. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 77.

Great Cinereous Owl, Strix cinerea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 364.

36. 2. Syrnium nebulosum, Linn. Barred Hooting-Owl. Barred Owl

Plate XLVI. Male.

General colour of upper parts light reddish-brown; face and greater part of the head brownish-white; the feathers of the latter broadly marked with brown, of which a narrow band passes from the bill along the middle of the head; feathers of the back and most of the wing-coverts largely spotted with white; primary coverts, quills, and tail, barred with light brownish-red; wings and tail tipped with greyish-white; lower parts pale brownish-red, longitudinally streaked with brown, excepting the neck and upper part of the breast, which are transversely marked, the abdomen, which is yellowish-white, and the tarsal feathers, which are light reddish.

Male, 18, 40.

From Texas to Nova Scotia. Resident in the south and west. Very abundant.

Barred Owl, Strix nebulosa, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 61.

Strix nebulosa, Bonap. Syn. p. 38.

Barred Owl, Strix nebulosa, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 133.

Barred Owl, Strix nebulosa, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 242: v. v. p. 386.

GENUS V. OTUS, Cuv. EARED-OWL

Bill short, stout, broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal line slightly curved from the base, toward the end decurved, the ridge broad at the base, narrowed anteriorly, the sides convex toward the tip, which is acute, and descends obliquely; lower mandible straight, with the dorsal line very short and slightly convex, the back and sides convex, the edges toward the end decurved, and with a slight sinus on each side, the tip obliquely truncate. Nostrils large, oblique, oblong. Conch of extreme size; extending from the level of the forehead over the eye to the chin in a semilunar form, with an anterior semicircular flap in its whole length, the aperture large, of a rhomboidal form. Feet of moderate length, and stout; tarsi short, feathered, as are the toes; the first shortest, the second and fourth nearly equal; claws long, curved in the fourth of a circle, extremely acute, the first and second rounded beneath. Plumage extremely soft and downy, facial disks complete, ruff distinct. Two small tufts of elongated feathers on the head. Wings long and broad; the second quill longest; the outer in its whole length, the second toward the end, and the first alular feather, with the filaments disunited and recurved at the ends. Tail rather short, a little rounded.

37. 1. Otus vulgaris, Fleming. Common Eared-Owl. – Long-eared Owl

Tufts elongated; general colour of plumage buff, mottled and spotted with brown and greyish-white; dirty whitish anteriorly, with the tips black, posteriorly reddish-white; ruff mottled with red and black; upper part of head minutely mottled with whitish, brownish-black, and light red; the tufts light reddish toward the base, brownish-black in the centre toward the end, the inner edge white, dotted with dark brown; upper parts buff, variegated with brown and whitish-grey, minutely mottled or undulatingly barred; first row of coverts tipped with white; quills and scapulars pale grey barred with dark brown, the primaries buff toward the base externally. Tail with ten bars on the middle and eight on the outer feathers; lower parts with more buff and fewer spots than the upper, each feather with a long dark brown streak, and several irregular transverse bars; legs and toes pure buff.

Male, 141/2, 38. Female, 16, 40.

From Maryland eastward, and Kentucky westward to the Missouri. Rather rare. Resident.

Long-eared Owl, Strix Otus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vi. p. 52.

Strix Otus, Bonap. Syn. p. 37.

Long-eared Owl, Strix Otus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 130.

Long-eared Owl, Strix Otus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 573.

38. 2. Otus brachyotus, Linn. Short-tufted Eared-Owl. – Short-Eared Owl

Tufts inconspicuous, general colour of plumage buff variegated with dark brown; eye surrounded by a ring of brownish-black, much broader behind; anterior half of disk white, with the tips black, posterior yellowish; anterior auricular ruff white, posterior yellowish, each feather with an oblong dark brown spot; upper parts buff, longitudinally streaked with dark brown; scapulars and wing-coverts spotted and banded in large patches, many with a large yellowish-white spot on the outer web near the end; quills buff, with two or three dark brown bands; tail similar, with five broad dark bands, the tip yellowish-white; on the middle feathers, the light-coloured spaces have a brown central patch; lower parts pale buff, whitish behind, the neck with oblong, the breast and sides with linear dark brown streaks; chin, feet, abdomen, and lower tail-coverts unspotted.

Male, 15, 40. Female, 17, 45.

From Texas eastward. Columbia River. Common. Migratory.

Short-eared Owl, Strix brachyotos, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 64.

Strix brachyotos, Bonap. Syn. p. 37.

Short-eared Owl, Strix brachyotos, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 132.

Short-eared Owl, Strix brachyotos, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 273.

GENUS VI. BUBO, Cuvier. HORNED-OWL

Bill short, stout, broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal line curved from the base, the edges with a slight festoon, the tip trigonal, very acute; lower mandible with the dorsal line convex, the tip obliquely truncate. Nostrils broadly elliptical, aperture of ear elliptical, less than half the height of the head, without operculum. Feet of ordinary length; tarsi and toes feathered. Plumage full and very soft; facial disks complete; a tuft of elongated feathers on each side of the crown of the head. Wings ample, the first quill short, the fourth longest. Tail of ordinary length, rounded.

39. 1. Bubo Virginianus, Gmel. Virginian Horned-Owl. – Great Horned-Owl

Plate LXI. Male and Female.

Upper part of the head brownish-black, mottled with light brown, the tufts of the same colour, margined with brown; face brownish-red, with a circle of blackish-brown; upper parts undulatingly banded and minutely mottled with brownish-black and yellowish-red, behind tinged with grey; wings and tail light brownish-yellow, barred and mottled with blackish-brown and light brownish-red; chin white; upper part of throat light reddish, spotted with black, a band of white across the middle of fore neck; its lower part and the breast light yellowish-red, barred with deep brown, as are the lower parts generally; several longitudinal brownish-black patches on the lower fore neck; tarsal feathers light yellowish-red, obscurely barred.

Male, 23, 56. Female, 25, 60.

From Texas northward. Resident. Not rare in the south.

Great Horned-Owl, Strix Virginiana, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vi. p. 52.

Strix Virginiana, Bonap. Syn. p. 37.

Great Horned-Owl or Cat Owl, Strix Virginiana, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 124.

Great Horned-Owl, Strix Virginiana, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 313; v. v. p. 393.

40. 2. Bubo Asio, Linn. Mottled Horned-Owl

Plate XCVII. Adult and Young.

Adult with the upper parts pale brown, spotted and dotted with brownish-black; a pale grey line from the base of the upper mandible over each eye; quills light brownish-grey, barred with brownish-black, their coverts dark brown, secondary coverts with the tip white; throat yellowish-grey, lower parts light grey, patched and sprinkled with brownish-black; tail-feathers tinged with red. Young with the upper parts light brownish-red, each feather with a central blackish-brown line; tail and quills barred with dull brown; a line over the eye, and the tips of the secondary coverts reddish-white; breast and sides light yellowish-grey, spotted and lined with brownish-black and bright reddish-brown, the rest of the lower parts yellowish-grey, the tarsal feathers pale yellowish-red.

Male, 10, 22. Female, 10, 23.

From Texas eastward. Columbia River. Resident. Abundant.

Mottled Owl, Strix nævia, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 16. Adult.

Red Owl, Strix Asio, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 83. Young.

Mottled and Red Owl, Strix Asio, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 120.

Little Screech Owl, Strix Asio, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 486; v. v. p. 392.

FAMILY VI CAPRIMULGINÆ. GOATSUCKERS

Mouth opening to beneath the centre of the eyes; bill much depressed, generally feeble, the horny part being small; upper mandible with the tip somewhat decurved. Nostrils elliptical, prominent, marginate. Eyes extremely large. Aperture of ear elliptical, very large. Head of extreme breadth, depressed; body very slender. Feet very small; tarsus partially feathered, scaly; anterior toes webbed at the base; hind toe small, and versatile, all scutellate above; claw of third toe generally elongated, with the inner margin thin and pectinate. Plumage very soft and blended. Wings very long, the second and third quills longest. Tail long, of ten feathers. Œsophagus rather wide, without crop; stomach very large, roundish, its muscular coat very thin, and composed of a single series of strong fasciculi; epithelium very hard, with longitudinal rugæ; intestine short and wide; cœca large, oblong, narrow at the base; cloaca globular. Trachea of nearly uniform width, without inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the ground, or in hollow trees. Eggs generally two. Young covered with down. Very nearly allied in some respects to the Owls.

GENUS I. CAPRIMULGUS, Linn. GOATSUCKER

Bill feeble, gape extending to beneath the posterior angle of the eye. Nostrils elliptical, prominent. Wings long, pointed, the second quill longest; tail long. Claw of middle toe pectinate. Along the base of the bill on each side, a series of feathers having very strong shafts, terminating in an elastic filamentous point, and with the barbs or lateral filaments extremely slender, distant, and not extended beyond the middle of the shaft. Plumage very soft and blended. Wings long and pointed, the second quill longest; tail long, rounded.

41. 1. Caprimulgus Carolinensis, Gmel. Carolina Goatsucker. – Chuck-will's-widow

Plate LII. Male and Female.

Bristles with lateral filaments; tail slightly rounded. Head and back dark brown, minutely mottled with yellowish-red, and longitudinally streaked with black; three bands of the latter colour, from the lower mandible diverging along the head; a yellowish-white line over the eye; wings barred with yellowish-red and brownish-black, and minutely sprinkled with the latter colour, as are the wing-coverts, which, together with the scapulars, are largely spotted with black, and tinged with grey; tail similarly barred and dotted; terminal half of the inner webs of the three outer feathers white, their extremities light red; lower parts dull reddish-yellow, sprinkled with dusky; a band of whitish feathers barred with black on the fore neck. Female like the male, but without white on the tail.