A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

PREFACE

I have been induced to present this Volume to the Public by two considerations. The figures and descriptions contained in the works entitled “The Birds of America,” and “Ornithological Biography, or an Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States,” having been issued in the miscellaneous manner which was thought best adapted to the occasion, or which was rendered necessary by circumstances, seemed to require a systematic index, in which the nomenclature should be corrected, and the species arranged agreeably to my present views. This Synopsis, then, will afford a methodical catalogue of all the species hitherto discovered in the vast regions, extending from the northern confines of Mexico to the Polar Seas, and which have been described, and, with few exceptions, depicted in the works above named. Another important object has been to present an arrangement of these birds, so characterized, that a person desirous of studying them, might, without much difficulty, be enabled to discover their names, and trace some of the most important features in their organization.

The species are disposed into genera and families; and, although the location of the groups is not such as, in all respects, to satisfy me, the arrangement will, I trust, be found in some degree useful. It will be seen that, although I have adopted many of the modern groups, I have not sectioned our birds on so minutely divided a scale as that employed by some recent writers. Besides the characters of the Families, Genera, and Species, which are given with considerable detail, I have presented a short account of the Geographical Distribution of the species, and references to the principal authors by whom they have been described. I am confident that these notices will suffice to enable the student to determine with certainty any species that may come under his consideration, and that the information respecting its habits, which he will find in the works referred to, will afford him at least sufficient knowledge to form a basis for the more extended observation which he may contemplate. To the name of the genus I have appended that of the author by whom it has been instituted; and with the specific names I have dealt in the same manner, giving as authorities the individuals who first employed them, although they may have referred them to different genera. It is probable that many errors have been made in this department; but I shall be happy to see them corrected, as my wish is to do justice to all.

On this occasion I have again to acknowledge the benefit derived from the aid of my friend Mr Macgillivray, whose general knowledge of ornithology, and perfect candour, have rendered his advice peculiarly valuable.

J. J. AUDUBON.

Edinburgh, 1st July 1839.

FAMILY I. VULTURINÆ. VULTURINE BIRDS, OR VULTURES

Bill of moderate length, stout, cerate; upper mandible with the tip elongated and decurved; lower mandible rounded and thin-edged at the end. Head rather small, or of moderate size, ovato-oblong, and with part of the neck destitute of feathers. Eyes of moderate size, without projecting ridges. External aperture of ears rather small and simple. Skin over the fore part of the neck bare or merely downy. Tarsus rather stout, bare, and shorter than the middle toe; hind toe much smaller than the second; anterior toes connected at the base by a web; claws large, moderately curved, rather acute. Plumage full and rather compact. Wings very long, subacuminate. Œsophagus excessively wide, and dilated into a crop; stomach rather large, somewhat muscular, with a soft rugous epithelium; intestine of moderate length and width; cœca extremely small. The young when fledged have the head and upper part of the neck generally covered with down. Eggs commonly two.

GENUS I. CATHARTES, Illiger. TURKEY-VULTURE

Bill of moderate length, rather slender, somewhat compressed; upper mandible with its dorsal outline nearly straight and declinate to the end of the large cere, then decurved, the edges a little festooned, rather thick, the tip descending and rather obtuse; lower mandible with the angle long and rather narrow, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the back broad, the edges sharp, towards the end decurved. Nostrils oblong, large, pervious. Head oblong. Tongue deeply concave or induplicate, its edges serrate with reversed papillæ. Œsophagus dilated into an enormous crop; stomach moderately muscular; duodenum convoluted. Head and upper part of neck denuded, being only sparingly covered with very short down. Wings very long and extremely broad; third, fourth, and fifth primaries longest, first much shorter. Tail of moderate length, nearly even. Tarsus short, rather stout, roundish, reticulate. Hind toe very small, second a little shorter than fourth, third very long, all scutellate for more than half their length. Claws strong, arched, compressed, obtuse.

1. 1. Cathartes Californianus, Lath. Californian Turkey-Vulture. – Turkey-Buzzard

Plate CCCCXXVI. Adult.

Nostrils small, elliptical, occupying only the posterior half of the nasal groove; feathers of the ruff and breast lanceolate and acuminate; primaries finely acuminate, fourth and fifth longest; tail rather short, even. Adult with the head bare and yellowish-red, the plumage brownish-black, the secondaries grey, tipped with white, their coverts large, tipped with the same. Young with the head downy and dusky, the plumage blackish-brown, the feathers edged with light brown, the secondary coverts tipped with brownish-white.

Male, length 50. Female, length 55.

California and Columbia Rivers. Resident in the south.

Cathartes Californianus, Bonap. Syn. p. 22.

Californian Vulture, Nuttall, Man. vi. p. 39.

Californian Vulture, Cathartes Californianus, Aud. v. v. p. 240.

2. 2. Cathartes Aura, Linn. Red-headed Turkey-Vulture. – Turkey-Buzzard. Turkey-Vulture

Plate CLI. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Young fledged.

Nostrils very large, elliptical, occupying the whole nasal cavity; feathers of the ruff and breast ovate, rounded; skin over the crop bare; tail rounded. Adult with the skin of the head and neck wrinkled and blood-red, the horny part of the bill yellowish-white; the plumage blackish-brown, deepest on the neck and under parts; feet flesh-coloured, tinged with yellow. Young when fledged with the skin of the head and neck dull flesh-coloured and more downy, the horny tip of the bill light blue, the plumage nearly as in the adult, but the wing-coverts and secondaries spotted with whitish.

Male.– Length 32, extent of wings 76.

From Texas to Pennsylvania. Inland westward to the Columbia River. Resident.

Turkey-Vulture or Turkey-Buzzard, Vultur Aura, Wils. v. ix. p. 96.

Cathartes Aura, Bonap. Syn. p. 22.

Cathartes Aura, Turkey-Vulture, Rich. & Swains. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 4.

Turkey-Vulture or Turkey-Buzzard, Nuttal, Man. v. ii. p. 43.

Turkey-Buzzard, Cathartes Aura, Aud. v. ii. p. 296; v. v. p. 339.

3. 3. Cathartes atratus, Wils. Black-headed Turkey-Vulture. – Black Vulture. Carrion Crow

Plate CVI. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

Nostrils very large, oblong, occupying the whole nasal cavity; feathers of the neck short, very broad, abruptly rounded, advancing farther on the hind part; skin over the crop feathered; tail even. Adult with the skin of the head and neck corrugated, dusky, the horny part of the bill greyish-yellow, the plumage bluish-black, feet yellowish-grey. Young when fledged with the head and neck closely covered with dusky down; the plumage blackish-brown.

Male, length 26, extent of wings 54.

From Texas to New Jersey. Up the Mississippi to the Ohio. Columbia River. Resident.

Black Vulture or Carrion Crow, Vultur atratus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ix. p. 104.

Cathartes Iota, Bonap. Syn. p. 23.

Black Vulture or Carrion Crow, Cathartes Iota, Nuttal, Man. v. i. p. 46.

Black Vulture or Carrion Crow, Aud. v. ii. p. 33; v. v. p. 345.

Cathartes atratus, Black Vulture, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 6.

FAMILY II. FALCONINÆ. FALCONINE BIRDS

Bill short, stout, cerate; upper mandible with the tip elongated and decurved; lower mandible rounded and thin-edged at the end. Head rather large, broadly ovate, feathered. Eyes large, with prominent superciliary ridges. External aperture of ears of moderate size, and simple. Tarsus longer than the middle toe; claws very large, much curved, extremely acute. Plumage full and generally compact. Wings very long and broad. Œsophagus excessively wide and dilated into a crop; stomach large, somewhat membranous, its muscular fasciculi being placed in a single series; intestine short and rather wide, or very long and slender; cœca extremely small. The young, when fledged, generally having the lower parts longitudinally streaked. Eggs from two to six, ovate, or roundish. Nest on trees, rocks, or the ground.

GENUS I. POLYBORUS, Vieill. CARACARA

Bill large, high, rather long, much compressed; cere large, covered with hair-like feathers; upper outline convex and declinate to the edge of the cere, then decurved; edge of upper mandible slightly arched and nearly even, tip of lower compressed and rounded. Nostrils elliptical, oblique, in the anterior part of the cere near the ridge. Eyelids and space anterior to the eye denuded, as is the skin over the crop. Feet rather long; tarsi anteriorly scutellate, sharp-edged and scaly behind; toes rather long, broadly scutellate, the first much shorter than the second; claws long, little curved, that of the middle toe being only slightly arched. Wings long, rounded, the third and fourth quills longest, the first five having the inner web cut out. Tail rather long, rounded.

4. 1. Polyborus Braziliensis, Gmel. Brazilian Caracara. – Caracara Eagle

Plate CLXI. Young.

Adult with the upper part of the head and nape brownish-black, the throat and ear-coverts yellowish-white; the upper parts finely barred with brown and dull white, the rump and tail lighter, the latter with a large terminal brown band; the lower parts similarly barred with reddish-white and brown. Young with the upper part of the head brown, streaked with dusky, the hind neck and part of the breast pale yellowish-red longitudinally variegated with brown; the middle of the back, scapulars, wing-coverts and secondaries dark brown, as are the hind part of the breast and the tibiæ; the tail nearly as in the adult.

Male, 231/2, 48.

Texas and Florida. Resident.

Caracara Eagle Polyborus vulgaris, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 350; v. v. p. 351.

GENUS II. BUTEO, Bechst. BUZZARD

Bill short, with the upper outline nearly straight and declinate to the edge of the cere, then decurved, the sides rapidly sloping, the edges with a slight festoon, the tip trigonal, acute; lower mandible with the dorsal line convex and ascending, the edges arched, at the end deflected, the tip rounded. Head large, roundish, flattened above. Nostrils, obovate, nearer the ridge than the margin. Neck rather short. Body full. Feet short, robust; tarsi roundish, anteriorly feathered half-way down, and scutellate, posteriorly also scutellate; toes of moderate length, scaly for half their length; claws long, arched, compressed, acuminate. Plumage full and rather blended. Space between the bill and eye covered with bristly feathers. Wings long, broad, the fourth quill longest, the first and seventh or eighth about equal; the first four abruptly cut out on the inner web. Tail rather long, broad, slightly rounded. Cere and feet yellow; bill light blue at the base, black at the tip, in all the American species.

5. 1. Buteo Harrisii, Aud. Harris's Buzzard

Plate CCCXCII. Female.

Bill higher and feet more robust than in the other species. Wings much rounded, the first quill four inches shorter than the fourth, which is longest, the seventh longer than the second. Chocolate-brown; wing-coverts and tibial feathers brownish-red; upper tail-coverts, base and end of tail white.

Female, 24, wing 151/4.

Mississippi. Extremely rare. Migratory.

Louisiana Hawk, Falco Harrisii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 30.

6. 2. Buteo vulgaris, Willoughby. Common Buzzard

Plate CCCLXXII. Female.

Upper parts chocolate-brown; primaries black toward the end, part of their inner webs white, barred with brownish-black; tail with about ten dusky bars on a reddish-brown ground, the last dark bar broader; eyelids whitish; throat white, longitudinally streaked with dusky; the rest of the lower parts yellowish or brownish-white, barred with brown. This species is subject to much variation in colour.

Female, 23 inches, wing 17.

Rocky Mountains, Columbia River, and Fur Countries.

Buteo vulgaris, Common Buzzard, Rich. & Sw. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 47.

Common Buzzard, Falco buteo, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 108.

7. 3. Buteo borealis, Gmel. Red-tailed Buzzard. – Red-tailed Hawk. – Hen Hawk

Plate LI. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

Male with the upper part of the head and hind neck light greyish-brown, the back and scapulars dark brown, the latter broadly margined with brownish-white; smaller wing-coverts chocolate-brown; larger, lighter, tipped with white; primary quills blackish-brown, secondaries lighter, tipped with brownish-white, all barred with blackish; upper tail-coverts whitish, barred with brown; tail bright yellowish-red, with a narrow bar of black near the end, and tipped with whitish. Lower parts yellowish-white, the fore part of the breast with linear, guttiform, or sagittate spots; feathers of the leg and tarsus pale reddish-yellow. Female similar to the male, but with the upper parts darker, the lower nearly white, there being only a few narrow streaks on the sides of the breast. Young with the upper parts brown, streaked with yellowish-red, the tail-coverts yellowish-white barred with brown, the tail light greyish-brown, barred with dark brown and tipped with white; lower parts yellowish-white, with oblong longitudinal brown spots; the feathers of the sides and tibiæ barred with the same.

Male, 201/2, 46. Female, 24.

From Texas northward to the Fur Countries, and westward to the base of the Rocky Mountains. Resident.

Red-tailed Hawk, Falco borealis, Wils. Am. Orn. v. vi. p. 76. Adult.

American Buzzard or White-breasted Hawk, Falco leverianus, Wils. Am. Orn. v. vi. p. 78.

Buteo borealis, Red-tailed Buzzard, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 50.

Red-tailed Hawk or Buzzard, Falco borealis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 102.

Red-tailed Hawk, Falco borealis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. 1. p. 265; v. v. p. 378.

8. 4. Buteo Harlani, Aud. Harlan's Buzzard. – Black Warrior

Plate LXXXVI. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

Size of Common Buzzard, which it resembles in form and proportion. General colour of plumage deep chocolate-brown, glossed with greyish-blue; inner webs of quills white, those of the primaries barred with dusky toward the end; tail lighter than the back, rather narrowly barred with brownish-black, and tipped with brownish-red; lower parts paler, anteriorly streaked, posteriorly barred with brownish-black; lower wing-coverts whitish, spotted with deep brown.

Male, 21, 45. Female, 22.

Louisiana. Extremely rare.

Black Warrior, Falco Harlani, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 441. v. v. p. 380.

Black Buzzard, Falco Harlani, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 105.

9. 5. Buteo lineatus, Gmel. Red-breasted Buzzard. – Chicken Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Winter Hawk

Plate LVI. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female. Adult.

Plate LXXI. Young male.

Adult with the head, neck, and back light yellowish-red, longitudinally spotted with dark brown; smaller wing-coverts deep yellowish-red, with the centre brown; larger coverts and secondary quills dusky, broadly barred with white; primary quills brownish-black, barred with white; tail brownish-black, narrowly banded and tipped with white. Lower parts of the neck and lower wing-coverts light yellowish-red, the former longitudinally lined with dusky and faintly barred with whitish, the rest of the lower parts barred with light red and reddish-white. Young with the upper parts deep brown, the tail-coverts, tail, and quills barred with brownish-white; the lower parts white, longitudinally streaked and spotted with brown.

Male, 211/2, 44.

From Texas to Nova Scotia, and westward to the Missouri. Very abundant. Resident.

Red-shouldered Hawk, Falco lineatus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vi. p. 86. Young.

Winter Falcon, Falco hyemalis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 73. Adult.

Falco hyemalis, Bonap. Syn. p. 33.

Winter Falcon or Red-shouldered Hawk, Falco hyemalis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 106.

Red-shouldered Hawk, Falco lineatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 296; v. v. p. 380.

Winter Hawk, Falco hyemalis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 364. Young.

10. 6. Buteo Pennsylvanicus, Wils. Broad-winged Buzzard

Plate XCI. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female.

General colour of upper parts umber-brown; quills blackish-brown, the greater part of their inner webs whitish, with narrow dusky bands; tail with three very broad bands of dark brown; alternating with two broad white bands, and the tips brownish-white; cheeks reddish-brown, with a dark mystachial band; lower parts yellowish-white, barred with light brown, that colour predominating anteriorly. Female similar, lighter above, more tinged with red beneath, where the spots are larger and more irregular. Young with the upper parts brown, streaked and spotted with white; the tail light greyish-brown, with seven dusky bars; lower parts yellowish-white, longitudinally marked with linear-oblong brown spots.

Male, 16, 38. Female, 19.

From Maryland to Nova Scotia. Rare in the interior.

Broad-winged Hawk, Falco Pennsylvanicus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. v. vi. p. 92.

Falco Pennsylvanicus, Bonap. Syn. p. 29.

Broad-winged Hawk, Falco Pennsylvanicus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 105.

Broad-winged Hawk, Falco Pennsylvanicus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 461, v. v. p. 377.

11. 7. Buteo lagopus, Vigors. Rough-legged Buzzard

Plate CCCCXXII. Fig. 1. Old Male. Fig. 2. Young, first winter.

Plate CLXVI. Male. Middle age.

Tarsi feathered in their whole length. Adult male with the general colour of the plumage blackish-brown; the forehead and a large patch on the hind neck white, streaked with blackish-brown; all the feathers of the back, the scapulars, the wing-coverts, the quills, and the tail-feathers, white toward the base, and more or less barred with whitish-grey, or brown; axillar feathers, some of those on the sides, and some of the tibial feathers, with the lower tail-coverts similarly marked; the white forming a conspicuous patch on the under surface of the wing, occupying the greater part of the primaries as well as part of the inner webs of the secondaries; tail brownish-black, barred with greyish-white, there being six black bands on the middle feathers, the last very broad. Female of a uniform dark chocolate-brown, the tail banded, and the same parts white as in the male. Young with the head and neck streaked with umber-brown, and yellowish-white; back umber-brown, variegated with light reddish-brown and yellowish-white; quills dark brown towards the end, the outer webs of the first tinged with grey, the base of all white, that colour extending farther on the secondaries, of most of which, and of some of the primaries, the inner web is irregularly barred with brown; tail white at the base, brown toward the end, with a broad subterminal bar of brownish-black, the tips brownish-white; middle and hind part of the breast, with the sides, brownish-black, the rest of the lower parts pale yellowish-red, streaked or barred with dusky.

Male, 211/2, 511/2. Female, 23.

From Maryland northward. Columbia River. Not met with in the interior. Migratory. Not very abundant.

Black Hawk, Falco niger, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vi. p. 82. Adult.

Falco lagopus, Bonap. Syn. p. 32. Young.

Falco Sanci-Johannis, Bonap. Syn. p. 32. Adult.

Buteo lagopus, Rough-legged Buzzard, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 52.

Rough-legged Falcon, Falco lagopus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 59, Young; v. v. p. 216, Adult and Young.

GENUS III. AQUILA, Briss. EAGLE

Bill rather short, deep, compressed; upper mandible with the dorsal outline nearly straight and sloping at the base, beyond the cere decurved, the sides sloping and slightly convex, the edges nearly straight, with a slight convexity and a shallow sinus close to the strong subtrigonal tip; lower mandible with the dorsal outline convex, the tip obliquely truncate. Head large, roundish, flattened above. Nostrils oval, oblique, nearer the ridge than the margin. Neck rather short. Body very large. Feet rather short, very robust; tarsi roundish, feathered to the toes; which are rather short, united at the base by short webs, covered above with a series of angular scales, and towards the end with a few large scutella; claws long, curved, rounded, flat beneath, acuminate. Plumage compact, imbricated, glossy; feathers of the head and neck narrow and pointed; space between the bill and eye covered with small bristle-pointed feathers disposed in a radiating manner. Wings long, the fourth quill longest; the first short; the outer six abruptly cut out on the inner web. Tail rather long, ample, rounded.

12. 1. Aquila Chrysaetos, Linn. Golden Eagle

Plate CLXXXI. Female.

General colour of the plumage dark brown glossed with purple; occiput, hind part and sides of the neck, light brownish-yellow; wing-coverts light brown; primary quills brownish-black, secondary with the coverts brown, those next the body more or less mottled with brownish-white, excepting at the ends; tail dark brown, lighter towards the base, with a few irregular whitish markings; feathers of the legs and tarsi, and lower tail-coverts, light yellowish-brown. Young with the basal three-fourths of the tail white.

Male, 32, 70. Female, 38, 84.

From Pennsylvania northward. Never seen far in the interior. Resident.

Falco fulvus, Bonap. Syn. p. 25.

Aquila Chrysaetos, Golden Eagle, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 12.

Ring-tailed Eagle, Falco fulvus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. v. vii. p. 13.

Royal or Golden Eagle, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 62.

Golden Eagle, Falco Chrysaetos, Aud. Ornith. Biog. v. ii. p. 464.

GENUS IV. HALIAETUS, Savigny. SEA-EAGLE

Bill rather short, very deep, compressed; upper mandible with the dorsal outline nearly straight at the base, beyond the cere decurved, the sides sloping, the edges nearly straight, with a slight obtuse process, and a shallow sinus close to the strong trigonal tip; lower mandible, with the dorsal outline slightly convex, the tip obliquely truncate. Head large, oblong, flattened above. Nostrils oblong, oblique, near the ridge. Neck of moderate length. Body very large. Feet rather short, very robust; tarsi roundish, covered anteriorly with the transverse scutella, posteriorly with large, laterally with small scales; toes robust, free, scutellate above; claws large, curved, rounded, flat beneath, acuminate. Plumage compact, imbricated; feathers of the head and neck narrow and pointed; space between the bill and eye barish, being sparsely covered with bristle-like feathers, disposed in a radiating manner. Wings long, the second and third quills longest, the outer five cut out abruptly on the inner web. Tail rather long, rounded. Duodenum convoluted.

13. 1. Haliaetus Washingtoni, Aud. Washington Sea-Eagle

Plate XI. Male.

Tarsus and toes uniformly scutellate in their whole length. Bill bluish-black, cere yellowish-brown, feet orange-yellow, claws bluish-black. Upper part of the head, hind neck, back, scapulars, rump, tail-coverts, and posterior tibial feathers blackish-brown, glossed with a coppery tint; throat, fore-neck, breast, and belly light brownish-yellow, each feather with a central blackish-brown streak; wing-coverts light greyish-brown, those next the body becoming darker; primary quills dark brown, deeper on their inner webs; secondaries lighter, and on their outer webs of nearly the same light tint as their coverts; tail uniform dark brown.