A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 3

Mr. Nuttall states that this Pigeon is always in flocks, and in Oregon keeps only in the thick forests of the Columbia and the Wahlamet, and during the summer is more particularly abundant in the alluvial groves of the latter river, where he constantly heard its cooing, and saw it in large flocks, feeding on the berries of the elder, the Cornus nuttalli, and the seed-germs and young pods of the balsam poplar. Its call is somewhat similar to that of the Carolina Dove, but is readily distinguishable, is uttered at the usual intervals, and is repeated an hour or two at a time, chiefly in the morning and evening. It remains on the lower part of the Columbia nearly the whole year, feeding on the berries of the tree cornel, moving south only in the severity of winter.

Mr. Salvin found this Pigeon at Volcan de Fuego, in Guatemala, at an elevation of six thousand feet, and at Coban. It was quite common in the high forests of the Volcano.

Dr. Woodhouse met with small flocks of these Pigeons in different parts of New Mexico, and especially in the San Francisco Mountains, now included within the limits of Arizona.

This species was found at Los Nogales, in Mexico, July, 1855, by Dr. Kennerly, and at New Leon by Lieutenant Couch. Dr. Kennerly states that these beautiful birds were often observed in the valleys of the Santa Cruz and Los Nogales Rivers, as well as among the oaks on the adjacent hills. In the month of June they were found in small flocks of four or five, rarely more. When flying, the wings often caused a flapping noise, similar to that made by the domestic Pigeon.

Dr. Newberry, in his Report on the zoölogy of Colonel Williamson’s route, states that he met with this Pigeon at several points of his journey. He speaks of it as an attractive bird, about the size and with many of the habits of the domestic Pigeon. At McCumbers, northeast of Fort Reading, the first individual was seen and killed by one of his party. In that region they were not rare, and during the season of acorns they subsist on those of the scrub-oak, which abounds in that vicinity. On the Columbia they were seen in pairs, and near the Dalles might readily be mistaken for domestic doves.

Dr. Suckley found this Pigeon a very common bird in Washington Territory, especially west of the Cascade Mountains. He saw but a single flock containing five individuals east of those mountains. In 1856, the first birds of this species that arrived in the spring made their appearance about the 15th of May, which he found to be their customary time of arrival. One or two individuals were first seen, and within two or three days thereafter the main body of the migration followed. A small number remained throughout the summer to breed, the rest proceeded farther north. Those that remained generally made their nests in the thick fir forests near water. During the summer they subsisted on wild cherries and other berries, and later in the season, in the settled parts of the country, on grain. About the first week in September large flocks congregated on the stubble-fields in the vicinity of Fort Steilacoom, and for two or three weeks thereafter their numbers were daily augmented by arrivals from the north. Some of the flocks that he saw in September, he states, must have contained at least a thousand individuals. He was told that on the cultivated districts on Cowlitz River, at the same season, they were in still greater numbers. By the 5th of October all had suddenly disappeared, except a few stragglers, generally young birds. In their flights, Dr. Suckley states, they are not quite as compactly crowded as in the case of the Passenger Pigeon. During the summer, while they were breeding, their cooing and calls could be heard quite a long distance. The name of this bird in the Nisqually language is “Hubboh,” in imitation of their call. In the autumn these birds are said to be excellent eating.

According to Dr. Cooper, these Pigeons arrive at the Columbia River in April, and frequent all the forests of the Territory until the end of October, when they retire south. They keep about the borders of prairies and clearings, and frequently do much damage to fields of grain, though never found in such immense numbers as the common Passenger Pigeon east of the Mississippi. In June they lay two white eggs about the size of those of the House Pigeon, on the ground near streams or openings, and without constructing any nests. During the summer they were observed to feed upon wild peas, wild cherries, and other wild fruits and berries, which are very abundant. Later in the season they seem to depend upon acorns and other nuts. Their cooing is very much like that of the common Pigeon. He saw none east of the Cascade Range.

Mr. Ridgway did not meet with this Pigeon in his route from the Sierra Nevada eastward to the Rocky Mountains, along the line of the 40th parallel, and it is supposed not to occur in that latitude except near the Pacific Coast.

An egg of this Pigeon, given me by Dr. Holden, of Stockton, and obtained in the Coast Range, is oval in shape, equally rounded at either end, and of a dull white. It measures 1.49 inches in length by 1.15 in breadth. Another, in the Smithsonian collection, measures 1.55 by 1.20 inches.

Columba leucocephala, LinnWHITE-HEADED PIGEON

Columba leucocephala, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1758, 164.—Bonap. J. A. N. S. Ph. V, 1825, 30; Syn. 119; Am. Orn. II, 1828, 11, pl. xv.—Nutt. Man. I, 1832, 625.—Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 443; V, 557, pl. clxxvii; Birds Am. IV, 1842, 315, pl. cclxxx.—Temm. Pig. et Gallin. I, 459.—Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 299.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 599.—March, P. A. N. S. 1863, 301 (says there are two species). Patagiœnas leucocephalus, Reichenb. Syst. Av. 1851, xxv; Ic. Av. tab. 223 and 255.—Bonap. Consp. II, 1854, 54.—Gundl. Caban. Journ. 1856, 107.—Reich. Handb. 64, tab. 223, f. 1257, 1258, 255, 2863, 2864.

Sp. Char. General color very dark slate-blue, primaries and tail darker. Upper half of the head, from the bill to the nape, pure white, not reaching the edge of the eyelids; a triangular patch of dark maroon-purple on the occiput, and below it a semicircular “cape” covering the nape, of metallic brassy-green, each feather distinctly bordered externally with velvety-black, producing a squamate appearance. Bill deep purple, the end light blue; iris white; legs deep lake-red. In skins the bill dusky tipped with yellowish, the feet yellow. Sexes similar. Length, 13.50; wing, 7.00; tail, 5.80.

½

8662 ♂

8663 ♂ ½

Columba leucocephala.

Hab. Southern Keys of Florida (including Indian Key) and West Indies generally. Honduras (Moore, P. Z. S. 1859, 61); Santa Cruz (Newton, Ibis, I, 253); Cuba (Cab. J. IV, 107); Bahamas (Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. VII, 1859); Jamaica (Gosse, B. J. 299); Porto Rico (Taylor, Ibis, 1864, 171); Cuba (Gundl. Repert. I, 1866, 298); Santa Bartholemy (Sund. Ofv. 1869, 585).

Habits. The White-headed Pigeon occurs in the more southern of the keys of Florida, but, so far as I am aware, has never been taken on any part of the mainland. It is an abundant species in Cuba, Jamaica, and in most of the other West India Islands.

This Dove, according to Audubon, arrives on the southern keys of Florida about the 20th of April, sometimes not until the first of May. On the 30th of April he shot several just after their arrival from across the Gulf Stream. He noticed them as they approached the shore, skimming along the surface of the water, and flying with great rapidity, in the manner of the House Pigeon. As they approached the land they rose to about a hundred yards, flying in circles as if to survey the country. To procure specimens, it was necessary to force them out from the dark retreats in which they had alighted. They were at all times exceedingly shy and wary, probably on account of the war that is incessantly waged against them, their flesh being very juicy and finely flavored. This shyness is only partially abated even during the breeding-season, as they will silently slide from their nest when sitting, if it is approached, and retreat to the dark shade of the mangroves, and do not return for an interval to their charge. They were more abundant in the more southern keys, except the sterile Tortugas.

According to Mr. March, there are two varieties of this Pigeon, known as the Baldpate in Jamaica, distinguished as the Mountain and the Mangrove Baldpate. The latter he has never met with in the mountains, but both kinds resort at all times to the lowlands and mangrove-swamps along the coasts, and to the neighboring islands and keys (Pigeon Island and the two Goat Islands in particular), where they breed in numbers, making their nests in trees, some at high elevations, others so low as to be within reach of a person standing, according to the convenience of the site. Large numbers of squabs are often taken from these places and brought into the towns for sale. They feed in company in the morning and afternoon, and as they often feed at a distance from their roosting-places, large flocks are sometimes seen in the early morning and evening passing and repassing overhead, sometimes in high, at other times in low flight, going to and returning from the feeding-ground or convenient watering-place. Their food is grain, fruit, and berries, nuts and seeds; and they commit serious depredations on the Guinea-corn fields, not only by the quantity they devour, but by breaking down the brittle cornstalks with the weight of their bodies. They are easily kept in confinement, and often breed and become quiet and contented, but take the earliest opportunity of emancipation. The nest is a platform of sticks and twigs loosely put together, and bedded with softer materials, with a slight hollow in the centre. The eggs are two, glarish-white in color, varying in form and dimensions, but usually long oval, measuring 1.63 inches in length by 1.13 in breadth.

According to Mr. Leyland (Ibis, I, p. 222) this Pigeon inhabits the keys or small islands on the coast of Honduras.

It was found at St. Croix by Professor Alfred Newton, frequenting the hills in the north of the island, and occasionally in the brush-land on the south side. It was not very common, and was said to be a visitor from Porto Rico; but it undoubtedly breeds on the island of St. Croix, as Professor Newton obtained a young bird, shot July 28, which could not have left the nest many days. A caged specimen of this bird, that had been in the possession of Dr. Carden of St. Croix several years, was given to Professor Newton by that gentleman, and presented to the Zoölogical Society of London.

Mr. Audubon found the nests placed high or low according to circumstances, but never saw two on the same tree. He has met with them on the top of a cactus, only a few feet from the ground, or on a low branch of a mangrove almost touching the water. They are said to resemble that of the common Passenger Pigeon, but are more compact and better lined; the outer part being composed of small dry twigs, the inner of fibrous roots and grasses. The eggs are two, of an opaque white, roundish, and as large as those of the common Pigeon. Mr. Audubon thinks that these birds may have several broods in a season. None were known by him to visit the mainland of Florida.

In captivity these birds may be easily managed, and breed readily, as Mr. Audubon witnessed in the aviaries of Dr. Wilson and Rev. Dr. Bachman of Charleston, S. C.

In confinement they are said never to lay more than a single egg. The measurement of their eggs, as given by Mr. Audubon, is 1.31 inches in length by 1.06 in breadth. Eggs in my cabinet from Cuba measure 1.40 by 1.03 inches. They are of a pure but not a brilliant white color, equal at either end and oval in shape.

Columba flavirostris, WaglerRED-BILLED DOVE

Columba flavirostris, Wagler, Isis, 1831, 519.—Lawrence, Annals N. Y. Lyc. V. May, 1851, 116.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 598, pl. lxi.—Ib. Mex. B. II, Birds 21, pl. xxiii.—Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 508. Chlorœnas flavirostris, Bonap. Consp. Av. II, 1854, 52.—Reichenb. Handb. 61. ? Columba solitaria, McCall, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. III, July, 1847, 233 (Rio Grande, Texas. Description referring probably to this species).

Sp. Char. Second and third quills equal, and decidedly longer than the first and fourth, also nearly equal. Tail truncate, slightly rounded. Head and neck all round, breast, and a large patch on the middle and lesser wing-coverts, light chocolate-red, the latter deeper and more opaque red; the middle of the back, scapulars, and tertials olive; the rest of body, wings, and tail very dark slaty-blue; the inferior and concealed surfaces of the latter black. Bill and legs yellow in the dried skin, said to be purple in life; eyes purple. Length, 14.00; wing, 8.00; tail, 5.70.

Hab. Lower Rio Grande, and Mexico, south to Costa Rica. Oaxaca (Scl. 1859, 391); (Cordova, 1856, 309); Honduras (Taylor, Ibis, II, 226; Salv. Ibis, III, 355); City of Mexico (Scl. P. Z. S. 1864, 178); Southeastern Texas, breeding (Dresser, Ibis, 1866, 23); Costa Rica (Lawr. IX, 134).

There is no trace of any metallic scale-like feathers on the neck of this species. The wing-feathers, including the greater coverts, are whitish on their external border. There is sometimes a tinge of the red on the inside of the wing.

The C. inornata of Jamaica (see synopsis) is wonderfully similar, except in the form and color of the bill; the plumage of the two does not differ in the minutest particular. The West Indian bird is much the larger, however, the bill black, and very differently shaped.

The Columba solitaria of McCall appears to be closely related to this species, but, judging from the description, seems to differ in having the head and neck bluish rather than red. It may possibly be the female of C. flavirostris, as this sex usually has a bluish tinge instead of red; the smaller size, too, would favor this supposition.105

Habits. The Red-billed Dove claims a place in the North American fauna only as a resident in the valley of the Lower Rio Grande River. It appears also to be found on and near the gulf-coast of Mexico and Central America.

It was taken at New Leon, Mexico, in March, 1853, by Lieutenant Couch, and on the Rio Grande by Mr. A. Schott. It was first seen by the former in the thick woody bottoms of the San Juan, New Leon. The birds were quite common, but remained very secluded. They are said to be of very rapid flight.

Mr. G. C. Taylor (Ibis, 1860, p. 226) mentions finding these birds not uncommon on Tigre Island, in Honduras, but did not meet with them in the interior. He speaks of them as very handsome birds, but gives no account of their habits.

Mr. Henry E. Dresser found the Red-billed Dove quite common near Matamoras, and breeding there. During the autumn great quantities, as well as of the leucoptera and the carolinensis, are brought to the market for sale. At Brownsville, also, these birds were not uncommon, but were found for only a short distance towards the interior of Texas, and none were seen higher up the Rio Grande than Roma. A Mexican, who shot doves for the market, informed Mr. Dresser that he had found this species breeding near the town of Matamoras, and that it builds a nest somewhat similar to that of Z. carolinensis, but that its two eggs are somewhat larger. Their stomachs were found filled with a kind of blueberry.

Eggs in the Berlandier collection are oval in shape, equal and slightly tapering at either end, and of a creamy-white color. They measure 1.18 inches in length by .90 of an inch in breadth.

Genus ECTOPISTES, Swainson

Ectopistes, Swainson, Zoöl. Jour. III, 1827, 362. (Type, Columba migratoria, L.)

Gen. Char. Head very small. Bill short, black; culmen one third the rest of the head; feathers of the chin running very far forward; gonys very short. Tarsi very short, half covered anteriorly by feathers. Inner lateral claw much larger than outer, reaching to the base of the middle one. Tail very long and excessively cuneate; above as long as the wings. First primary longest. Black spots on scapulars; a black and a rufous spot on inner webs of tail-feathers.

This genus is readily distinguished from the other Columbinæ by the excessively lengthened and acute middle feathers. It formerly included the Columba carolinensis, but this, with more propriety, has been erected into a different genus, and will be found in the next section.

17046 ♂ ½ ½

Ectopistes migratoria.

The Ectopistes migratoria is blue above, the male purplish-red beneath, the female brownish-ashy, passing into whitish behind. The wing above and scapulars are spotted with bluish-black, the sides of the neck with metallic gloss of solferino-purple; the inner webs of tail-feathers have each a rufous and a black spot.

Ectopistes migratoria, SwainsonWILD PIGEON; PASSENGER-PIGEON

Columba migratoria, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 285.—Gm. I, 389.—Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 398.—Wilson, Am. Orn. I, 1808, 102, pl. xliv.—Wagler, Syst. Av. 1827, No. 91.—Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 319; V, 561, pl. lxii. Ectopistes migratoria, Swainson, Zoöl. Jour. III, 1827, 355.—Ib. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 363.—Bon. Consp. Av. II, 1854, 59.—Aud. Syn. 1839, 194.—Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 25, pl. cclxxxv.—“Reich. Icones Av. tab. 249, figs. 1377, 1379.”—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 600.—Max. Cab. J. VI, 1858, 424.—Lord, Pr. R. A. I. IV, 122 (British Columbia, from coast; nest on ground).—Cooper & Suckley, 218.—Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 509. Columba canadensis, Linnæus, Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 284.—Gm. I, 1788, 785. Female or young. (Prior name ?) Columba americana, “Kalm, It. II, 527.” Passenger Pigeon, Pennant, II, 322.—Lath. Syn. II, ii, 661.

Sp. Char. Tail with twelve feathers. Upper parts generally, including sides of body, head, and neck, and the chin, blue. Beneath, purple brownish-red, fading behind into a violet tint. Anal region and under tail-coverts bluish-white. Scapulars, inner tertials, and middle of back with an olive-brown tinge; the wing-coverts, scapulars, and inner tertials with large oval spots of blue-black on the outer webs, mostly concealed, except on the latter. Primaries blackish, with a border of pale bluish tinged internally with red. Middle tail-feather brown; the rest pale blue on the outer web, white internally; each with a patch of reddish-brown at the base of the inner web, followed by another of black. Sides and back of neck richly glossed with metallic golden-violet or reddish-purple. Tibiæ bluish-violet. Bill black. Feet lake-red. The female is smaller, much duller in color, more olivaceous above; beneath, pale ash instead of red, except a tinge on the neck; the jugulum tinged with olive, the throat whitish. Length of male, 17.00; wing, 8.50; tail, 8.40.

Hab. North America to high Central Plains; West Humboldt Mountains, Nevada (September; Ridgway). Cuba (Gundl. Rep. I, 1866, 302; Cab. J. IX, 112).

The blue of the side of the head extends to the throat and chin. The upper part of the back and lesser coverts are of a darker blue than the head and rump. The inner primaries are more broadly margined with light blue, which tapers off to the end. The axillars and under surface of the wing are light blue. The longest scapulars have the black on both webs. There is no blue on the outer web of the first tail-feather, which is white, as is the inferior surface of the tail generally.

Ectopistes migratoria.

In some specimens the entire head all round is blue.

The immature male varies in having most of the feathers of the head and body margined with whitish.

Habits. The common Passenger Pigeon of North America is found throughout the continent in great abundance, from the Atlantic to the great Central Plains, and from the Southern States, in which it only occasionally occurs, to at least the 62d parallel of northern latitude, in the interior.

Richardson states that this Pigeon arrives in the fur countries in the latter part of May and leaves in October. On the coast of Hudson’s Bay it reaches no farther than the 58th parallel, and only in very fine summers, but in the interior or in the warmer central districts it attains to the 62d degree. Mr. Hutchins mentions, as a remarkable occurrence, that a flock of these Pigeons visited York Factory and remained two days.

It is not found on the Pacific coast. Dr. Suckley only met with a single bird in immature plumage on a branch of Milk River, in Nebraska, about one hundred and seventy-five miles east of the Rocky Mountains; he thinks the eastern base may be considered their western limit. Dr. Cooper has seen it at Fort Laramie, but has never seen nor heard of it in Oregon, though Townsend mentions it as found there.

Dr. Woodhouse found these Pigeons common throughout the Indian Territory in the spring and fall, during their migrations.

Captain Blakiston noticed the first arrival of the Passenger Pigeons at Fort Carlton, on the 23d of May. By the middle of June numerous flocks were moving northward. These could, at a long distance, be readily distinguished from flocks of water-fowl or waders, by their flight being in no particular order. On the Mackenzie, Mr. Ross observed these birds as far north as Fort Norman in latitude 65°, while on the coast of Hudson’s Bay they are only found as far as 58°, even in warm summers.

The Wild Pigeon appears to be almost entirely influenced in its migrations by the abundance of its food, excepting in those parts of the country in which it has not been known to remain during winter. Even in these movements it is largely influenced by instinctive considerations of food. Evidently the temperature has but little to do with their migrations, as they not unfrequently move northward in large columns as early as the 7th of March, with a thermometer twenty degrees below the freezing-point. In the spring of 1872 a large accumulation of these birds took place early in March, in the eastern portion of New York. They were present in the forests about Albany, and were taken in such immense numbers that the markets of New York and Boston were very largely supplied with them.

As early as the 10th of March they were ascertained to have in their ovaries full-grown eggs, ready for exclusion. In Kentucky they have been known, according to Audubon, to remain summer and winter in the same districts for several successive years, in consequence of the great abundance of food, while in other parts of the State none were to be met with. They suddenly disappeared as soon as the beech-mast had become exhausted, and did not return for a long period.

The Wild Pigeons are capable of propelling themselves in long-continued flights, and are known to move with an almost incredible rapidity, passing over a great extent of country in a very short time. It is quite a common and well-ascertained fact that Pigeons are captured in the State of New York with their crops still filled with the undigested grains of rice that must have been taken in the distant fields of Georgia or South Carolina, apparently proving that they must have passed over the intervening space within a very few hours. Audubon estimates the rapidity of their flight as at least a mile a minute.

The Wild Pigeons are said to move, in their flight, by quickly repeated flaps of the wings, which are brought more or less near to the body, according to the degree of velocity required. During the love-season they often fly in a circling manner, supporting themselves with both wings angularly elevated. Before alighting, they break the force of their flight by repeated flappings.

Their great powers of flight, and the ability thus given to change at will their residence, and their means of renewing a supply of food, are also thought to be seconded by a remarkable power of vision, enabling them to discover their food with great readiness. Mr. Audubon states that he has observed flocks of these birds, in passing over a sterile part of the country, fly high in the air, with an extended front, enabling them to survey hundreds of acres at once. When the land is richly covered with food, or the trees well supplied with mast, they fly low in order to discover the part most plentifully supplied.