SEMIPALMATED PLOVERCharadrius semipalmatusBonaparte

Killdeer

Our Killdeer is a bird of the open pastures. Although it searches for food along the water’s edge, it often builds its nest some distance away. The striking coloration and clear whistled crykill-deer, kill-deermake this one of our most easily identified birds, even at a considerable distance.

The largeBlack-bellied Plover(Squatarola squatarola cynosuræ) is common during the fall migration at Erie from mid-August to mid-September and later, but is rare elsewhere in Pennsylvania.The black underparts of the adult in spring and theblack underwing feathersof the young and adult in winter are diagnostic marks. The call-note may be writtentoo-ree.

Somewhat smaller is theGolden Plover(Pluvialis dominica dominica), whose black underparts and golden flecked upperparts make the spring plumage easily recognizable; it is dull brownish in fall, with golden flecks on the crown and back. At Erie it is common in fall from early September throughout the month; elsewhere in Pennsylvania it is rare, and it is not noted during the spring, for its northward migration route passes along the Mississippi Valley.

Other Name.—Ring Plover.Description.—Like the Killdeer in general appearance, but muchsmaller, and with only one black band around the neck; rump and upper tail-coverts the same gray-brown as the back; eyelids yellow; bill short, orange, tipped with black.Length: A little under 7 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather rare migrant during May and from August 10 to October 1, save at Erie, where it is regular and common.

Other Name.—Ring Plover.

Description.—Like the Killdeer in general appearance, but muchsmaller, and with only one black band around the neck; rump and upper tail-coverts the same gray-brown as the back; eyelids yellow; bill short, orange, tipped with black.Length: A little under 7 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rather rare migrant during May and from August 10 to October 1, save at Erie, where it is regular and common.

Semipalmated Plover

The clear call-note of this species,ker-ee, ker-ee, suggests that of the Killdeer. Young Semipalmated Plovers coming south for the first time are often very easy to approach.

ThePiping Plover(Charadrius melodus), which is about the size of the Semipalmated Plover and like it in pattern, is pale sandy above, with a blackish ring about neck, black primaries and central tail-feathers, and bright yellow eyelids and feet. This species nests at Erie, arriving in mid-April and remaining until early September; elsewhere in Pennsylvania it is very rare.

Description.—Size of Robin; bill sharply pointed.Adults in spring: Upperparts strikingly marked with black, white, and rusty red; tail white, with black band near tip; underparts white, marked with black on throat and breast.In winter: Upperparts blackish, the feathers margined with grayish; lower back white; tail as in summer; legs orange-red.Length: 9½ inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare but rather regular migrant in May and September, noted chiefly at Erie.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare but rather regular migrant in May and September, noted chiefly at Erie.

Other Names.—Ring-neck; Pheasant; English Pheasant.Description.—Size of a chicken; male with a long, pointed tail; female with shorter, more rounded tail.Adult male: Head and neck, with tufts on sides of head, glossy green; collar about neck white; back and scapulars golden yellow, the centers of the feathers glossy green; rump grayish, glossed with green, and marked with black spots; wings light gray, the primaries barred with black; tail brown, barred with black and glossed with pinkish; breast rich copper-red, glossed with violet, the feathers tipped with black; sides golden yellow, spotted with glossy purple; belly black; face bare, the skin deep red; bill and feet light gray; eyes bright yellow.Female and immature male: Pale sandy brown, the head and neck with a pinkish cast, and entire upperparts streaked and barred with dark brown and black, giving the bird an entirely different appearance and color pattern from that of the adult male; eyes dark brown.Length: Male, about 30 inches; female, about 24 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A permanent resident, very common in some districts, notably in the less mountainous counties. It is becoming common throughout much of the Commonwealth through the restocking efforts of the Game Commission.Nest.—A depression in the ground, lined with grasses or other vegetation, usually placed in a field not far from a brush-lined stream, or under a fallen bough at the edge of a woodland.Eggs: 8 to 20, olive-brown in color, glossy in appearance.

Other Names.—Ring-neck; Pheasant; English Pheasant.

Description.—Size of a chicken; male with a long, pointed tail; female with shorter, more rounded tail.Adult male: Head and neck, with tufts on sides of head, glossy green; collar about neck white; back and scapulars golden yellow, the centers of the feathers glossy green; rump grayish, glossed with green, and marked with black spots; wings light gray, the primaries barred with black; tail brown, barred with black and glossed with pinkish; breast rich copper-red, glossed with violet, the feathers tipped with black; sides golden yellow, spotted with glossy purple; belly black; face bare, the skin deep red; bill and feet light gray; eyes bright yellow.Female and immature male: Pale sandy brown, the head and neck with a pinkish cast, and entire upperparts streaked and barred with dark brown and black, giving the bird an entirely different appearance and color pattern from that of the adult male; eyes dark brown.Length: Male, about 30 inches; female, about 24 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A permanent resident, very common in some districts, notably in the less mountainous counties. It is becoming common throughout much of the Commonwealth through the restocking efforts of the Game Commission.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, lined with grasses or other vegetation, usually placed in a field not far from a brush-lined stream, or under a fallen bough at the edge of a woodland.Eggs: 8 to 20, olive-brown in color, glossy in appearance.

Ring-necked Pheasant, Male

The Ring-neck is a native of Asia. It was brought to Great Britain at the time of the Roman invasion and has become thoroughly acclimated there. In many parts of the New World, Ring-necks have been introduced and they seem to make their way very well. They have been present in Pennsylvania for only a few years, yet during the 1927 hunting season 177,500 of the birds were taken as legal game.

In spite of its magnificent coloration, the Ring-neck is protectively colored, though birds which wander about through the open field, where they search for food, can be seen easily. As they fly up, it sometimes takes a second or two for them to get well under way, but they fly strongly and make a difficult mark for the sportsman once they learn the meaning of a gun.

Other Names.—Quail; Partridge; Virginia Partridge.Description.—Size of small bantam chicken.Male: Head blackish, mottled with gray and red-brown; throat, spots on neck, and a prominent line above eye, white; back and breast mottled with gray, pinkish brown, buffy, black, and white; scapulars bordered with buffy; rump and tail gray; belly whitish, barred with black; flanks rusty red, feathers margined with white.Female: Similar, but with buffy yellow superciliary and throat.Length: 10 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—Common permanent resident, chiefly in the less mountainous counties, and usually to be found in cultivated districts.Nest.—On the ground, in high grass or among brush, made of dry grasses, arched over with grasses or other vegetation; usually placed along a road, or at the edge of a field.Eggs: 12 to 24, pure white.

Other Names.—Quail; Partridge; Virginia Partridge.

Description.—Size of small bantam chicken.Male: Head blackish, mottled with gray and red-brown; throat, spots on neck, and a prominent line above eye, white; back and breast mottled with gray, pinkish brown, buffy, black, and white; scapulars bordered with buffy; rump and tail gray; belly whitish, barred with black; flanks rusty red, feathers margined with white.Female: Similar, but with buffy yellow superciliary and throat.Length: 10 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Common permanent resident, chiefly in the less mountainous counties, and usually to be found in cultivated districts.

Nest.—On the ground, in high grass or among brush, made of dry grasses, arched over with grasses or other vegetation; usually placed along a road, or at the edge of a field.Eggs: 12 to 24, pure white.

Bob-White, Male

In winter Bob-Whites frequent old weed-patches, briar-thickets, or cornfields where the stalks have been left standing. They are very sociable, and wander about in flocks, searching for food, roosting together on the ground in a compact ring, their heads out and tails together. Being protectively colored, they usually do not fly until they are virtually tramped upon. When a flock is disturbed, they rush into the air on noisy wings and scatter in all directions. After a short time the birds begin to call to each other,pur-lee, pur-lee, and the flock reassembles.

With the coming of spring the flocks break up. Male birds mount favorite fence-posts, stones, or low boughs and give the clear whistle which every farmer boy can imitate. This whistle is one of the clearest and most powerful of bird-notes.

Male and female birds share the duties of incubating the eggs, which are turned over carefully so that they get the proper amount of heat. Sometimes the eggs are so numerous that they are piled upon each other in the nest, and at such times the lower layer of eggs must receive special attention. As a rule, all the eggs hatch.

Among the enemies of Bob-Whites are the blacksnake, which eats the eggs and young; the Cooper’s Hawk and the Goshawk, which capture the adults; and the skunk and other ground-prowlers which eat the eggs and sometimes the adults. Half-starved house cats are frequently serious enemies of this popular game-bird.

TheHungarianorEuropean Gray Partridge(Perdix perdixperdix), a bird a little larger than the Bob-White, gray in color with a dark brown horse-shoe shaped mark on the breast, a red-brown tail, and reddish eyelids, has been released in several parts of Pennsylvania as a game-bird, and it is now on the increase. The bright red-brown tail of this species is very noticeable in flight.

Other Names.—Partridge; Gray Partridge; Birch Partridge; Silver-tail (gray phase); Pheasant (erroneous).Description.—Size of chicken, with broad, fan-shaped tail; sexes similar. Upperparts principally reddish brown, irregularly marked with black, buffy, gray, and whitish;sides of neck with ruffs of broad, black feathersglossed with greenish; tail reddish brown or gray, or of intermediate shade, irregularly barred and mottled with black, with a broad blackish band near end, and a gray tip; throat and breast buffy; rest of underparts white, tinged with buffy and barred with black or dark brown, the bars indistinct on the breast and belly, stronger on the sides. The female, which is a little smaller, has smaller ruffs on the neck, and, as a rule, a shorter tall.Length: 17 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A permanent resident throughout in the wilder, wooded sections; variable in abundance as a result of unfavorable nesting seasons, change of forest conditions, destruction by natural enemies, disease, and heavy hunting.Nest.—A hollow lined with leaves at the base of a stump, under a low hemlock, or under the fallen branch of a tree.Eggs: 7 to 14, pale buffy.

Other Names.—Partridge; Gray Partridge; Birch Partridge; Silver-tail (gray phase); Pheasant (erroneous).

Description.—Size of chicken, with broad, fan-shaped tail; sexes similar. Upperparts principally reddish brown, irregularly marked with black, buffy, gray, and whitish;sides of neck with ruffs of broad, black feathersglossed with greenish; tail reddish brown or gray, or of intermediate shade, irregularly barred and mottled with black, with a broad blackish band near end, and a gray tip; throat and breast buffy; rest of underparts white, tinged with buffy and barred with black or dark brown, the bars indistinct on the breast and belly, stronger on the sides. The female, which is a little smaller, has smaller ruffs on the neck, and, as a rule, a shorter tall.Length: 17 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A permanent resident throughout in the wilder, wooded sections; variable in abundance as a result of unfavorable nesting seasons, change of forest conditions, destruction by natural enemies, disease, and heavy hunting.

Nest.—A hollow lined with leaves at the base of a stump, under a low hemlock, or under the fallen branch of a tree.Eggs: 7 to 14, pale buffy.

Ruffed Grouse

The Ruffed Grouse, our best-known game-bird, is a creature of personality. Protectively colored, he waits until he is almost trodden upon, then rises with a startling whir of wings, leaving the wayfarer thunderstruck. The female, as she incubates, is rarely seen, for she does not stir, and her back perfectly imitates her surroundings.

In the spring, the male Grouse struts and drums at chosen spots in the woodland. On a log he paces up and down, ruffs lifted, wide tail fully spread and elevated; or he stands erect, and, beating his chest rapidly with his wings, produces the drumming sound for which he is so famous. Grouse may drum at any time of the year, and sometimes at night, but they do so chiefly during the morning on spring days.

The young run nimbly soon after hatching and leave their nestat once. They develop rapidly. After a week they can fly readily though they are very small. The mother Grouse, in luring an enemy from her young, employs broken-wing tactics, dragging herself over the ground as though she were badly wounded.

In the winter, Grouse develop long lateral scales on their toes which function as snow-shoes. Their neat tracks in the snow lead from a roost under a branch to which dead leaves cling, and wander about the bushes and trees where the birds have been feeding on buds, twigs, and dried berries. Grouse are especially fond of aspen, birch, beech, and maple buds. They like wild-grape vines both for the food and the shelter which they afford. During summer, Grouse eat much insect food, as well as berries and leaves. They sometimes eat hemlock needles and leaves of mountain laurel.

Description.—Size and appearance very similar to that of the domestic bird, but tips of tail-feathers and upper tail-coverts rich deep chestnut; primaries barred with black and white; feet mahogany-red. A large Wild Turkey gobbler in spring is a magnificent creature with its rich, iridescent plumage, highly colored and wattled head, and proud carriage.Length: About 4 feet.Range in Pennsylvania.—Once fairly common throughout the State, especially in the southern mountainous counties, but brought to the verge of extermination through forest fires, excessive hunting, and encroaches of civilization. The Game Commission has brought in some birds from other States to replenish our stock; some mingling has occurred between wild birds and domestic individuals which have wandered from the farms. Wild Turkeys are now to be found chiefly along the ridges of the South Mountain District, and seem to be holding their own fairly well. While these are not strictly the original strain, they are nevertheless wild, and are therefore fairly representative of the race which once occurred. The Wild Turkey is a permanent resident.Nest.—A depression in the leaves, under brush, or in a thicket, usually well concealed from above.Eggs: 6 to 15, cream-buff, thickly but finely spotted with reddish brown.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Once fairly common throughout the State, especially in the southern mountainous counties, but brought to the verge of extermination through forest fires, excessive hunting, and encroaches of civilization. The Game Commission has brought in some birds from other States to replenish our stock; some mingling has occurred between wild birds and domestic individuals which have wandered from the farms. Wild Turkeys are now to be found chiefly along the ridges of the South Mountain District, and seem to be holding their own fairly well. While these are not strictly the original strain, they are nevertheless wild, and are therefore fairly representative of the race which once occurred. The Wild Turkey is a permanent resident.

Nest.—A depression in the leaves, under brush, or in a thicket, usually well concealed from above.Eggs: 6 to 15, cream-buff, thickly but finely spotted with reddish brown.

The sight of a flock of Wild Turkeys coasting on their strong wings from the crest of a ridge to the lower levels is one long to be remembered. The spectacle before us, of weighty, muscular creatures hurling themselves through the air is difficult to believe, accustomed as we are to the flightless clumsiness of their cousins of the barnyard.

Having very keen senses, the Wild Turkeys are difficult to approach, for they are very wary and at the slightest warning make off on a run up the ridge, or leap into the air.

In summer, they eat many small fruits and insects, including grasshoppers, but in winter, when it is often necessary for them to scratch in the snow, they eat chestnuts and acorns, the berries ofJack-in-the-pulpit, corn if they live near the farms, and other such food as they can find. In some districts these splendid birds have difficulty in finding adequate food to carry them through the winter and in such regions the Game Protector sees that the birds are fed, and Boy Scouts, sportsmen’s organizations, and others coöperate in saving the birds.

The Wild Turkey gobbler, notably in the spring, has the same tendencies toward fighting and vainglorious display as has his domestic relative.

Other Names.—Carolina Dove; Rain Crow (erroneous); Turtle Dove.Description.—A little larger than a Robin; head small, tail long and pointed.Adults: Crown clear gray; front of head, face, throat, and lower neck, soft reddish brown, two small black spots back of and below the eye; sides and back of neck gray, with patches of iridescent feathers which reflect greenish, golden, and purplish lights; back and wings grayish brown, some of the coverts and tertials with black spots; rump and tail gray, the outer tail-feathers noticeably tipped with white; underparts pinkish brown, lightest on belly and under tail-coverts; bill black; feet reddish.Female: Less brightly colored than male. Young birds in their first flight plumage are much scaled in appearance and lack the bright colors of the adult.Length: About 12 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A common summer resident throughout, arriving in late March and remaining until November. It is occasionally found in winter when the ground is free of snow or when food in the form of seed or grain is plentiful. In many sections it is becoming commoner.Nest.—A flimsy, flat structure made of small twigs, weed-stalks, or other bits of vegetation, placed, usually, on a horizontal branch or in an ample crotch in an orchard tree or willow, often near a stream, and usually not at great height from the ground. The nest is sometimes placed on the ground.Eggs: 2, white.

Other Names.—Carolina Dove; Rain Crow (erroneous); Turtle Dove.

Description.—A little larger than a Robin; head small, tail long and pointed.Adults: Crown clear gray; front of head, face, throat, and lower neck, soft reddish brown, two small black spots back of and below the eye; sides and back of neck gray, with patches of iridescent feathers which reflect greenish, golden, and purplish lights; back and wings grayish brown, some of the coverts and tertials with black spots; rump and tail gray, the outer tail-feathers noticeably tipped with white; underparts pinkish brown, lightest on belly and under tail-coverts; bill black; feet reddish.Female: Less brightly colored than male. Young birds in their first flight plumage are much scaled in appearance and lack the bright colors of the adult.Length: About 12 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common summer resident throughout, arriving in late March and remaining until November. It is occasionally found in winter when the ground is free of snow or when food in the form of seed or grain is plentiful. In many sections it is becoming commoner.

Nest.—A flimsy, flat structure made of small twigs, weed-stalks, or other bits of vegetation, placed, usually, on a horizontal branch or in an ample crotch in an orchard tree or willow, often near a stream, and usually not at great height from the ground. The nest is sometimes placed on the ground.Eggs: 2, white.

Mourning Dove

Doves are often to be seen perched on a prominent dead branch, and at such times their small heads, erect posture, and pointed tails are noticeable. As they fly up from a field, or alight, the white in their outer tail-feathers shows plainly, but wherever they occur they may be recognized by the characteristic whistling sound of their wings in flight and their gentle cooing. This song may be writtencoo-oo-oo, ooh, ooh, ooh, the opening syllable using three notes, the middle note being the highest in the song. At close range thiscry is rough and throaty; at a distance it is mellow and soft, its tender, mournful quality making adequate description difficult.

Young Doves are fed with partly digested food which the parents pump up from their stomachs. They are helpless, dowdy creatures while in the nest, and they sometimes come to an untimely end when a gale blows the structure from its scant moorings or when, from lack of proper balance, it topples to one side.

The white eggs, when fresh, are translucent as moonstones, and the sunlight, in penetrating the thin shells, discloses faintly the color of the golden yolk.

Doves eat a great deal of weed seed. They have no destructive habits whatever, and are worthy of all possible protection. They appear to be on the increase as a result of shortening the shooting season in the South, where they are popular as game-birds.

Other Names.—Buzzard; Turkey Buzzard.Description.—Smaller than a Turkey; head and upper neck virtually bare; ruff of feathers about lower neck; wings long as in most birds of prey, but feet without the sharp, curved claws of the hawk tribe; plumage blackish brown, glossed with purplish when fresh, rusty and soiled in appearance when old; under surface of flight-feathers lighter, showing in flight; skin of neck and head reddish, with whitish tubercles and ridges, and some hairs and small feathers; bill whitish; feet dull flesh-color; eyes brown. Downy young, white in color with pale blue-gray feet and head.Length: About 30 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and fairly common summer resident in the southern half of the Commonwealth and locally in western Pennsylvania, at least as far north as Crawford County, where it nests in limited numbers at Pymatuning Swamp. It arrives in mid-March and stays until November, or later. In the southernmost counties, and occasionally elsewhere in its range, it remains throughout the winter.Nest.—No nest is built.Eggs: 2, whitish, blotched irregularly with black, brown, and gray, placed on the ground in a cavity among rocks or in a hollow log.

Other Names.—Buzzard; Turkey Buzzard.

Description.—Smaller than a Turkey; head and upper neck virtually bare; ruff of feathers about lower neck; wings long as in most birds of prey, but feet without the sharp, curved claws of the hawk tribe; plumage blackish brown, glossed with purplish when fresh, rusty and soiled in appearance when old; under surface of flight-feathers lighter, showing in flight; skin of neck and head reddish, with whitish tubercles and ridges, and some hairs and small feathers; bill whitish; feet dull flesh-color; eyes brown. Downy young, white in color with pale blue-gray feet and head.Length: About 30 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A regular and fairly common summer resident in the southern half of the Commonwealth and locally in western Pennsylvania, at least as far north as Crawford County, where it nests in limited numbers at Pymatuning Swamp. It arrives in mid-March and stays until November, or later. In the southernmost counties, and occasionally elsewhere in its range, it remains throughout the winter.

Nest.—No nest is built.Eggs: 2, whitish, blotched irregularly with black, brown, and gray, placed on the ground in a cavity among rocks or in a hollow log.

Turkey Vulture

At close range the Turkey Vulture is not a beautiful creature—its carriage is slovenly, its facial expression unpleasant, and itsplumage harsh; but circling in the sky, its wide wings hardly moving for hours at a time, it becomes a glorified being, among the most graceful and well-balanced of our soaring birds.

It is equipped by Nature as a carrion-eater, the bare head and neck permitting it to eat the flesh of dead animals without soiling its feathers. Its feet are not used in capturing or carrying prey, but a considerable burden may be carried in the bill. When Vultures find a dead cow or horse, word seems to travel immediately to all nearby districts and the great birds swing silently in to the feast. They are frequently seen along roadsides where they devour rabbits and other small mammals which have been killed by motor cars.

It is said that the Turkey Vulture carries the germs of hog cholera and the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease. This is only occasionally, if ever, true, however, and, as a rule, it is a harmless and highly beneficial bird. Nevertheless, it is not protected in Pennsylvania at the present time.

Young Vultures cannot stand when newly hatched.

Marsh HawkMaleFemale

Other Names.—Swamp Hawk; Marsh Harrier; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous); Chicken Hawk; Hen Harrier.Description.—Face with an owl-like ruff of feathers; wingsand taillong; feet long and slender.Adult male: Upperparts light ashy gray, somewhat darker on top of head, and slightly streaked on neck; tips of wings black; tail barred with black;upper tail-coverts white; lower parts white, grayer on throat and upper breast, and flecked with pale reddish brown on sides and flanks; eyes bright yellow.Adult female: Plumage rich brown, considerably mottled throughout, sometimes heavily streaked with blackish below, and feathers sometimes considerably margined with buffy;upper tail-coverts always white; eyes yellow. Immature birds are usually plain brown, unstreaked below, and have brown eyes. The feet are always yellow.Length: About 20 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A common though somewhat local migrant and summer resident from March 15 to November 1. Less often seen in the mountainous counties and occasionally noted in winter. Its summer rangedepends more or less upon swampy country in which the nest is characteristically built.Nest.—On the ground in a swamp, composed of dead weed-stalks, cat-tail leaves, and similar materials, sometimes with neat cup and lining, at other times loosely constructed with little attempt at neatness.Eggs: 4 to 7, pale blue or chalky white, occasionallyfaintlyspotted with brown.

Other Names.—Swamp Hawk; Marsh Harrier; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous); Chicken Hawk; Hen Harrier.

Description.—Face with an owl-like ruff of feathers; wingsand taillong; feet long and slender.Adult male: Upperparts light ashy gray, somewhat darker on top of head, and slightly streaked on neck; tips of wings black; tail barred with black;upper tail-coverts white; lower parts white, grayer on throat and upper breast, and flecked with pale reddish brown on sides and flanks; eyes bright yellow.Adult female: Plumage rich brown, considerably mottled throughout, sometimes heavily streaked with blackish below, and feathers sometimes considerably margined with buffy;upper tail-coverts always white; eyes yellow. Immature birds are usually plain brown, unstreaked below, and have brown eyes. The feet are always yellow.Length: About 20 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A common though somewhat local migrant and summer resident from March 15 to November 1. Less often seen in the mountainous counties and occasionally noted in winter. Its summer rangedepends more or less upon swampy country in which the nest is characteristically built.

Nest.—On the ground in a swamp, composed of dead weed-stalks, cat-tail leaves, and similar materials, sometimes with neat cup and lining, at other times loosely constructed with little attempt at neatness.Eggs: 4 to 7, pale blue or chalky white, occasionallyfaintlyspotted with brown.

The Marsh Hawk is usually to be seen flying near the ground over a field or low meadow. Beating its way along rapidly, it pauses at times to watch the grass where prey may hide, sometimes wheeling suddenly toward the ground as it captures a mouse or shrew. It may always be recognized by thewhite upper tail-covertswhich show plainly in flight, a mark which our other hawks do not have.

Occasionally the Marsh Hawk circles high in air where the white patch on the back is not visible. At such times thelong and somewhat pointed wings, black wing-tips, long tail, and white appearance of the male and the dull brown appearance of the female will distinguish the species.

The male has the interesting custom of looping the loop during its season of courtship. At the nest the birds are very fierce in defending their young and swoop about the intruder, uttering loud, piercing, Flicker-like cries.

Its food consists of mice, frogs, snakes, and other creatures which are captured among the cat-tails or on the ground. Occasionally it takes a bird or visits the poultry-yard, but, as a rule, it is a beneficial species. It is not protected in Pennsylvania.

Other Names.—Bird Hawk; Blue Darter; Chicken Hawk; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous).Description.—Small for a Hawk, being but little larger than a Robin; wings comparatively short and rounded; tail long andsquare at tip: female considerably larger than male.Adults: Top of head and neck blackish, base of feathers of nape white; cheeks and malar region whitish streaked with reddish brown; throat white, finely streaked with black; upperparts blue-gray, the tail marked with three or four blackish bands; underparts white, heavily barred with reddish brown save on middle of belly and under tail-coverts.Immature birds:Brown, not gray, plumage of the upperparts edged with rusty brown and underpartsstreaked, not barred, with dark brown. The eyes of adults are usually red; of immatures, yellow. The feet, which are long and slender, are always yellow.Length: Male, 12 inches; female, 13½ inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant and summer resident throughout from March 1 to November 25; occasionally to be seen in winter.Nest.—A rather large, flat platform made of slender twigs, built near the trunk on a hemlock bough, or in other sheltered situation, usually 30 to 40 feet from the ground.Eggs: 4 to 6, pale greenish white, handsomely and irregularly blotched with rich brown.

Other Names.—Bird Hawk; Blue Darter; Chicken Hawk; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous).

Description.—Small for a Hawk, being but little larger than a Robin; wings comparatively short and rounded; tail long andsquare at tip: female considerably larger than male.Adults: Top of head and neck blackish, base of feathers of nape white; cheeks and malar region whitish streaked with reddish brown; throat white, finely streaked with black; upperparts blue-gray, the tail marked with three or four blackish bands; underparts white, heavily barred with reddish brown save on middle of belly and under tail-coverts.Immature birds:Brown, not gray, plumage of the upperparts edged with rusty brown and underpartsstreaked, not barred, with dark brown. The eyes of adults are usually red; of immatures, yellow. The feet, which are long and slender, are always yellow.Length: Male, 12 inches; female, 13½ inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A migrant and summer resident throughout from March 1 to November 25; occasionally to be seen in winter.

Nest.—A rather large, flat platform made of slender twigs, built near the trunk on a hemlock bough, or in other sheltered situation, usually 30 to 40 feet from the ground.Eggs: 4 to 6, pale greenish white, handsomely and irregularly blotched with rich brown.

The Sharp-shin is the enemy of all small birds. It is swift in flight and skulks along among the bushes, pouncing upon its victims suddenly. Near the nest of a pair of these birds located at McDonald Water Works, Washington County, there were no small birds—they had probably all been killed or driven out by the Sharp-shins.

Another very small member of this family, the Sparrow Hawk, is a bird of the open fields, with long,pointedwings and red-brown back. The Sharp-shin sometimes circles rapidly in the open but does not hover over its prey as does the Sparrow Hawk.

Cooper’s Hawk, FemaleSharp-shinned Hawk, Male

Young Sharp-shins, which are downy white, are fed upon small birds which are neatly plucked by the parent.

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Blue Darter; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous); Hen Hawk.Description.—Almost precisely like the Sharp-shin in proportions and coloration, but larger, the smaller male bird usually being a few ounces heavier than the largest female Sharp-shin, but not always to be distinguished easily from that species in the field. In the hand the Cooper’s Hawk may always be recognized by the shape of the tip of the tail which isrounded, not square, as it is in the Sharp-shin.Length: Male, 16 inches; female, 19 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common summer resident in wooded sections from March 1 to December 10; occasional in winter.Nest.—A bulky mass of twigs, lined with flakes of bark, usually placed from 40 to 60 feet from the ground in a beech tree.Eggs: 3 to 6, chalky blue-white.

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Blue Darter; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous); Hen Hawk.

Description.—Almost precisely like the Sharp-shin in proportions and coloration, but larger, the smaller male bird usually being a few ounces heavier than the largest female Sharp-shin, but not always to be distinguished easily from that species in the field. In the hand the Cooper’s Hawk may always be recognized by the shape of the tip of the tail which isrounded, not square, as it is in the Sharp-shin.Length: Male, 16 inches; female, 19 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A fairly common summer resident in wooded sections from March 1 to December 10; occasional in winter.

Nest.—A bulky mass of twigs, lined with flakes of bark, usually placed from 40 to 60 feet from the ground in a beech tree.Eggs: 3 to 6, chalky blue-white.

The Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, both bird-killers, are fairly common and are to be rated as our most objectionable birds of prey. They are not protected in Pennsylvania.

Other Names.—Hen Hawk; Gray Hawk; Partridge Hawk; Squirrel Hawk; Chicken Hawk.Description.—A large, heavy-bodied Hawk, with comparatively short wings and long tail; female considerably larger than male.Adults: Crownblack; area above and back of eye white, marked irregularly with black; rest of head whitish, streaked with black; upperparts blue-gray, the tail marked with three or four broad blackish bands; underparts heavily and finely barred with clear graythroughout, also somewhat streaked, particularly on the breast; eyes red or red-brown; cere and feet yellowish green.Immature birds: Brown, not gray; plumage of upperparts dark brown, margined and edged with buffy and whitish, and on wing-coverts with rusty brown; underparts buffy white, heavily streaked with blackish.Length: Male, 21 inches; female, 24 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—Rare as a permanent resident in the northern, more mountainous counties; known to have nested at seven localities. As a winter visitant, irregular, though in some sections, notably among the eastern counties, to be found with some regularity from about October 20 to March 1.Nest.—A large mass of sticks, with a shallow cup, lined with bark and occasional sprigs of green hemlock, placed from 40 to 60 feet up in a beech or hemlock tree.Eggs: 3 to 5, chalky white, with a faint bluish cast.

Other Names.—Hen Hawk; Gray Hawk; Partridge Hawk; Squirrel Hawk; Chicken Hawk.

Description.—A large, heavy-bodied Hawk, with comparatively short wings and long tail; female considerably larger than male.Adults: Crownblack; area above and back of eye white, marked irregularly with black; rest of head whitish, streaked with black; upperparts blue-gray, the tail marked with three or four broad blackish bands; underparts heavily and finely barred with clear graythroughout, also somewhat streaked, particularly on the breast; eyes red or red-brown; cere and feet yellowish green.Immature birds: Brown, not gray; plumage of upperparts dark brown, margined and edged with buffy and whitish, and on wing-coverts with rusty brown; underparts buffy white, heavily streaked with blackish.Length: Male, 21 inches; female, 24 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Rare as a permanent resident in the northern, more mountainous counties; known to have nested at seven localities. As a winter visitant, irregular, though in some sections, notably among the eastern counties, to be found with some regularity from about October 20 to March 1.

Nest.—A large mass of sticks, with a shallow cup, lined with bark and occasional sprigs of green hemlock, placed from 40 to 60 feet up in a beech or hemlock tree.Eggs: 3 to 5, chalky white, with a faint bluish cast.

The Goshawk is our most savage destroyer of small game. In occasional winter invasions it is abundant, and at such times takes a terrific toll of Ruffed Grouse, Ring-necked Pheasants, poultry, and cotton-tail rabbits.

Goshawk

In the field, it has a very gray appearance, more so than any other species; even its heavily marked underparts, at a distance, are gray. It does not often circle in the sky, preferring to fly at about the level of tree tops, or, indeed, a few feet from the ground, so as to drop upon unsuspecting prey.

The parent birds are formidable warriors when their nest is disturbed. While I was making notes at a nest in Potter County, the heavy female bird struck me on the head, shoulders, and back a dozen times with her large feet. The male was wary, though he joined in the battle occasionally.

Rarely does the Goshawk capture mice or other destructive small mammals, eating virtually nothing but Grouse so long as these birds can be found. It is not protected in Pennsylvania.

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Hen Hawk.Description.—Large, with broad wings and comparatively short tail; often seen circling in the sky or perched on a prominent dead stub; femalelarger than male.Adults: Upperparts dark brown, glossed with violet on back; scapulars and wing-coverts somewhat barred with buffy brown; throat white; breast usually crossed by a brownish band or by a row of streaks; rest of underparts whitish, barred and streaked with blackish, particularly on flanks and sides; tibial feathers buffy; tail bright red-brown with white tip and subterminal band of black; eyes dark brown; feet and cere greenish yellow. Immature birds are similar but the plumage of their upperparts is considerably mottled and edged with buffy, and the tail is gray, crossed with many narrow black bands. The underparts are often more heavily marked than in the adults, and the eyes are grayish yellow, not dark brown.Length: Male, 20 inches; female, 23 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common permanent resident, save at high altitudes, where it is to be found only irregularly during winter. Some Red-tails migrate into or through Pennsylvania during fall and early winter, but it is now believed that most nesting birds actually remain in one region during the entire year. In many sections of the State it is becoming rarer each year.Nest.—A bulky affair of twigs and branches, lined with leaves and finer materials, placed usually in a large, high, deciduous tree, at from 50 to 80 feet from the ground.Eggs: 2 or 3, whitish, irregularly blotched and spotted with reddish brown.

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Hen Hawk.

Description.—Large, with broad wings and comparatively short tail; often seen circling in the sky or perched on a prominent dead stub; femalelarger than male.Adults: Upperparts dark brown, glossed with violet on back; scapulars and wing-coverts somewhat barred with buffy brown; throat white; breast usually crossed by a brownish band or by a row of streaks; rest of underparts whitish, barred and streaked with blackish, particularly on flanks and sides; tibial feathers buffy; tail bright red-brown with white tip and subterminal band of black; eyes dark brown; feet and cere greenish yellow. Immature birds are similar but the plumage of their upperparts is considerably mottled and edged with buffy, and the tail is gray, crossed with many narrow black bands. The underparts are often more heavily marked than in the adults, and the eyes are grayish yellow, not dark brown.Length: Male, 20 inches; female, 23 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Fairly common permanent resident, save at high altitudes, where it is to be found only irregularly during winter. Some Red-tails migrate into or through Pennsylvania during fall and early winter, but it is now believed that most nesting birds actually remain in one region during the entire year. In many sections of the State it is becoming rarer each year.

Nest.—A bulky affair of twigs and branches, lined with leaves and finer materials, placed usually in a large, high, deciduous tree, at from 50 to 80 feet from the ground.Eggs: 2 or 3, whitish, irregularly blotched and spotted with reddish brown.

Red-shouldered HawkRed-tailed Hawk

The Red-tail may easily be confused with the Red-shoulder, which, while smaller, has the same proportions. The Red-shoulder is more often found in swampy country or in the lowlands; the Red-tail is a bird of the fields and open wood-lots. The Red-shoulder’s scream is clear and loud; that of the Red-tail is wheezy and often whistle-like in quality. The Red-shoulder’s flight is more rapid, at times more owl-like than that of the Red-tail, and, of course, the Red-shoulder’s tail is never red-brown, but is black, crossed with narrow white bands. Immature Red-shoulders are to be distinguished from immature Red-tails with difficulty, partly because the birds do not call much and partly because there is variation in the size of the sexes—a small male Red-tail being not much larger than a female Red-shoulder; in the hand, however, the young Red-shoulder is more conspicuouslystreakedbelow than is the young Red-tail, and the feet arealwaysslenderer and more delicate than in the larger species.

The Red-tail’s food habits are, for the most part, innocent; nevertheless, it is not protected in Pennsylvania at the present time.

Other Name.—Chicken Hawk.Description.—Smaller than the Red-tail, with broad wings and comparatively short tail.Adults: Head and neck dark brown, streaked with reddish brown; back dark brown, with irregular barring and edging of gray and whitish; wings black, barred and spotted with white, lesser coverts rich reddish brown; tail black, crossed with three distinct but narrow white bands; underparts reddish brown, barred on belly, sides, and flanks with white; throat whitish, streaked, not barred, with dusky; a black spot on malar region; under tail-coverts white; feet and cere greenish yellow; eyes dark brown.Immature birds: Dark brown above, neck and back streaked and spotted with whitish and buffy; lesser wing-coverts reddish brown; primaries edged with buffy brown; tail gray-brown crossed with several light bars; underparts buffy white, streaked with black, principally on breast, sides, and belly; eyes pale grayish, with a yellow cast.Length: Male, 18½ inches; female, 21 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A somewhat local summer resident from March 1 to December 1, often found along river valleys or in swampy country; winters occasionally, chiefly in the southern half of the Commonwealth. Usually not so common as the Red-tail.Nest.—Of twigs, lined with leaves and other fine materials,and usually with a sprig or two of fresh hemlock, built in a hemlock, beech, or other forest tree, usually from 30 to 60 feet from the ground. Sometimes the Red-shoulder adds materials to the last year’s nest of a Crow and uses this structure as a nest.Eggs: 3 to 6, pale greenish white, irregularly blotched with dark reddish brown.

Other Name.—Chicken Hawk.

Description.—Smaller than the Red-tail, with broad wings and comparatively short tail.Adults: Head and neck dark brown, streaked with reddish brown; back dark brown, with irregular barring and edging of gray and whitish; wings black, barred and spotted with white, lesser coverts rich reddish brown; tail black, crossed with three distinct but narrow white bands; underparts reddish brown, barred on belly, sides, and flanks with white; throat whitish, streaked, not barred, with dusky; a black spot on malar region; under tail-coverts white; feet and cere greenish yellow; eyes dark brown.Immature birds: Dark brown above, neck and back streaked and spotted with whitish and buffy; lesser wing-coverts reddish brown; primaries edged with buffy brown; tail gray-brown crossed with several light bars; underparts buffy white, streaked with black, principally on breast, sides, and belly; eyes pale grayish, with a yellow cast.Length: Male, 18½ inches; female, 21 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A somewhat local summer resident from March 1 to December 1, often found along river valleys or in swampy country; winters occasionally, chiefly in the southern half of the Commonwealth. Usually not so common as the Red-tail.

Nest.—Of twigs, lined with leaves and other fine materials,and usually with a sprig or two of fresh hemlock, built in a hemlock, beech, or other forest tree, usually from 30 to 60 feet from the ground. Sometimes the Red-shoulder adds materials to the last year’s nest of a Crow and uses this structure as a nest.Eggs: 3 to 6, pale greenish white, irregularly blotched with dark reddish brown.

Even at a distance the bright reddish coloration of the underparts of the adult Red-shoulder should serve to distinguish it. The bird student will do well to remember that the Red-shoulder and Red-tail customarily choose prominent perches from which to watch for prey, whereas the Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shin, and Goshawk almost never choose such lookout posts. A large Hawk seen on a dead stub in the open is almost certainly either a Red-shoulder or a Red-tail. The flying Red-shoulder circles more rapidly than does the Red-tail, and with a glass the dark, white-barred tail should be seen easily.

It is fond of snakes, frogs, and mice, which it captures usually in the lowlands. Occasionally it catches a bird or young poultry, but it visits the farms only when food is scarce in its wilder habitat. Young Red-shoulders whose stomachs I examined at Pymatuning Swamp had eaten only grasshoppers, field-mice, snakes, frogs, and beetles.

The Red-shoulder’s loud, clear scream, when familiar to the bird student, is diagnostic. The Blue Jay can imitate this scream almost perfectly, however, so the bird student must use care in recording the species from call-note alone. This species, while for the most part innocent in food habits, is not protected in Pennsylvania.

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous).Description.—The Broad-wing, because of its name, is often thought to be one of our largest hawks, but in reality it is one of the smaller species, being about the size of a Crow.Adults: Gray-brown above; throat white; malar region blackish; tail crossed with three distinct and rather broad white bands; underparts warm brown, the belly and sides heavily barred with white, the under tail-coverts largely whitish; cere and feet yellowish green; eyes dark brown.Immature: Dark brown, with head and neck considerably streaked; wing-coverts edged with buffy white; underparts buffy white, heavily streaked with black; tail grayish, marked with five or six black bands.Length: Male, 16 inches; female, 17 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—An uncommon and local summer resident from about April 20 to October 1. This hawk isnot foundin winter in Pennsylvania, for it migrates to Central America during the cold months.Nest.—A platform of sticks, usually placed in a large crotch of a deciduous tree, and not often at great height from the ground. An old Crow nest is sometimes used.Eggs: 2 to 4, whitish, spotted and blotched, sometimes very handsomely, with rich brown.

Other Names.—Chicken Hawk; Pigeon Hawk (erroneous).

Description.—The Broad-wing, because of its name, is often thought to be one of our largest hawks, but in reality it is one of the smaller species, being about the size of a Crow.Adults: Gray-brown above; throat white; malar region blackish; tail crossed with three distinct and rather broad white bands; underparts warm brown, the belly and sides heavily barred with white, the under tail-coverts largely whitish; cere and feet yellowish green; eyes dark brown.Immature: Dark brown, with head and neck considerably streaked; wing-coverts edged with buffy white; underparts buffy white, heavily streaked with black; tail grayish, marked with five or six black bands.Length: Male, 16 inches; female, 17 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—An uncommon and local summer resident from about April 20 to October 1. This hawk isnot foundin winter in Pennsylvania, for it migrates to Central America during the cold months.

Nest.—A platform of sticks, usually placed in a large crotch of a deciduous tree, and not often at great height from the ground. An old Crow nest is sometimes used.Eggs: 2 to 4, whitish, spotted and blotched, sometimes very handsomely, with rich brown.

Asmallhawk with wide wings, short tail, and the general appearance of a Red-tail is likely to be a Broad-wing. Look for it about deciduous woodlands. Its scream is feeble. It nests in woodlands not far from Pittsburgh.

Other Name.—Chicken Hawk.Description.—Larger than a Red-tail; two distinct types of plumage, one light, one dark; feet,down to the very toes, fully feathered.Light phase of plumage: Head and neck black, boldly streaked with white; back dark brown; tail white at base, black on terminal third; breast and throat buffy, broadly streaked with black; feathers of leg buffy, spotted with blackish; belly and under tail-covertsblack; wing-linings white, with black spots at wrist and black tips on all primaries and secondaries; cere and feet yellowish; eyes dark brown.Dark phase: Brownish black, spotted irregularly with white on belly, the tail marked with three or four narrow whitish bands.Length: About 22 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare and irregular winter visitor from the far North, usually seen in the more northerly counties and in fairly open country.

Other Name.—Chicken Hawk.

Description.—Larger than a Red-tail; two distinct types of plumage, one light, one dark; feet,down to the very toes, fully feathered.Light phase of plumage: Head and neck black, boldly streaked with white; back dark brown; tail white at base, black on terminal third; breast and throat buffy, broadly streaked with black; feathers of leg buffy, spotted with blackish; belly and under tail-covertsblack; wing-linings white, with black spots at wrist and black tips on all primaries and secondaries; cere and feet yellowish; eyes dark brown.Dark phase: Brownish black, spotted irregularly with white on belly, the tail marked with three or four narrow whitish bands.Length: About 22 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare and irregular winter visitor from the far North, usually seen in the more northerly counties and in fairly open country.

The great Rough-leg will perch on a hay-stack or a low stump in an open field in preference to a high stub. In searching for prey, it beats over the ground in the manner of the Marsh Hawk. It is distinctly beneficial in food habits. In any plumage the bird in the hand may be recognized by the feathered feet; in the field the distinctly black underparts are diagnostic. Unfortunately, this species is not protected at the present time in Pennsylvania.

Description.—Size very large; wing-spread from 6 to 8 feet; female noticeably the larger.Adults: Plumage rich deep brown, save on crown, nape, and hind neck where the pointed feathers are golden brown, and on the basal half of the tail, which is barred with whitish or gray; cere and toes yellow; bill blue-black; eyes dark brown; tarsus, which is fully feathered down to the toes, white or pale buffy.Immature: Similar, but the basal half or two-thirds of the tail iswhiteand the under tail-coverts are margined with buffy.Length: About 3 feet.Range in Pennsylvania.—A winter visitant, usually rare, though sometimes recorded several times during a single season. It is most often to be seen in the mountainous counties.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A winter visitant, usually rare, though sometimes recorded several times during a single season. It is most often to be seen in the mountainous counties.

The Golden Eagle is occasionally caught in steel traps which have been set for foxes or other fur-bearers. Each winter one or two of these great birds are thus made captive or shot by farmers who are protecting their poultry.

It is a magnificent creature, with its regal bearing, its deep set, brilliant eyes, and its sleek, lustrous plumage. In captivity it is not given to beating itself about, but bears itself with simple dignity, as though it understood the futility of trying to make an escape.

In the field, it is to be distinguished with difficulty from the immature Bald Eagle, the latter bird having white areas on the under wing which the Golden Eagle lacks. Close at hand, it will be noted that both birds have long feathers on the tibial region, the tips of these feathers sometimes reaching well toward the toes, but in the Golden Eagle the whole foot, down to the toes, is covered with short, thick plumage.

The Golden Eagle has been known to kill foxes and lambs. There is an authentic record of the killing of a sturdy, though small, fawn by one of these great birds. Pursuing the fawn through the woods, it frightened it over a sharp declivity, and its leg was broken in the fall. The Eagle’s long, vise-like talons and great bill finished the unfortunate creature.

Other Names.—American Eagle; White-headed Eagle.Description.—Size very large, a wing-spread of over 6 feet.Fully adult birds: Brownish black with head and neck, tail, and upper and under tail-coverts, white; bill clear bright yellow; feet dull yellow; eyes bright pale yellow.Young birds in their first plumage: Almost black, with irregular mottling of white on underparts; bill and cere dusky; eyes dark brown. In somewhat older young the plumage is much mottled with white, buffy, and grayish on the upperparts as well as below, and the under wings are blotched with white. As the bird grows older the light areas become more extensive.In the fourth year the head and tail become pure white and the mottling of the rest of the plumage does not reappear. Immature Bald Eagles sometimes have the general appearance of a Golden Eagle, but the feathers of the feetneverextend down to the toes, as they do in the Golden Eagle.Length: A little under 3 feet.Range in Pennsylvania.—Rare and irregular migrant and summer resident (occasionally noted in winter), save at Erie, where it is fairly common. Here it searches for fish and refuse along the shore and nests in the vicinity. In October and November, Bald Eagles from the North Country migrate through Pennsylvania, following some of the ridges of the eastern counties. They are sometimes noted along the Susquehanna and Delaware rivers, where formerly, and perhaps in limited numbers today, they nest on the larger wooded islands.Nest.—A huge mass of sticks and débris, sometimes a wagon-load or more, built into the principal crotch or top of a sycamore or other large tree, often at great height from the ground.Eggs: 2 or 3, chalky white.

Other Names.—American Eagle; White-headed Eagle.

Description.—Size very large, a wing-spread of over 6 feet.Fully adult birds: Brownish black with head and neck, tail, and upper and under tail-coverts, white; bill clear bright yellow; feet dull yellow; eyes bright pale yellow.Young birds in their first plumage: Almost black, with irregular mottling of white on underparts; bill and cere dusky; eyes dark brown. In somewhat older young the plumage is much mottled with white, buffy, and grayish on the upperparts as well as below, and the under wings are blotched with white. As the bird grows older the light areas become more extensive.In the fourth year the head and tail become pure white and the mottling of the rest of the plumage does not reappear. Immature Bald Eagles sometimes have the general appearance of a Golden Eagle, but the feathers of the feetneverextend down to the toes, as they do in the Golden Eagle.Length: A little under 3 feet.

Range in Pennsylvania.—Rare and irregular migrant and summer resident (occasionally noted in winter), save at Erie, where it is fairly common. Here it searches for fish and refuse along the shore and nests in the vicinity. In October and November, Bald Eagles from the North Country migrate through Pennsylvania, following some of the ridges of the eastern counties. They are sometimes noted along the Susquehanna and Delaware rivers, where formerly, and perhaps in limited numbers today, they nest on the larger wooded islands.

Nest.—A huge mass of sticks and débris, sometimes a wagon-load or more, built into the principal crotch or top of a sycamore or other large tree, often at great height from the ground.Eggs: 2 or 3, chalky white.

Bald Eagle, Adult

The Bald Eagle is usually seen along waterways or in the mountains. It ranges widely and flies with great majesty, its wide, heavy wings giving it, even at great distance, the appearance of weight and strength.

It is fond of carrion and pursues the smaller Osprey or Fish Hawk until that bird is forced to give up the prey which it has captured. Bald Eagles rarely take poultry. They sometimes pursue water-fowl, but in Pennsylvania do not destroy much game or valuable wild-life and are therefore protected.

The cry of the Bald Eagle is a barking squeal, sometimes very high and thin, often scarcely to be heard.

A dark-colored Eagle with white patches showing on the under-wing is likely to be an immature Bald Eagle. The Golden Eagle almost always appears dark from below, save for the basal half of the tail, which is grayish or white.

Other Names.—Peregrine Falcon; Rock Hawk; Bullet Hawk; Blue Hawk; American Peregrine; Ledge Hawk.Description.—Size medium; female much larger than male; wings long and pointed; plumage very firm and stiff.Adults: Top of head and patch below eyes and on rear part of cheeks, black; back, wings, and tail bluish slate, heavily barred with darker gray; tail tipped with white; underpartsbuffy, barred and spotted with black, chiefly on sides and flanks.Immature: Upperparts dark brown, the plumage considerably margined with buffy or pale brownish; area below eye black; cheeks brownish; underparts dark brown, all the feathers widely margined with buffy, giving a mottled and streaked appearance; cere and feet yellow; eyes very dark brown.Length: Male, 16 inches; female, 19 inches.Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare summer resident from March to November along cliff-lined rivers. It occasionally occurs in migration and has been known to winter in the Philadelphia region, where the solitary birds live upon pigeons, and roost on the ledges of tall buildings.Nest.—None is made.Eggs: 3 to 6, whitish, heavily spotted with rusty or chocolate-brown, or solid brown, laid either on the bare rock in a sheltered niche on a high cliff, or in a slight depression in the earth on such a ledge, if there be any soil.

Other Names.—Peregrine Falcon; Rock Hawk; Bullet Hawk; Blue Hawk; American Peregrine; Ledge Hawk.

Description.—Size medium; female much larger than male; wings long and pointed; plumage very firm and stiff.Adults: Top of head and patch below eyes and on rear part of cheeks, black; back, wings, and tail bluish slate, heavily barred with darker gray; tail tipped with white; underpartsbuffy, barred and spotted with black, chiefly on sides and flanks.Immature: Upperparts dark brown, the plumage considerably margined with buffy or pale brownish; area below eye black; cheeks brownish; underparts dark brown, all the feathers widely margined with buffy, giving a mottled and streaked appearance; cere and feet yellow; eyes very dark brown.Length: Male, 16 inches; female, 19 inches.

Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare summer resident from March to November along cliff-lined rivers. It occasionally occurs in migration and has been known to winter in the Philadelphia region, where the solitary birds live upon pigeons, and roost on the ledges of tall buildings.

Nest.—None is made.Eggs: 3 to 6, whitish, heavily spotted with rusty or chocolate-brown, or solid brown, laid either on the bare rock in a sheltered niche on a high cliff, or in a slight depression in the earth on such a ledge, if there be any soil.

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