The Bird Book Part 21

[Ill.u.s.tration: Black-bellied Tree duck. Fulvous Tree-duck.]

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179. WHOOPER SWAN. _Olor cygnus._

This European variety frequently is found in Greenland and formerly, regularly bred there. It nests in secluded swampy places in northern Europe.

180. WHISTLING SWAN. _Olor columbia.n.u.s._.

Range.--North America, breeding in the Arctic Circle, and wintering south to the Gulf of Mexico.

These birds, which are nearly five feet in length, are snow white with the exception of the black bill and feet. The Whistling Swan is distinguished from the next species by the presence of a small yellow spot on either side of the bill near its base. Their nests are made of a large ma.s.s of rubbish, weeds, gra.s.s, moss, feathers and occasionally a few sticks. It is generally placed in a somewhat marshy place in the neighborhood of some isolated pond. The eggs are of a greenish or brownish buff color, and number from three to six. Size 4.00 2.75.

Data.--Mackenzie River. Nest a ma.s.s of weeds, sods and gra.s.s, lined with feathers; on an island near the mouth of the river. Collector, I. O.

Stringer.

181. TRUMPETER SWAN. _Olor buccinator._

Range.--Interior of North America from the Gulf of Mexico northward, breeding from northern United States northward.

This is a magnificent bird, about five and one-half feet in length. Its plumage is exactly like that of the preceding except that the bill is entirely black, and the nostril is located nearer the eye. Their nesting habits and eggs are the same as those of the Whistling Swan. While a few pairs may breed within the United States by far the greater number are found in the extreme north, from Hudson Bay to Alaska. The eggs may average a trifle larger than those of the preceding species.

[Ill.u.s.tration 116: Whistling Swan.]

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LAMELLIROSTRAL GRALLATORES. Order VI. ODONTOGLOSSae

FLAMINGOES. Family PHOENICOPTERIDAE

182. FLAMINGO. _Phnicopterus ruber._

Range.--Tropical and sub-tropical America on the Atlantic coasts, breeding in the Bahamas and West Indies; north to Florida and casually to the South Atlantic States.

These remarkable and grotesque appearing birds attain a length of about 48 inches. The plumage varies from white to a deep rosy red. It requires several years for them to attain the perfect adult plumage, and unlike most birds, they are in the best of plumage during the winter, the colors becoming faded as the nesting season approaches. The birds are especially noticeable because of the crooked, hollow, scoop-shaped bill, and the extremely long legs and neck. The feet are webbed, but more for the purpose of supporting them upon the mud flats than for use in swimming. The nests are usually built on a sandy point of an island; they are mounds of earth, gra.s.s and rubbish from one to two feet in height, the top being hollowed to receive the eggs. One or two eggs are a complete set. The sh.e.l.l is pale blue, but this is covered with a heavy white chalky deposit. The eggs are laid in June and July. Size 3.40 2.15.

IBISES, STORKS, HERONS, etc. Order VII. HERODIONES

The members of this order are wading birds, consequently they all have long legs and necks. They have four toes, not webbed.

SPOONBILLS. Family PLATALEIDAE

183. ROSEATE SPOONBILL. _Ajaia ajaja._.

Range.--Tropical America, north in summer to the Gulf States. They formerly nested in remote swamps along the whole Gulf coast, but are now confined chiefly to the Everglades in Florida.

[Ill.u.s.tration 117: American Flamingo. Roseate Spoonbill.]

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This bird, with its broad, flat bill, bare head, and rosy plumage with carmine epaulets and tail coverts, seem more like the fanciful creation of some artist than a real bird of flesh and blood. Its plumage and colors are strikingly clear and beautiful. Full plumaged adult birds have very brilliant carmine shoulders and tail coverts, a saffron colored tail, and a lengthened tuft of bright rosy feathers on the foreneck. This species breed in small colonies in marshy places, often in company with herons and ibises. Their nests are rather frail platforms of sticks, located in bushes or trees, from four to fifteen feet from the ground. The eggs are laid during the latter part of May and June. They are three or four in number and have a ground color of dull white, or pale greenish blue and are quite heavily blotched with several shades of brown. Size 2.50 1.70.

[Ill.u.s.tration 118: Pale greenish blue.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Chalky bluish white. Egg of American Flamingo.]

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IBISES. Family IBIDIDae

Ibises are gracefully formed birds having a long curved bill and a bare face.

184. WHITE IBIS. _Guara alba._

Range.--This is a tropical and sub-tropical species which is found along the Gulf coast, and north to South Carolina, west to Lower California.

These handsome birds are wholly white, with the exception of black primaries. The legs and the bare skin of the face is orange red. These birds are very abundant in most marshy localities along the Gulf coast, especially in Florida, where they nest in rookeries of thousands of individuals. Owing to their not having plumes, they have not been persecuted as have the white herons. They build their nests of sticks and gra.s.ses, in the mangroves a few feet above the water. In other localities they build their nests entirely of dead rushes, attaching them to the standing ones a foot or more above the surface of the water.

They are quite substantially made and deeply cupped, very different from the nests of the Herons. Their eggs are from three to five in number, vary from grayish ash to pale greenish or bluish in color, blotched with light brown. Size 2.25 1.60. The nesting season is during May and June. Data.--Tampa Bay, Fla., June 4, 1895. Three eggs. Nest of sticks and a few weeds in small bushes on an island. Collector, Fred Doane.

185. SCARLET IBIS. _Guara rubra._.

Range.--Occasionally, but not recently met with in the southern states.

Their habitat is tropical America, they being especially abundant along the Orinoco River in northern South America.

Full plumaged adults of this species are wholly bright scarlet, except for the primaries, which are black. Their nests are built in impenetrable thickets, rushes or mangroves, the nests being constructed like those of the White Ibis. The eggs, too, are very similar to those of the preceding species, but both the ground color and the markings average brighter. While still common in some localities, the species is gradually becoming less abundant, chiefly because of the demand for their feathers for use in fly-tying.

[Ill.u.s.tration 119: Grayish.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White Ibis. Scarlet Ibis.]

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186. GLOSSY IBIS. _Plegadis autumnalis._.

Range.--This tropical and sub-tropical species, is chiefly found in the Old World. It is occasionally found in southeastern United States where it sometimes breeds. Its habits, nesting habits and eggs are just the same as the next species.