The Bird Book Part 5

Page 40

40a. PACIFIC KITTIWAKE. _Rissa tridactyla pollicaris._

Range.--Coast of the North Pacific, wintering south to California.

The Pacific Kittiwake breeds in immense rookeries on some of the islands in Bering Sea. They are well distributed over Copper Island where they nest in June and July, choosing the high ledges which overhang the sea.

The nesting habits and eggs are precisely the same as those of the common Kittiwake.

41. RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKE. _Rissa brevirostris._

Range.--Northwestern coasts, breeding in high lat.i.tudes.

This Kittiwake is similar to the preceding, with the exception that the legs are bright red, the mantle is darker, and the bill is shorter. This species was found by Dr. Leonard Stejneger to be a very abundant nesting bird on islands in Bering Sea, selecting steep and inaccessible rocks and ledges on which to build its nest. Their nesting habits are precisely the same as the Pacific Kittiwake, but they most often nest in separate colonies, but can be distinguished readily when nesting together by the darker mantles when on the nest and the red legs when flying. Gra.s.s, moss and mud are used in the nest. The ground color of the eggs is buffy or brownish, and the spots are dark brown and lilac.

Size 2.15 1.50.

42. GLAUCOUS GULL. _Larus hyperboreus._

Range.--Arctic regions, south in winter to Long Island, the Great Lakes, and San Francis...o...b..y.

This Gull shares with the Great Black-backed Gull the honor of being the largest of the Gulls, being 28 inches in length. Mantle light gray; it is distinguished by its size and the primaries, which are white to the tips. A powerful bird that preys upon the smaller Gulls and also devours the young and eggs of smaller birds.

They nest on the ground on the islands and sh.o.r.es of Hudson Bay, Greenland, etc. The nest is made of seaweed, gra.s.s and moss and is generally quite bulky. The two or three eggs are laid in June. They are of various shades of color from a light drab to a brownish, and are spotted with brownish and black. Size about 3.00 2.20.

[Ill.u.s.tration 042: Brownish buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Red-legged Kittiwake. Glaucous Gull.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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42.1. POINT BARROW GULL. _Larus barrovia.n.u.s._

Range.--Northwest coast from Bering Sea to Point Barrow.

This species is almost identical with the Glaucus Gull, averaging perhaps a trifle smaller. Its standing as a distinct species is still questioned and has not yet been decided satisfactorily. Early in June their nests are built on remote islands in Bering Sea. These nests are the same as the last species, large piles of vegetation, hollowed on top for the reception of the eggs. The eggs have the same variations in color and markings as the Glaucus Gull. Size 3.00 2.10.

Data.--Herschel Is., Alaska, July 1, 1900. Nest made of seaweed and gra.s.s; placed on the ground. Three eggs. Collector, Rev. I. O. Stringer.

43. ICELAND GULL. _Larus leucopterus._

Range.--Arctic regions, south in winter to the Middle States.

This Gull in appearance is precisely like the two preceding ones but is considerably smaller; 24 inches in length. A very common bird in the north, breeding in colonies of thousands on many of the islands. It is regarded as one of the most common of the larger Gulls in Bering Sea and also nests commonly in Hudson Bay and Greenland, as well as in the Eastern Hemisphere. They nest indifferently on high rocky cliffs or on low sandy islands. Except when the eggs are laid in a sandy depression in the soil, quite bulky nests are made of seaweed and moss. The eggs are laid about the first of June; they number two to three and have a ground color of brownish or greenish brown and are blotched with umber.

Size 2.80 1.83. Data.--Mackenzie Bay, Arctic America. June 18, 1899.

Nest made of seaweed and gra.s.s on an island in the bay.

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

[Ill.u.s.tration: Greenish brown.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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44. GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. _Larus glaucescens_.

Range.--North Pacific coast, breeding from British Columbia northwards and wintering from the same country to southern California.

This Gull is very like the preceding except that the primaries are the same color as the mantle, and are tipped with white. Length about 27 inches. Not so northerly distributed a bird as the previous ones, and consequently better known. They breed in large numbers both on the high rocky cliffs of the islands along the coast and on the low sandy islands of the Aleutian Chain. On Copper Island they breed on the inaccessible cliffs overhanging the water. As in the case of the Iceland Gull, when the nests are on the cliffs, a large nest of seaweed is made, whereas if they are on the ground, especially in sandy places no attempt is made at nest-building. The eggs have a greenish brown ground color and dark brown spots. Size 2.75 2.05. Data.--West Coast of Vancouver Island.

June 20, 1896. Three eggs; nest made of seaweed. Located on a low ledge.

Collector, Dr. Newcombe.

45. k.u.mLIEN'S GULL. _Larus k.u.mlieni_.

Range.--North Atlantic coast, breeding in c.u.mberland Sound and wintering as far south as Long Island.

This bird differs from the Glaucous-winged only in the pattern of the gray markings of the primaries and in having a little lighter mantle. It is quite common in its breeding haunts where it places its nest high up on the ledges of the cliffs. The eggs are not different apparently from glaucescens.

46. NELSON'S GULL. _Larus nelsoni_.

Range.--Coast of Alaska.

Plumage exactly like that of k.u.mlien Gull and questionably a new species. The nests and eggs are not to be distinguished from the preceding.

[Ill.u.s.tration 044: Iceland Gull. Glaucous-winged Gull.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pale greenish brown.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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47. GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. _Larus marinus_.

Range.--North Atlantic on both the American and European sides; breeds from Nova Scotia northward and winters south to the Great Lakes and the Middle States.

The largest of the Gulls (thirty inches long) and unlike any other. The mantle is dark slaty black, and the primaries are black with white tips.

The bill is very large and powerful and quite strongly hooked. They are quite abundant birds in their range, and are very quarrelsome, both among themselves and other species. They do not breed in as large colonies as do the other Gulls, half a dozen pairs appropriating a small island to the exclusion of all other birds. They are very rapacious birds and live to a great extent, especially during the breeding season, upon the eggs and young of other birds such as Ducks, Murres and smaller Gulls. They place their nests upon the higher portions of sandy islands.

They are made of gra.s.ses and seaweed. The three eggs are laid early in June; they are grayish or brownish, spotted with brown and lilac. Size 3.00 2.15. Data.--South Labrador, June 21, 1884. Three eggs. Nest on a small island off the coast; of gra.s.ses and moss.

48. SLATY-BACKED GULL.--_Larus schistisagus_.

Range.--North Pacific and Arctic Oceans.

This Gull, which is similar to the Great Black-backed, but is smaller and has a lighter mantle, does not breed in any considerable numbers on the American side of the Pacific. It nests in June on some of the islands in Bering Sea and probably more commonly farther north. They often nest in company with other species, placing their small mounds of seaweed on the ground on the higher parts of the islands. The full set contains three eggs of grayish or brownish color, spotted with dark brown or black. Size 2.90 2.00. Data.--Harrowby Bay, N. W. T. Canada, June 11, 1901. Nest of gra.s.s, roots and mud and lined with dry gra.s.s; on point making into the bay. Collector, Capt. H. H. Bodfish.

[Ill.u.s.tration 045: Great Black-Backed Gull. k.u.mlien's Gull.]

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

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]