Report on the birds of Pennsylvania; with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations

Front matter

^ ^ mm

Smithsonian Institution

^-^ibraries i

Contents

List of Plates,

Introduction,

Order Pygopodes— Diving Birds,

Appendix

Birds of Prey and the “ Scalp ” act of June 23, 1885, 333

Food of Hawks and Owls, 346

The Food of Crows, 367

The English Sparrow, 394

Some Nocturnal Migrants, 400

Protection of Birds, 402

List of Authoi'ities, 404

Glossary of Technical Terms ... . . . 411

Index,

LIST OF PLATP]S

The greater part of the illustrations in this report have been copied (some alterations as to positions, etc., have been made in nearly all) from the small edition of “Audubon's Birds of America.” By copying from said work which is regarded by competent critics as containing many of the finest portrayals of birds that have ever been published, the cost (ten to twenty -five dollars per plate) of original drawings was saved. The birds— most of the smaller species are about two-thirds or one-half the natural size ; in larger species the reductions are greater— have been colored from specimens in the author’s collection, or from those kindly loaned to him by Prof. Robert Ridgway, Curator Department of Birds, United States National Museum, Washington, D. C. Notwithstanding the fact that the “order to print” restricted the number of colors, the lithographer has, with the most careful efforts, succeeded in doing his work so accurately, that with a very few exceptions the reproductions are superior to the originals.

Plates.

1 . Figures illustrating terms used in descriptions.

2. Horned Grebe (Colymbus auritus).

3. Hooded Merganser {Lophodytes cucuUatus).

4. Wood Duck (.Aix sponsa).

5. American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus).

6. Black-crowned Night Heron {Nyclicorax nycticorax nwviits),

7 . Sora ( Porzana Carolina ) .

8. American Coot (Fulica americana).

9. Wilson’s Snipe {Gallinago delicata).

10. Solitary Sandpiper (Totanus solitarius).

11. Killdeer roci/era).

12. Bob-white or Partridge ( Colmws virginianus).

13. Marsh Hawk (Circus hudsonius).

14. Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter velox).

15. Red-tailed Hawk (Butco borealis).

16. Broad-winged Hawk (Buteolatissimus).

Sparrow Hawk (Falco sparverius).

17. Barn Owl (Stria: pratincoZa).

18. Screech Owl (Megascops asio).

19. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus).

Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)

Blue- winged Warbler (Helminthophila j "nus).

20. Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) .

21. Red-headed W oodpecls.er (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)

22. Flicker (Colaptes auratus).

23. Nighthawk (Chordeiles virginianus).

Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus).

24. Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus).

25. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata).

26. Bobolink or Reedbird (Dolicfionyx oryzivorus).

27 . Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phceniceus).

28 . Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) .

29. Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula).

30. Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus).

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella socialis).

Song Sparrow (Melospiza fasciata).

31. American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis).

Pine Finch (Spinus pinus).

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca).

32. Vesper Sparrow (Pooccebes gramineus).

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla).

Yellow-winged Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum passerimts).

Vlll

BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Plates.

33. Eng-lish Sparrow (Passer domesticus).

Snowbird (Junco hyemalis).

34. Cardinal or Winter Red- bird (Cardinalis cardinalis).

35. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Habia ludoviciana).

36. Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea).

37. Scarlet Tanager (Piranga erythromelas).

38. Tree or White Bellied Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor).

39. Cedar Waxwing (Am'pelis cedrorum).

40. Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus).

41. Yellow Warbler (Hendroica cBstim).

42. Maryland Yellow-throat (Geothlypis trichas).

43. American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla).

44. Brown Thrush (Harporhynehus rufus).

45. House Wren (Troglodytes a'edon).

46. White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis).

47. Chickadee or Black-cap Titmouse (Parus atricapUlus).

48. Golden-crested or Crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa).

49. American Robin (Merula migratoria).

50. Bluebird (Sialia sialis).

51. hoon (Urinator imber).

52. Bonaparte’s Gull (Larus Philadelphia).

53. Least Tern (Sterna antillar urn).

54. Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon lunifrons).

Barn Swallow (Chelidon erythrogaster).

55. Green Heron (Ardea virescens).

56. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Trochilus colubris)

57. American Crow (Corvus americanus),

Cowbird (Molothrus ater,)

58. Purple Martin (Progne subis).

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis).

59. American Golden-eye (Glaucionetta clangula americana),

60. Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis.)

Buffle-head (Charitonetta albeola).

61. Purple Grackle ((^iscalus quiscula).

Bronzed Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula ceneus).

62. Red Head (Aythya americana).

Lesser Scaup Duck (Aythya afflnis).

Old-squaw (Clangula hyemalis),

63. Ruddy Duck (Erismatura rubida).

64. Wild Goose (Branta canadensis).

65. Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus).

66. Florida Gallinule (Gallinula galeata).

Pectoral Sandpiper (Tringa maculata).

67. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura).

Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperi).

68. Bartramian Sandpiper (Bartramia Inngicauda).

69. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias.)

70. Pileated Woodpecker (Ceophlocus pileatus).

71. Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius).

Mourning Dove (Zenaidura macroura).

72. Catbird ( GaZeoscoptes carolinensis).

Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis).

Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) .

73. Bay-breasted Warbler (Dendroica castanea).

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica) .

74. Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) .

75. Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius).

76. Hairy Woodpecker (Dry abates villosu^).

Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens).

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus).

77. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker (Sphyrapicus varius).

78. Virginia Rail (Rallus virginianus) .

Least Sandpiper (Tringa minutilla).

79 American W oodcock (Philohela minor).

80. American Osprey (Pandion halia'etus carolinensis).

LIST OF PLATES.

Plates.

81. Greater Yellow-legs (Totanus melanoleucus).

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitismacularia).

Semipalmated Sandpiper {Ereuyietes pusillus).

82. American Golden Plover (Charadrius dominicus).

Turnstone {Arenaria interpres).

83. American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillas) .

84. Bald Eagle {Haliceetus leucocephalus).

85. Duck Hawk {Falco peregrinus anatum).

Pigeon Hawk (Falco col umbarius) .

86. American Long-eared Owl (Asio wilsonianus).

Short-eared Owl (Asio accipitrinus).

87. Barred Owl (Syrnium ncbulosum) .

Saw-whet Owl (Nyctala acadica).

-88. Snowy Owl (Nyctea nyctea).

89, Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus amcricanus).

Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus).

90, Chimney Swift (Chcetura pelagica).

Bank Swallow (Clivicola tiparia).

91, Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus).

Phoebe (Sayornis pJicebe).

Wood Pewee (Contopus virens).

Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax acadicus).

93. Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertina.)

Brown Creeper (Ccrthia famiUaris americana).

Black and White Warbler (Mniotilta varia).

93. American Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola cnucleator (yxnadensis). American Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra minor).

White- winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera).

94. Tree Sparrow (Spizclla monticola).

Snowflake (Plectrophenax nivalis).

Magnolia Warbler (Dcndroica maculosa).

Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitherus vermivorus).

95. White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis).

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys).

Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus).

Water Thrush (Seiurus noveboracensis).

96. Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis).

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) .

Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens).

Gray-cheeked Thrush (Turdus alicice).

97. Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens).

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica ccerulescens). Parula (Compsothlypis americana).

98. Hooded Warbler (Sylvania mitrata)

Myrtle Warbler (Dendroica coronata).

Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypsis formosa)

Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica blackbumiae).

99. Tufted Titmouse (Parus bicolor).

Mocking bird (Mimus polyglottos).

Oven bird (Seiurus aurocapillus).

100. Wood Thrush (Turdus mustelinus).

Olive-backed Thrush ( Turdus ustulatus swainsonii).

Hermit Thrush (Turdus aonalaschkoe pallasii).

Wilson’s Thrush (Turdus fuscescens) .