Part 16

Range in Pennsylvania.—A widely distributed migrant and summer resident from mid-March to mid-November; occasional in winter.

Nest.—A depression in the sod or among gravel, sometimes rather carefully lined with pebbles or bits of debris. Eggs: 4, whitish to buffy brown, heavily spotted with dark or reddish brown.

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 cry kill-deer, kill-deer make this one of our most easily identified birds, even at a considerable distance.

The large Black-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 the black underwing feathers of the young and adult in winter are diagnostic marks. The call-note may be written too-ree.

Somewhat smaller is the Golden 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.

SEMIPALMATED PLOVER Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte

Other Name.—Ring Plover.

Description.—Like the Killdeer in general appearance, but much smaller, 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.

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.

The Piping 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.

RUDDY TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres morinella (Linnæus)

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.

RING-NECKED PHEASANT Phasianus colchichus torquatus Gmelin

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.

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.

BOB-WHITE Colinus virginianus virginianus (Linnæus)

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.

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.