Part 26

Range.—Breeds throughout temperate America, rare on the North Atlantic coast; winters in southern U. S.

SHORE BIRDS—Order Limicolæ PHALAROPES—Family Phalaropodidæ

RED PHALAROPE 222. Phalaropus fulicarius. 8 in.

Bill heavier than any of the other phalaropes; feet lobate-webbed. Adults in summer have the entire underparts reddish brown; side of head white; upper parts gray, white and black. In winter, head and underparts are white; back gray. Phalaropes differ from any other of our birds, in that the female is the larger and brighter plumaged bird, and the duties of incubation are largely or chiefly performed by the male bird. These phalaropes are very rarely seen in the United States in their breeding plumage; when they come in the Fall, nearly all have changed to their dull winter dress, and they keep this until after they leave us in the Spring.

Nest.—A hollow in the ground, lined with a few grasses; eggs greenish buff, spotted with blackish.

Range.—Breeds in the Arctic regions; winters south to New York, Calif., and Ohio, chiefly on the sea coasts.

NORTHERN PHALAROPE 223. Lobipes lobatus. 7.5 in.

Bill short and slender. Female in summer with reddish-brown breast; gray upper parts mixed with white and buff; throat and belly, white. Male, similar but duller colored. In winter, the upper parts are gray mixed with white, and the underparts are pure white. This is a maritime species that nests in the far north, and appears on our coast only for a short time during migrations. Like the last, they are expert swimmers and pass most of their time, when not breeding, upon the surface of the water, where they can outride the most severe storms in safety. They feed upon minute insects that they secure from beds of floating kelp.

Notes.—A sharp, rapidly repeated, metallic “tweet.”

Nest.—A grass-lined hollow in the ground; eggs greenish-buff, spotted with black (1.30 × .90).

Range.—Breeds from Labrador, Hudson Bay and Alaska northward. Winters south of the United States, migrating along both coasts, and to some extent in the interior.

WILSON PHALAROPE 224. Steganopus tricolor. 9 in.

Bill long and slender. Female in summer with a black line through eye, shading into a broad stripe of rich chestnut on the sides of the neck. Male much duller colored and slightly smaller. This phalarope is one of the most beautiful of all our shore birds, and is the most southerly distributed of the phalaropes. It is a bird of the interior, and is only rarely or casually met with on the sea coasts. It commonly travels about in small companies instead of large flocks as the other two species do, and is not as often seen on the water, although it can swim well.

Notes.—Usually silent, but has a low quack.

Nest.—Of grasses, on the ground, usually concealed in a tuft of grass, and near the border of a marsh or pond; the 3 or 4 eggs are brownish or greenish-buff with black markings (1.30 × .90); June.

Range.—Breeds chiefly in the interior, from Iowa and California, north to Hudson Bay; winters south of the U. S.

AVOCETS AND STILTS—Family Recurvirostridæ

AMERICAN AVOCET 225. Recurvirostra americana. 17 in.

Bill slender and recurved; feet webbed; feathers on the underparts very thick and duck-like, being impervious to water. In summer, the head and neck are pale cinnamon color; young birds and winter adults have the head and neck white, but the rest of the plumage is the same as in summer. These interesting waders are very abundant in some localities on the western plains. During the breeding season, if not molested, they become very tame; at other times they are quite wary. Their food consists of water insects and small Crustacea, which they secure in a novel manner. Wading along in shallow water, with their head immersed, they keep their bill moving from side to side through the soft mud.

Nest.—Of grass, on the ground; the eggs are brownish-buff spotted with black (1.90 × 1.30); May, June.

Range.—Breeds locally from Texas and southern California northward to Saskatchewan; rare or casual east of the Miss, and on the Atlantic coast.

BLACK-NECKED STILT 226. Himantopus mexicanus. 15 in.

Legs extremely long, and bright red; neck and bill moderately long and slender. Male black and white as shown; female and young with the back brownish. These very long-legged creatures are found in suitable places west of the Mississippi River, and are especially abundant in southern California. Stilts are poor swimmers, but habitually feed in comparatively deep water, that is up to their bodies, their whole head, neck and upper parts of the body often being submerged while thus engaged. They are strong and swift on the wing, twisting as they fly, so as to alternately show their black upper parts, then the white surfaces beneath; this is a habit that is common to several varieties of shore birds.

Nest.—On the ground as usual; eggs greenish-buff, spotted with black (1.80 × 1.25); May, June.

Range.—Breeds in the Gulf states and southern California, north to Dakota; winters south of U. S., except in southern California. Rare on the Atlantic coast.

SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC.—Family Scolopacidæ

AMERICAN WOODCOCK 228. Philohela minor. 11 in.

Bill very long; eyes very large and located near the top of the head; form heavy; legs short; plumage much mottled with black, brown and gray. These peculiar birds are very well known throughout their range, to gunners and sportsmen, who have been the means of almost completely exterminating them in some localities. They are found in runs along the edges of brooks, where the mud is soft. Their food is of worms, insects and their larvæ, which they get from the ground by boring with their long bills. Their flight is very rapid, and when startled they double and twist in their haste to get away, their three narrow outer wing feathers producing a peculiar whistling sound.