Color Key to North American Birds Part 24

[Ill.u.s.tration: 196.]

=196. American Egret= (_Herodias egretta_). L. 41. _Ads._ White, about 50 _straight_ "aigrette" plumes grow from the back between the wings; legs and feet _black_. Ads. when not breeding and Yng., the same, but no plumes.

Range.--Tropical and temperate America; breeds north to Virginia, southern Illinois, and California; later strays to New Brunswick, Minnesota, and Oregon; winters from southern California and Gulf States southward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 197.]

=197. Snowy Heron= (_Egretta candidissima_). L. 24. _Ads._ White, about 50 _recurved_ "aigrette" plumes grow from back between the wings; legs black, feet _yellow_. Ads. when not breeding and Yng.

The same, but no plumes.

Range.--Tropical and temperate America; bred formerly north to Long Island, southern Illinois and California; now very rare in eastern North America; winters from Gulf States and southern California southward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 194.]

=194. Great Blue Heron= (_Ardea herodias_). L. 45; W. 18.5; B. 5.5; Tar. 7. _Ads._ Center of crown white, head crested; legs blackish.

_Yng._ Similar, but no crest, crown wholly black, plumage more streaked.

Range--Northern South America north to Arctic regions; breeds locally throughout most of North America range; winters from about lat.i.tude 42 southward.

=194a. Northwest Coast Heron= (_A. h. fannini_). Similar to No. 194 but much darker; upperparts bluish slate black; tarsus shorter, 5.3.

Range.--Pacific coast from Vancouver to Sitka.

=194b. Ward Heron= (_A. h. wardi_). Similar to No. 194 but whiter below, neck darker; legs olive; larger, L. 52; W. 20; B. 6.5; Tar. 8.

Range.--Florida; coast of Texas.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 202.]

=202. Black-crowned Night Heron= (_Nycticorax nycticorax naevius_).

L. 24. _Ads._ Crown and back greenish black lower back, wings and tail ashy; head with two or three rounded white plumes, except just after breeding season. _Yng._ Grayish brown streaked with white; below white streaked with blackish; outer webs of primaries, _pale rufous_.

_Notes._ An explosive _quawk_.

Range.--Western hemisphere; breeds in North America north to New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, and Oregon; winters from California and Gulf States southward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 203.]

=203. Yellow-crowned Night Heron= (_Nyctana.s.sa violaceus_). L. 23.

_Ads._ Blue-gray; crown and ear-coverts whitish, rest of head black; scapulars streaked with black; head with two or three rounded, white plumes, except just after nesting season. _Yng._ Crown _black_, streaked with whitish; primaries _bluish slate, no rufous_; back brownish streaked with white; below whitish streaked with blackish.

Range.--Tropical and subtropical America; breeds north to South Carolina, southern Illinois, and Lower California; strays to Ma.s.sachusetts and Colorado; winters from Gulf States southward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 2198.]

=198. Reddish Egret= (_Dichromana.s.sa rufescens_). L. 29. Two color phases independent of age. _Ads._ _Dark phase_, Head and neck rufous; back slate; about 30 "aigrette" plumes. _White phase._ White, including plumes; tips of primaries sometimes speckled with gray.

_Yng._ Rufous and gray, or white, without plumes.

Range.--West Indies and Central America north to coasts of Gulf States, Illinois (rarely), and Lower California.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 199.]

=199. Louisiana Heron= (_Hydrana.s.sa tricolor ruficollis_). L. 26.

_Ads._ "Aigrette" plumes, short, dirty gray; rump and belly white; legs blackish. _Yng._ Head and neck brownish; throat and line down foreneck white; above slaty washed with brownish, rump, and belly white.

Range.--West Indies and Central America north to Gulf States, casually to Long Island and Indiana.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 200.]

=200. Little Blue Heron= (_Florida c?rulea_). L. 22. _Ads._ Head and neck maroon; rest of plumage slaty blue. _Yng._ White, tips of primaries bluish, legs _greenish yellow_.

Range.--Tropical America and eastern United States; breeds north to Virginia and Illinois, later may stray north as far as Nova Scotia; winters from South Atlantic and Gulf States southward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 201.]

=201. Little Green Heron= (_Butorides virescens_). L. 17. Smallest of our Herons. _Ads._ Crown, glossy green-black; throat and line down foreneck buffy; rest of head and neck purplish chestnut; back green washed with bluish gray. _Yng._ Neck and below streaked with blackish; back-feathers not lengthened; duller. _Notes._ A rattling _oc-oc-oc-oc-oc_, a startling _scow_, and, more rarely, a deep, hollow groan. (Brewster.)

Range.--Tropical and temperate North America; breeds from Gulf States north to Nova Scotia and Manitoba; winters from Gulf States southward to northern South America.

=201a. Frazar Green Heron= (_B. v. frazari_). Similar to No. 201, but rather larger and darker, neck more purplish, light stripings on throat and foreneck more restricted. (Brewster.)

Range.--Lower Califorinia.

=201b. Anthony Green Heron= (_B. v. anthonyi_). Similar to No. 201, but slightly larger, and paler, light markings of wings, neck, and throat less restricted and whiter. (Mearns.)

Range.--Arid portions of southwestern United States, south into Mexico.

Order VIII. CRANES, RAILS, ETC.

PALUDICOL?.

Family 1. CRANES. Gruidae. 3 species.

Family 2. COURLANS. Aramidae. 1 species.

Family 3. RAILS, GALLINULES, and COOTS. Rallidae. 12 species, 3 subspecies.

Cranes bear a general resemblance to Herons in that they are long-legged, long-necked birds, but when on the wing, they carry the neck fully extended, a habit which will readily distinguish them from the curved neck Herons. Cranes are less aquatic than Herons and are often found feeding on the prairies or pine-barrens where worms, gra.s.shoppers, lizards, roots, etc., form their fare. They nest on the ground laying two buffy eggs thickly marked with brown. The young, unlike the nearly naked, helpless young of Herons, are born covered with down and can soon follow their parents. The Cranes have loud sonorous voices; the Herons raucous croaks.

The Limpkin is a singular inhabitant of the more retired Florida swamps. It feeds upon the ground largely upon a kind of land sh.e.l.l, but also perches in trees. Its nest of twigs is placed in a small tree or bush, and it lays from four to seven pale buffy eggs stained and speckled with cinnamon brown.