Audubon's Birds. John James Audubon

Bird

      Tarsus rather stout, bare, and shorter than the middle toe, hind toe much smaller than the second; anterior toes connected at the base by a web; claws large, moderately curved, rather acute. Plumage full and rather compact. Wings very long, and subacuminate. Oesophagus excessively wide, and dilated into a crop; stomach rather large, somewhat muscular, with a soft rugous epithelium; intestine of moderate length and width, coeca extremely small. The young when fledged have the head and upper part of the neck generally covered with down. Eggs: commonly two.

      Turkey Vulture

      Cathartes aura

      Plate 151

      Vullturine Bird

      Family II

      Falconinæ. Falcons

      Bill short, stout, cerate; upper mandible with the tip elongated and decurved; lower mandible rounded and thin edged at the end. Head rather large, broadly ovate, feathered. Eyes large, with prominent superciliary ridges. External aperture of ears of moderate size, and simple. Tarsus longer than the middle toe; claws very large, much curved, extremely acute. Plumage full and generally compact.

      Bald Eagle

      Haliaeetus leucocephalus

      Plate 11

      Falconine Birds

      Wings very long and broad. Oesophagus excessively wide and dilated into a crop; stomach large, membranous, its muscular fasciculi placed in a single series; intestine short and rather wide, or very long and slender. The young, when fledged, generally having their lower parts longitudinally streaked. Eggs: from two to six, ovate, or round. Nest on trees, rocks, or the ground.

      Bald Eagle

      Haliaeetus leucocephalus

      Plate 31

      Falconine Birds

      Family III

      Striginæ. Owls

      Bill very short, strong, cerate; upper mandible with the tip elongated and decurved; lower mandible with the end rounded and thin edged. Head extremely large, owing to the wide separation of the tables of the cranium, rounded, more or less vertically flattened behind, feathered. Eyes excessively large, with prominent superciliary ridges, and encircled by series of decomposed feathers.

      Great horned Owl

      Bubo virginianus

      Plate 61

      Owls

      External aperture of ear always very large, frequently excessive, simple or operculate. Tarsus short, very short, or of moderate length, always feathered, as are the toes, of which the outer is versatile, the first shorter than the second, the anterior free; claws very long slender, curved, extremely acute. Plumage very full and soft. Wings long, broad, rounded, the second, third, and fourth quills longest, the filaments of the outer more or less enlarged and recurved at the end.

      Great Grey Owl

      Strix nebulosa

      Plate 351

      Owls

      Tail broad, rather short or of moderate length, of twelve feathers. Oesophagus very wide, without crop or dilatation; stomach very large, round, membranous, its muscular fasciculi placed in a single series; intestine short and wide. Young at first covered with light coloured down, when fledged, with the face darker than that of adults. Eggs: white, somewhat globular or broadly ovate, from four to six. Nests rudely constructed, in hollow trees, on branches, in buildings, or on the ground.

      Common-Barn-Owl

      Tyto alba

      Plate 171

      Owls

      Family IV

      Caprimulginæ. Goatsuckers

      Mouth opening to beneath the centre of the eyes; bill much depressed, generally feeble, the horny part being small; upper mandible with the tip somewhat decurved. Nostrils, elliptical, prominent, marginate. Eyes extremely large. Aperture of ear elliptical, very large. Head of extreme breadth, depressed; body very slender. Feet very small; tarsus partially feathered, scaly; anterior toes webbed at the base; hind toe small, and versatile, all scutellate above; claw of third toe generally elongated, with the inner margin thin and pectinate.

      Chuck-Willis-Widow

      Caprimulgus carolinensis

      Plate 52

      Goatssuckers

      Plumage very soft and blended. Wings very large, the second and third quills longest. Tail long, of ten feathers. Oesophagus rather wide, without crop; stomach very large, rounded, its muscular coat very thin, and composed of a single series of strong fasciculi; epithelium very hard; intestine short and wide. Trachea of nearly uniform width, without inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the ground, or in hollow trees. Eggs: generally two. Young covered with down. Very nearly allied in some respects to owls.

      Whip-poor-will

      Caprimulgus vociferus

      Plate 82

      Goatssuckers

      Family V

      Cypselinæ. Swifts

      Mouth opening to beneath the hind part of the eyes; bill extremely short, very broad at the base, compressed at the end; upper mandible decurved at the point, the edge inflected, with an indistinct sinus. Nostrils basal, approximate, oblong. Head large and depressed; neck short; body rather slender. Feet extremely short; tarsus rounded, destitute of scutella; toes extremely short, the three anterior nearly equal; hind toe very small, and versatile; claws strong, compressed, arched, very acute.

      Chimney Swift

      Chaetura pelagica

      Plate 158

      Swifts

      Plumage compact; no bristles at the base of the upper mandible; wings extremely elongated, falciform, the first quill longest; tail of ten feathers. Oesophagus of moderate width, without crop; stomach oblong, moderately muscular, with a dense rugous epithelium; intestine short, and rather wide. No inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest in crevices or holes, or attached to high places. Eggs: elongated, white.

      Seaside Sparrow

      Ammodramus maritimus

      Plate 93

      Swallows

      Family VI

      Hirundinæ. Swallows

      Bill very short, much depressed and very broad at the base, compressed toward the tip; upper mandible with the dorsal line convex, the edges overlapping, with a small notch close to the slightly decurved tip. Head broad, depressed; neck very short, body moderate. Feet very short, tarsus very short, anteriorly scutellate; toes of moderate