Western Bird Guide. Reed Charles Keller

the head is white with a black chin and throat. Their 3 to 7 eggs are a dull buff color (3.10 × 2.15).

      BLACK-BELLIED TREE-DUCK

177. Dendrocygna autumnalis. 22 inches

      These odd-shaped ducks, with their long legs and neck, are very common in southern Texas and along the Rio Grande. They are not timid and are frequently caught and domesticated. They can walk and run gracefully, and feed in grain fields at considerable distance from the water. They usually raise two broods in a season, each brood having from ten to as many as twenty.

      Nest.– They build their nests in hollow trees, oftentimes at a great distance from the water. The nest is lined with a few feathers and down. The eggs are a creamy white (2.05 × 1.50).

      FULVOUS TREE-DUCK

178. Dendrocygna bicolor. 22 inches

      In form this duck is much like the last, but in color is more of a rufous all over, being darkest on the upper parts. It has no white markings. It is fully as abundant as the preceding and is found farther north and west to the Pacific coast in southern California.

      Nest.– Their nesting habits; their eggs and the size of them are identical with the former. As many as 32 eggs have been found in one nest, but these were probably laid by two birds.

      WHISTLING SWAN

180. Olor columbianus. 58 inches

      These large birds are snow white, with the exception of their bill and feet, which are black. The nostril is situated nearer the end of the bill than it is to the eye. It is distinguished from the next by the small yellow spot on either side of the bill near its base.

      Nest.– Are made of a large mass of rubbish, weeds, moss, grass, feathers and a few sticks, generally placed in marshy places near ponds or lakes. Three to six greenish or brownish buff eggs are laid (4.00 × 2.75).

      Range.– North America, more common in the east, breeding in Alaska and the Arctic islands, wintering from British Columbia to the central part of California.

      TRUMPETER SWAN

181. Olor buccinator. 65 inches

      This magnificent bird, over five feet in length, with a spread of wing nearly ten feet, is found more in the interior than on the coast. Its plumage is the same as above, except that the bill is entirely black and the nostril is located nearer the eye. Their nesting habits are the same as above, the eggs averaging a trifle larger.

      GLOSSY IBIS – Family Ibididæ

186. Plegadis autumnalis. 25 inches

      The neck and body of this bird is a rich dark chestnut color, glossy with purplish on the head; wings and tail glossy greenish black; bill, legs and feet carmine red, bill much curved downward.

      This bird is just the same as the White-faced Glossy Ibis which is occasionally found in southern California, with the exception that the latter has the forehead and feathers, bordering the bill, white.

      Nest.– Strongly and compactly woven of dead rushes attached to living stalks, and well cupped. Eggs 3 or 4 deep greenish blue color (1.95 × 1.35).

      WOOD IBIS – Family Ciconiæ

188. Mycteria americana. 45 inches

      Head and neck unfeathered and covered with scales, which are pale bluish in color as are also the legs. Plumage entirely white except for the primaries and tail, which are glossy purplish black. This is the only true Stork which occurs in North America, and is found only in the southern part of California and the most southern states near the Gulf of Mexico. They lay 3 or 4 white eggs (2.75 × 1.75).

      LEAST BITTERN

191. Ixobrychus exilis. 13 inches

      This small variety of Bittern is very common in the southern portions of the United States. They are very quiet and sly birds, and their presence is often unsuspected when they are really quite abundant. Their nests are made of rushes woven about the upright stalks; 3 to 5 eggs, bluish white (1.20 × .90).

      BITTERN – Family Herodii

190. Botaurus lentiginosus. 28 inches

      These are birds of the bogs and marshes, and will keep concealed so closely that one may pass within a few feet of them and they not take flight. They are known by a variety of names, nearly all of which have reference to their “booming” sound while in the bogs. The most common name given them being “Stake Driver” and again “Thunder Pumper.” They are much variegated with brown and yellowish brown; adults with a long, broad black stripe on either side of the white throat; eye is yellow; bill and legs, greenish yellow.

      Nest.– They build in swamps or marshy places, placing their nest usually in a tussock of grass on some bog surrounded by water. They lay from three to five brownish colored eggs (1.95 × 1.50).

      GREAT BLUE HERON

194. Ardea herodias herodias. 48 inches

      This handsome Heron in general color in the adult stage is bluish gray, relieved by a black crest, and black primaries and patches on the sides and a white crown. Young birds are much duller colored and lack the crest of the old birds. It takes several years for them to obtain their perfect plumage. In the South they breed in large colonies, often in company with many other species.

      Nest.– Is usually built of sticks, making a rude platform in the trees near swamps or wet woods. In some localities as many as 40 nests have been found in a single tree. Three to five eggs of a greenish blue color (2.50 × 1.50).

      Range.– North America except the extreme northern part, breeds from British Columbia to southern Lower California.

      GREEN HERON

201. Butorides virescens virescens. 17 inches

      This is the smallest of our Herons, and is well known all over the country. In most sections of the country they will be found nesting, one of two pairs together, along the border of some swamp or stream; 3 to 5 pale greenish blue eggs (1.45 × 1.10).

      EGRET

196. Herodias egretta. 41 inches

      This is our most beautiful pure white Heron; one which has persistently been hunted for its beautiful plumes for millinery purposes. They usually breed in colonies with several others of the Heron family.