"Chaetura pelasgica. Chimney Swift. Chimney "Swallow". Sooty-brown, with a faint greenish gloss above; below paler, becoming gray on the throat; wings black; a velvety black space about eyes." Elliot Coues, 1884

Chimney Swift Head and Feather

"Chaetura pelasgica. Chimney Swift. Chimney "Swallow". Sooty-brown, with a faint greenish gloss above;…

"The coloration of the twenty or more species of Cypselus is sooty-black or mouse-brown, frequently exhibiting a metallic gloss, while the collar, rump, abdomen, or edges of the feathers may be white. A forked tail is not uncommon. The common Swift, or Deviling of Britain, is found through Europe, North Africa, and Asia, southwards t the Himalayas, migrating to South Africa, Madagascar, and Southern Asia." A. H. Evans, 1900

Common Swift Flying Through the Air by a Structure and a Tree with its Mouth Open

"The coloration of the twenty or more species of Cypselus is sooty-black or mouse-brown, frequently…

"Nephaecetes niger borealis. Northern Black Cloud Swift. Entire plumage sooty-black, with slight greenish gloss, little below than above, the feathers of head and belly with grayish edges. A velvety black area in front of eye; forehead hoary; eye-lids partly naked. Bill black; feet probably dusky-purplish in life." Elliot Coues, 1884

Northern Black Cloud Swift

"Nephaecetes niger borealis. Northern Black Cloud Swift. Entire plumage sooty-black, with slight greenish…

"Querquedula (N.) carolinensis. American Green-winged Teal. Bill black; feet bluish-gray: iris brown. A white crescent in front of wing. Head and upper neck rich chestnut, blackening on chin, with a glossy green patch behind each eye blackening on its lower border and on the nape where it meets its fellow among the lengthened feathers of the parts, bordered below by a more or less evident whitish line, which may often be traced to the angle of the mouth. Upper parts and flanks waved with narrow black bars on a whitish ground. Under parts white, becoming, becoming buff or fawn-colored on breast, nebulated with gray, on the breast with numerous sharp circular black spots; fore neck and sides of breast waved like the upper parts. Crissum black, with a buff or creamy patch on each side. Primaries and wing-coverts leaden gray; speculum velvety purplish-black on outer half, the inner half rich green; bordered in front with chestnut, fawn or whitish tips of the greater coverts, behind by white tips of secondaries, interiorly with purplish-black stripes on the outer webs of the lengthened secondaries." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Green-winged Teal

"Querquedula (N.) carolinensis. American Green-winged Teal. Bill black; feet bluish-gray: iris brown.…

"Sterna aleutica. Aleutian Tern. Bill of ordinary shape, as in hirundo, macrura, etc., entirely black. Feet small, as in the species just named, but the webs more deeply incised; emargination not so great, however, as in Hydrochelidon; much as in Haliplana. Tibia bare to the usual extent. Wings and tail exactly as in Sterna proper, the latter, in its length and depth of fork, recalling macrura and forsteri. Crown and nape black; a large white frontal crescent, the horns of which reach to the posterior border of the eyes, the convexity of which extends into the nasal fossae, the concavity of which is opposite the anterior border of the eyes; thus broader than in most species similarly marked. The black vertex sends through the eye a band that crosses the cheeks and reaches the bill just posterior to the point of greatest extension of the feathers on the latter. The chin, auriculars, and other parts of the head bordering this vitta below, and pure white, presently deepening insensibly into the hue of the under parts. Tail wholly pure white; no pearly wash on either vane of any of the feathers. Upper parts at large dark pearl-gray, with a dull leaden hue, different from the clear pearly of macrura, etc., yet not of the smoky cast of panayensis, etc.; it is a tint intermediate between these, that I find difficult to name satisfactorily. The whole under parts, from the white of the chin, just noticed, to the under tail-coverts, paler and more decidedly pearly, more nearly as in full-plumaged macrura, yet more grayish. Both under and upper tail-coverts, like the tail, white. The color of the back mounts on the neck behind to the black of the nape without intervention of the white. Under wing-coverts and edge of wing pure white; as are all the shafts of the primaries. Primaries blackish lead-color, with silvery hoariness, and each with a large white space on inner web; this white space on the first primary occupies at the base the whole width of the inner web, but grows narrower toward the tip of the feather, ending about an inch from the tip, which is wholly blackish lead-color, this color running down as a narrow margining of the inner vane for two inches or more." Elliot Coues, 1884

Aleutian Tern

"Sterna aleutica. Aleutian Tern. Bill of ordinary shape, as in hirundo, macrura, etc., entirely black.…

"Sterna (T.) caspia. Caspian Tern. Imperial Tern. Bill dark vermilion red, growing and somewhat "diaphanous" toward the tip. Pileum and occipital crest glossy greenish-black, extending to below the lower level of the eyes, and occupying the termination of the feathers on the side of the mandible to the exclusion of the white; lower eyelid white, forming a noticeable spot on the greenish; a white streak along sides of upper mandible, not extending to the end of the feathers. mantle pearl-blue, the line of demarcation between it and the white rather indefinite, both on nape and rump; most of the tail-feathers, and especially the central ones, retaining a more or less pearly tint. Shafts of the primaries yellowish-white; primaries grayish-black, but, when new, so heavily silvered over as to appear of a light hoary gray, especially on their superior aspects. On the inner web of all there is a central light field; this is very narrow, even on the first primary, although it runs considerable distance, and on the others it rapidly grows less; and it has no trenchant line of division of the primaries from the darker portions of the feather. whole inner web of secondaries pure white, outer pearl-blue. Legs and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Caspian Tern

"Sterna (T.) caspia. Caspian Tern. Imperial Tern. Bill dark vermilion red, growing and somewhat "diaphanous"…

Sterna fluviatilis, the Common Tern, occupying the coasts and inland waters of Europe, temperate Asia, and temperate America-chiefly on the eastern side in the last case- and migrating to South Africa, India, Ceylon, and Brazil, has red feet, and bill with horn-coloured tip, the lower parts being vinaceous grey." A. H. Evans, 1900

Common Tern

Sterna fluviatilis, the Common Tern, occupying the coasts and inland waters of Europe, temperate Asia,…

"Sterna (T.) elegans. Elegant Tern. Princely Tern. Bill bright red, salmon-colored toward tip. Feet black; soles and under surfaces of claws slightly yellowish. crown of head, including long-flowing occipital crest, pure black, reaching down on the sides of the head to a straight line just on a level with the lower border of the eye; the white of the cheeks accompanying the black to the foremost point of extension of the feathers in the nasal fossae. All the under parts rosy-white, with satin gloss. Tail entirely pure white, longer and more deeply forked than in winter. Back and wings pale pearl-blue; the usual pattern of coloration of the primaries." Elliot Coues, 1884

Elegant Tern

"Sterna (T.) elegans. Elegant Tern. Princely Tern. Bill bright red, salmon-colored toward tip. Feet…

"Sterna (T.) maxima. Cayenne Tern. Royal Tern. Adult in summer: Pileum glossy greenish-black, not extending below eyes, so narrow on side of upper mandible that a broad white streak extends to extreme tip of the feathers. Mantle exceedingly light pearl-blue, fading imperceptibly into white on the rump and towards the extremities of the tertials. Tail white, with a faint tinge of pearly, especially on the central feathers and inner webs of the other. Secondaries pure white for their whole length except a small space on the outer web near the tip, which is grayish-blue, deeper than the mantle. Outer web of first primary grayish-black; in the inner web of the same has a space of black extending the whole length of the feather, very narrow at the base, widening as it runs toward the tip. within 1 & 1/2 inches of which it occupies the whole web; the rest of the web white. separated from the black by a straight distinct line of division. The second, third, fourth, and fifth primaries have the same general characteristics, but the white space grows narrow and shorter, and round up further in the centre than along the edge of the web, so that for a little way from its end it has a border of blackish along its outer margin; other primaries wholly pearl-blue, their inner webs margined with white. Bill coral and orange-red, with a slightly lighter tip; feet blackish, their soles dull yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Royal Tern

"Sterna (T.) maxima. Cayenne Tern. Royal Tern. Adult in summer: Pileum glossy greenish-black, not extending…

"Sterna (T.) cantiaca. Sandwich Tern. Ducal Tern. Bill black, the tip 1/2 to 3/4 an inch bright yellow, sharply defined against the black; "inside of mouth deep blue." Feet dull black. Pileum and occipital crest glossy black, with a tinge of green; the color extending just below the eyes, but leaving a space along the side of the mandible white to the extremity of the feathers. Mandible exceedingly light pearly-blue, fading on the rump and upper tail-coverts into pure white; but the rectrices themselves have a slight shade of pearly-bluish. Primaries colored as in maxima. On the inner web of the first the black space is broad and deep in color; when about 1& 1/2 inches from the apex of the quill it quite suddenly grows wider, so as to exclude the white portion from the tip altogether. The second, third, and fourth primaries have the same general pattern, but he white runs up further on the central portion than on the edge of the web, so that toward its end it receives a narrow edging of blackish. The other primaries have no blackish, but are simply pearl-blue, with broad white margins along the whole length of heir inner webs. The outer primaries are all heavily silvered when the quills are new.

Sandwich Tern

"Sterna (T.) cantiaca. Sandwich Tern. Ducal Tern. Bill black, the tip 1/2 to 3/4 an inch bright yellow,…

"Timelia maculata, the Babbling Thrush, sexes are commonly alike, the plain rufous coloration being often relieved by black, white, and grey." A. H. Evans, 1900

Babbling Thrush

"Timelia maculata, the Babbling Thrush, sexes are commonly alike, the plain rufous coloration being…

"Turdus viscivorus, Mistletoe Thrush, the coloration is ordinarily plain black or brown, more or less varied with grey, white, rufous, or chestnut, occasionally in the form of a collar; many Thrushes, moreover, exhibit the characteristic white breast spotted with brown. The bill if frequently orange or yellow." A. H. Evans

Mistletoe Thrush

"Turdus viscivorus, Mistletoe Thrush, the coloration is ordinarily plain black or brown, more or less…

"Wood Thrush. Upper parts, including the surface of the closed wings, tawny-brown, purest and deepest on the head, shading insensibly into olivaceous on the rump and tail. Below, pure white, faintly tinged on the breast with buff, and everywhere, rounded or subtriangular blackish spots. Inner webs and ends of quills fuscous, with a white or buffy edging toward the base. Greater under wing-coverts mostly white. Auriculars sharply streaked with dusky and white. Bill blackish-brown, with flesh-colored or yellowish base. Feet like this part of the bill." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wood Thrush

"Wood Thrush. Upper parts, including the surface of the closed wings, tawny-brown, purest and deepest…

"Strepsilas interpres. Turnstone. Brant Bird. Calico-back. Pied above with black, white, brown, and chestnut-red; below, snowy, with jet breast. Top of head streaked with black and white. Forehead, cheeks, side of head and back of neck, white, with a bar of black coming up from the side of neck to below eye, then coming forward and meeting or tending to meet its fellow over base of bill, enclosing or nearly enclosing a white loral, and another black prolongation on side of neck; lower eye-lid white or not. Lower hind neck, interscapulars and scapulars, pied with black and chestnut; back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, snowy-white, with a large central blackish field on the latter. Tail white, with broad subterminal blackish field, narrowing on the outer feathers and incomplete, widening to usually cut off white tips of central feathers. Wing-coverts and long inner secondaries pied like the scapulars with black and chestnut, the greater coverts broadly white-tipped or mostly white, the short inner secondaries entirely white, the rest acquiring dusky on their ends to increasing extent, with result of a broad oblique white wing-bar. Primaries blackish, the longer ones with large white fields on inner webs, the shorter ones also definitely white on outer webs for a space, the shafts white on the outer webs for a space, the shafts white unless at end; primary coverts white-tipped. Under parts, under wing-coverts, snowy-white, the breast and jugulum jet-black, enclosing a white throat-patch, and sending limbs on sides of head and neck as above said. Bill black; iris black; feet orange." Elliot Coues, 1884

Turnstone

"Strepsilas interpres. Turnstone. Brant Bird. Calico-back. Pied above with black, white, brown, and…

"Similar to V. gilvus, but smaller; colors paler; bill more depressed; upper mandible almost black; 2d quill much shorter than 6th" Elliot Coues, 1884

Warbling Vireo

"Similar to V. gilvus, but smaller; colors paler; bill more depressed; upper mandible almost black;…

"Catharista atrata. Black Vulture. Carrion Crow. Adult: Entire plumage, including skin of head, and bill, blackish; shafts of the of the primaries white; bases of the primaries paling to gray or whitish. Tip of bill and feet grayish-yellow; iris brown; claws black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black Vulture

"Catharista atrata. Black Vulture. Carrion Crow. Adult: Entire plumage, including skin of head, and…

A (Motacilla alba) or White Wagtail (upper) and a (Motacilla flava) Yellow Wagtail (lower) sitting on the rocks in a grassy area. "The White Wagtail - Head black, with a broad mask of white across forehead and along side; the black extending on the fore-breast; wings blackish, with much white edging and tipping of the quills and greater coverts; tail black, the two lateral feathers on each side mostly white; back and sides ashy; lower parts mostly white; bill and feet black. In winter black more restricted, in part replaced by gray. The Yellow Wagtail has characters of the Motacilla alba; tail shorter, not exceeding the wing length; hind claw lengthened and straightish; hind toe and claw nearly as long as the tarsus. Coloration chiefly yellow and greenish." Elliot Coues, 1884

A White and Yellow Wagtail Sitting on the Rocks

A (Motacilla alba) or White Wagtail (upper) and a (Motacilla flava) Yellow Wagtail (lower) sitting on…

"The Yellow Wagtail or Motilla flava has characters of the Motacilla alva; tail shorter, not exceeding the wing length; hind claw lengthened and straightish; hind toe and claw nearly as long as the tarsus. Coloration chiefly yellow and greenish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Yellow Wagtail Head and Foot

"The Yellow Wagtail or Motilla flava has characters of the Motacilla alva; tail shorter, not exceeding…

"Mniotilta varia, the Black and White Warbler, The general coloration is olive-green, grey, or slaty-blue, with yellow or rarely orange under parts; chestnut marks, white wing-bands, and the like, occasionally relieving plumage. The head is particularly dark and streaky. Mniotilta, exhibits black and white stripes." A. H. Evans, 1900

Black and White Warbler

"Mniotilta varia, the Black and White Warbler, The general coloration is olive-green, grey, or slaty-blue,…

"Myiodioctes pussies. Blacked-capped Fly-catching Warbler. Upper parts, including exposed edging of the wings and tail, bright yellowish-olive; under parts, including front and sides of the head and superciliary line, rich yellow, shaded with olive on the sides. A squarish, glossy blue-black patch on the crown. Wings and tail plain fuscous, with greenish edging, unmarked with with other color. Upper mandible dark; under mandible and feet light." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-capped Fly-catching Warbler

"Myiodioctes pussies. Blacked-capped Fly-catching Warbler. Upper parts, including exposed edging of…

"Black-poll Warbler or Dendroica striata. Back, rump, tail-coverts grayish-olive, heavily streaked with black; whole crown pure glossy black. Below, pure white; a double series of black streaks starts from the extreme chin, and diverges to pass one on each side to the tail, the streaks being confluent anteriorly, discrete posteriorly. Side of the head above the chain of streaks pure white, including lower eyelid. Wings dusky, the primaries with much greenish edging, the inner secondaries with whitish edging, the greater median coverts tipped with white, forming two crossbars. Tail like the wings, with rather small white spots at the ends of the inner webs of two or three outer feathers. Upper mandible brownish-black; lower mandible with the feet flesh-colored or yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black -poll Warbler

"Black-poll Warbler or Dendroica striata. Back, rump, tail-coverts grayish-olive, heavily streaked with…

"Black-throated Gray Warbler or Dendroica nigrescens. Above, bluish-ash, the interscapular region, and usually also the upper-tail coverts, streaked with black. Entire head, with chin and throat, black; a sharply defined yellow spot before the eye, a broad white stripe behind the eye, and a long white maxillary stripe widening behind from the corner of the bill of the side of the neck. Wings fuscous, with much whitish edging, and crossed with two broad white bars on the ends of the greater and median coverts. Tail like the wings, the three lateral feathers mostly white, except on the outer webs, the fourth with a white blotch. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-throated Gray Warbler

"Black-throated Gray Warbler or Dendroica nigrescens. Above, bluish-ash, the interscapular region, and…

"Blue Golden-Winged Warbler or Helminthophila chrysoptera. Upper parts slaty-blue, or or fine bluish-gray; crown, and large wing-patch formed by confluent wing-bars, rich yellow; a broad stripe on side of head and patch on chin, throat and fore-breast, black, the eye-stripe bordered above and below with white; under parts generally, excepting the black breast-plate, white, often tinted with yellowish, and shaded on the sides with ashy. Exposed surfaces of wings and tail like upper parts; great white blotches on three lateral tail-feathers; bill black; feet dark." Elliot Coues, 1884

Blue Golden-Winged Warbler

"Blue Golden-Winged Warbler or Helminthophila chrysoptera. Upper parts slaty-blue, or or fine bluish-gray;…

"Myiodioctes canadensis. Canadian Fly-catching Warbler. Canada Warbler. Bluish-ash; crown speckled with lanceolate black marks, crowded and generally continuous on the forehead; the latter divided lengthwise by a slight yellow line; short superciliary line and edges of eyelids yellow; lores black, continuous with black under the eye, and this passing as a chain of black streaks down the side of the neck and prettily encircling the throat like a necklace of jet; excepting these streaks and the white under tail-coverts, the entire under parts are clear yellow; wings and tail unmarked; feet flesh-colored." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canada Warbler

"Myiodioctes canadensis. Canadian Fly-catching Warbler. Canada Warbler. Bluish-ash; crown speckled with…

"Chestnut-sided Warbler, Dendroica pensylvanica. Back streaked with black and pale yellow (sometimes ashy or whitish); whole crown pure yellow, immediately bordered with white, then enclosed with black; sides of head and neck and whole under parts pure white, former with an irregular black crescent before the eye, one horn extending backward over the eye to border the yellow crown and be dissipated on the sides of the nape, the other reaching downward and backward to connect with a chain of pure chestnut streaks that run the whole length of the body, the under eyelid and auriculars being left white; wing-bands generally fused into one large patch, and, like the edging of the inner secondaries, much tinged with yellow; tail-spots white, as usual; bill blackish, feet brownish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Chestnut-sided Warbler

"Chestnut-sided Warbler, Dendroica pensylvanica. Back streaked with black and pale yellow (sometimes…

"Myiodioctes mitratus. Hooded Fly-catching Warbler. Hooded Warbler. Clear yellow-olive above; below, rich yellow, shaded with olive along the sides; whole head and neck pure black, enclosing a broad golden mask across forehead and through eyes; wings unmarked, glossed with olive; tail with large white blotches on the two or three outer pairs of feathers, as in Dendroica; bill black; feet flesh-colored." Elliot Coues, 1884

Hooded Warbler

"Myiodioctes mitratus. Hooded Fly-catching Warbler. Hooded Warbler. Clear yellow-olive above; below,…

"Kentucky Warbler. Oporornis formosus. Clear olive-green; entire under parts bright yellow, olive-shaded along sides; crown black, separated by a rich yellow superciliary line(which curls around the eye behind) from a broad black bar running form bill below eye thence down the side of the neck; wings and tail unmarked, glossed with olive; feet flesh-colored." Elliot Coues, 1884

Kentucky Warbler

"Kentucky Warbler. Oporornis formosus. Clear olive-green; entire under parts bright yellow, olive-shaded…

"Black -and-Yellow Warbler. Magnolia Warbler. Back black, usually quite pure and uninterrupted in the spring, more or less mixed with olive in the winter; rump yellow; upper tail-coverts black , often skirted with olive and ashy. Whole crown of head clear ash; sides of head black, including a very narrow frontlet; the eyelids and a stripe behind the eye, between the ash and black, white. Entire under parts rich yellow, excepting the white crissum, heavily streaked with black across the breast and along the sides, the streaks on the breast so thick as to form a nearly continuous black border to the immaculate yellow throat. Wings fuscous, with lining, white edging of the inner webs of all the quills, of the outer webs of the inner secondaries, and with a large white patch formed by the tips of the median coverts and tips of the median coverts and tips and outer edges of the coverts. Tail blackish, with square white spots on the middle of the inner webs of al the feathers excepting the middle pair. Bill blackish; feet dark."

Magnolia Warbler

"Black -and-Yellow Warbler. Magnolia Warbler. Back black, usually quite pure and uninterrupted in the…

"Worm-Eating Warbler or Helmitheros vermivorus. Olive, below buffy, paler or whitish on the belly; head buff, with four black stripes, two along sides of crown from bill to nape, one along each side of head through the eye; wings and tail olivaceous, unmarked; bill and feet pale, bill acute, unbristled, unnotched, at least 0.50." Elliot Coues, 1884

Worm-Eating Warbler

"Worm-Eating Warbler or Helmitheros vermivorus. Olive, below buffy, paler or whitish on the belly; head…

"Yellow-rumped Warbler or Dendroica coronata. Yellow-crowned Warbler. Myrtle Bird. Slaty-blue, streaked with black; below, white, breast and sides mostly black, belly, and especially throat, pure white, immaculate; rump, central crown-patch, an sides of breast, sharply yellow, there being thus four definite yellow places; sides of head black; eyelids and superciliary line white; ordinary white wing-bars and tail-blotches; bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Yellow-rumped Warbler

"Yellow-rumped Warbler or Dendroica coronata. Yellow-crowned Warbler. Myrtle Bird. Slaty-blue, streaked…

"Ampelis garrulus. Bohemian Waxwing. General color brownish-ash, shading insensibly from the clear ash of the tail and its upper coverts and rump into a reddish-tinged ash anteriorly, this peculiar tint heightening on the head, especially on the forehead and sides of the head, into orange-brown. A narrow frontal line, and bordered with white. No yellowish on belly. Under tail-coverts orange-brown, or chestnut. Tail ash, deepening to blackish-ash toward the end broadly tipped with rich yellow. Wings ashy-blackish; primaries tipped (chiefly on the outer webs) with sharp spaces of yellow, or white, or both; secondaries with white spaces at the ends of the outer webs, the shafts usually ending with enlarged, horny, red appendages. Primary coverts tipped with white. Bill blackish-plumbeous, often paler at the base below; feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bohemian Waxwing

"Ampelis garrulus. Bohemian Waxwing. General color brownish-ash, shading insensibly from the clear ash…

"Ampelis cedrorum. Cedar Waxwing. Carolina Waxwing. Cedar-bird. Cherry Bird. General color shading from clear pure ash on the upper tail-coverts and rump through olivaceous-cinnamon into a richer and somewhat purplish-cinnamon on the foreparts and head. On the under parts, the color shades through yellowish on the belly into white on the under tail-coverts. There is no demarcation of color whatever, and the tints are scarcely susceptible of adequate description. Frontlet, lores, and stripe through the eye, velvety-black; chin the same, soon shading into the color of the breast. A sharp white line on the side of the under jaw; a narrower one bordering the black frontlet and lores; lower eyelid white. quills of the wings slate-gray, blackening at the ends, paler along the edges of the inner webs; without white or yellow markings, as a rule; inner quills tipped with red horny appendages. Tail-feathers like the primaries, but tipped with yellow, and sometimes also showing red horny appendages. Bill plumbeous-black, sometimes paler at base; feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Cedar Waxwing

"Ampelis cedrorum. Cedar Waxwing. Carolina Waxwing. Cedar-bird. Cherry Bird. General color shading from…

"Antrostomus vociferus. Whippoorwill. Night-jar. Upper parts variegated with gray, black, whitish, and tawny; prevailing tone gray; black streaks sharp on the head and back, the colors elsewhere delicately marbled, including the four median tail-feathers; wings and their coverts with bars of rufous spots; lateral tail-feathers black, with large white (male) or small tawny (female) terminal spaces; a white (male) or tawny (female) throat-bar. Adult male: Assuming stone-gray as the ground-color of the upper parts: Crown with a purplish cast, heavily dashed lengthwise with black; back darker, with smaller streaks; tail beautifully marbled with slate-gray and black tending crosswise on the 4 middle feathers; scapulars with bold black centre-fields set in frosty marbling; hind neck with white specks, as if continued around from the white throat-bar. Primaries black, with a little marbling at their ends, fully broken-barred with tawny-reddish; no white spaces. Three lateral tail-feathers mostly black, with pure white terminal spaces 1-2 inches long. Under parts quite blackish, on the breast powdered over with hoary-gray, more posteriorly marbled with gray and tawny, tending crosswise. Lores and ear-coverts dark brown. It is only in perfect plumage that the colors are as slaty and frosty as described; ordinarily more brown and ochrey." Elliot Coues, 1884

Large Whippoorwill

"Antrostomus vociferus. Whippoorwill. Night-jar. Upper parts variegated with gray, black, whitish, and…

"Antrostomus vociferus. Whippoorwill. Night-jar. Upper parts variegated with gray, black, whitish, and tawny; prevailing tone gray; black streaks sharp on the head and back, the colors elsewhere delicately marbled, including the four median tail-feathers; wings and their coverts with bars of rufous spots; lateral tail-feathers black, with large white (male) or small tawny (female) terminal spaces; a white (male) or tawny (female) throat-bar. Adult male: Assuming stone-gray as the ground-color of the upper parts: Crown with a purplish cast, heavily dashed lengthwise with black; back darker, with smaller streaks; tail beautifully marbled with slate-gray and black tending crosswise on the 4 middle feathers; scapulars with bold black centre-fields set in frosty marbling; hind neck with white specks, as if continued around from the white throat-bar. Primaries black, with a little marbling at their ends, fully broken-barred with tawny-reddish; no white spaces. Three lateral tail-feathers mostly black, with pure white terminal spaces 1-2 inches long. Under parts quite blackish, on the breast powdered over with hoary-gray, more posteriorly marbled with gray and tawny, tending crosswise. Lores and ear-coverts dark brown. It is only in perfect plumage that the colors are as slaty and frosty as described; ordinarily more brown and ochrey." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Whippoorwill

"Antrostomus vociferus. Whippoorwill. Night-jar. Upper parts variegated with gray, black, whitish, and…

"Scolopas rusticula, the well known Woodcock, brown, grey, and buff in color, with blackish vermiculations and blotches above and bars below, has two transverse buff stripes on the black hind-crown. It inhabits Northern and Central Europe and Asia-with Atlantic Islands and Japan." A. H. Evans, 1900

Woodcock

"Scolopas rusticula, the well known Woodcock, brown, grey, and buff in color, with blackish vermiculations…

"Philohela. American Woodcock. First three primaries emarginate, attenuate and falcate, abruptly shorter and narrower than the 4th. Wings short and rounded; when folded, the primaries hidden by the coverts and inner quills. Legs short; tibiae feathered to the joint; tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw, scutellate before and behind; toes long and slender, cleft to the base Bill much longer than head, perfectly straight, stout at base, where the ridge rises high, knobbed at end of upper mandible, very deeply grooved nearly all its length, the culmen and line of gonys also furrowed toward end; very soft and sensitive; gape very short and narrow. Head large; neck short; ear under the eye, which is very full, set in back upper corner of the head. Sexes alike; Female largest." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Woodcock Head

"Philohela. American Woodcock. First three primaries emarginate, attenuate and falcate, abruptly shorter…

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray, and russet; below, pale warm brown of variable shade, not barred. A dark stripe from bill to eye. Crown from opposite eye with black and light bars; along the inner edges of the wings a bluish-ashy stripe; lining of wings rust-brown; quills plain fuscous; tail black, spotted, and tipped; bill brownish flesh-color, dusky at end; feet pale reddish flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Woodcock

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray,…

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray, and russet; below, pale warm brown of variable shade, not barred. A dark stripe from bill to eye. Crown from opposite eye with black and light bars; along the inner edges of the wings a bluish-ashy stripe; lining of wings rust-brown; quills plain fuscous; tail black, spotted, and tipped; bill brownish flesh-color, dusky at end; feet pale reddish flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Probing American Woodcock

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray,…

"Asyndesmus torquatus. Lewis' Woodpecker. Lared Woodpecker. Adult: Upper parts, including wings and tail, flanks and crissum, green-black with intense bronzy lustre, especially on the back - this iridescence like that of Quiscalus aneus almost. Face dark crimson, in a patch of velvety feathers around bill and eyes. A narrow distant collar around back of neck, and breast, hoary bluish-gray, gradually brightening behind on the under parts to intense rose-red or lake, delicately pencilled in hair lines with the hoary-gray. No white on wings or tail, their under surfaces simply black. Bill blackish; feet greenish-plumbeous. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Lewis' Woodpecker Head

"Asyndesmus torquatus. Lewis' Woodpecker. Lared Woodpecker. Adult: Upper parts, including wings and…

"Sphyropicus thyroides. Brown-headed Woodpecker. Black-breasted Woodpecker. Red-throated Woodpecker. Williamson's Woodpecker. Adult: Glossy black, including all the tail-feathers. Belly gamboge yellow. A narrow scarlet patch on the throat. Upper tail-coverts, a broad oblique bar on the wing-coverts, a post-ocular stripe, a stripe from nostrils below eye and ear, and small, in part paired, spots on the quills, white. Lining of wings, sides of body, flanks and crissum varied with white, leaving the black in bars and cordate spots. Bill slate-color; feet greenish-gray; iris reddish-brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Brown-headed Woodpecker

"Sphyropicus thyroides. Brown-headed Woodpecker. Black-breasted Woodpecker. Red-throated Woodpecker.…

"Picus villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. Spotted and lengthwise streaked, but not banded. Usually 9-10 long; outer tail-feathers wholly white. Back black, with a long white stripe down the middle. Quills and wing-coverts with a profusion of white spots; usually 6-7 pairs on the primaries, several on all the secondaries, and one or more on each of the coverts. Four middle tail-feathers black; next pair black and white; next two pairs white, as stated. Under parts white. Crown and sides of head black, with a white stripe over and behind the eye; another from the nasal feathers running below the eye to spread on the side of the neck; a scarlet nuchal band in the male, sometimes broken in two, wanting in the female. Young with the crown mostly red or bronzy, or even yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Hairy Woodpecker

"Picus villosus. Hairy Woodpecker. Spotted and lengthwise streaked, but not banded. Usually 9-10 long;…

"Asyndesmus torquatus. Lewis' Woodpecker. Lared Woodpecker. Adult: Upper parts, including wings and tail, flanks and crissum, green-black with intense bronzy lustre, especially on the back - this iridescence like that of Quiscalus aneus almost. Face dark crimson, in a patch of velvety feathers around bill and eyes. A narrow distant collar around back of neck, and breast, hoary bluish-gray, gradually brightening behind on the under parts to intense rose-red or lake, delicately pencilled in hair lines with the hoary-gray. No white on wings or tail, their under surfaces simply black. Bill blackish; feet greenish-plumbeous. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Lewis' Woodpecker

"Asyndesmus torquatus. Lewis' Woodpecker. Lared Woodpecker. Adult: Upper parts, including wings and…

"Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed Woodpecker. Tricolor. Adult: Beautifully tricolor with "the red, white, and blue." Back, wings and tail glossy blue-black; secondaries, upper tail-coverts, under wing-coverts, under parts from the breast, and ends of some outer tail-feathers, white. Whole head, neck and fore breast crimson, usually black-bordered where adjoining the white. The white of hte wings and rump is pure; that of belly usually tinged with ochraceous or reddish; the white quills have black shafts. The red feathers are stiffish and somewhat bristly in their colored portions. The gloss is sometimes green instead of blue. Bill and feet dusky horn-color. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-headed Woodpecker

"Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed Woodpecker. Tricolor. Adult: Beautifully tricolor with "the…

"Sphyropicus thyroides. Brown-headed Woodpecker. Black-breasted Woodpecker. Red-throated Woodpecker. Williamson's Woodpecker. Adult: Glossy black, including all the tail-feathers. Belly gamboge yellow. A narrow scarlet patch on the throat. Upper tail-coverts, a broad oblique bar on the wing-coverts, a post-ocular stripe, a stripe from nostrils below eye and ear, and small, in part paired, spots on the quills, white. Lining of wings, sides of body, flanks and crissum varied with white, leaving the black in bars and cordate spots. Bill slate-color; feet greenish-gray; iris reddish-brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-headed Woodpecker

"Sphyropicus thyroides. Brown-headed Woodpecker. Black-breasted Woodpecker. Red-throated Woodpecker.…

"Sphyropicus varius. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Male: Crown crimson, bordered all around with black; chin, and breast black, enclosing a large crimson patch on the former (in the male; in the female this patch white); sides of head with a white line starting from the nasal feathers and dividing the black of the throat from a trans-ocular black stripe, this separated from the black of the crown by a white post-ocular stripe; all these stripes frequently yellowish. Under parts dingy yellow, brownish and and with sagittate dusky marks on the sides. Back variegated with black and yellowish. Wings black with a large oblique white bar on the coverts; the quills with numerous paired white spots on the edges of both webs. Tail black, most of the feathers white-edged, the inner webs of the middle pair, and the upper coverts, mostly white. Bill brownish; feet greenish-plumbeous; iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

"Sphyropicus varius. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. Male: Crown crimson, bordered all around with black;…

"Upper parts pale brownish-gray, minutely dotted with blackish and whitish points together, and usually showing obsolete wavy bars of dusky. Rump cinnamon-brown; a whitish superciliary line. Beneath, soiled white, shading behind into pale cinnamon, the throat and breast obsoletely streaked, and the under tail-covers barred, with dusky. Quills of the wings rather darker than the back, with similar markings on the outer webs. Middle tail-feathers like the back, with many dark bars of equal width with the lighter ones; lateral tail-feathers similarly marked on the outer webs, plain on the inner webs, with a broad subterminal black bar on both webs, and cinnamon-brown tips, the latter usually marbled with dusky; outer feathers with several blackish and cinnamon bars on both webs. Bill and feet dark horn color, the former paler at base below." Elliot Coues, 1884

Rock Wren

"Upper parts pale brownish-gray, minutely dotted with blackish and whitish points together, and usually…

"Short-billed Marsh Wren. Cistothorus platensis. Upper parts brown, the crown and most of the back blackish, streaked with white. below, whitish, shaded with clear brown across the breast and along the sides, and especially on the flanks and crissum, the latter more or less indistinctly barred with dusky (often inappreciable). A whitish line over the eye. Wings and tail marked as in the last species. Upper tail-coverts decidedly barred. Bill blackish above, whitish below, extremely small, scarcely half as long as the head; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Short-billed Marsh Wren

"Short-billed Marsh Wren. Cistothorus platensis. Upper parts brown, the crown and most of the back blackish,…

"Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Tell-tale. Greater Yellow-shanks. Long-legged Tattler. Stone-snipe. Bill straight or slightly inclined upwards, not with regular curve, but as if bent near the middle, black or greenish-black. Legs very long and slender, chrome-yellow. Above, blackish, more or less ashy according to season, everywhere speckled with whitish, in a series on indentations along edge of each feather; the markings spottle on the back and wings, streaky on the head and neck. A slight white superciliary line. Upper tail-coverts mostly white. Under parts white, the jugulum and fore-breast streaked, the sides and flanks, lining of wings and axillars barred and arrow-headed with the color of the back. Tail like back,with numerous white bars, generally broken on the middle feathers. Primaries blackish, with black shafts, mostly with white tips; secondaries and their coverts the same, but their edges marbled, spotted, or broken-barred with white. The seasonal changes of plumage are inconsiderable, consisting chiefly in the tone of the upper parts, more blackish and white in summer, more gray and ashy in winter and in the young; and in the emphasis of the dark markings of the under parts." Elliot Coues, 1884

Greater Yello-shanks

"Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Tell-tale. Greater Yellow-shanks. Long-legged Tattler. Stone-snipe. Bill…

"Geothlypis trichas. Common Yellowthroat. Yellow-throated Ground Warbler. Maryland Yellow-throat. Upper parts rich olive, inclining to grayish on the head, brightest on the rump. Wings and tail brown, edged with the color of the back. Chin, throat, and breast, with under wing- and tail-coverts, rich yellow. middle under parts dull whitish, shaded on the sides. A broad mask on the front and sides of the head, bordered behind by hoary-ash. Bill black; feet flesh-colored." Elliot Coues, 1884

Common Yellowthroat

"Geothlypis trichas. Common Yellowthroat. Yellow-throated Ground Warbler. Maryland Yellow-throat. Upper…