Keyword: "North American birds" | ClipArt ETC

"Diomedea brachyura. Short-tailed Albatross. Bill 5.00 or 6.00 inches long, with long, with moderately concave culmen and prominent hook. Frontal feathers forming almost no reentrance on culmen, running nearly straight around whole base of upper mandible, and extending scarcely farther on sides of under mandible, with hardly any convexity. Tail very short, contained rather more than 3 times in length of wing. Adult plumage white, the head and neck usually washed with shining rusty-yellow; wings and tail dark or blackish, with a wholly indeterminate amount of white on the coverts and inner quills - sometimes nearly all the wing-coverts white excepting a line along the border of the fore-arm - sometimes the white restricted to a small space at the elbow. Bill pale reddish-yellow, drying pale dingy-yellowish; feet flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bill and Foot of a Short-tailed Albatross

"Diomedea brachyura. Short-tailed Albatross. Bill 5.00 or 6.00 inches long, with long, with moderately…

"Crotophaga ani. Smooth-billed Ani. Black Witch. Savanna Blackbird. Bill smooth or with a few transverse; culmen regularly curved. Color black, with violet and steel-blue reflections, duller below, the lanceolate feathers of the head and neck with bronze borders. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Smooth-billed Ani

"Crotophaga ani. Smooth-billed Ani. Black Witch. Savanna Blackbird. Bill smooth or with a few transverse;…

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left subclavian; rs, right subclavian; lc, left carotid; rc, right carotid. Aves bicarotidinae normales, with two carotids, both alike." Elliot Coues, 1884

Carotid Arteries of Birds

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left…

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left subclavian; rs, right subclavian; lc, left carotid; rc, right carotid. Aves laevo-carotidinae, with left carotid only." Elliot Coues, 1884

Carotid Arteries of Birds

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left…

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left subclavian; rs, right subclavian; lc, left carotid; rc, right carotid. Aves bicarotidinae abnormalis, certail parrots, with two carotids, not alike." Elliot Coues, 1884

Carotid Arteries of Birds

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left…

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left subclavian; rs, right subclavian; lc, left carotid; rc, right carotid. Aves conjuncto-carotidinae, with two carotids, which speedily unite in one.Bittern, both alike." Elliot Coues, 1884

Carotid Arteries of Birds

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left…

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left subclavian; rs, right subclavian; lc, left carotid; rc, right carotid. Aves conjuncto-carotidinae, with two carotids, which speedily unite in one. Flamingo, left very small" Elliot Coues, 1884

Carotid Arteries of Birds

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left…

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left subclavian; rs, right subclavian; lc, left carotid; rc, right carotid. Aves conjuncto-carotidinae, with two carotids, which speedily unite in one. Cockatoo, right very small." Elliot Coues, 1884

Carotid Arteries of Birds

"h, root of aorta; 1, arch of aorta, to the right side; li, left innominate; ri, innominate; ls, left…

"Simorhynchus pusillus. Least Auk. Knob-nosed Auk. Bill small and simple. but stout for its length, scarcely higher than wide at base, rather obtuse at tip. A small knob or tubercle at the base of the culmen, which is deciduous." Elliot Coues, 1884

Least Auk Adult

"Simorhynchus pusillus. Least Auk. Knob-nosed Auk. Bill small and simple. but stout for its length,…

"Simorhynchus pusillus. Least Auk. Knob-nosed Auk. Bill small and simple. but stout for its length, scarcely higher than wide at base, rather obtuse at tip." Elliot Coues, 1884

Least Auk Adult

"Simorhynchus pusillus. Least Auk. Knob-nosed Auk. Bill small and simple. but stout for its length,…

"Ceratorhina monocerata. Unicorn Auk. Horn-bill Auk. Adults in summer: Bill orange-yellow. Culmen and base of upper mandible dusky; feet some yellow color, the tarsi behind and the soles blackish; claws black. The sharp feathers of the head white, about an inch long. Entire upper parts glossy blue-black; a line of white along edge of forearm. Sides of head and neck, of body along under the wings, with chin, throat, and fore-breast, clear grayish-ash, or pale bluish-gray; under parts from breast pure white, shading insensibly into the color of the sides and flanks. Inner webs of wing- and tail-feathers grayish-brown, paler toward base, the shafts of the primaries dull whitish at base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Horn-billed Auk in Summer

"Ceratorhina monocerata. Unicorn Auk. Horn-bill Auk. Adults in summer: Bill orange-yellow. Culmen and…

"Ceratorhina monocerata. Unicorn Auk. Horn-bill Auk. In winter: Bill orange-yellow. Culmen and base of upper mandible dusky; feet some yellow color, the tarsi behind and the soles blackish; claws black. The sharp feathers of the head white, about an inch long. Entire upper parts glossy blue-black; a line of white along edge of forearm. Sides of head and neck, of body along under the wings, with chin, throat, and fore-breast, clear grayish-ash, or pale bluish-gray; under parts from breast pure white, shading insensibly into the color of the sides and flanks. Inner webs of wing- and tail-feathers grayish-brown, paler toward base, the shafts of the primaries dull whitish at base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Horn-billed Auk in Winter

"Ceratorhina monocerata. Unicorn Auk. Horn-bill Auk. In winter: Bill orange-yellow. Culmen and base…

"Alca Impennis. The Great Auk. A great white oval spot between eye and bill. Hood and mantle dark; under parts white, extending in a point on the throat; ends of secondaries white. Bill black, with white grooves; feet dark." Elliot Coues, 1884

Great Auk

"Alca Impennis. The Great Auk. A great white oval spot between eye and bill. Hood and mantle dark; under…

"Simorhynchus psittaculus. Parroquet Auk. Pug-nosed Auk. Adult in summer with the nasal saddle, moulted in one piece in winter; shape of bill not materially altered, however, the piece being small and flattish. Bill vermillion or coral-red, usually enamel-yellow at tip and along edges. No curly crest on forehead, but a series of long white filamentous feathers from the eye downward and backward. Entire upper parts, with chin, throat, breast, and flanks sooty brownish-black, grayer below than above; other under parts white; lining of wings dark. Feet dull greenish or yellowish, darker behind and below." Elliot Coues, 1884

Parroquet Auk

"Simorhynchus psittaculus. Parroquet Auk. Pug-nosed Auk. Adult in summer with the nasal saddle, moulted…

"Simorhynchus pygmaeus. Whiskered Auk. Red-nosed Auk. Bill (dry) orange-red, more salmon color or yellow enamel at end. feet (dry) undefinably dark." Elliot Coues, 1884

Whiskered Auk

"Simorhynchus pygmaeus. Whiskered Auk. Red-nosed Auk. Bill (dry) orange-red, more salmon color or yellow…

Young Horn-billed Auk

"Ceratorhina monocerata. Unicorn Auk. Horn-bill Auk. Young: Bill like that of adults in winter, lacking…

"Simorhynchus pygmaeus. Whiskered Auk. Red-nosed Auk. Bill very small and weak, much compressed. No sign of crest nor of white feathers on head. Above blackish-cinereous, quite black on head, wings, and tail; under parts lighter and more grayish-plumbeous, bleaching on the belly and crissum. Bill reddish-dusky; tarsi behind and soles black; eye black and white." Elliot Coues, 1884

Young Whiskered Auk

"Simorhynchus pygmaeus. Whiskered Auk. Red-nosed Auk. Bill very small and weak, much compressed. No…

" A needle rock tenanted by Cormorants, Auks, etc." Elliot Coues, 1884 The rock is protruding from the ocean as the birds fly through the air in the sunshine

Auks and Cormorants

" A needle rock tenanted by Cormorants, Auks, etc." Elliot Coues, 1884 The rock is protruding from the…

"Simorhynchus pusillus. Least Auk. Knob-nosed Auk. Bill small and simple, but stout for its length, scarcely higher than wide at base, rather obtuse at tip. A small knob or tubercle at the base of the culmen, which is deciduous. No crest; but front, and sides of head more or less thickly lined with delicate white thready feathers; a similar series, exceedingly fine, from the eye along sides of hind head and nape. Excepting these filaments, the entire upper parts glossy black; region about under mandible, and a few feathers along the sides of body and flanks, blackish; under parts white, more or less extensively mottles or clouded with blackish. Lining of wings white, with dark feathers along edge. Bill red, the know and base of upper mandible dark. Legs (dry) undefinably dark, the front of tarsus and tops of toes lighter." Elliot Coues, 1884

Least Auks

"Simorhynchus pusillus. Least Auk. Knob-nosed Auk. Bill small and simple, but stout for its length,…

"Another small family, characterized by the extreme length of the slender legs, and the extreme slenderness of the long acute bill, which is either straight or curved upward. Recurvirostra is a 4-toed, and full-webbed; the bill is decidedly recurved, flattened, and tapers to a needle-like point; the body is depressed; the plumage underneath is thickened as in water-birds. The species swim well. Himantopus is 3 toes, semipalmate, the bill nearly straight, and not flattened; in relative length of leg it is probably not surpassed by any bird whatsoever. " Elliot Coues, 1884

Avocets Head and Foot

"Another small family, characterized by the extreme length of the slender legs, and the extreme slenderness…

"Speotyto. Burrowing Owls. tarsi long, about twice as long as the middle toe without its claw, very scant-feathered in front, bare behind; toes bristly. The long slim legs are quite peculiar.

The Beaks and Claws of a Burrowing Owl

"Speotyto. Burrowing Owls. tarsi long, about twice as long as the middle toe without its claw, very…

"Icterus. Orioles. Bill averaging as long as head (more or less); very acute, sometimes decurved." Elliot Coues, 1884

Oriole Bill

"Icterus. Orioles. Bill averaging as long as head (more or less); very acute, sometimes decurved." Elliot…

"North American White Pelican. Bill and feet ordinarily yellow; much reddened in the breeding season, when the general tone of the bill is reddish salmon color, the under mandible brighter than the upper, which has the ridge whitish; pouch passing from livid whitish anteriorly through yellow and orange to red at base. Bill a foot or more." Elliot Coues

Pelican Bill

"North American White Pelican. Bill and feet ordinarily yellow; much reddened in the breeding season,…

"Birds of Prey" are birds who hunt for their food (other animals or meat) in flight. When they find prey they swoop out of the air and using their "hooked" beaks and sharp claws they seize the unsuspecting animal. Their bodies are compact, head rounded, and are very strong.

Birds of Prey

"Birds of Prey" are birds who hunt for their food (other animals or meat) in flight. When they find…

Bittern

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle…

The Bill of a Bittern

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle…

"Botaurus mugitans. American Bittern. Indian Hen. Stake-driver. Bog-Bull. Plumage of the upper parts singularly freckled with brown of various shades, blackish, tawny, and whitish; neck and under parts ochrey or tawny-white, each feather marked with a brown dark-edged stripe, the throat-line white, with brown streaks. A velvety-black patch on each side of the neck above. Crown dull brown, with buff superciliary stripe. Tail brown. Quills greenish-black, with a glaucous shade, brown-tipped. Iris yellow. Bill on the ridge brownish-black, the rest pale yellowish; a dark brown loral strip. Legs dull yellowish-green; claws brown.

American Bittern

"Botaurus mugitans. American Bittern. Indian Hen. Stake-driver. Bog-Bull. Plumage of the upper parts…

"Agelaeus phoeniceus. Blackbird. marsh Blackbird. Red-winged Blackbird. Red-and-buff-shouldered marsh Blackbird. Male: Lesser wing-coverts scarlet, like arterial blood, broadly bordered by brownish-yellow, or brownish-white, the middle row of coverts being entirely of this color; sometimes the greater row, likewise, are mostly similar, producing a patch on the wing nearly as large as the red one; occasionally, there are traces of red on the edge of the wing and below; in some specimen the bordering is almost pure white, instead of buff." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-winged Blackbird

"Agelaeus phoeniceus. Blackbird. marsh Blackbird. Red-winged Blackbird. Red-and-buff-shouldered marsh…

"Xanthocephalus icterocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. Male: Black, including lores and small space around eye and bill; whole head otherwise, with the neck and breast, rich yellow, orange in high feather, the color extending interruptedly to or towards the belly; some feathers around vent, and the tibiae, usually yellow also. A large white patch on the wing, formed by the primary and many of the greater secondary coverts, interrupted by black of the bastard quills. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Yellow-headed Blackbird

"Xanthocephalus icterocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. Male: Black, including lores and small space…

"in full plumage: Rich azure-blue, the ends of the wing-quills blackish; throat, breast, and sides of the body chestnut; belly and crissum white or bluish-white. The blue sometimes extends around the head on the sides and often fore part of the chin, so that chestnut is cut off from the bill." Elliot Coues, 1884

Eastern Blue-Bird

"in full plumage: Rich azure-blue, the ends of the wing-quills blackish; throat, breast, and sides of…

"Ortyx virginiana. Virginia Partridge or "Quail". Bobwhite. Male: Forehead, superciliary line, and throat, white, bordered with black; crown, neck all round,and upper part of breast, brownish-red; other parts tawny-whitish, all with more or fewer doubly-crescentic black bars; crissum rufous; sides broadly striped with brownish-red; upper parts variegated with chestnut, black, gray and tawny, the latter edging in the inner quills, forming a continuous line when the wing in closed. Female: Known by having the throat buff instead of white, less black about the fore-parts, and general coloration subdued. The reddish of this bird is of a peculiar dull pinkish shade. The black crescents of the under parts are scarcely or not half the width of the intervening white spaces; the bill is not jet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bob-white Family

"Ortyx virginiana. Virginia Partridge or "Quail". Bobwhite. Male: Forehead, superciliary line, and throat,…

"Ortyx virginiana. Virginia Partridge or "Quail". Bobwhite. Male: Forehead, superciliary line, and throat, white, bordered with black; crown, neck all round,and upper part of breast, brownish-red; other parts tawny-whitish, all with more or fewer doubly-crescentic black bars; crissum rufous; sides broadly striped with brownish-red; upper parts variegated with chestnut, black, gray and tawny, the latter edging in the inner quills, forming a continuous line when the wing in closed. Female: Known by having the throat buff instead of white, less black about the fore-parts, and general coloration subdued. The reddish of this bird is of a peculiar dull pinkish shade. The black crescents of the under parts are scarcely or not half the width of the intervening white spaces; the bill is not jet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Male and Female Bob-whites

"Ortyx virginiana. Virginia Partridge or "Quail". Bobwhite. Male: Forehead, superciliary line, and throat,…

"Dolichonyx oryzivorus. Bobolink. Meadow-wink. Skunk Blackbird (Northern States), Reed-bird (Middle States), Rice-bird (Southern States). Male, in breeding plumage: Black; cervix buff; scapulars, rump and upper tail-coverts ashy-white; interscapulars streaked with black, buff, and ashy; outer quills edged with yellowish; bill blackish-horn; feet brown. The faultless full dress of black, white, and buff is worn only for a brief period; and even in spring and summer, most males are found to have yellowish touches in the black, especially of the under parts. The "delirious song" is only heard while the males re trooping their way to their breeding-grounds, and before the midsummer change of feather." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bobolink

"Dolichonyx oryzivorus. Bobolink. Meadow-wink. Skunk Blackbird (Northern States), Reed-bird (Middle…

"Bernicla nigricans. Black Brant. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and a little of fore part of body, glossy-black, well defined against the color of the breast; on each side of the neck a small patch of white streaks; frequently also white touches on eyelids and chin. Breast ashy-gray, abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissum into white, shaded along the sides of the body; upper parts brownish-gray, the feathers of the dorsal region with paler gray tips; rump darker; upper tail-coverts white. Tail-feathers, wing-quills, and primary-coverts blackish, the inner quills whitish toward base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black Brant Head

"Bernicla nigricans. Black Brant. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around,…

"Bernicla nigricans. Black Brant. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and a little of fore part of body, glossy-black, well defined against the color of the breast; on each side of the neck a small patch of white streaks; frequently also white touches on eyelids and chin. Breast ashy-gray, abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissum into white, shaded along the sides of the body; upper parts brownish-gray, the feathers of the dorsal region with paler gray tips; rump darker; upper tail-coverts white. Tail-feathers, wing-quills, and primary-coverts blackish, the inner quills whitish toward base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black Brant

"Bernicla nigricans. Black Brant. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around,…

"Bernicla brenta. Brant Goose. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and a little of fore part of body, glossy-black, well defined against the color of the breast; on each side of the neck a small patch of white streaks; frequently also white touches on eyelid and chin. Beast ashy-gray, beginning abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissum into white, shaded along the sides of the body; upper parts brownish-gray, the feathers of the dorsal region with paler gray tips; rump darker; upper tail-coverts white. Tail-feathers, wing-quills, and primary-coverts blackish, the inner quills whitish toward base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Common Brant

"Bernicla brenta. Brant Goose. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and…

"Sterna anaisthetikos. Bridled Tern. The foot of a Bridled Tern; Tarsus .85; middle toe the same, with the claw 1.20; outer toe 1.00; inner .75." Elliot Coues, 1884

The Foot of a Bridled Foot

"Sterna anaisthetikos. Bridled Tern. The foot of a Bridled Tern; Tarsus .85; middle toe the same, with…

"Clangula albeola. Buffle-head. Butter-ball. spirit-duck. Dipper. Bill with nostrils rather behind than before its middle line. Adult male: Head particularly puffy with much lengthened feathers of lateral and and hind parts, splendidly various with purple-violet and green iridescence; a large snowy patch on each side behind eye, blending on nape with its fellow. Bill dull bluish with dusky nail and base. Eyes brown. Feet pale flesh-color, with blackish claws. Upper parts at large black, fading to grayish-white posteriorly. Lower neck all around, under parts at large, scapulars in part, nearly all the wing-coverts, and most of the secondaries, white. Outer scapulars white, edged with black; inner secondaries velvet-black; sides and sometimes across lower belly shaded with dusky; lining of wings mixed dusky and white. Female much smaller than male; head scarcely puffy, but a thin compressed nuchal elongation of the feathers; dusky gray, with trace at least of the white space of the male, and common a white touch under eye. Bill dusky; feet livid bluish-gray, with dusky webs. above at large dusky-gray or blackish, with white speculum on outer webs only five or six secondaries; below white, shaded into dark along sides and across fore-breast and lower belly." Elliot Coues, 1884

Buffleheads

"Clangula albeola. Buffle-head. Butter-ball. spirit-duck. Dipper. Bill with nostrils rather behind than…

"Pyrrhula cassini. Cassin's Bullfinch. Above, clear ashy-gray; below, cinnamon-gray; rump and under wing- and tail-coverts white; wings and tail, crown, chin and face black; outer tail-feathers with a white patch, greater wing-coverts tipped and primaries edged with whitish; bill black; feet dusky." Elliot Coues, 1884

Cassin's Bullfinch

"Pyrrhula cassini. Cassin's Bullfinch. Above, clear ashy-gray; below, cinnamon-gray; rump and under…

"Pooecetes gramineus. Grass Finch. Bay-winged Bunting. Vesper-bird. Above, grayish-brown, closely and uniformly marked with dusky-centered brown-edged streaks, and further variegated by pale gray edging of the feathers. Crown quite like back, though the marking is in smaller pattern; superciliary line and eye-ring whitish. Under parts dull white, usually noticeably buff-tinged in the streaked areas, thickly streaked across breast and along sides with dusky-centered brown-edged streaks, anteriorly tending to concentrate in lateral chains bounding the white throat; above this chain a maxillary brown stripe; auriculars varied with light and dark brown. Quills fuscous, the longer ones with grayish-white edging, the secondaries and greater and median coverts with broad firm brown and white edges and tips; lesser coverts bright chestnut, whence the name "bay-winged". Outer-feather largely or wholly white, next pair or two airs largely white in decreasing amount. Upper mandible brown; lower, and the feet, flash-colored or yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bay-winged Bunting

"Pooecetes gramineus. Grass Finch. Bay-winged Bunting. Vesper-bird. Above, grayish-brown, closely and…

"Spiza americana. Black Throated Bunting. Above, grayish-brown, the middle of the back streaked with black, the hind neck ashy, becoming on the crown yellowish-olive with black touches. A yellow superciliary line, and maxillary touch of the same; eyelid white; ear-coverts ashy like the cervix; chin white; throat with a large jet-black patch. Under parts in general white, shaded with gray on the sides, extensively tinged with yellow on the breast and belly. Edge of wing yellow; lesser and middle coverts rich chestnut, other coverts and inner secondaries edged with paler. Bill dark horn-blue; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-throated Bunting

"Spiza americana. Black Throated Bunting. Above, grayish-brown, the middle of the back streaked with…

"Calamospiza bicolor. Lark Bunting. White-winged Blackbird. Black, with A large white patch on the wings; the quills and tail-feathers frequently marked with white; bill dark horn-blue above, paler below; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Lark Bunting

"Calamospiza bicolor. Lark Bunting. White-winged Blackbird. Black, with A large white patch on the wings;…

"Plectrophanes nivalis. Snow Bunting. Snowflake. Pure white; the bill, feet, middle of back, scapulars, primaries except at base, most inner secondaries, bastard quills, and and several tail-feathers, black." Elliott Coues, 1884

Snow Bunting

"Plectrophanes nivalis. Snow Bunting. Snowflake. Pure white; the bill, feet, middle of back, scapulars,…

"Dull lead-color, frequently with a brownish or olivaceous shade, the top of the head abruptly darker - clove brown or hair-brown. Below sordid whitish, or brownish-white. Wings and tail dusky, with slight hoary endings. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Two Least Bush-Tit Sitting on their Nest

"Dull lead-color, frequently with a brownish or olivaceous shade, the top of the head abruptly darker…

"Lanius borealis. Great Northern Shrike. Butcher-bird. Great Grey Shrike. Above, clear bluish-ash, blanching on rump and scapulars; below, white, always vermiculated transversely with fine wavy blackish lines; a broad black bar along side of head, not meeting its fellow across forehead, interrupted by a white crescent on under eyelid, and bordered above by hoary white that also occupies the extreme forehead; wings and tail black, the former with a large white spot near base of the primaries, and white tips of most of the quills, the latter with the outer web of the outer feather edged, and all the feathers excepting the middle pair broadly tipped, with white, and with concealed white bases; bill and feet bluish-black; eyes blackish. Elliot Coues, 1884

Butcher-bird

"Lanius borealis. Great Northern Shrike. Butcher-bird. Great Grey Shrike. Above, clear bluish-ash, blanching…

"Lanius borealis. Great Northern Shrike. Butcher-bird. Great Grey Shrike. Above, clear bluish-ash, blanching on rump and scapulars; below, white, always vermiculated transversely with fine wavy blackish lines; a broad black bar along side of head, not meeting its fellow across forehead, interrupted by a white crescent on under eyelid, and bordered above by hoary white that also occupies the extreme forehead; wings and tail black, the former with a large white spot near base of the primaries, and white tips of most of the quills, the latter with the outer web of the outer feather edged, and all the feathers excepting the middle pair broadly tipped, with white, and with concealed white bases; bill and feet bluish-black; eyes blackish. Elliot Coues, 1884

Butcher-bird Head

"Lanius borealis. Great Northern Shrike. Butcher-bird. Great Grey Shrike. Above, clear bluish-ash, blanching…

"Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis. American Rough-legged Buzzard. "Black Hawk" Adult: Too variable in plumage to be concisely described. In general, the whole plumage with dark brown or blackish and light brown, gray, or whitish, the lighter colors edging or barring the individual feathers; tendency to excess of the whitish on the head, and to the formation of a dark abdominal zone or area which may or may not include the tibiae; usually a blackish anteorbital and maxillary area. Lining of wings extensively blackish. Tail usually white from the base for some distance, then with dark and light barring. The inner webs of the flight-feathers white from the base, usually with little if any of the dark barring so prevalent among buteonine hawks. From such a light and variegated plumage as this, the bird varies to more or less nearly uniform blackish, in which case the tail is usually barred several times with white. Our lighted-colored birds are not fairly separable from the normal European A. Lagopus; but our birds average darker, and their frequent melanism does not appear to befall the European stock. But in any plumage the rough-leg is known at a glance from any Buteo by the feathered shanks; while the peculiar coloration of A. ferrugineus i highly distinctive of the latter." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Rough-legged Buzzard

"Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis. American Rough-legged Buzzard. "Black Hawk" Adult: Too variable…

"Buteo borealis. Red-tailed Buzzard. "Hen Hawk". Upper surface of tail rich chestnut, with white tip and usually a black subterminal zone, with or without other narrower and more or less imperfect black bars; sometimes barred throughout. From below, the tail appears pearly whitish with a reddish tinge, wither quite uniform, or barred throughout with the whitish and blackish. In general, it is the female with the most barred or completely barred tail, the male with the uniform tail, only subterminally once-zoned. Upper parts blackish-brown, with a thoroughly indeterminate amount of light variegation, gray, fulvous, and whitish; feathers of hind head and nape with cottony white bases, showing when disturbed; those of hind neck usually with fulvous edging; of scapular region showing most variegation with tawny or whitish, or both, the scapulars and adjoining feathers being largely barred, and only blackish on their exposed portions; upper tail-coverts showing much tawny and white. Ground color of under parts white, more or less buff-toned, the dark color of the upper parts reaching nearly or quite around the throat, the flanks and lower belly heavily marked with dark brown or blackish, but a large pectoral area, with the tibiae and crissum, mostly free from markings, as a rule; but no description will cover the latitude of coloration. Primaries blackening on their exposed portions, for the rest lighter grayish-brown, dark-barred across both webs, and extensively white-areated on inner webs basally." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-tailed Buzzard

"Buteo borealis. Red-tailed Buzzard. "Hen Hawk". Upper surface of tail rich chestnut, with white tip…

"Cathartes aura. Turkey Buzzard. Blackih-brown, grayer on the wing-coverts; quills black, ashy-gray on their under surface; tail black, with pale brown shafts. Head red, from livid crimson to pale carmine, with whitish specks usually; bill dead white; feet flesh-colored; iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Turkey Buzzard

"Cathartes aura. Turkey Buzzard. Blackih-brown, grayer on the wing-coverts; quills black, ashy-gray…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canvas-back Head

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Large Canvas-backs Head

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canvas-backs

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

"Polyborus auduboni. Common Caracara. General color blackish, the throat, neck all around, and more or less of fore back and breast whitish, spotted and chiefly barred with blackish; upper and under tail-coverts and most of the tail white, the latter very numerously barred with blackish, of which color is the broad terminal zone; the shafts white along the white portion of each feather. Basal portion of primaries likewise barred with whitish. Bill variously pale colored; cere carmine; iris brown; feet yellow; claws black; soft parts drying to a dingy indefinable color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Caracaras

"Polyborus auduboni. Common Caracara. General color blackish, the throat, neck all around, and more…

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak (lower) and a Northern Cardinal (upper) sit on branches among the flowers. "Zamelodia ludoviciana. Rose-breasted Song Grosbeak. Adult male with the head and neck all around and most of the upper parts black, the rump, upper tail-coverts and under parts white, the breast and under wing-coverts exquisite carmine rose-red; wings and tail black, variegated with white; bill white; feet grayish-blue; iris brown. Female above, streaked with blackish and olive-brown or flaxen-brown, with median white coronal and superciliary line; below, white, more or less tinged with fulvous and streaked with dusky; under wing-coverts saffron-yellow; upper coverts and inner quills with a white spot at end; bill brown." "Cardinalis virginianus. Cardinal Grosbeak. Cardinal Red-bird. Virginia Nightinggale. male, adult: Rich red, usually vermillion, sometimes rosy; pure and intense on crest and under parts, darker on back, where obscured with ashy-gray, as it is also on upper surfaces of wings and tail; the feathers of the wings fuscous on inner webs. A jet-black mask on the face, entirely surrounding the bill, extending on the throat. Bill coral-colored; feet brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

A Northern Cardinal and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak Sitting on a Branch Among the Flowers

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak (lower) and a Northern Cardinal (upper) sit on branches among the flowers.…

"Cat-Bird. Slate-gray, paler and more grayish-plumbeous below; crown of head, tail, bill, and feet black. Quills of the wing blackish, edged with the body-color. Under tail-coverts rich dark chestnut or mahogany-color" Elliot Coues, 1884

Catbird

"Cat-Bird. Slate-gray, paler and more grayish-plumbeous below; crown of head, tail, bill, and feet black.…

"Yellow-breasted Chat or Icteria virens. Bright olive-green, below golden-yellow, belly abruptly white; lore black, isolating the white under-eyelid from a white superciliary line above and a short white maxillary line below; wings and tail unmarked, glossed with olive; bill blue-black; feet plumbeous." Elliot Coues, 1884

Yellow-breasted Chat

"Yellow-breasted Chat or Icteria virens. Bright olive-green, below golden-yellow, belly abruptly white;…

Chick Head

"Fig 66 - Head of a chick, second stage, after five days of incubation, section in profile; x6 diameters.…

"Skull of chick, third stage, viewed from below, x6 & 2/3 diameters. pn, prenasal cartilage, running behind into the septum nasi; on each side of it the premaxillary, px, of which the (inner) palatal and (outer) dentary processes are seen (the upper nasal process hidden); mx, the maxillary, developing inner process, the maxillo-palatine, mxp; pa, the palatal, well-formed, articulating behind with rbs, the sphenoidal rostrum, its thickened under border, the parasphenoid; this will bear the vomer at its end when that bone is developed; j, jugal, joining mx and qj, the quadrato-jugal, joining j and q, the quadrate; mx to q, the jugal bar or zygoma; pg, the pterygoid, making with pa the pterygo-palatine bar, joining q and px; bt, the basitemporal, great mat of bone from ear to ear, underflooring the skull proper, as rbs, a similar formation, does further forward; ic, outer end of carotid canal, to run between the bt plate and true floor of skull, and enter brain cavity at original site of pituitary fossa; ty, tympanic cavity - external opening of ear; as, alisphenoid, bounding much of brain-box anteriorly, and orbital cavity posteriorly; psc, posterior semicircular canal of ear, in opisthotic bone, which will unite with the spreading eo, exoccipital, which will reach the cobdyle shown in the middle line, above the foramen magnum, fm, completed above by so, supra-occipital; 8, foramen lacerum posterius, exit of pneumogastric, glosso-pharyngeal and spinall accessory nerve; 9, exit of hypoglossal nerve, in basi-occipital." Elliot Coues, 1884

The Skull of a Chick Stage Three

"Skull of chick, third stage, viewed from below, x6 & 2/3 diameters. pn, prenasal cartilage, running…

The Skull of a Chick Stage Two

"Skull of chick, second stage, in profile, brain and membranes removed to show cartilaginous formations,…

"Ripe chick's skull, longitudinal section, vied inside, x 3 diameters; after Parker. px, premaxillary; aln, ali-nasal cartilage; en, septo-nasal; n, nasal bone; l, lacrymal; pe, perpendicular plate of ethmoid, ps, prespeenoidal region; as, alisphenoid; f, frontal; p, parietal; sq, squamosal; so, superoccipital; eo, exoccipital; oc, occipital condyle; st, the cross-like object, the stapes, whose foot fits fenestra ovalis; q, quadrate; pg, pterygoid; qj, quadrato-jugal; jugal; pa, palatine; mx, maxillary. In the mandible: d, dentary; su, surangular; a, angular; ar, atricular; iap, internal angular process; pap, posterior angular process. 2, optic foramen; 5, foramen ovale, for inferior divisions of the 5th nerve." Elliot Coues, 1884

Ripe Chick's Skull Profile

"Ripe chick's skull, longitudinal section, vied inside, x 3 diameters; after Parker. px, premaxillary;…