Identifier: birdcraftfield00wrig (find matches)
Title: Birdcraft : a field book of two hundred song, game, and water birds
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Wright, Mabel Osgood, 1859-1934 Fuertes, Louis Agassiz, 1874-1927
Subjects: Birds -- United States
Publisher: New York : Macmillan Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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her Ducks, which whenalarmed scatter in different directions, the Sprig-tails mount^clustering confusedly together, and thus give the sportsmena good opportunity of raking them. Wood Duck: Aix sponsa. Summer Duck. Plate 3. Page 21. Length: 18-20 inches. Male: A sweeping crest of golden green like the head, sides of headwith much purple iridescence. White stripe from reddish billto the eye, and from behind eye to throat. Front of neckand upper breast ruddy, with white specks, other lower partswhite ; a black and white crescent before the wings, sides moreor less waved with black, white, and yellowish. Above brilliantiridescent hues,—purple, bronze, green, etc.; speculum green.Feathers on flanks lengthened, and variegated black and white.Legs and feet yellowish. Female: Crest slight or wanting. Gray head and neck, below mottledgray, brown, and white, above glossy brown. Wings like themale, but the contrasts much reduced. Note: Peet-peet, oe eek! oe eek ! Season: A summer resident. 260
Text Appearing After Image:
SWIMMING BIRDS. Ducks Breeds: Through its range. Kest: Usually a feather-lined hollow in a partly decayed tree, near water and often at a considerable distance from the ground.Eggs: A dozen or more, varying according to the age of the bird, either greenish, clay-coloured, or pale buff, and smooth.Range: North America, wintering in the Southern States. This is the most beautiful of the native Ducks, taking itsspecific name, sponsa, betrothed, from the richness of itsplumage, which gives it a bridal or festive appearance. Itis a fresh-water Duck, and exclusively so in the selection ofits breeding-haunts. It arrives from the first to the middle of April, and locateseither in deep woods near water, or in narrow wooded beltsthat follow the course of small rivers. Sometimes a hole ina horizontal limb is chosen for the nest that seems far toosmall to hold the ducks plump body; occasionally it utilizesthe hole of an Owl or Woodpecker, the entrance to whichhas been enlarged by decay. Many stor

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