Argentine Ornithology, Volume 2 (of 2): A descriptive catalogue of the birds of the Argentine Republic.Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)
Science
Argentine Ornithology, Volume 2 (of 2): A descriptive catalogue of the birds of the Argentine Republic.
Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)
Birds -- Argentina
"This species is by far the commonest Hawk in the vicinity of Fort
Huachuca, and a resident throughout the year. Lieutenant Benson found
not less than forty-one of their nests containing eggs between May 14
and June 18, 1887. These were all placed in low mesquite trees and
bushes, from 3 to 15 feet from the ground. Only six of these nests
contained three eggs each, twenty-one nests contained two eggs, the
remaining fourteen but a single egg. Many of the latter were undoubtedly
laid by birds that had been robbed before, especially where the same
nest was used again, which was frequently the case, and a few were
uncompleted sets. Two eggs is the usual number laid by these birds, in
Arizona at least. The nests were bulky platforms, composed of sticks of
various sizes, with but a slight depression in the centre, and sparingly
lined with a few bunches of dried grass. Lieutenant Benson writes me
that after the Arkansas King-birds (_Tyrannus verticalis_, Say) began to
build he invariably found one of their nests in any tree that contained
a Swainson's Hawk's nest. In one case, a pair of these birds had placed
their nest directly under, and but 8 or 9 inches from that of the Hawk.
A pair of White-rumped Shrikes (_Lanius ludovicianns excubitoroides_)
built also immediately below one of these Hawk's nests.
"When not closely looked at, many of the eggs of Swainson's Hawk appear
to be unspotted, but on careful examination there are in reality but
very few that are immaculate. Out of a series of sixty-nine specimens
sent by Lieutenant Benson there are but three unspotted ones. The
ground-colour of these eggs when fresh is a very distinct greenish
white, which in course of time fades into a dull yellowish white, even
if the eggs are not exposed to light. They are more or less heavily
spotted and blotched, varying in colour from burnt-umber to tawny olive,
and in some of the lighter coloured specimens from a French grey to a
drab-grey. Their shape ranges from a short ovate to an oval, and they
average about 2·23 by 1·71 inches in length and width."
296. BUTEO ALBICAUDATUS (Vieill.).
(WHITE-TAILED BUZZARD.)
+Buteo albicaudatus+, _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 187 (Buenos Ayres);
_Döring, Exp. al Rio Negro_, p. 51 (Rio Negro); _Withington,
Ibis_, 1888, p. 469 (Lomas de Zamora). +Tachytriorchis
albicaudatus+, _Sharpe, Cat. B._ i. p. 162. +Buteo pterocles+,
_Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 119; _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 109
(Gualeguaychú); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 622 (Buenos Ayres).
_Description._--Above greyish black, scapulars and upper
wing-coverts ferruginous; rump and tail white, the latter with a
broad black subapical band, and with slight narrow transverse slaty
bars: beneath, throat black, abdomen white, flanks more or less
barred with brown; bill black; feet dirty yellow: whole length 21·0
inches, wing 18·0, tail 8·0. _Female_ similar, but rather larger.
_Hab._ Southern and Central America.
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