Gamebirds - A Golden Nature Guide

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GOLDEN REGIONAL GUIDES OF AM E R I CA

The Southwest The Southeast The Pacific Northwest Everglades National Park The Rocky Mountains Washington, D.C.

100100

This book is also available in the De Luxe Library edition.

AGUIDE

TO NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES AND

THEIR HABI TS

by ALEXANDER SPRUNT IV Research Director, National Audubon Society

and H ERBERT S. ZIM, Ph.D. I l lustrated by JAMES GORDON IRVING

A G OLD EN N ATURE

GOLDEN PRESS

GU IDE

@ NEW

YORK

FOREWORD

Since the earl iest days, men have hunted. Today about 12 m i l l ion h unters buy licenses in the U n ited States, and most hunt gamebirds. These larger b i rds are equa l ly i nter­ esting to those who hunt with a camera and to those who just en joy looking at b i rds. H unting reg u lations im pose on the h unter the responsi­ b i l ity of identifyi ng a gamebird before he shoots. Recog­ n ition of rare and protected species is the fi rst step i n keeping them a l ive. F o r these reasons a n d many others we have brought into the Golden Guide Series a book of basic data on American gamebirds. In so doing we have had inva l ua b l e assistance from Robert P. A l len and Alex­ a n d e r Sprunt, Jr., ornithologists of n ote. The experience of Grace Crowe I rving with western bi rds was va l u a b l e, as was the h e l p of Donna Nelson Sprunt in the prepara­ tion of the manuscri pt. The artist joi n s us i n tha nking Charles E . O' Brien and J oseph O'Con n e l l of the America n Museum of Natural History. A.S., IV; H .S.Z. HOW TO U S E THE R A N G E MAPS IN T H I S BOOK

Beg i n n ing with the Canada Goose o n page 2 2, you wi l l find range maps for most birds. The a reas where the birds b reed a re shown in red ; the areas where they winter a re shown in b l ue. The areas in purple show where the s u m m e r and winter ranges overlap or where the birds are resident. When the ranges of two birds are shown o n the sam e map, one b ird's range i s shown i n solid colors, the other in b l u e a n d red l ines. ©

Library o f Congress Catalog Card Number: 61-8316

Copyright 1961 by Golden Press, Inc. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduc,ion in whole or in part in any form. Designed and pro­ duced by Artists and Writers Press, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. by Western Printing and lithographing Company. Published by Golden Press, Inc., New York, N. Y. Published simultaneously in Canada by The Musson Book Company, ltd., Toronto. Third Printing, 1964

CONTENTS I NTROD U C I N G GAM E BIRDS . ..... . . .. . .

4-14

What gamebirds are; where they live; how they are maintained and protected.

15-19

EXT I N CT A N D THREATENED SP E C I E S Birds lost forever and some we can still save.

WATERFOWL Introduction Geese

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... ....... Sea Ducks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mergansers a n d others . . . . Waterfowl food plants . . . . .

. . . . .

.

River Ducks

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20-88

20-2 1 2 2 -33 34-57 58-82 83-85 8 6-88

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This is a great family which includes ducks, geese, and swans. All have webbed feet, flat­ tened bodies, short legs, and bills modified for straining.

RAILS

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. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 89-97

This family also includes the gallinules and coots, duck-like birds with bills like those of chickens.

98-103

SHOREBIRDS Includes the woodcock and snipes.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104-114 Birds of field and open forest; some with

P I GEONS A N D D OVES

rounded tails; some with painted tails.

GALLI NACEO U S GAM E BIRDS .. . .. . . . . . . .11 S-153 A large group with chicken- li ke habits; mainly upland gamebirds including a few foreign species which thrive in North America.

HABITAT I M P ROVEM ENT

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.. . .154-155

156

BIBLI OGRAPHY, MORE I N FORMATION .

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IN DEX

. . 157-160

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I NTRODUCI NG G AMEBI RDS

·

A g reat n umber of bi rds have been considered game in years past. Everything from flami ngos to h u m m ingbirds have been ta ken for food, sport, o r even for medicina l use. In N orth America many species now rigidly protected were shot reg u l a rly yea rs ago. Robi ns, meadow l a rks, bobolin ks, a n d a host of other sma l l birds were sought for the pot when our great-g ra ndfathers took to the field. Nowadays, with h u nting far more i m porta nt as recreati on tha n as a source of food , our ideas of gamebirds have changed . What we ca l l gamebirds are sti l l birds that are good eating, but they a re a l so birds with the wildness, fast fl ig h t, and e l usiveness that a ppea l to s portsme n . De­ spite reasonable hunting by men, a game species is able to ma intain itself. Modern sportsmen are wel l aware of their responsibil­ ity to conserve game species. Season and bag l i m its are a recog n ized essentia l . F ees for l i censes a n d sta m ps, and taxes o n arms and a m m u n ition help provid e fun ds for wi l d l ife research a n d for development of refuges where game species can breed, or where they can rest a n d feed during m i g ration . Severa l fed era l and state agencies and a n umber of non- profit organizations work stea d i l y on the problems of protecti ng our gamebird population. The va l u e of gamebirds goes far beyond their -appea l to sportsmen. They are i m porta nt l i n ks in the biologic food chain that i n c l udes a l l living things-h unters and h u nted . Ma ny people who do n ot hunt fi nd gamebirds a specia l delig ht. A l l watch their coming and going with the chang­ ing seasons and thri l l to the sight of p heasants risi ng above corn shocks, a n d to the honking of g eese h i g h overhead. 4

C LASS I F I C AT I O N OF GAMEBI RDS. Gamebirds a re n ot

a natura l group of birds. Those of North America fa l l i nto 1 2 d ifferent fa m i l ies. S i n ce gamebi rds a re h u nted, a n d h u nting i s reg u l ated b y law, t h e defi nition is a lega l one -but one that has been cha nged conti n u a l l y since Con­ n ecticut fi rst set u p hunti n g seasons i n 1 677. Effective l a rge-sca l e regulation of h u nting, less than a century o l d , is based on international cooperation. A m ig ratory bird treaty with Canada was ratified in 19 18 and o n e with Mexico i n 1936. These esta b l ish fed era l or nationa l j u ri s­ d iction over mig ratory birds. Ma ny g a mebirds m i g rate and hence are under federa l control. The federa l g overn­ ment esta b l ishes basic reg u lations and states may make modification within these l i m its. The various states (th e provi nces i n Canada) have direct responsibil ity f o r n o n ­ migratory gamebirds. This d istinction, thoug h lega lly clea r, does not fit the natural picture perfectly. Some mig ratory birds may be found the yea r round i n parts of their range. Some non-migratory species m ove l oca l l y with the seasons, or with changes i n the food supply. 5

M I G RATORY· GAMEBI RDS i nclude all the waterfowl

(ducks, geese and swa ns), the cranes, rails, shorebirds, doves a n d pigeons. These are the groups named in the treaties with Canada and Mexico. Responsibility for them is given the U .S. Department of the I nterior throug h its Fish and Wildlife Service. The treaty p rovides that bird s i n a l l o f these g r o u p s m a y b e h unted, b ut, in actua l prac­ tice, the l ist of a vai l a b l e species is l i m ited. Rare species a n d those which have been depleted by overs hooting o r f o r o t h e r reasons are rem oved from the list. If and w h e n t h e i r population rises t o a safe level, they are l isted o n c e more. Th us, the o p e n season list o f gamebirds varies from year to yea r with changing conditions. After a carefu l a n n u a l s urvey, the reg u lations for the coming year are d is­ tributed by the F ish and Wildlife Service. When the l ocal situation warrants it, states may i m pose stricter reg u lations. FLYWAYS AND MI GRATI ON ROUTES are clearly es­ ta blished for many m igrating birds. Birds moving south i n fa l l and n orth in spring do n ot move at random in these genera l directions. Many species, especia l ly waterfowl, move a l ong four major migratory paths o r fl yways. Re­ search, based largely on bird banding (p. 9), d iscloses these patterns. The flyways are not rigid. Both to the north and south they overlap and are not wel l defi ned. But, across the U n ited States, they a re more pronounced. Cer­ tain popu lations of birds ten d to m i g rate together a n d fol l ow t h e s a m e flyway year after year. T h i s tendency of certain groups of birds within a species to stay together makes them more vulnerable to overshooti n g . Concentra­ tion of m igrati ng gamebirds may be much g reater i n one flyway than i n a n other. Factors i n volved are the success of the n estin g season, ava i l a b l e food, weather, a n d hunt­ ing pressure. Reg ulations on migratory ga mebirds are is-

6

NORTH AMERICAN FLYWAYS

sued in terms of flyways a n d flyway bounda ries have been adjusted to state lines for the conven ience of law enforcement. Both state and federa l law e nforcement agents cooperate i n enforcing game laws. Best known of these officers a re state g a m e wardens and U.S. Game Management Agents. 7

R E G U LATI O N S protect the breedi ng stock of m ig ratory

gameb irds a n d i n sure a continued supply in years to come. In order to provi de for both the presen t a n d the future, reg u lations m u st be adj usted to meet new conditions. Field biolog ists travel h u n dreds of thousa nds of m i les all over North America to gather data. They sta rt with a continent­ wide census after the h u nti n g season and continue into the next breeding season. They can then esti mate how many birds have been kil led, how many have retumed north, and how many young have been raised. These facts are presented at a n a n n u a l sum mer conference. Fish a n d W i l d l ife experts eva l uate t h e situati on a n d p ropose reg u­ lations for the coming year. Representatives of sports­ men's groups, conservation agencies, and other i nterested pa rties presen t their opinions, too. Thus, everyon e i nter­ ested enough i n gamebirds to belong to one of the co­ operati ng groups can play a part i n esta b l ishing regu la­ tions. When a l l have been hea rd, the Fish and Wi l d l ife Service experts face the difficult task of resolvi n g differ­ ences of opinion and of making the reg u l ations. Reg ula­ tions are made o n a North American basis. Someti m es loca l concentrati o n s of a bird with a c losed season give a n erroneous im pression of abunda nce. Making a n a e r i a l c e n s u s of waterfowl i n the Arctic.

Biologists making b rood cou n ts.

RESEARC H on gamebird populations, distribution, habits,

and diseases is ca rried out by federa l a n d state agencies, universities, m useu m s, and conservation organizations. A m a jor i n strument of resea rch is b i rd banding. Banding consists of p lacing a small aluminum band on the leg of a bird. Each band has a seria l number a n d requests that the finder return it to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wash ington 25, D. C. The success of bird banding has been due to two kinds of cooperation. Most of the banding is done by highly q u a l ified amateurs who have specia l perm its t o li ve-trap birds and b a n d them. M a n y youn g b i rds a re banded i n t h e nest. A s soon as t h e b a n d i s attached, a record o f t h e num ber, identification, place a. n d date are sent to Wash ington. The finder who turns i n t h e b a n d i s eq u a l ly i mporta nt. He is asked t o flatten i t o u t and s e n d it i n with t h e place and date found, a n d t h e cause o f the bird's death, i f known. If t h e fi nder sends a long his own name and address, h e will b e i nformed when and w here the bird was banded. Many banded birds are also retra pped a n d released by banders a long migration routes or when they return to their n estin g grounds. 9

The simple device of banding m i l lions of b i rd s has yielded remarka b l e information. It gave the fi rst rel ia b l e fi g u res o n longevity o f bi rds in t h e wild. Banding d a t a has esta b l ished morta l ity ratios so that experts can now esti­ mate the percentage of surviva l of any year's crop of gamebirds for each yea r that fol lows. Most i m porta nt of a l l, ba nding has enabled scientists to trace mig ration routes and to discover how m a ny birds fly thousa n d s of mi les back and forth from their breeding g rounds to win­ teri ng a reas. The flyway pattern (p. 7) emerged from a study of bird banding data over a period of years. Fifty years of bird banding have proved the importa n ce of this research but many questi ons sti l l rem a i n u n a n swered. H unters a nd bird watchers may see other i dentifying m a rks on gamebirds. Som etimes there is a colored plastic ba n d a round a leg i n addition to the a l u m in u m one. Some­ times the wings, neck, or the entire bird is dyed a bright color such as yel l ow or red. These types of markings are used in severa l resea rch projects. If such a ma rked bird is seen or k i l l ed, report it to the Fish and Wildlife Service or to your loca l g a m e warden. Your cooperation is an es­ senti a l part of wild life research. 10

C a n a d a Gaase dyed and co l l a red

"Bowti es" o n Bobw h i te

R E F U G E SYSTEMS are essentia l to the surviva l of migra­ tory gamebirds. Growi ng from a sing le area set aside i n 1 903, the system n ow includes cl ose t o 300 National Wildlife Refuges. Over 200 of these are specifically for waterfow l, and fa l l i nto th ree general g rou ps-n esti n g a reas, resti n g g rounds a l ong t h e flyways, a n d winteri n g grounds where birds can fin d food a n d shelter. Refuges ra nge in size from small, coasta l islands of a few acres to huge tra cts of a l m ost 4,000 sq. m i les. On these a reas, which are often improved for wildlife use, birds find food, shelter, and frequently a h e l ping hand from the manager a n d staff. State conservation agencies a n d private orga n i ­ zati ons, such as the Nation a l Audubon Society, a lso m a i n ­ ta i n refuges, many � f which are for g a mebirds. T h e Natio n a l Parks a r e refuges a lso, s i n c e n o h u nting o f any k i n d is perm itted in them. Most national, state a n d organi­ zatio n a l refuges are open to the public. Visitors are wel­ comed a n d such a tri p is a rewa rdi ng experience. Make i n quiries i n advance. (list of Refuges on p. 157.) Dyed Lesser Sco u p s

11

SOME NATIO NAL WILDLIFE REFUGES (see list, p. 157)

NON-MIGRATORY GAMEBIRDS-q uail, g rouse, pheas­ ants, and turkeys-present a different set of problems. Control a n d protection are l oca l ized since the birds do not ordi narily move long dista nces across state o r nationa l boundaries. B ut, because of their m ore limited m ovements, non-mig ratory birds are more susceptib l e to overshooting, habitat destruction, a nd other factors. I n m ost areas the num bers of non-mig ratory gamebirds had been g reatly red uced . Only constant vigilance has produced the loca l, sma l l increases. Thoug h wild a reas are decreasi ng i n size, some compensation through habitat im provement (p. 1 54) is possi b l e . H u nti ng regu lations are set by the states and Canadian provi nces, usu a l ly i n consu ltatio n with s ports­ men and conservatio n groups. Though their sedentary nature makes the m a nagement of non-migratory gamebirds somewhat easier, the prob12

lem of habitat destruction has assumed major importa nce. Man y waterfowl breed in the northern wilderness where there is less h u m a n competition for land u se. T h e breeding grounds of the turkey have become farms, fields a n d towns in the n o rtheastern states. With less a n d less l a n d ava i l ­ able for gamebirds, there is a s hortage o f food and shel­ ter, and m o re disturbance of n ests a n d young. State con­ servation agencies work with farmers and land owners, showi n g them how sub-m a rgi n a l l a n d a n d wood l ots can be improved for wi ldlife prod uction . Ha bitat i m prove­ ment is a lso pa rt of the p rog ram of m a jor l umber a n d paper compan ies, a n d ra nchers with l a r g e tracts o f l a n d . T h e U.S. Forest Service carries on i t s o w n w i l d l ife progra m . Attem pts to supplement t h e supply o f these desira b l e birds by releasing pen-ra ised individ u a l s h a v e n ow been replaced by research prog rams o n longevity, movements, food and shelter req uirements, and d isease. These are a l ready yielding a larger crop of wild birds. U p l a n d game­ birds a re a l l h i g h ly prized by sportsmen a n d their active cooperation h e l ps i n sure a steady crop. GAM EB I R D S A N D YOU. Gamebirds are a nation a l re­

source that b e l o n g s to a l l people-not just to h u nters or bird watc hers. Everyone w h o spends time o ut-of-doors can have his life made richer by the sight a n d sounds of these handsome creatures. There are sti l l places where wild turkey gobblers can be seen strutting a m o n g the pines, and i n the a u t u m n a covey of q ua i l may b urst from a southern roadside thi cket. Sportsmen have long k n own that g a m e laws make good h u nti n g possib le. H owever, the broa d e r problems of conservation a n d long-ra n g e lan d u s e are j ust as im porta nt. You r heritag e o f wi l d life merits your perso n a l attention to l oca l, state and nationa l conservation issues. 13

GAMEB I R D W E I GHTS A N D R E C O R D S intrigue every

h unter. There is no si n g l e way to determine the size of a g a m ebird. Weig ht is the most practical, but even this is inadeq uate. The age of a bi!d,' its subspecies a n d sex in­ fl uence weight. So do the season, weather, l ocation, and even the time of day. Common ducks, geese, q ua i l and p h ea sa nts have been weig hed a n d studied so re l i a b l e fig ures o f average weig hts a r e avai lable. Average weig hts for m ost other ga mebirds g iven in t h is book are based on l i m ited data. Much more research is needed. Record weig hts are much l ess satisfactory. T here are no "officia l records" as there is no group which authenti­ cates and records bird weig hts. If you shoot what you think is a record b ird, try the following suggestions:

KEE P I N G GAMEBIRD RECORDS 1. Weigh, measure and take all notes befor� dressing bird. 2. Get down pertinent data-identification, sex (if possible), where and when shot, circumstances, others in party, addresses.

3. Photograph the bird, wings outstretched, lying on

4.

a smooth surface. Take measurements as in the diagram above; sketch and record.

5. Take your bird to the nearest game warden, conservation agent, or refuge manager. Ask him to check identification, measurements and weight. 6. Weigh the bird to the nearest half ounce on an inspected commercial scale. As a favor, a postmaster might weigh your bird on a post office scale and give you a signed statement of its weight.

14

EXTI N CT AND THRE ATEN E D SPECIES

Dodo

Thousa nds of kinds of birds have be­ come exti nct during past ages as part of the natura l process of evo­ luti o n . But, d uring the last 500 years, the h u m a n popu lation has i ncreased exp l osively, and this agg ressive spe­ cies im poses a specia l threat to many others. Beca use the h u m a n population is sti l l c l i m b i n g ra pid ly, t h i s problem wi l l get worse. Yet, for our o w n good, scientists are payi n g m o r e a n d more attention t o ways o f preserving im porta nt anima ls. S o m e birds, m a m ­ ma ls, and fishes h a v e b e e n hunted and tra pped in s u c h n u m bers t h a t t h e i r existence h a s become threatened. T h e Dodo, a 40-pound, flig htless pigeon, is one famous b i rd t hat became exti nct about 1 680. Other gamebird s (pp. 1 61 7) have fol l owed. Sti l l others a re l i m ited in n u m ber a n d a r e threatened species. Some, not i n fa m i l ies treated later, are shown o n pp. 1 8- 1 9. A few a re repeated in their fa m ­ il ies f o r com parison. T h a t concerted action c a n save threatened species has been demonstrated time and ti m e a g a i n . Control of h unting and shooting i s a fi rst l i n e o f defense. O f far greater importa nce is the preservation and deve lopment of breed ing and feeding grounds where threatened s pecies can l ive normal l ives. Passenger Pigeons

15

EXTINCT BIRDS

Since the Dodo d isappeared a bout 1 680, nearly one h u n d red s pecies and subspecies of birds have become extinct, a n d another 20 are probably exti nct. Parrots, rai l s, Hawa iian hon­ eycreepers, pig eons, ducks, and quails have suffered the m ost. LABRADOR D U C K S became extinct in 1 875. For the

previous decade they were rare; earlier they were never common. They wintered a long the Atlantic coast from Mai n e to New Jersey. Labrador Ducks were bird s of bays, i n lets and sand bars. They were wary and difficult to shoot. Occasiona l l y h unters bagged enough to send to market, b ut the birds were poor eating and were not spe­ cially h unted. Why the La brador Duck beca m e exti nct is sti l l a question, but even m inor factors can become serious when the species popu lation is sma l l . ES K I MO C URLEW is sometimes confused w i t h t h e Hud­ sonian Curlew, so reports that the bird sti l l l ives are some­ times received. Many experts bel ieve i t has been extinct for a bout 20 years. This bird bred in the tundra of n orthern Canada and migrated out over the Atlantic to winter i n the Argentin e pam pas. I n fa l l it w a s h u n ted i n Ber­ m uda, and in spring thousands were k i l led i n the prairie states. Perhaps Eskimo raids o n the n estin g g rounds, perhaps h urricanes during m i g ration -='=.....,_ have contributed to its extinction. At any rate, this curlew is exti nct or near extin ction.

16

PASS E N G E R PIGEONS were, in colonia l times a n d later, so abun­ dant in centra l U.S. that they were continua l l y used for food. They lived in the East a n d South a lso, but not in as great n u m b ers. The g reat colonial n esting g rounds in the Midwest in beech, m a p l e a n d oak forests con­ tained m i l lions, perhaps b i l lions of birds. Ind i a n s used fire to kill nest­ ing birds; later m a rket h u nters used dyna m ite. The cutting of forests and u ncontro l l ed hunting d oomed these bi rds. After 1 850 the large colonia l n esti ngs were fewer; by the 1 880's the birds were rare, a n d the last o n e died i n a Cin­ cin nati zoo in 1 9 1 4. This was a v a l uabl e species which has left a g a p i n our gamebird populati o n . H EATH H E N was an eastern form o f the Greater Prairie Chicken (p. 1 24). The Heath Hen was h unted as a tab l e and m a rket b ird from c o l o n i a l t i m e s i n N e w E n g l a n d and south to New Jersey. The hunting, and the open i n g of farm land, so reduced the population that steps to p rotect Heath Hens were taken as early as 1 79 1 . By 1 840 the bird was rare a n d by 1 870 it was gone from the m a i n l a n d . A sma l l colony persisted on Martha's Vineyard-increasing under protec­ tion to about 2,000 i n 1 9 1 6. Then a fire destroyed m ost of the birds a n d t h e rest o f the popu lation ra pidly declined. By 1 931 a si n g l e bird re­ mained . It soon lived out its pro­ tected life. The western form sti l l oc­ curs in red uced n u mbers in Kansas, Nebraska a n d other prairie states.

17

THREATE N E D S P EC I ES m a y sti l l be saved t h o u g h t h e

prob lem is seldom si m p l e . Ofte n severa l interrelated con­ ditions hove reduced the bird populations; then, any single one may be deci sive. After a certa in critica l point, the bird is doomed even though some survivors rem a i n . This WHITE PELICAN, t h o u g h 5 ft. long with a 9 ft. w i n gspread, is someti mes mista ken fo r the Snow Goose by h u nters. One look at its b i l l w i l l e l i mi nate this error. The White Pelican i s m u ch less common than the B row n . I I breeds i n western lakes from C a l i f . to C a n a d a a n d , in fa l l , mig rates to the G u l f Coast and Florida. A l l t h e b i r d s o n t h i s p a g e a r e com­ p l etely p rotected a n d sho u l d never be shot. ROSS' GOOSE (23 in.) i s the smal lest N.A. g oose - no larger than a d u ck. It is fou n d with Snow Geese but i s distinctly smaller and has a sma l le r, red, wa rty bill. I t b reeds n o rth o f t h e A rctic C i rcle i n Ca nada a n d wi nters i n the val­ leys of central California. I t was once common, a n d heavily h u nted.

18

SWANS a re among the largest waterfowl, and the T r u m peter Swan is our la rgest species. This b i rd h a s been saved from extinc­ tion, tho u g h i t is sti l l a th reat­ ened species. I ts b reed i n g g ro u n d s have extended a n d the chances for its s u rvival are m uch bette r than a decade ago. T h i s 5V2 ft. long w hite b i rd has a black b i l l . I t m a y be confused w i t h the s m a l l e r W h i stl i n g Swan (4 ft.) which mig rates t h r o u g h the same area of· the northern Rockies. Both b i rd s feed m a i n ly o n water p l a n t s and nest close to the water. In the East, the Mute Swa n , with an orange b i l l , i s an i n trod u ced b i rd which occasi o n a l l y goes w i l d . A l l species of swa ns a re r i g i d l y p rotected by law. I t i s a good p ractice not to shoot any large a l l -wh ite bird.

critical point varies with the k i n d of bird, its feedi n g hab­ its, nesting habits, migrations, and other factors. Tota l planning for the best use of a l l land, and the mainte­ nance of a m p l e reserves of "useless" lands in their natural state a re essentia l for preserving these species. WHOOP I N G CRANE has be­ come a symbol o f a h e roic effort to save a n o u tsta n d i n g species. Its n u m be rs are ·so low that a s i n g l e d isaster cou ld w i p e o u t t h e spe­ cies, for the tota l Whoopi n g C r a n e popu l ation has remained between 20 and 40 d u ri n g the past 30 yea rs. The birds nest in northern C a n a d a and winter along the G u l f Coast i n Texas. Coming, g o i n g , and a t all times between, these l a rge 5 ft. birds are watched careful ly. Note the red face, black wing tips and a l l ­ white body. Yo u n g b i rd s a r e brownish. Space i s of paramo u n t importance i n t h e p reservation o f t h i s species. Adequate isolated habitat m ust be p rovided at both ends of the mig ration route in n o rthern A lberta and a l o n g the Texas coast n e a r C o r p u s Ch risti.

BLACK-BELLIED TREE DUCKS range from Mexico i nto southern Texas and rarely i n to N . Mex. and Ariz. They perch i n trees along ponds and lakes and feed i n corn fields. Related to the F u l­ vou s Tree Duck ( p. 3 3 ) , this p i n k­ b i l led, black-bel l ied species with large white wing patches i s rare i n U.S., b u t i s sti l l common i n Mexico a n d Central America.

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WATER F OWL

Swa ns, geese, arid ducks make up the waterfowl (fam ­ ily Anatidae). O f over 2 0 0 s pecies, some 45 a re native to N orth America. From earliest times these birds have been i m portant, fi rst, as a source of food, more recently, for sport. Their down and feathers have stuffed many a pil low a n d comforter. Goose q u i l l s were the ba l l -point pens of past centuries. Waterfowl give as much pleasure to the m i l lions who watch them and study their habits as they do to the sportsmen who hunt them. SWANS: S now-white color; very Iorge size; very long n eck; b i l l flattened b u t h i g h a t the base; feed by "ti p p i n g up" in s h a l low wate r; i n ta k i n g fli g h t, they rise from water onl y a fter r u n n i n g along su rface. Male a n d female similar i n color. (p. 18)

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GEESE: Sexes a l i k e in col o r; neck shorter than swa n s but longer than ducks; bill h i g h, not flat­ tened; feed on l a n d and in wate r by "ti p p i n g up"; in taking flight, rise after a shari r u n . Cha racter­ istics i n termediate between ducks a n d swa ns. ( pp. 22-33)

A l l waterfowl share certa in features w h i c h a ffi rm their relationship. Some of these are : (1) Bill usually fl attened with sma l l , tooth-l i k e edges; (2) Four toes on each foot, three webbed and the fourth sma l l a n d free; (3) Legs short, set wide apart, making the waterfowl "waddle"; (4) Dense feathers over a heavy layer of down; ( 5) Water­ fowl moult a l l of their fl i g ht feathers at once, and are fl ig htless for a time each year. Waterfow l need wetlands. With the dra i n i n g of these lands for m o re i ntensive h u man use, careful p l a n n i ng is needed to save these birds for the future. RIVER DUCKS: Sexes different i n color; b i l l b road a n d flattened; hind toe s m a l l , without a lobe or flap; legs n e a r t h e center of body; feed by "ti p p i n g up" m a i n ly on p l a n t food. In ta k i n g flig ht, spring d i rectly u p with s i n g l e bound. ( p p . 34-57)

SEA DUCKS: Sexes different i n color; b i l l broad a n d flattened; h i n d toe with fl ap o r l o b e . Feed by diving after fish, shel lfish, a n d s o m e m a r i n e p l a nts. I n taki n g fl i g h t they r u n a l o n g water. Legs short, set w e l l back o n body. Ex­ cellent swi m m e rs. ( p p . 58-82)

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CANADA GOOSE is the best known a n d m ost wid e l y distributed of our waterfowl. There are few pla ces where one or a n other of the five subspecies of this fin e bird c a n n ot be seen at some seaso n . These are the Common, Western , a n d Lesser Canada geese, a n d the Richardson's a n d Cackl i n g geese, a l l s i m i l arly ma rked a n d varyi ng prin­ cipa l l y i n size and d a rkness of colorati o n . F l ocks m i g rating n o rth are h a i l ed a s harb i n gers o f spri n g a n d going south as prophets of w i nter. On s horter fl i g h ts to and from feedi n g g rounds the flocks seldom assume t h e we l l-known V-shape of m i g ration fl i g h t, but m ove in irre g u l a r groups. Ma n y s m a l l fl ocks are fa m i l ies, for geese mate for life and fam i ly ties a re strong . The old gander usua l ly leads on migration a n d is believed to tea c h the young the route. Most of th ese geese nest on the g round, but occasion­ a l ly nest on c l iffs. The fema le incubates the five or six d u l l, crea m y wh ite eggs. The gander sta nds by for pro­ tection a n d h e l ps rear the brood. Canada Geese a re known for their inte l l igence and often h ide to avoid d e­ tecti on. They feed on land, grazing on you n g p l a nts a n d picki n g u p waste g ra i n . T h e i r s i z e a n d wari n ess have made them a prime favorite with sports m e n . CANADA GOOSE SU BSP E C I E S Weste rn 33-35 i n .

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GEESE

Honker, Bay Goose, Goose,

Ring-neck

Scientific name: Bronta canadensis Weights: Common: Male Female Lesser: Male Female Cackling: Male Female

Average lb.

oz.

8 7 5 5 3 2

7 5 12 8 6 15

Record lb.

13 13 10 8 5 5

oz.

12 0 8 8 9

Sizes: Common: 3 2 -40 in. Lesser : 26-3 0 in.

Flight Speeds: Chased : 60 mph Cruising: 20-45 mph

GEESE

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BRAN T, a true salt-water g oose, is seldom foun d away from the sea. O n our s hores, m ost wi nter from New J ersey south to the North Caro l i n a sounds. The bra nt is a sma l l g oose, not m uc h larger than a Ma l lard. Its black head a n d neck with a wh ite col lar, broken before and behind, are distin ctive . This and t h e sharp break betwee n the dark neck a n d light b e l l y aid identification. I n winter this g oose feeds m a i n l y on eel g rass, which g rows i n tid a l water. S o m e years ago di sease a l most destroyed t h e eel g rass beds a n d with them the brant. Recently t h e eel g rass has started to recover a n d brant are on the i ncrease. Bra n t nest a l o n g the Arctic coast where t h ree to five egg s are deposited in a we l l -made n est. The fem a l e a l o n e in­ cubates but the the m a l e h e l p s raise the you n g . They fly in long l i n es low over the water, abreast o r i n irreg u l a r b u n ches, w i t h n o we l l -defi ned leader.

Lo