Page:Field key to the land birds .. (IA fieldkeytolandbi00knob).pdf/49

Rh FIELD KEY TO THE LAND BIRDS.

19

across the breast, gray in the male, reddish in the female and young. The favorite haunt of the bird is near rivers and ponds, where he perches on Here he some dead limb overlooking the water. watches for tish, and if frightened from his perch flies away with clattering chatter to some similar spot, where he resumes his Avatch. When he sees a fish he liovers over the spot for a few instants, dives in and brings it out. Then he shakes off the Avater from his plumage, and flies to liis perch Avith his prey. If the fish is too large for him to manage alive he either perforates its skull Avith a stroke of liis strong bill and lets it die, or else, watching till it comes to the surface, he fluttei'S over it and pecks out its eyes. Ixiiid

This

Ijird nioA^es

soutliward in Avinter.

GOATSUCKERS. "-

Bill.

—

rnprinuilgidae.

— Small, mouth large and

Avide,

beset Avith bristles.

jG> Feet.

—

Small



three toes in front

and one behind.

Food.

36.

—

Insects.

WHIPPOORWILL.

Antrostomus vocifer9| inches. Brown and buff, mottled and speckled eA^eryAvhere with Ijlack across the throat a band, Avhite in the male, bufl' in the female. This bird is Avell knoAvn by his evening and night calls, from Avhicli he gets his name. He feeds on insects, which he catches on the wing, flying low and resting every fcAv minutes on some rock, fence, or broad limb of a tree, Avhere he sits lengthAvise instead of crosswise like most other birds. During the daytime he sleeps on the ground in shady Avoods and does not rise till almost stepped upon. Both this and the next species are with us during the summer, wintering in the South. They both fly voluntarily only at night. ans.

— Length,