Audubon's Birds/BIRDSVER1_3.BIN/dp/0001/00010.txt

Text File | 1992-08-27 | 16KB | 246 lines

$Unique_ID{BRD00010}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Harris's Buzzard}
$Subject{Falconinae; Buteo; Parabuteo; Harrisii; unicinctus; Harris's Buzzard;
Harris's Hawk}
$Journal{Birds of America:  Volume I}
$Volume{Vol. 1:25-30}
$Family{Falconinae}
$Genus{Buteo; Parabuteo}
$Species{Harrisii; unicinctus}
$Common_Name{Harris's Buzzard; Harris's Hawk}
$Log{
Plate V*00010p1.scf
Family*00006.txt
Genus*00009.txt
}

       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                       B I R D S   O F   A M E R I C A .

                    By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.

                   ------------------------------------------
                                    VOL. I.
                        --------------------------------


                               HARRIS'S BUZZARD.
                                [Harris's Hawk.]


                              BUTEO HARRISII, Aud.
                            [Parabuteo unicinctus.]


                                    PLATE V.


     The varying modes of flight exhibited by our diurnal birds of prey have
always been to me a subject of great interest, especially as by means of them I
have found myself enabled to distinguish one species from another, to the
farthest extent of my power of vision.  On considering this matter, I have
become fully convinced that a greater length of the wings in any one species is
not, as most naturalists have imagined, an indication of its greater power of
flight.  Writers of the present day who, judging of the flight of birds from
such circumstances, think that those species which have longer and, as they
suppose, more complete wings, fly with more rapidity than those whose wings are
comparatively short, are, in my opinion, quite mistaken.  They judge in this
matter, not from experience, but from appearance, having previously determined
theoretically that a long wing is a more efficient instrument than a short one;
and being acquainted with birds only through the medium of skins and feathers,
presume to inform us as to their comparative agility.  The power of flight in
birds of any kind depends not upon the length, amplitude, or shape of the wings,
but upon the rapidity with which these members are moved, and the muscular
energy applied to them.  It is not a little surprising to me that not one of the
authors who have written on this subject, has spoken of the mode of flight of
our Turkey-Buzzard, which, notwithstanding, its very ample wings, is one of the
very slowest birds; for, although it manages to rise to a great height, all its
movements are laborious and heavy, unless when it is at some considerable
elevation.  The amplitude of its wings serves it in sailing only, never in
enabling it to pass swiftly through the air, as birds of much shorter wings, but
greater muscular energy, are wont to do.
     The Golden Eagle, which has universally been considered as a bird of most
extraordinary powers of flight, is in my estimation little more than a sluggard,
though its wings are long and ample.  It is true that it can sustain itself for
a very considerable time on wing, but the observer cannot fail to see that,
instead of being swift, it moves slowly and somewhat heavily.  For this reason
it is rarely seen to give chase on wing, but depends more on the weight of its
body while falling or swooping on its prey from a certain height than upon any
dexterity or velocity of flight.  Eagles while swooping do not use their wings
as a medium of propelling themselves farther than by nearly closing, them, that
they may descend with more rapidity, in doing which they produce a loud rustling
noise, which I have often thought has a tendency to frighten the quarry so much
as to render it unable to seek for safety by flight or speed of foot.  The
Golden Eagle can, indeed, soar to a very great height, but this it accomplishes
by a circling or gyratory flight of a very slovenly character, and not much
superior to that of Vultures or birds still more nearly allied to itself.  Thus,
reader, I would look on this celebrated bird as one of the slowest and heaviest
of its tribe; and would place next in order our Red-tailed Hawk, Falco borealis,
which being also possessed of ample wins, of considerable length, moves through
the air and pounces upon its prey in a similar manner.  Then in succession will
come the Black Warrior, Falco Harlani; the Broad-winged Hawk, F. Pennsylvanicus;
the Red-shouldered Hawk, F. lineatus; the Common Buzzard, Buteo vulgaris; and
the Rough-legged Falcon, F. lagopus or F. Sancti-Johannis, which is in a manner
the very counterpart of the Golden Eagle, as well as every other species endowed
with no greater powers, and furnished with wings and tails of similar size and
form; although, of course, some slight differences are to be observed in these
different species, on all of which I would willingly bestow the distinctive name
of Swoopers.  All these birds are more or less indolent; one might say they are
destitute of the power of distinguishing themselves in any remarkable manner,
and none of them shew a propensity to remove to any great distance from the
place of their birth, unless, indeed, when very hard pressed either by want of
food or by very intense cold.
     The next group, which attracts the attention of the American ornithologist,
is that composed of such birds as are provided with longer and almost equally
broad wings, but assisted by more or less elongated and forked tails.  Of this
kind are our Swallow-tailed Hawk, Falco furcatus; the Black-shouldered Hawk,
F. dispar; and the Mississippi Kite, F. Mississippiensis.  These species assume
what I would call a flowing manner of flight, it being extremely graceful,
light, buoyant, and protracted beyond that of most other hawks.  They are,
however, devoid of the power of swooping on their quarry, which they procure by
semicircular glidings of greater or legs extent, according to the situation or
nature of the place, over the land or the water, on the branches or trunks of
trees, or even through the air, while in the latter they are wont to secure
large coleopterous insects.  These species are provided with short, strong
tarsi, are scarcely able to walk with ease, wander to great distances, and
possess very little courage.
     After these long-winged fork-tailed hawks, comes the Marsh Hawk, Falco
cyaneus, which, by its easy manner of flying, it being supported by ample wings
and tail, is in some degree allied to them, though it is by no means a bird of
rapid flight, but one which procures its food by patient industry, and sometimes
by surprising its prey.  Its style of chase is very inferior to that of those
species which I consider as not only the swiftest, but the most expert, active,
and persevering marauders.  The Marsh Hawk is connected with these by its long
and slender tail, and also by its propensity to wander over vast tracts of
country.  It may be said to swoop or to glide in procuring its prey, which
consists both of birds and small quadrupeds, as well as insects, some of the
latter of which it even seizes on wing.
     Taking somewhat into consideration the usual low flight of the latter
species, I feel induced to place next it the very swiftest of our Hawks, as I am
convinced you would consider them, had you witnessed, like me, their manners for
many successive years.  These are the Goshawk, F. palumbarius, Cooper's Hawk, F.
Cooperi, the Pigeon Hawk, F. columbarius, and the Sharp-shinned Hawk, F. fuscus.
Though their wings are comparatively short, somewhat rounded, and rather
concave, they have longer bodies and larger tails than any other of our hawks.
The tail is used as a rudder, and appears most effectually to aid them in their
progress on wing.  None of these birds ever pounce on their prey, but secure it
by actual pursuit on wing.  Industrious in the highest degree, they all hunt for
game, instead of remaining perched on a rocky eminence, or on the top branch of
a tall tree, waiting the passing or appearance of some object.  They traverse
the