AVES 



591 



Oruiformes (Cranes and Rails). — The rails, gallinnles, and coots 

 are rather small birds, the first two live in fresh- or salt-water 

 marshes. The common coot or mud hen, Fulica americana, lives on 

 the water like a dnck. It swims about in small flocks, dives, and can 

 perch in trees. Its feet are not webbed, but the toes are fringed. 

 The cranes are large heronlike birds with long necks and legs. The 

 large whooping crane has a wingspread of about eight feet. These 

 birds like many of our larger ones need more protection to keep them 

 extant. 



Charadriiformes (Plovers or Shore Birds). — There are representa- 

 tives of nine families of these birds in North America. The plovers, 

 snipes, sandpipers, killdeers, curlews, gulls, terns, woodcocks, avocets, 

 phalaropes, and auks are all fairly well known except the last three. 

 The jacana bird, Jacana splnosa gymnostoma, a tropical form, ranges 

 into Texas. 



Colunibiformes (Pigeons and Doves). — These birds have a distinc- 

 tive appearance and are seldom confused with anything else. They 

 are of medium size and have general distribution. They feed on 

 seeds and fruits. They produce "pigeon milk" which is regurgitated 

 as food for the young. The passenger pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius 

 (Fig. 411), which is now extinct, was at one time our most abundant 

 bird. The flocks were supposed to contain billions of individuals. They 

 were killed out by the market-hunters and by the encroachments of 

 civilization. The mourning dove, Zenaidura macroura, is now a much 

 sought after game bird. It is known for its very plaintive call. They 

 breed in pairs, then flock and feed in pastures and grain fields. 



Psittacifornies (Parrots, Parakeets, Lovebirds, and Macaws). — 

 The one native species of southeastern United States is now thought 

 to be extinct or nearly so. The larger parrots are sought after be- 

 cause of their ability to talk, and all of the others are brilliantly 

 colored. The lovebirds are small parrots with affectionate disposi- 

 tions from Africa; they are commonly used as cage birds. Macaws 

 are the largest of parrots and range from Mexico to Argentina. They 

 are exceptionally colored. 



Cuculiformes (Cuckoos, Chaparral bird, and Ani). — The "rain 

 crows," as the cuckoos are called because of their peculiar call which 

 is said to forecast rain, are long, slender birds with long wings, a 

 long tail, distinctive bill, feet with two toes in front and two behind. 

 They build their nests in the form of loose platforms of small twigs 



