LAND BIRDS. 281 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



"Only three outer quills [primaries] with inner webs distinctly emarginated. Tail 

 grayish brown, or brownish gray, sometimes with a hoary tinge, crossed by an indefinite 

 number (about 9 or 10) of narrow dusky bands, which toward base of tail become gradually 

 indistinct and finally obsolete. 



"Adult male, normal plumage: Above nearly miiform grayish brown; forehead, chin, 

 and throat wliite, usually abruptly defined and forming a distinct patch; chest and upper 

 part of breast usually plain rufous or cinnamon (rarely mixed or broken with whitish); 

 rest of lower parts buffy whitish, sometimes immaculate, but usually more or less barred 

 or spotted with brownish; length 19.50 to 20 inches; extent 48 to 50.50; weight 1^ to 2J 

 poimds; wing 14.40 to 16; tail 8 to 9; culmen .80 to .90. Adult female, normal plumage: 

 Similar to the male, but chest patch grayish brown instead of rufous or cinnamon; length 

 21 to 22 inches; extent 50.50 to 56; weight 2\ to 3| pounds; wing 14.75 to 17.25; tail 

 9 to 10; culmen .80 to .95. Melanistic phase, both sexes: Whole plumage imiform sooty 

 brown, the under tail coverts sometimes spotted or barred with rusty or whitish. (In 

 different individuals may be seen every possible intermediate condition of plumage be- 

 tween this complete melanism and the light-colored normal plumage described above). 

 Young: Tail as in adult; above blackish brown varied with bulTy or ochraceous; head, 

 neck, and lower parts creamy bufT (deeper in younger, paler in older individuals), the 

 lower parts usually more or less spotted with blackish, the head and neck streaked with 

 same" (Ridgw'ay). 



141. Broad-winged Hawk. Buteo platypterus (VicilL). (343) 



Synonyms: Broad-winged Buzzard. — Sparvius platypterus, Vieill., 1823. — Falco 

 pennsylvanicus, Wils., 1812, Aud., 1831. — Buteo pennsylvanicus, Bonap., 1830, and many 

 others. — Buteo latissimus, A. O. U. Check-list, 1889, and most subsequent authors. 



Plate XXL 



Decidedly smaller than any of the other buzzard hawks, the wing not 

 more than 13^ inches. It resembles the immature Red-shouldered Hawk 

 somewhat, but may always be known by the small size coupled with but 

 three emarginate primaries. 



Distribution. — Eastern North America from New Brunswick and the 

 Saskatchewan region to Texas, Mexico, and thence southward to Northern 

 South America and the West Indies. Breeds throughout its United States 

 range. 



In most parts of Michigan this is not an abundant bird, but it is more 

 common in the northern half of the state, where it is a summer resident 

 and breeds. It is so frequently confounded with the other Buteos that our 

 reliable records are not very numerous, and it is jDossible that it nests much 

 farther south than we now suppose. Mr. Edward Arnold of Battle Creek 

 has a set of two eggs of this species taken in Kalamazoo county, May 24, 

 1875, by Dr. Morris Gibbs. The nest was in a black ash tree and said to 

 have been about 100 feet from the ground. According to Dr. Gibbs the late 

 Richard Westnedge of Kalamazoo, took several nests in Allegan county, 

 in heavy woods along the Kalamazoo River, but after careful examination 

 of Mr. Westnedge's catalogue of eggs, kindly sent me by his mother, I am 

 unable to find any records for this species. The late Percy Selous found it 

 at Greenville, Montcalm county, in June, and it doubtless nests there. 

 We have found it nesting in Emmet county, near Harbor Springs, and it 

 has also been recorded from the same region by Otto Widmann. S. E. 

 White reported it from Mackinac Island, and Major Boies from Neebish 

 Island, St. Mary's River. According to B. H. Swales it is an abundant 

 migrant in southeastern Michigan and breeds there, at least occasionally. 

 He took a nest of three eggs, together with the parent bird, near Highland 



