NA/ILSON BULLETIN 



NO. 110 



A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 

 VOL. XXXII MARCH, 1920 NO. 1 



OLD SERIES VOL. XXXn. NEW SERIES VOL. XXVII. 



THE RAPTOEES OF NELSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY 



BEN J. BLINCOE 



The following is a brief account of the birds of prey 

 of Nelson county, Kentucky. Nelson county is situated 

 in the central part of the state and today is largely under a 

 high state of cultivation. Timber is growing scarcer each 

 year. So little has been published on the birds of this 

 state that some information on the hawks and owls of this 

 locality might be of use to those interested in the bird-life 

 of this region. The list comprises eighteen species but 

 only eight or nine of these can be called common. They 

 have been observed mainly in the country within two or 

 three miles of Bardstown, which is the county-seat. No 

 doubt a series of observations in some of the wilder parts 

 of the county would reveal a fuller knowledge of several 

 of the species listed and perhaps would add a species or 

 two to the list. 



In 1885 Mr. Charles W. Beckham published a list of 

 birds of Nelson county. His valuable list as he himself re- 

 marks is very incomplete in regard to the birds of prey, 

 being unable to secure specimens for identification. It 

 has been my good fortune to examine in hand specimens of 

 every species listed with the exception of the Black Vul- 

 ture and the Great Horned Owl. The former is readily 

 identified in life by its form, manner of flight, etc., and the 

 latter was noted by Mr. Beckham. So far as I am able 

 to find in the few publications dealing with Kentucky birds 

 of prey, there are but two species other than the ones 



