American Osprey 127 



SUBORDER FALCONES 



Family Falconidae 1 



American Osprey; Fish Hawk. — Pandion haliaelus 

 carolinensis. 23. 1 



Fairly Common Summer Resident 



Field marks. — Entire under parts pure white; upper parts 

 dark brown. 



It is a matter of satisfaction to record that this magnificent 

 and entirely harmless bird is fairly common in this County. 

 I have observed examples on the Hudson River in close 

 proximity to Albany, and over the Normanskill near Kenwood 

 on nearly all of my outings in those directions. I have not 

 yet located a nest in this County, though in the height of the 

 breeding season of 1904 I found three adults in a wild spot 

 known locally as "Hell Hole," in Rensselaer County, about 

 four miles south of the city of Rensselaer and but a short 

 distance from the Hudson River, whose actions indicated that 

 I was close to an eyrie. One of these Ospreys had in its 

 talons a large fish, which it had just caught in the river. My 

 efforts to locate the nest were unsuccessful, but I have no 

 doubt that it was near at hand. Two of the birds flew low, 

 uttering the while their peculiar flute-like cries, which often 

 resembled the warbling of lesser birds. The amateur has no 

 difficulty in identifying the Osprey, the pure white under parts 



J In coloration, the plumages of the inches longer than the males, accord- 

 fsmales differ from the males much ing to the species, though consider- 

 less among the Falcones than in almost able variation is sometimes found, 

 any other group of birds; but the The measurements here given apply 

 females average from one to three to the males. 



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