OSPREY (Pandion hali^tus carolinensis) 



I.eiiKtli, about 23 inches. The great size, 

 brown upper parts and white under parts are 

 distinguishing features. 



Range: Breeds from northwestern Alaska, 

 and central Canada south to the Gulf coast, 

 western jMexico and Lower California: win- 

 ters fnnii the southern United States, Lower 

 California and iMe.xico to Central America. 



A thin, high-pitched whistle, the alarm as 

 well as (he call note of the osprey, frequently 

 directs the attention of the passer by to this 

 fine hawk as he circles high in air on the watch 

 for fish. The bird is common along our coast 

 and to soiue extent along our rixers, and his 

 bulky nest of twigs, often in low trees or 

 sometimes on tlie ground, fre(|Uentl\' attests 

 his former presence when he is wintering else- 

 where. When unmolested, ospreys return to 

 their own strip of territory year after year, 

 and they and their descendants probably rear 

 their young in the same nest for generations, 

 repairing it from season to season as necessity 

 recjuires. The osprey Ii\'es solely on fish which 

 he catches himself — he disdains carrion — div- 

 ing from mid air uiion his quarry and often 

 burying himself in the water momentarily by 

 the force of his descent. Usually he succeeds 

 in carrying his prey to his nest, though his 

 slow and labored wing-beats often prove how 

 heavy is his load. Visitors ti the seashore, 

 and even old residents, never tire of watching 

 his superb flight and interesting habits, and his 

 plunge after his quarry, whether successful or 

 unsuccessful, is a sight to be remembered. 



BALD EAGLE (Haliaetus leucocephalus 



and subspecies) 



Length, aljout 33 inches. The white head 

 (adult) and naked tarsus ilistinguish this spe- 

 cies froni the golden e.'i.glc. 



Range: A resident of .\laska, niuch of Can- 

 ada, and the whole of the United St.ates in 

 suitable localities. 



Though a fisherman by profession, the white 

 head is by no nieans the niaster of his craft 

 that the osprey is. In fact, he never fishes for 

 himself so long as he can rob the more skillful 

 and niore industrious fish hawk. When neces- 

 sity compels, however, he fishes to son(e pur- 

 pose, and n(uch after the manner nf liis erst- 

 while \-ic(i(n, the fish h.'iwk. He is far less fas- 

 tidious in his food habits than that bird, how- 

 ever, anfl often gorges hiniself until he cannot 

 fly on dead fish gathered along shore, espe- 

 cially on the great salmon rivers of the north- 

 west. When lash are scarce and waterfowl are 

 plentiful, the white head has little difficulty in 

 living off the(ni. Complaint is made in Alaska, 

 where the bald eagle is numer'ius. that he 

 sometimes interferes with blue fox f, arming by 

 killing the aninials for food. Though the blue 

 fox is not a large animal he is l:iy no means a 

 pigmy, and the bird wdio would niake him his 

 quarry must needs possess both strength and 

 determination. As this eagle has been taken 

 for our national emblem, it would seem to be 

 (he part of patriotism to condone his faults 

 and remember only his virtues, amrmg which 

 are a magnificent presence, superb iiowers of 

 flight, and de\'Oted care of his fa(uily. 



i 



"VV?: ■ 



(r) Howard TT. Clcives 



OSrEEV, on. FISH HAWK, RISING FROM A STRIKli 



When a fish is sighted, this bird checks himself directly over the quarry on wings that 

 beat horizontalh-, then down he goes at reckless speed, with wings folded and talons wide 

 open. There is a great splash as the hawk strikes the water and seizes the fish by the back. 

 In tlie picture above the osprey had been deceived by an artificial gold fish anchored liy an 

 l8-ounce stone, and it shows him shooting upward after the decoy had slipped from his grasp. 



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