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 uniform grayish brown; forehead, chin, 
and throat white, 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 14 to 2} 
pounds; 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 24 to 34 pounds; wing 14.75 to 17.25; tail 
9 to 10; culmen .80 to .95. Melanistic phase, both sexes: Whole plumage uniform 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 buffy or ochraceous; head, 
neck, and lower parts creamy buff (deeper in younger, paler in older individuals), the 
lower parts usually more or less spotted with blackish, the head and neck streaked with 
same” (Ridgway). 
141. Broad-winged Hawk. Buteo platypterus (Vievll.). (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 X XI. 
Decidedly smaller than any of the other buzzard hawks, the wing not 
more than 134 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 possible 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&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 
