The Texas Nighthawk 



tered away over the ground with uncertain wing and drooping tail to drop 

 at last on the very point of death. Or failing in this ruse, she is charging 

 about in midair with plaintive cries. Look upon the babies for the last 

 time, for they will be spirited away before your return, — borne off, it is 

 said, between the thighs of the parent bird. 



No. 209 



Texas Nighthawk 



A. O. U. No. 421. Chordeiles acutipennis texensis Lawrence. 

 Synonyms. — Formerly called Texan Nighthawk. Bull-bat. Mosquito 

 Hawk. 



Description. — Somewhat similar in general appearance and color-pattern to 

 preceding species. Adult male: Above and on breast finely mottled black, whitish, 

 dusky, and ochraceous; throat white, chest whitish, almost entirely overlaid with 

 ochraceous tips; remaining underparts, including crissum, chiefly ochraceous, finely 

 barred with black and some white centrally; white patch on wing lying well outside of 

 middle point between tips of seventh and fifth primaries, and involving first four 

 primaries only; the first primary usually falling short of the second (hence, notably 

 more rounded instead of more acute than C. minor); tail somewhat emarginate and 

 crossed by subterminal white band, as before, the basal portion more distinctly blackish- 

 and-ochraceous-barred. Bill dusky ; legs and feet brownish, claws black, the pectination 

 on inner edge of middle claw reduced, light brown; iris dark brown. Adult female: 

 Similar to male, but without white band on tail; the patch on primaries reduced, pale 

 cinnamon or tawny; the throat patch reduced and margined by ochraceous, or else 

 entirely pale tawny. Young birds: Body plumage entirely pale ochraceous, spotted 

 finely but sparingly with dusky. Length 203.2-241.3 (8.00-9.50); wing 183 (7.21); 

 tail I II. 5 (4.39); exposed culmen 6 (.236); tarsus 14 (.55). Females slightly smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Towhee size, but appearing larger; white spot beyond 

 middle of wing; smaller, lighter, and more ochraceous than C. minor hesperis. 



Nesting. — Eggs: 2 ; oval or elliptical-ovate; laid on bare ground, sand, or gravel of 

 desert; dull white, rarely pale olive buffy or greenish, finely speckled (sometimes 

 absolutely) with dark olive, dark grayish olive, and violet-gray, rarely sharp-spotted 

 with olivaceous black and grayish olive. Av. size 26.8 x 19.6 (1.06 x .77). Season: 

 May — June; Shandon, San Luis Obispo County, April 17, 1916. 



Range of Chordeiles acutipennis. — Southwestern United States from southern 

 Utah south through the greater portion of South America. 



Range of C. a. texensis. — Breeds in Lower Sonoran zone, from central California, 

 southern Nevada, southern Utah, and southern Texas, south to southern Mexico and 

 Cape San Lucas; winters south to Panama. 



Distribution in California. — Common summer resident in Lower Sonoran zone 

 practically throughout the southern half of California. On the east side of the Sierras, 

 north to Bishop; on the west, north to Stanislaus County, Glenn County, and (perhaps 

 casually) Ukiah, Mendocino County. One winter record, Long Beach, Jan. 31, 191 1. 



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