184 
BIRDS OF NEW MEXICO 
pigeon, falling from a considerable height in a series of somersaults, at 
the same time giving a musical rattling call; although on most other 
occasions it is silent” (Preble, January, 1927). 
Additional Literature.—Bailey, F. M., Bird-Lore, XVII, 431-438, 1915.— 
Brewster, William, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Harvard College, LXVI, 310-315, 
1925— Judd, S. D., U. S. Dept. Agr., Yearbook Separate 194, 1900 (food of nest¬ 
lings).— Kalmbach, E. R., Auk, XLIV, 100-101, 1927 (monetary value of Marsh 
Hawks).— Philipp, P. B., Educational Leaflet 8, Nat. Assoc. Audubon Soc.— 
Saunders, A. A., Condor, XV, 99-104, 1913. 
OSPREYS: Subfamily Pandioninae 
“The semi-aquatic, piscivorous habits of these fishing hawks require 
a water-proof covering, and great talons to grasp their slippery quarry” 
(Coues). Their plumage is, accordingly, close, firm, imbricated, and 
oily, while their feet are large and strong, the toes free to the base, the 
outer one reversible, their grasping surface thickly beset with spicules, 
and their claws large, sharp, and of equal length. 
AMERICAN OSPREY: 
Pandion hali£etus carolinensis (Gmelin) 
Plate 9 
Description. — Length: 20.7-25 inches, wing 17-21, extent about 65 inches, tail 
7-10, bill 1.2-1.4, tarsus 1.9-2.4. Wing with four quills cut out on inner webs. 
Adults: IIend, throat, and underparts white, side of head 
with black streak, breast spotted, most heavily in female; 
upperparts dark brown; tail with 6 to 8 obscure bands; 
wing quills black, marked with white, wing linings 
white, spotted; wrist marks heavy; iris yellow or red, 
bill blackish, cere, legs and feet bluish. Young in 
juvenal plumage: Similar to adults but feathers of 
upperparts edged with white or buffy, tail more 
regularly barred, and underparts more or less buffy. 
Range. —Breeds from northwestern Alaska, north¬ 
western Mackenzie, northern Manitoba, southern 
Quebec,and Newfoundland south to southern Florida, 
Gulf coast, western Mexico, and Lower California; 
winters from southern California, the Gulf States, 
and Florida south through the West Indies, Central 
America, and Mexico; occurs also in South America 
south to Peru, Ecuador, and Paraguay. 
State Records. —The Osprey breeds in favorable 
localities throughout North America and there is no 
reason to suppose that it does not nest occasionally 
in New Mexico. [Only two nests have been recorded, 
one found April 24,1916, on the West Fork of the Gila 
River, about 50 miles north of Silver City; and 
another found August 18, 1920, at Falls on the West 
Fork of the Gila River about 45 miles northwest of Pinos Altos at 7,500 feet (Ligon).] 
It is known as a rare migrant and recorded from Forts Fillmore, Webster, and 
Thorn (Henry), Silver City (Kellogg), Apache (Anthony), Roswell (Barber), Rinco- 
nada (Surber), and Willis (Henshaw), thus occurring from 3,500 to 8,000 feet. 
From Biological Survey (J. L. Itldgway) 
Fig. 28. Osprey 
Sometimes mistaken for the 
Bald Eagle whose head 
and tail are white and en¬ 
tire body blackish 
