. Nests and eggs of North American birds. Birds; Birds. 286 NESTS AND EGGS OF 420. NIGHTHAWK. Chordeiles virginianus (Gmel.) Geog. Dist.—Eastern North America, north-to Hudson Bay, west to the edge of the Great Plains, south through tropical America. The Nighthawk, Bullbat, or Goatsucker, as it is variously called, breeds through- out its range, depositing two eggs in open situations, such as fields, etc., on the cold bare ground, often among stones; scarcely a trace of a nest can be found where the eggs lay. They are frequently deposited on bare rocks, and on the flat roofs of build- ings in
. Nests and eggs of North American birds. Birds; Birds. 286 NESTS AND EGGS OF 420. NIGHTHAWK. Chordeiles virginianus (Gmel.) Geog. Dist.—Eastern North America, north-to Hudson Bay, west to the edge of the Great Plains, south through tropical America. The Nighthawk, Bullbat, or Goatsucker, as it is variously called, breeds through- out its range, depositing two eggs in open situations, such as fields, etc., on the cold bare ground, often among stones; scarcely a trace of a nest can be found where the eggs lay. They are frequently deposited on bare rocks, and on the flat roofs of build- ings in large cities. Mr. Norrls once found a set on the stump of a tree about eighteen inches from the ground; and a set in his cabinet was taken from the gravel roof of a four-story building in the center of Philadelphia, The Nighthawk and Whip-poor- will are often confounded or considered as birds of the same species. A careful com-. 420. Nighthawk (From Brehm) parison with each other, or with the descriptions, will at once show a very decided difference. The large, white patches on the five outer primaries of the wings of the Nighthawk when flying, appear like tattered holes caused by the shot from a gun. In the evenings of summer months great troops of Nighthawks may be seen high In air over forest or town in search of insects, performing their wonderful evolutions and uttering their peevish cries, or swooping down with their strange booming or rumbling sound, they skim over the grassy meadows. Thus they continue till the gloaming merges into darkness, and their flight is seen no longer. The eggs of the Nighthawk vary from pale olive-buff to buffy and grayish-white,' thickly mottled and dashed with varied tints of darker gray, slate, olivie, or even blackish, mixed with a marbling and clouding of purplish-gray; the pattern and tints are very vari- able. The shape is elliptical, and average size Six eggs measure , , , , ,
Size: 1996px × 1252px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthordavi, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds
