. A guide to the birds of New England and eastern New York; containing a key for each season and short descriptions of over two hundred and fifty species, with particular reference to their appearance in the field. Birds; Birds. SHAKP-TAILED SPAKEOW 167 Sharp-tailed Spakkow. Ammodramus oaudacutus Ad. — Top of head dark brown, with an indistinct gray line through the centre; back brown, the feathers margined with whit- ish; line over eye and for some distance behind it buffij, separated from a buffy stripe alongside of throat by an ash-gray cheek- patch; under parts washed with buffy (exce
. A guide to the birds of New England and eastern New York; containing a key for each season and short descriptions of over two hundred and fifty species, with particular reference to their appearance in the field. Birds; Birds. SHAKP-TAILED SPAKEOW 167 Sharp-tailed Spakkow. Ammodramus oaudacutus Ad. — Top of head dark brown, with an indistinct gray line through the centre; back brown, the feathers margined with whit- ish; line over eye and for some distance behind it buffij, separated from a buffy stripe alongside of throat by an ash-gray cheek- patch; under parts washed with buffy (except in midsummer), breast and sides streaked with, black; tail-feathers narrow and pointed, the middle pair the longest. Im. in summer. — Under parts buffy, with very indistinct streaking on the breast. Nest, of grasses on the ground. Eggs, pale blue, finely speckled with reddish. The Sharp-tailed Sparrow is a common, though somewhat local, summer resident of extensive salt marshes along the coast of New York and New England, such as occur along the Arthur Kill, on Staten Island, and at Kevere and Ips- wich, Mass. It arrives in May, and stays till October. The tall coarse grass (Spartina), called thatch in New England, which grows along the tidal Fig. 48. Sharp-tailed Sparrow- creeks and ditches, is its favorite haunt. When perching, it grasps the stalk with feet widespread, or, when startled, dives down, perhaps to appear on the top of another patch. When feeding in the shorter grass, it runs with head down, like a Savannah Sparrow, or stands high on its stout legs. Its song is simple and unmusical; Dr. Townsend has well described it as like " the hiss of hot iron in ; The male, when singing, frequently mounts a short distance into the air, but more often sings from the top of the grass, or from some post. It is to be recognized by its rather long bill and by its narrow tail, not square like a Savannah's, but with the middle feathers longest, but chiefly by
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1904
