File:Birds that hunt and are hunted; (1905) (14747854744).jpg

Identifier: birdsthathuntar00blan (find matches)
Title: Birds that hunt and are hunted;
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Blanchan, Neltje, 1865-1918
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: New York, Doubleday, Page & company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ntering in Central Americaand the West Indies. Rare in the eastern United States.Irregularly common in the interior. Season—Summer resident or spring and autumn migrant. The avocet, like the skimmer, the sea parrot, and thecurlew, possesses one of the most extraordinary bills any birdwears. Slowly swinging it from side to side, as a farmermoves his scythe, the eccentric looking bird wades about inthe shallows, feeling on the bottom for food that cannot be seenthrough the muddy water. Often the entire head and neckmust be immersed to probe the mud for some small shell fishand worms that the sensitive, needle-like bill dislodges. Aleader usually directs the motions of a small flock that followshim through thick and thin, mud and water; or, if the watersuddenly deepens, off swim the birds until their feet strikebottom again, and the mowing motion is resumed, while thesickle bills feel and probe and jerk as the mowers movealong deliberately and gracefully. The curlews tool, the true 198
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AMERICAN AVOCET.1 i Life-size. Avocets and Stilts sickle-bill, curves downward, just the reverse of the avocets;neither is it used under water. The avocet is, perhaps, the best swimmer among thewaders, owing to its webbed toes. The thick, waterproofplumage of its under parts keeps its body dry. When about toalight it chooses either water or land, indifferently; but it is al-ways especially abundant in or about the alkaline marshes of theinterior. Not at all shy of man, it pays little attention to himunless positively pestered, when, springing into the air, andtrailing its long legs stiffly behind to balance its outstretchedneck, it flaps leisurely away to no great distance, calling backclick, click, click, a sharp and plaintive cry. A long sail onmotionless wings, and a drift downward, brings the bird to theground again, but tottering at first, as if it took time to regainits equilibrium, just like a stilt. On alighting, it strikes an ex-quisite pose, lifting its wings till they meet

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