Fish Hawk, Falco Haliaetus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 13.
Fish Hawk or Osprey, Falco Haliaetus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 415, v. v. p. 362.
Bill short, small, very wide at the base, much compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line convex and declinate to the end of the cere, then decurved, the sides slightly convex, the tip narrow and acute, the edges with a distinct festoon, lower mandible with the angle very wide and long, the dorsal line very short, and slightly convex, the tip obliquely truncate, and narrow. Nostrils elliptical, rather large, about half-way between the cere and ridge. Head rather large, broad, flattened above; neck short; body compact. Legs rather short; tarsus very short, stout, roundish, feathered anteriorly for half its length, the rest covered with small roundish scales; toes short, thick, scaly, with a few terminal scutella; claws long, curved, conical, rounded beneath, acute. Plumage very soft, and rather blended. Wings very long and pointed, the second quill longest. Tail of moderate breadth, long, emarginate, and rounded.
16. 1. Elanus dispar, Temm. Black-shouldered Elanus.
Ash-grey above; head, tail, and lower parts white, with a large bluish-black patch on the wing above, and a smaller beneath; feet orange-yellow. Young with the upper parts brownish-grey, the larger feathers tipped with white, the patches on the wings brownish-black.
_Male_, 14, 40. _Female_, 16-3/4, 41-1/2.
From Texas to North Carolina. Rare. Never far inland. Migrates southward.
Black-winged Hawk, Falco melanopterus, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. ii.
Falco melanopterus, Bonap. Syn. p. 31. Falco dispar, App. p. 435.
Black-shouldered Hawk, Falco dispar, Aud. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 397.
Bill very short, wide at the base, much compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line decurved in its whole length, the sides slightly convex, the tip narrow and acute, the edges with an obtuse lobe; lower mandible with the angle very wide, the dorsal line ascending and convex, the tip rather broad and obliquely truncate. Nostrils round, lateral, with a central papilla. Head rather large, roundish, broad, flattened; neck short, body compact. Legs rather short; tarsus stout, covered anteriorly with scutella; toes scutellate above, scabrous beneath, with pointed papillæ; claws rather long, curved, acuminate, flattened beneath. Plumage rather compact. Wings very long, the third quill longest. Tail long, emarginate.