Life histories of North American shore birds, Part 2 (of 2)

Description

"The saga of Silver Bend" by J. E. Grinstead is an ornithological monograph written in the early 20th century. It presents detailed life histories of North American shorebirds, organizing species accounts with emphasis on habits, distribution, plumage and molts, nesting, and migration. The opening of the volume provides a transcriber’s note and publication history, an overview of the Smithsonian’s Proceedings and Bulletin series, a long table of contents for Part II, and an introduction explaining scope, methods, nomenclature, contributors, and how egg dates and plumages are treated. It then begins the species accounts with the Solitary Sandpiper, highlighting its woodland-pool habits, late spring passage in the Northeast versus earlier inland timing, distinctive tree-nesting in old passerine nests, egg characteristics, molts, feeding techniques, behavior, voice, field marks, migrations, and wintering. The western subspecies is distinguished by size and markings, with probable northwestern breeding and more southerly wintering. Brief sections treat the Eurasian Green Sandpiper and Wood Sandpiper as rare visitors, summarizing their courtship, nesting (including tree- and nest-adoption habits), food, and distribution. The text then turns to the Eastern Willet, noting historical decline on the Atlantic coast and persisting or recovering breeding pockets in Nova Scotia, before the excerpt ends. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Subjects

• Shore birds -- North America
• Birds -- Behavior
• QL