Source: as presented in
PROCEEDINGS
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OF THE
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Boston Society of Natural History.
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| VOL. VI. |
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1856 TO 1859.
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| BOSTON : |
| PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY |
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| 1859. |
| pages 231 through 241 |
*Place mouse near common names-it may reveal boxes with current names.
Names to which adding or removing an hyphen would deem them as current, may not.
View all current common & scientific names: Michigan Bird List.
Dr. S. Kneeland, Jr., read the following paper : —
ON THE BIRDS OF KEWEENAW POINT, LAKE SUPERIOR.
BY S. KNEELAND, JR., M. D. BOSTON.
Most of the birds mentioned in the following list were seen by
me during a residence of nearly a year at Portage Lake, from
August, 1856, to June, 1857. A few have been introduced on the
authority of competent eye-witnesses. When there is any doubt
concerning the occurrence of a bird, it is so indicated. In Ke-
weenaw Point, I include that portion of the Upper Peninsula of
Michigan which extends up into Lake Superior, embracing not
only the Point proper, but the western portion as far as Ontona-
gon, the region of Portage Lake and Entry, and the Anse of Ke-
weenaw Bay - all of which localities I have visited.
This region lies between 47° and 48° north latitude, and be-
tween 88° and 90° longitude west from Greenwich, being the
so-called " Copper Region " of Lake Superior.
It is probable that many birds, especially among the warblers
and migratory species, will be added to this list hereafter ; and it
is almost certain that many others inhabit the adjacent country,
which has been very little explored. This, therefore, is only an
approximation to a complete list of the birds of Upper Michigan.
This district is, for the most part, heavily wooded with pines,
spruces, firs, balsams, cedars, maples, and birches, and would be
naturally supposed to be the favorite retreats of many more birds
than are found in it. The stillness of the dark and virgin forests
is most remarkable ; and it is only during the warmer months
that the woods loss this dismal character. Snow begins to fall
about the middle of November, from which date to the middle of
March, scarcely a day passes without a fall of snow some time
during the twenty-four hours—hence only the hardier birds re-
main during the winter. The numerous small lakes and water-
courses are the favorite resort of many water-birds, some of
whom breed here.
Of mammals, the small fur-bearing animals alone are common ;
such as the fox, beaver, otter, fisher, marten, mink, and musk-rat
—wolves are quite unknown ; deer scarce, and bears few. Por-
cupines and squirrels are numerous.
FALCONIDÆ.
1. Golden Eagle. Aquila fulvus, Linn. This bird I have not
seen, neither have I met with any one who has seen it beyond a
doubt ; though, from the reports of hunters and Indians, I am
inclined to think it is found here.
2. Bald Eagle. Haliætus leucocephalus, Linn. Breeds on the
Point and near Portage Lake.
3. Fish Hawk. Pandion haliætus, Linn.
4. Gyr-Falcon. Falco Islandicus, Brünn. I have heard of a
white falcon, of large size, (measuring aobut five feet in the
spread of his wings,) which was shot on the Point ; this, I think,
must have been the gyr-falcon.
5. Great-footed Hawk. Falco peregrinus, Linn.
6. Pigeon Hawk. Hypotriorchis columbarius, Linn.
7. Sparrow Hawk. Tinnunculus sparverius, Linn.
8. Common Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris, Beschst.
9. Red-shouldered Hawk. Buteo lineatus, Gmel.
10. Red-tailed Buzzard. Buteo borealis, Gmel.
11. Rough-legged Buzzard. Archibuteo lagopus, Brun.
12. Goshawk, (doubtful.) Astur palumbarius, Linn.
13. Cooper's Hawk, (doubtful.) Accipiter Cooperi, Pr. Bonap.
14. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Accipiter fuscus, Gmel.
15. Common Harrier. Circus cyaneus, Linn.
STRIGIDÆ.
16. Hawk Owl. Surnia funerea, Gmel. This owl is com-
mon in the neighborhood of Eagle River and Harbor ; it is not
found at Portage Lake.
17. Snowy Owl. Nyctea nivea, Thunb.
18. Acadian Owl. Athene Acadica, Temm.
19. Cinereous Owl. Syrnium cinereum, Gmel.
20. Barred Owl. Syrnium nebulosum, Gmel.
21. Great Horned Owl. Bubo Virginianus, Gmel.
22. Mottled Owl. Ephialtes asio, Linn.
CAPRIMULGIDÆ.
23. Whip-poor-will. Caprimulgus vociferus, Wils.
24. Night-Hawk. Chordeiles Virginianus, Briss.
HIRUNDINIDÆ.
25. Barn Swallow. Hirundo rufa, Vieill.
26. White-bellied Swallow. Hirundo bicolor, Vieill.
ALCEDINIDÆ.
27. Belted Kingfisher. Ceryle alcyon, Linn.
CERTHIDÆ.
28. Red-bellied Nuthatch. Sitta Canadensis, Lath.
29. Winter Wren. Troglodytes hyemalis, Vieill.
LUSCINIDÆ.
30. Blue Bird. Sialia Wilsoni, Swains.
31. Arctic Blue Bird. Sialia arctica, Swains.
32. Water Thrush. Enicocichla Noveboracensis, Gmel.
33. Black-capped Tit. Parus atricapillus, Wils.
34. Hudson's Bay Tit. Parus Hudsonicus, Mill.
35. Yellow-poll Warbler. Mniotilta æstiva, Gmel.
36. Canada Warbler. Mniotilta Canadensis, Linn.
37. Yellow-rumped Warbler. Mniotilta coronata, Linn.
38. Black-poll Warbler. Mniotilta striata, Gmel.
39. Black and Yellow Warbler. Mniotilta maculosa, Gmel.
40. Black-throated Green Warbler. Mniotilta virens, Gmel.
(Doubtful.) It is probable that many other warblers are found
here ; and it is said that some are, on more or less good authority ;
but where there is so little certainty, I prefer to leave this list of
warblers to be filled up hereafter.
41. Wagtail. Anthus Ludovicianus, Gmel.
TURDIDÆ.
42. American Robin. Turdus migratorius, Linn. This bird
appears in the latter part of April, a month before the snow
leaves the ground.
43. Wood Thrush. Turdus mustelinus, Gmel.
44. Rufous-backed Thrush. Turdus fuscescens ? Shaw.
45. Olive-backed Thrush. Turdus solitarius ? Wils.
46. Cat-Bird. Mimus Carolinensis, Linn. This bird is not
found at Portage Lake, though it is said to occur in the more
settled parts of the country. As this is one of the species which
follow the course of agriculture, it is quite likely that it will soon
become a general summer resident.
MUSCICAPIDÆ.
47. King Bird. Tyranus intrepidus, Vieill.
48. Pewit Flycatcher. Myiobius nunciola, Wils.
49. Wood Pewee. Myiobius virens, Linn.
50. Redstart. Setophaga ruticilla, Gmel.
51. Red-eyed Vireo. Vireo olivaceus, Linn.
52. White-eyed Vireo. Vireo Noveboracensis, Gmel.
AMPELIDÆ.
53. Bohemian Wax-wing. Ampelis garrulus, Linn.
54. Cedar Bird. Ampelis cedrorum, Vieill.
LANIIDÆ.
55. Great American Shrike. Lanius septentrionalis, Gmel.
CORVIDÆ.
56. Canada Jay. Perisoreus Canadensis, Linn. This bird is
common in winter, and a great pest to the trappers, from its
propensity to steal their poisened baits. Like the raven, it often
falls a victim to its greediness, by devouring meat containing
strychnine set for foxes and the fur-bearing animals.
57. Blue Jay. Cyanocorax cristatus, Linn. Not common on
Portage Lake.
58. American Magpie. Pica Hudsonica, Sabine. I have seen
a few specimens obtained near Eagle River.
59. American Raven. Corvus cacalotl, Wagl. Very common
at Portage Lake ; in the winter almost, if not entirely, to the
exclusion of the crow.
60. American Crow. Corvus Americanus, Aud. Rare at
Portage Lake,but common on the Point and in the Ontonagon
district.
STURNIDÆ.
61. Rusty Grakle. Scolecophagus ferrugineus, Wils. Early
in the spring these birds arrive in immense flocks, and exceed-
ingly fat ; they remain till about the last of September.
62. Cow Blackbird. Molothrus pecoris, Gmel.
63. Red-winged Blackbird. Agelaius phniceus, Linn.
64. Bob-o'-link, (doubtful.) Dolichonyx oryzivorus, Linn.
FRINGILLIDÆ.
65. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Guiraca ludovicianus, Linn.
66. American Goldfinch. Fringilla tristis, Linn.
67. Lesser Red-poll. Fringilla linaria, Linn. These birds
are seen in flocks of twenty or thirty all through the winter, in
the woods near the lake and in the beaten roads, in company
frequently with the snow-birds. They show a singular propen-
sity to pick in snow stained by human urine ; though the roads
be full of the dung of cattle containing oats and pieces of corn,
the linnets I have always seen in crowds about the spots in the
snow discolored from the above cause ; whether this habit was
from a desire to obtain fluid at a season when the snow does not
melt even at mid-day, or some of the elements in this secretion,
I cannot say. Similar congregations of bees and wasps are
often noticed about public urinals in the country.
68. Snow Bird. Fringilla hyemalis, Linn.
69. Pine Finch. Fringilla pinus, Wils.
70. Fox-colored Sparrow. Zonotrichia iliaca, Merr.
71. Song Sparrow. Zonotrichia melodia, Wils.
72. White-throated Sparrow. Zonotrichia albicollis, Gmel.
This bird is very abundant. Its beautiful and plaintive notes
may be muscially represented as follows:—
as to interval and time in a flat key ; this should be written two
octaves above, and the fourth interval (E flat) should be what is
called a " flat fourth;" sometimes the first two notes only are
heard, at others, from one to the four triplets in addition ; instead
of the triplets, an equivalent single note is often given for one or
more of them. I have heard its sweet song at all hours of the
day and night in the spring and summer.
73. White-crowned Sparrow. Zonotrichia leucophrys, Forst.
74. Bay-winged Sparrow. Zonotrichia graminea, Gmel.
75. Chipping Sparrow. Zonotrichia socialis, Wils.
76. Tree Sparrow. Zonotrichia monticola, Gmel.
77. Snow Bunting. Plectrophanes nivalis, Linn.
78. Lapland Lark Bunting. Plectrophanes lapponicus, Linn.
79. Shore Lark, (doubtful.) Otocoris alpestris, Linn.
80. Purple Finch. Carpodacus purpureus, Gmel.
81. Pine Grosbeak. Strobilophaga enucleator, Linn.
82. Common Crossbill. Loxia Americana, Wils.
83. White-winged Crossbill. Loxia leucoptera, Gmel. The
former of these crossbills occurs in large flocks during most of the
winter, hopping about the houses with the familiarity of chipping
sparrows. The white-winged species I have not seen ; but I am
confident it is found here.
PICIDÆ.
84. Arctic Woodpecker. Picoides arcticus, Rich. and Sw.
85. Three-toed Woodpecker. Picoides hirsutus, Vieill. The
first of these species is common during the whole of the severe
winters of Lake Superior.
86. Hairy Woodpecker. Picus villosus, Linn.
87. Downy Woodpecker. Picus pubescens, Linn.
88. Canada Woodpecker. Picus leucomelas, Bodd.
89. Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus, Linn.
90. Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus,
Linn.
91. Golden-winged Woodpecker. Colaptes auratus, Linn.
COLUMBIDÆ.
92. Passenger Pigeon. Ectopistes migratorius, Linn. I have
seen them at Portage Lake as early as May 4.
TETRAONIDÆ.
93. Common Quail. Ortyx Virginianus, Linn. This is an-
other of the birds that follow man in his agricultural movements.
A few years since quails were unknown in the Upper Peninsula ;
now they are not uncommon on the Point ; as yet they have not
been seen on Portage Lake. As more attention is paid to agri-
culture for the support of the mining population, the quail will
doubtless be common in the fields.
94. Canada Grouse. Tetrao Canadensis, Linn.
95. Ruffed Grouse. Bonasa umbellus, Linn. The first species
is comparatively rare ; I have never heard of one being seen on
Portage Lake. The latter species is very common in the woods
at all seasons of the years.
96. White Ptarmigan. Lagopus mutus ? Leach. There is a
white grouse in the region, but whether it is the L. mutus, albus,
or leucurus, I cannot positively say.
CHARADRIADÆ.
97. Black-bellied Plover. Squatarola Helvetica, Linn.
98. Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis, Linn.
99. American Ring Plover. Charadrius semipalmatus, Kaup.
ARDEIDÆ.
100. Sandhill Crane. Grus Americana, Linn.
101. Green Heron. Ardea virescens, Linn.
102. American Bittern. Botaurus lentiginosus, Mont.
SCOLOPACIDÆ.
103. Yellow-shanks Tatler. Totanus flavipes, Gmel.
104. Tell-tale Tatler. Totanus melanoleucus, Gmel.
105. Solitary Tatler. Totanus chloropygius, Vieill.
106. Semipalmated Tatler, (doubtful.) Totanus semipalmatus,
Gmel.
107. Spotted Tatler. Tringoides macularia, Linn.
108. Long-legged Sandpiper, Hemipalma multistriata, Licht.
109. Schinz's Sandpiper. Tringa Schinzii, Brehm.
110. Peep. Tringa pusliia, Wils.
111. Red-breasted Snipe. Macroramphus griseus, Gmel.
112. Common Snipe. Gallinago Wilsonii, Temm.
113. Woodcock. Philohela minor, Gmel.
114. Wilson's Phalarope. Phalaropus Wilsonii, Sab.
RALLIDÆ.
115. Sora Rail. Ortygometra Carolina, Linn. This is not
uncommon at Portage Lake in September and October.
116. American Coot. Fulica Americana, Gmel. The tatlers,
sandpipers, snipes, coots, geese, ducks, and loons, begin to arrive
at Portage Lake about the last of April, when only the small
streams opening into the lake are free from ice ; from this time
till the last of May, when the ice disappears, they are very
numerous, and are shot in great numbers.
ANATIDÆ.
117. White-fronted Goose. Anser erythropus, Linn.
118. Snow Goose. Anser hyperboreus, Pall. These are rare,
compared with the Canada Goose.
119. Canada Goose. Bernicla Canadensis, Linn. Quite com-
mon at Portage Lake in the spring
120. Swan. Cygnus Americanus, Sharpless. These birds
have been seen flying over, but I have never known of one alight-
ing or being shot in this region.
121. Summer or Wood Duck. Aix sponsa, Linn.
122. American Widgeon. Mareca Americana, Gmel.
123. Pintail Duck. Dafila acuta, Linn.
124. Mallard. Anas boschas, Linn.
125. Dusky Duck. Anas obscura, Gmel.
126. Green-winged Teal. Querquedula Carolinensis, Gmel.
127. Blue-winged Teal. Pterocyanea discors, Linn.
128. Gadwall Duck. Chaulelasmus strepera, Linn.
129. Shoveller Duck. Spatula clypeata, Linn.
130. Ring-necked Duck. Fuligula collaris, Don.
131. Scaup Duck. Fuligula marila, Linn.
132. Canvas-back Duck. Nyroca valisneria, Wils. This
duck is occasionally seen here during migrations, but I could
not ascertain that any had ever been shot.
133. Red-headed Duck. Nyroca Americana, Pr. Bonap.
This species I have often seen and eaten at Portage Lake.
134. Golden-eye Duck. Clangula Americana, Pr. Bonap.
135. Buffel-headed Duck. Clangula albeola, Linn.
136. Goosander. Mergus castor, Linn.
137. Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator, Linn.
138. Hooded Merganser. Mergus cucullatus, Linn. I have
been told by hunters here that there is at some seasons of the
year, a nearly white merganser, or "saw-bill," as they call it, in
the lakes of this vicinity. From the alleged improbability of the
occurrence of the smew (Mergellus albellus, Linn.) except as a
very rare visitor from Arctic Europe, I have not included this
bird in my list, though its occurrence is firmly maintained by the
Indians and hunters, who ought to know. This bird seen by
them may be some white-plumaged duck ; though I must say I
am inclined to believe that Audubon is wrong in excluding the
smew from the American continent, and that Wilson is right in
making it not an uncommon bird here.
COLYMBIDÆ.
139. Common Loon. Colymbus glacialis, Linn. This is a
very common species at Portage Lake, in the spring and summer,
and is here possessed of all the shyness peculiar to it in more
populous localities. The only way the gunner can approach it
in the open lake, where it delights to sport and feed, is to conceal
the bow of his boat or canoe with branches of evergreen, and
surmount the leafy covering with a bright flag ; behind this
screen he can paddle easily towards the bird, whose natural curi-
osity prompts him to swim towards it to see what the strange
object is. By keeping up a shrill whistle at the same time, it is
not difficult to get within gun-shot. They are hunted considera-
bly for their skins, of which the natives make bags, pouches, and
knife-sheaths.
140. Red-throated Diver. Colymbus septentrionalis, Linn.
141. Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus, Linn.
142. Crested Grebe. Podiceps cristatus, Linn.
143. Horned Grebe. Podiceps cornutus, Gmel.
144. Pied-bill Dobchick. Podilymbus Carolinensis, Lath.
LARIDÆ.
145. Herring Gull. Larus argentatus, Brün. This bird is
very common on the Great Lakes, following in the wake of
steamers and vessels, and is not uncommon on Portage Lake.
There is said to be a smaller black-headed gull there, but I have
never seen it about the Saut St. Marie. This is undoubtedly the
Larus Bonapartei, Rich. & Sw.
146. Common Tern. Sterna Wilsonii, Pr. Bonap. There are
doubtless other species of terns here.
PELECANIDÆ.
147. White Pelican. Pelecanus trachyrhynchus, Lath. One
of these birds was seen and shot at on the Point a few years since.
Synopsis of number of Species in the several Families.—
Falconidæ, 15 ; Strigidæ, 7 ; Caprimulgidæ, 2 ; Hirundinidæ, 2 ;
Alcedinidæ, 1 ; Certhidæ, 2 ; Luscinidæ, 12 ; Turdidæ, 5 ; Mus-
cicapidæ, 6 ; Ampelidæ, 2 ; Laniidæ, 1 ; Corvidæ, 5 ; Sturnidæ,
4 ; Fringillidæ, 19 ; Picidæ, 8 ; Columbidæ, 1 ; Tetraonidæ, 4 ;
Charadriadæ, 3 ; Ardeidæ, 3 ; Scolopacidæ, 12 ; Rallidæ, 2 ; Ana-
tidæ, 22 ; Colymbidæ,6 ; Laridæ, 2 ; Pelecanidæ, 1.
In all, 147 species ; of which 96 are land birds, and 51 are
water birds. The birds of prey are numerous, and consequently
the warblers, flycatchers, and finches are in the proportion neces-
sary to supply them with food. The crow and woodpecker fam-
ilies preserve the usual ratio of cold climates ; while the ducks,
divers, and beach birds are what we should naturally expect to
find in the neighborhood of the largest and finest sheet of fresh
water in the world.
| John James Audubon |
John Frederick Miller |
| Johann Matthäus Bechstein |
Blasius Merrem |
| Pieter Boddaert |
George Montagu |
| Pr. Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte |
Pyotr Simon Pallas |
| Alfred Edmund Brehm |
Sir John Richardson |
| Mathurin-Jacques Brisson |
Joseph Sabine |
| Morten Thrane Brünnich |
Robert Pennell Sharpless |
| Edward Donovan |
George Shaw |
| Johann Reinhold Forster |
William Swainson |
| Johann Friedrich Gmelin |
Coenraad Jacob Temminck |
| Johann Jakob Kaup |
Carl Peter Thunberg |
| John Latham |
Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot |
| William Elford Leach |
Johann Georg Wagler |
| Martin Heinrich Lichtenstein |
Alexander Wilson |
| Carl Linnaeus |
— |
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