Distinctive Birdlife of Kamchatka Region - Circa A.D. 1755

This article is based upon "The History of Kamtschatka, and the Kurilski Islands, with the Countries Adjacent; Illustrated with Maps and Cuts" as published at Petersbourg, by Order of her Imperial Majesty. Stepan Petrovich Krasheninnikov was the author of the original 1755 publication, which was subsequently translated from Russian into the English language by James Grieve, M.D., in Europe. Specific information on species identification - and additional text - is from "Birds of the Early Explorers in the Northern Pacific", by Theed Pearse (published in 1968).

Kamtschatka Birds

Included in the geographical description chapter was the following paragraph:

"Among the known birds have been observed magpies, crows, sea-gulls, water-cranes, swans, ducks, quails, plovers, Greenland pigeons, and fowls called northern ducks; and among the unknown, ten kinds distinguishable from any species of European fowl."

There is also an interesting comment on how bird feathers were used for ornamental purposes.

The Kamtschatdales "esteem it a particular ornament to make holes on their faces in different parts, in which they place various stones and bones; others wear in their nostrils feathers about two inches long; some wear bones of the same sort in their under lips, and others upon the forehead."

The majority of the information on the birds was in the chapter about the natural history, and is presented as originally translated. Footnotes are not included and the f used for the s in the historic typography has been replaced. The following is a combination of the original tome and the latter birdly interpretation. The original text takes precedence, with additions limited to those items which did not appear in the Grieve translation. The text is given nearly verbatim, in all its grammatical splendor, or disorder in some instances.

Chapter X. Of the Birds.

Kamtschatka abounds in birds, but the inhabitants make less use of them than of roots and fishes: the reason of this is, that they don't well know how to catch them; and their fishery is so advantageous to them, that to leave that and go a bird-catching would be as ridiculous as for the husbandman to leave his plough and go a shooting.

I shall here divide the birds into three classes; the first, sea fowls; the second, the fresh-water fowls; and the third, those which frequent the woods and fields.

Class I. Of the Sea Fowls.

The sea fowls are found in greater plenty about the coast of the Eastern Ocean, than that of the Penschinska sea; for the coast of the Eastern Ocean is more hilly and convenient for breeding.

The ipatka is well known to all writers of natural history by the name of anas arctica, commonly called in England puffins. It is found upon the coast of Kamtschatka, and the Kurilski islands, and even upon the Penschinska bay, almost as far as Ochotska. It is about the bigness of, or rather smaller than, a common duck; its head and neck are of a bluish black; the back is black; the belly and all below white; its bill red, and broad towards the root, but somewhat narrower towards the point; upon each side are three furrows; its legs are red, its feet webbed, and its nails small, crooked, and black; its flesh is hard; its eggs are like hen's eggs; it builds its nest with grass on the cliffs of the rocks. The Kamtschadales and Kuriles wear the bills of these birds about their necks fastened to straps; and, according to their superstition, their mamans, or priests, must put them on with proper ceremony, to procure them good fortune.

They catch ducks with nets in the following manner: In a wood that happens to stand between two lakes or between a lake and a river, they cut a strait passage through which the ducks fly during the summer; here, in the harvest, when the fishery is over the natives fasten to long poles several nets, which in the evenings they raise as high as the ducks are used to mount; round the nets a string is drawn, by which they can reef them together, as soon as they find the ducks entangled; but they sometimes fly with such force and in such numbers, that they break through. They likewise catch them in small rivers with nets stretched across the stream; but this is not a method peculiar to Kamchatka.

To this class belong the gagari, or columbus, of which there are four species, three of which are large and the other small. In a footnote 1. Colymbus maximus Gesn. Stell. 2. Colymbus articus lumme dictus Worm. 3. Colymbus macula sub mente castanea Stell. 4. Colymbus sive podiceps cinereus ejusdem, three of which are large and the other small; the first of largest has a tail; the second a clay coloured spot upon its neck, a little above the crop; the third is called by Wurmius, the northern lumme and Marsilius calls the fourth the lumme. The natives pretend to foretell the change of weather by their and flying; for they think the wind must always blow from that point towards which they fly, however they are frequently deceived in their judgment. Kamchadalians and Kurilians wear beaks of these birds strung on leather straps and decorated with dyed seal wool as a kind of necklace. The native shaman-woman put these necklaces on them as an amulet bringing them luck.

Another species of these birds is called meuchagatka, and in Ochotska, igilma : this only differs from the former in being all black, and having two yellowish white tufts upon its head, which lie all along from its ears to its neck like locks of hair. To the best of my remembrance this bird has never yet been described. Mr. Steller and I sent some of these species of birds to the Imperial Museum. Among those sent by Mr. Steller there was a third kind which is found upon the island Bondena, in Angermannia, and upon the Caroline islands; and is some-what less than the other two; its colour is like that of the ipatka, except that its bill and legs are black, and that there are two white sprigs upon its forehead, which reach from the eye to the bill.

The aru, or kara, belongs to this class. It is larger than a duck; the head, neck, and back are black; the bill long, strait, black, and sharp; the legs black with a cast of red; it has three black toes, and is web-footed. Great numbers of these are found upon the rocky islands; and the inhabitants kill them for the sake of their flesh, though tough and bad tasted; but more so for their skins, of which, as well as those of other sea fowls, they make themselves garments. Their eggs are reckoned a great delicacy.

There are two kinds of tchaiki, or cormorants, found upon this coast, which are hardly observed any where else. They are about the bigness of a goose, have a strait reddish bill about five inches long, and sharp on the edges, and four nostrils, such as other cormorants have, two being near the forehead as are found in other birds which are thought to prognosticate storms, and are thence named Procellaria; their heads are of the middling size; their eyes black; their tails eight inches long; and their legs are covered with hair to the knees, but below them are bare; they have three toes of a bluish colour, and are web-footed; their wings extend more than a fathom; they are sometimes speckled; they appear often near the more, but can't stand strait upon dry ground, their feet being so near the tail that they are not able to balance their bodies : they fly slow even when hungry, but when full of meat they cannot raise themselves from the ground; and, having eat too much, they ease their stomachs by throwing it up; they have a wide throat, and swallow fish whole; their flesh is very tough and sinewy, therefore the natives seldom eat it, but in great necessity, killing them principally for the fake of their bladders, which they use instead of corks to their nets. The way of catching them is singular, being angled for as fishes are, in the following manner: they fasten a thick iron, or wooden hook to a long rope or strap, baiting the hook with a whole fish, the point of which comes out near the back fin, and then throw it into the sea; this the cormorants observing gather about it in flocks, and quarrel among themselves who shall have the prize, until the strongest obtains it and swallows it; then being drawn on more, they take out the hook and bait by putting their hands into its throat. Sometimes they fasten a live cormorant, which they call a decoy, to the rope, and that it may not swallow the bait, tie down its bill with a cord: the others seeing the decoy swim so near the more, come with greater security to the bait. The Kamtschadales make needle cases, and combs to comb their nettles, of the bones of their wings.

Besides the above named tchaiki, or cormorant, there is another species which haunt the rivers; they are called robbers, because they take the prey from the small birds; their tail is forked like that of a swallow.

The fowl urile plentiful, called by writers sea raven, bigness common goose, long neck, small head, bluish black except on its thighs where they are white in tufts, also some long white feathers like hair here and there upon its neck, has red membrane round eyes, strait bill black above reddish below, feet black webbed. When swimming holds up head, flying stretches it out like a Crane.

Gulls are especially abundant on these seas; their loud cries are very troublesome to inhabitants of the seaside. Among them there are two kinds nowhere observed in other places, which differ each to other only in their plumage, for the one is black, and the other whiter.

They are in size like a large goose. The beak straight, crooked at the end, reddish, and nearly 3 vershoks [a vershok is equal to 4.49 cm] or more in length, very sharp at the edges. Of nostrils they have four, namely, two identical with those of other gulls, and two more tubelike situated near the front like in the sea-birds for forecasting weather, which are called by nowaday authors as procellaria. Heads in them of moderate size. Eyes black. The neck short. The tail of 5 vershoks in length. Legs feathered up to knee, and the rest is naked, bluish with three toes connected by the web of the same colour, claws short and straight. The expanded wings are broader than one sazhen (7 feet). Among these birds there are also mottled ones, but they considered as juveniles.

They live along the sea-shores, especially when fishes, they feed on, are going upstream out of the sea in rivers. On the shore they cannot stand in upright posture for their legs, like in loons, are so close to the tail, and due to this reason they cannot keep their body in balance. When in flight they are heavy and hungry. Being gorged they are unable to take wing. Being overeated they vomit to facilitate themself. Their throat is so wide that they can swallow a large fish whole. Their flesh is very tough and stringy, hence the Kamchadalians don't use such a meal unless being compelled to do so by hunger. They catch these birds only for making bladders they attach to their nets instead of floats.

The procellaria, or storm birds, are about the bigness of a swallow; their feathers are all black, except the tops of their wings, which are white; their bill and legs black. They haunt about the islands, and before a storm they fly low and skim the sea, and sometimes into the ships, which the sailors look upon as the sign of an approaching violent gale.

The stariki, or glupisha, belong to this species. The stariki are about the bigness of a pigeon; have bluish bills, and bluish black feathers about the nostrils, which look like bristles; the feathers of the head are of the same colour, interspersed here and there with white ones, which are longer and thinner than the rest; the upper part of the neck is black, but the lower black and white speckled. The belly is white, the wings short, the large feathers of which are black, and the rest blue; the sides and tail are black; the feet are red and webbed; and the nails black and small: it haunts about rocky islands, where it likewise builds its nest. The Kamtschadales catch these fowls easier than they do the tchaiki, or cormorants: they put on a fur coat of a particular make, and letting their hands fall down, fit down in a proper place, and wait for the evening; when the birds returning from the sea seek to retire into holes for the night, and in the dark several of them fly into their furs, and are caught.

Among the birds described by Mr. Steller are the black starikis, whose bills are as red as vermillion, the right side of which is crooked; it has a white tuft upon its head. He saw a third species in America, which was spotted black and white.

The glupisha are about the largeness of the common river cormorants; and are found upon the rocky islands, in high steep places; their colours are grey, white, and black; and are perhaps called glupisha, that is, foolish, because they frequently fly into the boats. Mr. Steller says, that numbers of them are caught in the fourth and fifth Kurilski islands, which the inhabitants dry in the sun; they squeeze the fat through the skin, which passes very easily, and use it for burning. He likewise writes that all the rocky islands in the sea between Kamtschatka and America are covered with them. He has seen some as large as a goose, or an eagle; their bills are crooked and yellowish; their eyes are large like those of an owl; they are black intermixed with white spots over the whole body. He once saw, 200 versts from land, great numbers of them feeding upon a dead whale, which served them also to appearance for lodging; and in his passage through the Penschinska sea, he saw many of the glupisha, some of which were black, and others white; but none of them came so near the vessel as to be exactly observed.

The kaiover, or kaior, a bird of this species, is black, with its bill and feet red; builds its nest, which is very curious, upon high rocks in the sea, and whistles very loud, for which reason the Cossacks call it ivoshik, or post-boy. I never saw this bird.

The fowl urile, of which there is great plenty in Kamtschatka, called, by writers, sea ravens, is about the bigness of a common goose, with a long neck and small head; the feathers upon the whole body are of a bluish black, except upon its thighs, where they are white and in tufts; there are also some long white feathers like hairs, here and thereupon its neck; it has a red membrane or skin round the eyes, a strait bill, black above and reddish below; and its feet are black and webbed : when it swims it holds up its head, but flying, it stretches it out like a crane; it flies swift, but rises heavily; and feeds upon fish, which it swallows whole : in the night time, these fowls stand in rows upon the edges of the cliffs, from which in their sleep they frequently fall into the water; where they are caught by the stone foxes, who watch for them; they breed in the month of July; their eggs are green, about the bigness of a hen's egg, and being boiled thicken a little, but are ill tasted; however the Kamtshadales climb the highest rocks in search of them, at the hazard of their lives. They catch them with nets, and in the evening with nooses fastened to a long pole; and these creatures are so void of apprehension, that, though they see the next fowl to themselves taken away, they will fit still and receive the noose, 'till they are all taken off the cliff; their flesh is hard and sinewy; but the natives prepare it in such a manner that, as victuals are there, it is not bad; they roast it in holes dug in the earth, without plucking off the feathers, or taking out the entrails, and when roasted, they skin and eat it.

The natives say that these birds have no tongue; but this is not true, for they cry in the mornings and evenings : Mr. Steller compares their noise to the sound of a trumpet.

Class II. Of those Birds which haunt for the most part about the fresh Water.

The first of this class is the swan, which is so common in Kamtshatka, both in summer and winter, that the poorest person can have no entertainment without a swan. When they are moulting they hunt them with dogs, and kill them with clubs : in the winter they catch them in those rivers that do not freeze.

Here are seven kinds of geese, which are distinguished thus: large grey geese, gumennisi, short necks, grey and speckled, white necks, small white geese, and foreign. They all come here in the month of May, and depart in the month of October, as Mr. Steller says; who likewise writes, that they come from America, and that he himself saw them pass Bering's island in great flocks, flying east in the harvest and weft in the spring. In Kamtschatka are principally found the large grey geese, the gumennisi, and the grey and speckled; the small white goose is hardly ever found here. Again, in the North Sea, about Kolimi and other rivers, are vast numbers of them; and the best down is brought to Jakutski from these places. They catch them at the time they cast their feathers, in the following manner: - They build huts with two doors, near those places where they most commonly fit at night. The fowler putting a white shirt on, above his cloaths, steals as near the flock as he can; and shewing himself he creeps away upon his hands and feet towards the hut: then going through it, and observing that the geese have followed him, he shuts the door behind him, and running round he comes in at the other door, which shutting likewise, he encloses all the geese.

Mr. Steller observed in the month of July upon Bering's island an eighth kind of geese, about the bigness of the white speckled. Its back, neck, and belly were white; its wings black; its cheeks white, yet somewhat greenish; its eyes black, with a yellow ring; the bill has a black stripe round it, and is red, with a knob like the Chinese or Muscovy geese : this knob is bare and yellowish, except that along it there is a small stripe of bluish black feathers. The natives report that this sort of geese is likewise found upon the first Kurilskey island, however they were never observed upon the continent.

The people of Kamtschatka have different methods of catching geese when they cast their feathers; sometimes they pursue them in boats; sometimes they hunt them with dogs; but most of them are caught in pits, which they dig near those lakes where the geese haunt, and cover up carefully with grass: these the geese coming upon the shore fall into, and are caught.

There are eleven different species of ducks in Kamtschatka; namely, the selesni, sharp tails, tcherneti, plutonosi, svafi, krohali, lutki, gogoli, tchirki, turpani, and stone ducks: of which the selesni, tchirki, krohali, and gogoli, winter among the springs; all the rest come in the spring, and fly away in harvest, as the geese do.

The sharp tails are of that kind which writers call the anas caudacuta, sive havelda islandica. They haunt in the bays of the sea, or about the mouths of great rivers: they swim in flocks, and with their cry, which is extraordinary, make no disagreeable musick. Mr. Steller writes, that the larynx, or lower part of their throat, has three openings, covered with thin membranes. The natives call this fowl aangitch, from their manner of crying.

The turpan is called by writers the black duck. They are not so numerous about Kamtschatka as at Ochotska, where they are caught in great plenty about the equinox. Fifty or more of the natives here going out in boats surround a whole flock, which in time of the flood they drive into the mouth of the river Ochotska; and so soon as it begins to ebb, and the water in the bay turns low, all the inhabitants fall upon them, and kill them with clubs in such numbers, that every one gets 20 or 30 for his share.

The stone ducks have not hitherto been observed in any other place; they breed in the summer time in the rivers. The drakes are particularly beautiful, their head being like black velvet, and having two white spots upon their nose, which extend beyond the eyes, and end in a clay-coloured stripe behind their head: there is a small white spot near each ear; their bills are broad and flat, like those of other ducks; they are of a bluish colour, and their necks of a bluish black; upon their breasts are black feathers with a white border below; the feathers are smaller and broader above; the fore part of the back and belly are bluish, but more blackish towards the tail; across both wings are broad white stripes with black borders; their fides, under the wings, are of a clay colour; the large feathers of the wings, except six, bluish; these are black and roughish like velvet; the two last are white with black borders, and the second row of the large wing feathers are all black, the third grey, two only of these feathers having white spots upon their ends: their tails are sharp, and their feet pale coloured: they weigh about two pounds. The female is far from being so beautiful: her feathers are black, each being somewhat yellowish at the end, with a small white stripe the head is black, and upon its temples are small white spots: it weighs about a pound and a half.

In the harvest the females are found in the rivers, but none of the drakes: they are very stupid and easily caught where the waters are clear and shallow, for they do not fly away at the sight of a man, but only dive, and therefore may be easily killed with poles, as I myself have frequently done. Mr. Steller saw several of this kind of ducks in the American islands.

They catch the ducks with nets in the following manner: in a wood that happens to stand between two lakes, or between a lake and a river, they cut a strait passage, through which the ducks fly during the summer; here in the harvest, when the fishery is over, the natives fasten to long poles several nets, which in the evenings they raise as high as the ducks are used to mount: round the nets a string is drawn, by which they can reef them together, as soon as they find the ducks entangled; but they sometimes fly with such force and in such numbers, that they break through. They likewise catch them in small rivers with nets stretched across the stream : but this is a method not peculiar to Kamtschatka.

To this class belongs likewise the gagari, or columbus, of which there are four species, three of which are large, and the other small : the first of the largest has a tail; the second a clay coloured spot upon its neck, a little above the crop : the third is called by Wormius, the northern lumme; and Marsilius calls the fourth the little lumme. The natives pretend to foretell the change of weather by their crying and flying; for they think that the wind must always blow from that point towards which they fly: however they are frequently deceived in their judgment.

Here are also found great numbers of small birds, such as plovers and snipes of different sorts, which they catch with snares and gins.

Class III. Of the Land Fowls.

The chief of these birds is the eagle, of which there are four species in Kamtschatka: the first is the black eagle, with a white head, tail, and feet. These are rare upon the main land of Kamtschatka; but, according to Mr. Steller, they are found in plenty on the islands between it and America. They make their nests (which are near six feet in diameter, and about a foot thick) of shrubs upon high cliffs, and in the beginning of July, lay two eggs. The young ones are as white as snow : these he saw upon Bering's island, but not without danger from the old ones, which, even when he did not the least hurt to their young, attacked him with such violence that he could scarce defend himself from them with his stick. The second is the white eagle, which the Tungusi call elo: this I saw near Nertchinski; however it is not white but grey. Mr. Steller says, that this is bred upon the river Hariouskovoi which runs into the Penschinska sea. The third is the black and white spotted eagle. The fourth, the dark clay-coloured eagle, the extremities of whose wings and tail are spotted: these two last mentioned abound most here. The natives eat the eagles, and esteem them agreeable food.

Here are likewise several other birds of prey, such as vultures, hawks of various kinds, owls, and above all, ravens, crows, and magpies, which are the same with those in Europe. Besides, there are great numbers of cuckoos, water sparrows, growse, partridges, thrushes, larks, swallows, and several other small birds, whose appearance in the spring the natives expect with great impatience, and thence begin their new year.

Sitta Europa Nuthatch winters also in the birch forests and a species of tit.

... on the calm sea near Yavenskof were a few small ice floes, on them not rarely Anas hyemalis along the beach at the base of the promontory single Emberiza nivalis.

In the conclusion of this chapter we have added a list of some plants, beasts, fishes, and birds, with their names in the English, Russian, Kamtsehatka, Koratski, and Kurilski languages.

Table: A list of some plants, beasts, fishes, and birds; with their Names in the English, Russian, Kamtschatka, Koratski, and Kurilski Languages.

English - Russian - Kamchatka - Koratski - Kurilski

Great Sea Cormorant - Beloshoi tchaika - atutna - Attaimen - Pongapiphe

Swan - Lebed - Matame - Kamtchan

Geese - Gousses - Ksude - Gecloaine - Kuntape

A drake - Celesna - Baine - Gectchogatche - Bakariku

Stone ducks - Kammenia utki - Nikihgike - unknown - Vaiout

Widgeons - Gargari, Ashoai - Yovaiva - ... - Cesse

Eagles - Orli - Selche - Tilmiti - Surgoar

Hawkes - Saholi - Shishi - Tilmitil

Partridges - Kuropatki - Euihtchitche - Euette - Niepue

Crows - Voronnil - Kaka - Tchautchayao-la yelle - Paskure

Magpies - Saroki - Nahitchectche - Unkitigin - Kakuk

Ravens - Voronitcherni - Hagulhak - Nimette yelle

Swallows - Laslotchki - Kaiukutche - Kavaliugek - Kuahan

Larks - Javoronki - Tchelaalia - Geatcheiere - Rikintchire

Cuckows - Kokashke - Keakoutchitche - Kaikuke - Kahkok

Snipes - Kuliki - Soakulutche - Tcheiaa - Etchimumama

This is the end of the text as given in the two primary sources about the historic ornithology.

Kamchatska Species

The species denoted in the account of birds are given here in this list, presented in alphabetic order, and derived from the two primary sources. Nearly 60 species are documented.

Ancient Murrelet - stariks; ancient murrelet

Arctic Loon - Colymbus articus; northern loon

Bean Goose - large gray gumennik; bean goose

Black Scoter - turpan duck; common scoter, Anas niger

Black-billed Magpie - magpies

Black-headed Gull - gray gulls along the river; probably, also, the black-headed gull

Brant - nemck goose; brent goose

Brown Dipper - aquatic sparrows; Cinclus pallasi, dipper

Carrion Crow - carrion-crows; Corvus corone

Common Greenshank - greenshank; Tringa nebularia

Common Merganser - sviyaz duck; Mergus merganser

Common Raven - raven, Corvus corax

Common Redpoll - linnets

Cormorant - tchaiki, or cormorant

Cuckoos - cuckooes; i.e., Cuculus canorus - the common cuckoo, and Cuculus optatus - oriental cuckoo

Eagle - white eagle; called the yelo

Emperor Goose - white-necked geese; emperor goose

Eurasian Hobby - kopchiks; probably Falco subbuteo

Eurasian Oystercatcher - tartar magpies; Haematopus ostralegus

Eurasian Skylark - skylarks; Alauda arvensis

Eurasian Wigeon - plotonosy duck; European wigeon

Fulmar - fulmars; grey; called glupyshi

Goldeneye - goldeneyes winter on springs

Goose - short-necked kazarkas; goose

Greater White-fronted Goose - gray and mottled kazarkas; white-fronted goose

Green-winged Teal - gogol duck; common teal, Anas crecca

Gyrfalcon - falcons; Falco gyrfalco

Harlequin Duck - stone ducks; Harlequin duck

Hooded Merganser - krokhal duck; hooded merganser

Horned Puffin - ipatka; Fratercula corniculata; i.e., northern duck

Jaeger - razboiniki; three species of Stercorarius; jaeger

King Eider - a species of goose; king eider in footnote

Leach's Storm-Petrel - Procellaria; namely Leach's storm-petrel

Lesser Sand Plover - plovers; Charadrius mongolus

Long-tailed Duck - lutok duck; old squaw

Long-tailed Jaeger - species called robbers; Sterocorarius longicaudus

Mallard - selezen duck; mallard

Mew Gull - gray gulls along the river; mew gull

Northern Fulmar - fulmar; white; Fulmarus glacialis

Northern Harrier - lun; means Cirsus; possibly also snowy owl

Northern Pintail - wostrokhvost duck; pintail

Northern Shoveller - chernet duck; shoveller

Osprey - ospreys

Owl - eagle-owls; owls; hawk owl or short-eared owl

Pelagic Shag - sea raven; Phalacrocorax pelagicus; pelagic cormorant

Peregrine Falcon - goshawks; Falco peregrinus

Pigeon Guillemot - kaiover, or kayur; pigeon guillemot

Pine Grosbeak - pine-grosbeaks

Ptarmigan - partridges; willow ptarmigan, and rock ptarmigan

Red Crossbill - crossbills; Loxia curvirostra

Red-breasted Merganser - sviyaz duck; Mergus serrator

Red-faced Shag - uri; red-faced cormorant; Phalacrocorax urile

Red-necked Grebe - red-necked grebe; a minor loon

Red-throated Loon - Colymbus macula; on the neck above the crop, a clay-coloured spot

Shorebird - different kinds of waders

Short-tailed Albatross - two kinds of gulls; one black, and one white; adult and young short-tailed albatross

Short-tailed Shearwater - fulmar; black; short-tailed shearwater

Siberian Crane - Grus leucogeranus; does not breed in Kamchatka

Snow Goose - white geese; snow goose

Spotted Nutcracker - ronzhi; nutcracker

Swallow - swallows; barn swallow, and bank swallow

Tern - martyshki; tern

Thick-billed Murre - aru or karu; Uria lomvia

Thrush - thrushes; Turdus obscurus - eyebrowed thrush, and Turdus eunomus - dusky thrush

Tufted Puffin - mychagatka; at Okhotak the iglyma; Lunda cirrhata

Western Capercaillie - black grouses - male of Tetrao urogalloides; capercaillies - female Tetrao urogalloides

Whiskered Auklet - black stariks; whiskered auklet

White Wagtail - white wagtails

White-tailed Eagle - black eagle, with head, tail and feet white; Haliaeetus albicilla; black-white mottled eagle, and, dark-clay coloured eagle - young

White-winged Scoter - chirok duck; white-winged scoter

Whooper Swan - swan; whooper swan

Woodpeckers - pied woodpeckers; hairy, downy and northern three-toed woodpecker

Yellow-billed Loon - Colymbus maximus; large loon with a tail

Thus was an interesting rendition presented for the birdlife of a particular region during a period long past yet remembered because of the writing effort by Krasheninnikov, and is another important work of historic ornithology.

Affray Between Whooping Crane and Farmer in Historic Tennessee

This is such an interesting and unique account of a Whooping Crane, in this case dealing with a farmer along the Hatchee River in Tennessee, that the original article is presented in its entirety, as first published in the Cincinnati Chronicle in 1832. The crane had probably been injured or wounded and suffered a fate best described by the narrative.

Novel Combat With a Bird.

By a friend residing in Tennessee, we have been politely favored with the following account of a fierce and extraordinary contest, between a man and a bird which occurred on the banks of the Hatcheee, not far distant from Bolivar. The gentleman to whom we are indebted for this narrative, is one of unimpeachable veracity. It is, perhaps, considering the character of the combatants, as unique and bloody a battle, as can be found on record.

"About three months since, a farmer living four or five miles up the Hatchee, was searching on the bottom land of that river, for strayed cattle, when he observed something of unusual appearance pass through the thicket, which he pursued, and soon discovered to be a large bird. The bird attempted to rise, but its wings becoming impeded by the bushes or cane, had no chance to get off that way, and finding itself gained upon by its pursuer, it turned upon him. Somewhat surprised by this unexpected attack, he started to run from it — tript and fell : the bird dashed at him, with wings, beak and claws; and the man found it necessary to turn immediately on his face; but finding himself sorely annoyed by his antagonist, and his knife-blade coming out of the haft, (a shoe-knife,) he scrambled up and ran, the bird pursued but a short distance, stopping at his hat, (which had fallen off in the flight,) on which he commenced a ferocious attack : after which he returned towards the water. A man of more than six feet high, and weighing about 180 lbs. to be beaten by a bird! — this would not do to tell. The blade of the knife was searched for, found, and fitted to the handle, and two sticks cut, one with a fork, to yoke the enemy's neck in his advance, - the other to strike him with. The bird was soon found, and nothing loth, returned to the combat. The onset of the feathered biped was so severe and sudden, that the forked stick missed his neck, and only a sudden movement of the head, probably saved an eye of the man from the bill of the bird. The struggle now became most violent for the man had seized the bird by the neck, while the bird dealt him such blows with his wings, and so tore him with his claws, that a very coarse shirt was literally torn off his back. At last the bird was strangled, and lay apparently lifeless at the feet of the conqueror. — While, however, he was taking breath and rest after his toil, his feathered enemy fell unexpectedly again upon him — having now revived : another struggle ensued — the coup de col was resorted to a second time, with success; and the bird being again strangled, his adversary gnawed his windpipe in two, having lost his knife, and being completely tired of his contest.

"This is an interesting fact to ornithologists, and the curious generally. The bird was purely white, except at the head of the wings — head bald — a bunch of feathers over the rump — bill 9 or 10 inches long - eight feet high — wings 9 feet from tip to tip — legs and feet resembling a turkey's, but stout — large knees and thighs — its cry very harsh, resembling as my informant says, that of a jack ass! He declares 'its braying was right frightful.' I have conversed with several persons who saw the bird after it was dead one of whom has brought me several feathers, which are bright and beautiful, and promised me a wing, both of which have been preserved; but the body, unfortunately, was left for the hogs to destroy. The body and face of the man were examined two months after the battle, by a respectable physician of this place, and he asserts that the wounds strongly corroborated the story. I have no doubt of the facts. The bird was undoubtedly the whooping crane.

"Bolivar Ten., July 10, 1832."

Included with the article was the account for the whooping crane, Grus Americana as published in the Encyclopedia Americana.

Ornithology of Expedition Which First Denoted the Ivory Gull

A journal of an exploratory expedition which sallied forth from England towards the North Pole in 1773, is an account of a few birds observed during a few summer and early months, but most importantly, included the first known record of the distinctive Ivory Gull of the great northern lands.

Constantine John Phipps was a Captain in the Royal Navy of Great Britain, leading the crews of the H.M.S. Racehorse and H.M.S. Carcass as they sailed down the river towards the northern sea, upon their departure in late May.

There were 92 men on the Racehorse, and about the same number on the sister ship, with the naturalist Dr. Irving among the hearty crew sailing towards the cold seas of the Arctic.

Bird History

The first notation of a bird observation was on June 23, when a "small bird called a Redpoll" was noted at 7 in the morning, when the Racehorse was northward of the 72nd parallel. The other pertinent observation of the day, was a piece of driftwood, as this was apparently something significant.

As the ships sailed along, the route continued along the west and north coast of Spitsbergen during July. On the 3rd, the journal notes: "The weather fine, and the wind fair all day. Running along by the coast of Spitsbergen all day : several Greenlandmen in sight."

In the latter part of the month, temporary anchor was made at Mossen Island by the Carcass, and notes were provided by Captain Lutwidge. Their brief visit started at 11 p.m. on July 25th.

"Sent the master on shore, who found the island to be nearly of a round form, about two miles in diameter, with a lake or large pond of water in the middle, all frozen over, except thirty or forty yards around the edge of it, which was water, with loose pieces of broken ice, and so shallow they walked through it, and went over upon the firm solid ice. ... They saw three bears, and a number of wild ducks, geese, and other sea fowls, with bird nests all over the island."

Nearby Low Island was visited on the 29th of the same month, with it also being described in the Captain's journal, based on someone else's observations:

"The island is about seven miles long, flat, and formerly chiefly of stones from eighteen to thirty inches over, many of them hexagons, and commodiously place for walking on : the middle of the island is covered with moss, scurvy grass, sorrel, and a few ranunculuses then in flower. Two rein-deer were feeding on the moss; one we killed, and found it fat, and of high flavour. We saw a light grey-coloured fox; and a creature somewhat larger than a weasel, with short ears, long tail, and skin spotted white and black. The island abounds with small snipes, similar to the jack-snipe in England. The Ducks were now hatching their eggs, and many wild geese feeding by the water side."

Though no particular species can be determined from the narrative, birds - including geese, ducks and shorebirds - were a prominent feature at both places.

The journey continued, but there were no further notes of the bird life present.

The ships returned to a home port in latter September, with a subsequent narrative of the voyage, with an analysis of the species recorded. It is not apparent who undertook the specific study needed to determine the birds described.

Bird Species

In the following notes, the f character so often used in the typography of historic narratives from England have been replaced with the appropriate s character. The following text is given nearly verbatim as published in Captain Phipps' account, published in 1775 at Dublin.

AVES.

Anas mollissima. Linn. Syst. Nat. 198. 15.

Eider Duck. Penn. Brit. Zool, p. 454, Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Alca arctica. Linn. Syst. Nat. 211. 4.

The Puffin. Penn. Brit. Zool. p. 405. Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Alca Alle. Linn. Syst. Nat. 211. 5.

Found on the coast of Spitsbergen in great abundance.

Procellari glacialis. Linn. Syst. Nat. 213. 3.

The Fulmar. Penn. Brit. Zool. p. 431. Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Colymbus Grylle. Linn. Syst. Nat. 220. 1.

Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Colymbus Troile. Linn. Syst. Nat. 220. 2.

Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Colymbus glacialis. Linn. Syst. Nat. 221. 5.

The great Northern Diver. Penn. Brit. Zool. p. 413. Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Larus Rissa. Linn. Syst. Nat. 224. 1.

Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Larus Parasiticus. Linn. Syst. Nat. 226. 10.

The Arctick Gull. Penn. Brit. Zool. p. 420. Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Larus Eburneus, niveus, immaculatus, pedibus plumbeo-cinereis.

Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

This beautiful bird is not described by Linnæus, nor, I believe, by any other author; it is nearly related indeed to the Rathsher, described by Marten in his voyage to Spitsbergen, (See page 77 of the English translation) but, unless that author is much mistaken in his description, differs essentially from it. Its place in the Systema Naturæ seems to be next after the Larus nævius, where the specifick difference given above, which will distinguish it from all the species described by Linnaeus, may be inserted.

Description.

Tota avis (quoad pennas) nivea, immaculata.

Rostrum plumbeum.

Orbitæ oculorum croceæ.

Pedes cinereo-plumbei. Ungues nigri.

Digitus Posticus articulatus, unguiculatus.

Alæ cauda longiores.

Cauda æqualis, pedibus longior.

Longitudo totius avis, ab apice rostri ad finem caudæ, - - Uncias 16

Longitudo inter apices alarum expansarum, 37

----- Rostri, - - - 2

Sterna Hirundo. Linn. Syst. Nat. 227. 2.

The greater Tern. Penn. Brit. Zool. p. 428. Found on the coast of Spitsbergen.

Emberiza nivalis. Lynn. Syst. Nat. 208. I.

The greater Brambling. Penn. Brit. Zool. 321.

Found not only on the land of Spitsbergen, but also upon the ice adjacent to it, in large flocks: what its food can be is difficult to determine; to all appearance it is a granivorous bird, and the only one of that kind found in these climates, but how that one can procure food in a country which produces so few vegetables, is not easy to guess.

Considerations

An Ivory Gull(s) was closely observed or collected by some member of the expedition, and later considered in closer detail once the men returned to port, in order to prepare the proper account needed to claim it as the first observation of a new species. As the first documented occurrence of this gull was attributed to Spitsbergen, it is very likely that the specimen was collected during July, and possibly either at Mossen Island or Low Island, and most likely not on the larger island of Spitsbergen.

Only a few species noted for this brief exploration, with an account which includes only a dozen types of birds seen, with no geese or snipe included in the list. This narrative is an important, original account essential to historic ornithology which conveys the different species present at a particular place more than 235 years ago.

Points-of-view of Piping Plover and Least Tern of Missouri River

Adult Piping Plover on the Missouri National Recreation River, early in the 1983 breeding season, from a Nebraska perspective of weekly riverine surveys on the hefty sandbars. It was an agency boat and motor.

Defensive adult Piping Plover on sandbar of the Missouri, denoted by survey out from Newcastle, on the Nebraska side.

A fine scene of nestlings of the Piping Plover, summer of 1983.

Least terns eggs in the nest of a Piping Plover. June 16, 1983 on the Missouri National Recreation River. This picture was published in a seasonal report for American Birds. Notice all the tracks on the right side of this nest, which based on this image was well-cared-for, as the eggs are all carefully arranged and their is nothing haphazard to convey that this was nothing other than a typical nest, shown further because of its distinct character.

Least Tern fledgling finding shelter from the hot suns on dry habitat sandbar of the Missouri National Recreation River.

Least Tern Fledgling; note the moistness of the sandbar, created by rising waters in the river with an increase in the release rate at Gavins Point Dam, just up by Yankton. This tern could not yet fly above the waters. It's life was threatened.

Just-fledged Piping Plovers gathered from a sandbar being inundated on the Missouri River, below Gavins Point Dam. July, 1983. These and other plovers, as well as little Least Tern were washed from sandbars by flows from an increase in the release rate at Gavins Point Dam, as operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Decoys placed at Desoto NWR, as pictured in August, 1984. The terns were meant to attract wild birds to utilize some sandy habitat on the refuge.

Hessian Langsdorff Documented Northern Pacific Birds in 1805-1806

A great Russian scientific expedition voyaged around the known world in the first few years of the 1800s. Led by Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern, a prominent participant was George Heinrich von Langsdorff.

The official government voyage travelled to a number of foreign lands from 1803 to 1806. But, apparently in early 1806, some members of the expedition chose to undertake further travels south from the Russian village at New Archangel in Alaska, to other known places further down on the North Pacific coast.

According to the chronicles, Baron Langsdorff and the Chamberlain Von Resanoff, purchased the hearty ship Juno from John D'Wolf, an American captain, and apparently using charts made by Captain George Vancouver, sailed southward from New Archangel, also known as Sitka on the coast on the eastern side of the Gulf of Alaska.

The Hessian aristocrat Langsdorff, also known in his homeland as Grigori Ivanovitch, wrote in his memoirs about the entire adventure of 1803-1807, and which actually ended in 1808 after overland travel to Petersburg. The young man was 31 years old in 1805, and had graduated in a learned manner in medicine and natural history, from the Univesity of Gottingen, Germany. His accolades included a membership in the Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences.

The voyage of interest began on the evening of June 13, 1805 when an assorted group of men sallied forth on the well-laden galliot Maria from Awascha Bay, at Kamschatka. The "crew" of sixty was "composed of adventurers, drunkards, bankrupt traders, and mechanics, or branded criminals in search of fortune."

The 150-ton vessel steadily made its way eastward, past Bering Island and across the straits to the islands and Russian settlements in North America.

During the duration of the voyage, the steady hand of von Langsdorff wrote observations and anecdotes which now, more than two hundred years later, can be appreciated for the intimate and profound details of a long-gone era.

The Alaska observations start in early July, back in 1805.

"On the second of July, in the morning, we saw a vast number of sea-birds about the ship, most of which belonged to the colymbus, larus, and pelican species. Towards noon we had reached, according to our reckoning, the place in which the island of St. George is laid down in the maps; that is, latitude 50^o 20' north, longitude 169' west. The numberless flights of seabirds, the shoals of seals and sea-bears, phoca tarsma, and the lead, which gave us thirty-five fathom of water, all indicated the neighbourhood, of land. The wind had increased so much, with a thick fog and heavy rain, that we were obliged to use the utmost circumspection in order to keep at a proper distance from the supposed land. We could, scarcely see a sea mile round us, and night closed in without our having discerned the island."

The narrative mentions that though there was an apparent decrease in the number of birds, the Island of St. Paul was a "rendezvous of millions of sea-birds, which assemble from every part of the widely extended ocean between Asia and America to lay their eggs and hatch their young."

The Russian fur-hunters took advantage of the opportunity to collect vast amounts of eggs.

"The Russian fur-hunters profit exceedingly by this circumstance, and next to the flesh of the sea-bears, which, in summer fresh and in winter dried, constitute so essential an article of their subsistence, nothing affords them so great a supply of food as eggs of these birds, and that for a very great part of the year. The whole hunting party is busied in spring for days, and even weeks, in the dangerous task of collecting them. They climb up the steep cliffs to the height of thirty or forty toises with baskets, and take the eggs from the nests. When a sufficient number is collected, they are washed quite clean, and dried in the air, then put into casks, and the vessels being filled up with oil carefully purified, they are put by for use. In this manner they are kept for the greatest part of the year, and eat as sweet and fresh as if they were newly laid. The eggs of the colymbus or guillemot are preferred before all others, as the largest and best flavoured."

"During our short stay, I observed the following birds among those that make their nests here. The alca cirrhata, or tufted auk; the alca arctica, or puffin, the alca pygmaea, or pygmy auk; sterna hirundo, or sea-swallow; several species of larus, or sea-mews, and procellaria, or peterels; and the colymbus, or guillemot: these were in immense numbers. I saw, besides, the pelicanus urile, and some others of the same genus. It would no doubt have been easy during a longer stay, and by a closer examination, to have found many other rare and curious objects."

During their visit, the members of the exploratory group partook of eating eggs, and then more of the same as they were present at the appropriate time. The narrative says the crew rejoiced about the provisions, as they were "diseased and half-starved."

Island of Oonalashka

It was summer-time when this crew was sailing the seas of the Russian territory at the far-eastern extent of the northern Pacific Ocean.

The journal by the Hessian aristocrat continued to convey the details of the days which provide the particulars of birds present.

On one languid day, he wrote:

"Wild-geese and ducks come in such abundance in spring and autumn, that a large quantity of them are salted and smoked for winter food; but the Aleutians appear to prefer the fat of the sea-dog or whale very much to a salted and smoked goose. Some of the neighbouring rocks serve as the rendezvous of a great number of sea-fowl of the colymbus, larus, alca, and pelecanus species, with many others. The eggs of these birds are collected, as in the Island of St. Paul, and preserved in the same way for winter stores."

Shortly thereafter in the narrative were some exquisite details about how bird skins were so important in making garments suitable for keeping warm in the frigid weather of the great north.

"The clothing of the men and women is nearly the same, and consists commonly of a sort of carter's frock, or shirt, fastened round the neck with a broad stiff collar. These garments are made of the skins of sea-dogs or several sorts of birds, particularly of the sea-parrots, as they are called, the alca cirrhata and alca arctica, and the sea-raven, pelecanus urile; they are prepared in a manner peculiar to themselves, and sewed together very ingeniously. Though simple in their form, they are ornamented in a variety of ways, either with glass-beads, with the beaks of the sea-parrots, or with long strips of sea-dog and sea-otter skins. The seams are often ornamented with stripes of thin leather ingeniously worked, or dyed of gaudy colours. Long white goat's hair, which is brought from Siberia hither as an article of trade, or small red feathers, are also interwoven into the seams. These feather garments, on which a person is sometimes employed a whole year before they are completed, appear to me wrought with an ingenuity and industry which would not shame an European artist; they are called parka, and are worn sometimes with one side outwards sometimes with the other. In times of rain the feathers are turned outwards; but in cold and dry weather they are turned in wards, instead of fur."

An urge to explore drove the men onward, with Kodiak Island the next prominent place in the chronicle. The place had other monikers: Kadjak, Kuktak, or the Great Island. However it was known, it is a prominent place for historic notes for what can be considered as a prominent feature, the sea-fowl.

Birds being killed for food or used for other essential uses were documented, starting with their use to make garments which helped the people to survive.

"The principal garment of the people of Kodiak, which they call a konagen, is of the same form as that worn by the other Aleutians, and is made, like theirs, of sea-dogs skin, or of the skins of sea-fowl, particularly the alca arctica, alca cirrhata and pelecanus urile. But as Kodiak is richer in natural productions than the other islands lying more to the west, the inhabitants find more resources for satisfying their wants; they make use, for example, of bear-skins for their dresses, and use also the entrails of bears, as well as of sea-dogs, for their rain garments. Instead of the wooden caps worn at Oonalashka, they make head-dresses of straw and bark of trees, which are woven together very ingeniously, and dyed in various ways with different coloured ochres."

During a brief visit, the Russian nonetheless noted a fine variety of bird species.

"I scarcely saw any land or singing birds, but marsh and water-fowl are every where in the greatest abundance. Swans, geese, ducks, cranes, herons, auks, guillemots, plovers, and many others, come in innumerable flocks, both in spring and autumn; and the magpye; which among us is very shy and timid, is here as familiar as a sparrow, perching often upon the house-tops."

Winter arrived and Baron de Langsdorff and his party of men were safely escounsed where food and shelter were sufficient and they could survive, and wait till the spring when weather was suitable to continue their exploratory travels.

Their haven was Sitcha, or perhaps in the lexicon of modern times, Sitka, on the southern peninsula of Alaska. It was also called New Archangel, at Norfolk Sound.

In his "blind zeal for Natural History," von Langsdorff did not stay inside any place. He went outdoors to look for new discoveries. The particulars - of course - went into the account of his voyage. With his "habitation a miserable little chamber, with scarcely any furniture, and so far as being weather-tight, that in heavy showers the rain comes through directly upon my bed," he wrote. And he had to share this with a hunter.

He wrote about the times: "My principal occupation, as soon as I had settled myself, was to shoot water-fowl, in which I have found the double advantage that the flesh has served me for food, and that the skins are preserved as objects of Natural History. Happily for me, there was a tolerable supply of powder and shot in the magazines, though indeed sometimes it has not been without difficulty that I could obtain any, even by paying for it. At first I did not understand very well the nature of these things, and made my requests to the under-overseers with modesty and timidity. At length I began to assume an authoritative tone, and found myself by that means often in possession of objects which at first I had been positively assured were not included in the stores. Among the things obtained by this kind of bullying was a leather boat, or baidafka, without which I should never have been able to carry on my hunting and water parties to much purpose."

Birds were an obvious part of the forays into the local environs, especially into the local waters.

"In my numerous shooting parties, the following birds fell more particularly under my observation.

"Anas histrionica. This beautiful species of ducks first appeared about the end of September, and stayed in the Sound all the winter ; they are very rapid in their flight, extremely shy, and are seldom seen in companies of more than four, or at the utmost six.

"Anas perspicillata. These ducks, which are very rare in Europe, are also not to be seen till the end of September : they come then in great abundance and in large flocks. They fly in the evening out to sea, and in the morning send one or more of the most experienced to reconnoitre the part where they wish to pass the day, lest any snares should be laid for them. One or two of the flock also remain upon the surface of the water all day, as a sort of guard, while the greater number dive in search of food.

"Anas glacialis. This is a species not common in Norfolk Sound, but abounding much at Kodiak: it breeds chiefly on that island, and on the peninsula of Alaksa. The harmonious trumpet-like notes of this bird distinguishes it from every other species of duck. It dives very deep under the water, and lives principally upon shell-fish. It draws in a large provision of air in diving, a small part of which it exhales from time to time, so that in calm weather, by the little bubbles which ascend from this emission of air, its course under the water, may be easily tracked : it swims very fast, making very long strokes.

"Anas bucephala. This is, according to my opinion, one and the same duck with the anas albeola and anas rustica, in Gmellin's Systema; it appeared in Norfolk Sound early in October.

"Besides these, I saw great numbers of the following birds:

"Anas boschas.

"Anas marila.

"Anas crecca.

"Anas fusca, with several other sorts of ducks.

"Colymbus auritus.

"Colymbus arcticus.

"Colymbus Grille.

"Mergus Serrator.

"Mergus Merganser.

"Pelecanus Urile.

"Pelecanus Graculus.

"Larus glaucus.

"Larus marinus.

"Alcedo Alcyon.

"Corvus Stelleri.

"Corvus an corax.

"Tetrao Lagopus. The black bridle from the nose to the eyes was scarcely distinguishable.

"Ampelis Garrulus.

"Sylvia Troglodytes.

"Strix nyctea.

"Strix passerina.

"Turdus naevius.

"Of the diomedea exulans, or albatross, I saw some of a dark brown, others almost entirely white; the former I conjectured to be the young, the latter the old birds. They commonly appear in these northern parts in the greatest numbers about March and April, the time when the shoals of herrings annually come; they are particularly fond of these fish. The Aleutians call this bird aglica; their nests are not found by any of these northern nations. They have very great strength in their large bills, and make a noise not unlike the bleating of a goat or sheep. It is probably hence that they are called by the French moutons du cap.

"In February one of them was brought to me, upon which I could not discover the slightest wound. On inquiry how it was caught, I was answered, by the hand. Upon a farther investigation into the matter, I was assured by the Aleutians unanimously, that in the calms, which commonly succeed to a violent gale of wind, they cannot fly; if pursued by land they will run to the water, endeavouring to escape by swimming, but it is then easy to follow them with the baidarkas, when they may be taken with the hand, or killed by a spear or the stroke of an oar. They are commonly very lean when they first appear in the spring, but after banqueting a short time upon the herrings, grow fat, and are very good eating.

"This bird was often seen by us, and has been seen also by many other seamen in the South Sea and between the tropics. The inference to be drawn from this circumstance, and from the fact that they arc not known to make their nests any where excepting about Cape Horn, appears to be that they fly from the most southern regions of the globe to the most northern. It is not therefore difficult to comprehend, that a bird which never rests upon the waves of the sea during a storm, but skims their surface only as defying them, and delights in the most tempestuous winds, which chuses the frightful regions of Cape Horn as its favourite abode, which can bear the temperature of every climate, from the south pole through the hottest zone of the earth to the north pole; it seems easily to be comprehended, I say, that such a bird, whose gigantic wings spread out to a breadth often or twelve feet, should be able to fly in a dead calm.

"Falco leucocephalus. This beautiful eagle, with a white head and white tail, is to be found here in the greatest numbers in spring, during the herring season, but in autumn it appears to migrate more to the south, single ones are, however, to be seen occasionally the whole year round. Though its favourite food is fish, it will also prey upon ducks, geese, and young sea-lions. The flesh is eatable. In the first year that the Russians were here they killed and eat above two hundred; I have sometimes, when pressed by hunger, eaten there myself, and found them not ill-flavoured. The entrails must be carefully thrown away : the liver is considered as very pernicious, it is even said by some to be poisonous.

"These birds make their nests at Norfolk Sound, upon high trees, but at Oonalashka among the rocks They are formed of twigs lined within with down feathers. The same birds appear to come to the same nest for several years successively. The eggs are about the size of a hen's egg. The Kaluschians make great use of the feathers of these eagles in their ornaments. On solemn occasions, and at their dances, they cover their heads with the down feathers, so that they look as if they were powdered after the European fashion; and they hold a wing or tail of the bird in their hands for a fan. The wing bones, particularly the radus and ulna, are used in illness as tubes for sucking up fluids.

"The Hiematopus ostralegus, or oyster-catcher, is not so common here as at Oonalashka and some of the other Aleutian Islands. Its plumage is in all periods of its life, and at all seasons of the year, entirely black; excepting this I see no specific difference between the bird here and in Europe."

The voyage continued its journey in mid-March:

"On the 14th, at day-break, the horizon being particularly clear, we had the pleasure of discovering the long-wished for coast of New Albion."

Strait of Juan de Fuca

"On the following day, in latitude 48^o, longitude 127', we saw more birds than usual, and having but little wind, with perpetual variations, proceeded very slowly in our voyage. On the tenth, in almost a dead calm, an Aleutian leather canoe, which we had brought with us from Sitcha, was hoisted out, that we might make war the more easily upon a number of storm-birds, procellaria grisea, which had been flying about us for some hours. Our warfare was carried on with great success, and we made a considerable number of prisoners. In the evening of the same day the wind changed to south south-east, accompanied by a drizzling rain, or wet fog, which continued for two days, producing a very bad effect upon our sick. On the thirteenth, the weather cleared again, and having a favourable north and northwest wind, we directed our course towards the River Columbia, which we expected to have been able to visit without any loss of time. This was very desirable, for the double purpose of recruiting our diseased crew, and examining more accurately a harbour, which it was conceived might be rendered of essential importance to the Russians inhabiting these coasts.

"On the fourteenth, at day-break, the horizon being particularly clear, we had the pleasure of discovering the long-wished for coast of New Albion. To the south were high chains of hills, to the north the land was low. Directly in the east the landscape spread out to a considerable extent, being terminated in the back-ground by a very high round peak, covered with snow. This we conceived to be Captain Vancouver's Mount St. Helen's. It lay in latitude 46^o 9' north, longitude 138^o 4' west.

"Even without any astronomical observations, we might have presumed ourselves to be in the neighbourhood of a great river, as the sea had a dirty, troubled, and reddish appearance, and the water was mingled with a considerable quantity of clay. We soon discovered Cape Disappointment in latitude 46^o 20', and the favourable north-west wind continuing, we expected soon to cast anchor; we had even already in idea eaten abundance of the wild ducks and geese, which came about us in great plenty. Our chief, Von Resanoff had already sketched his plans for removing the settlement from Sitcha to the Columbia River, and was busied with building ships there in the air, when all our hopes and schemes were frustrated by the wind shifting suddenly to the south-east, and becoming so squally, with such a cloudy sky and thick atmosphere, that it was impossible to think any longer of running into an unknown harbour. Among the number of birds now about us, were, besides geese and ducks, pelicans, peterels, albatrosses, and sea-mews. Towards evening the wind abated, and we endeavoured, by carrying very little sail, to pass the night without varying much from our present situation, intending the next morning, as soon as it was light, again to attempt making the mouth of the river."

Continuing southward under heavy sails, there was violent storm. "A calm succeeding, we were exceedingly tormented with the pitching and rocking" of the Juno.

In an interesting convergence - which was not realized at the time - the voyage moved further southward along the coast.

On March 18th, the narrative of von Langsdorff stated that the ship was at latitude 46^o 40'. Sea-birds were noted. The narrative does not indicate anything about another bunch of explorers residing ashore and about the area doing local explorations during a winter hiatus.

The members of the Lewis and Clark expedition were spending the winter season at Fort Clatsop. Their journals of the month were describing many species of local fauna. There was nothing about the passing ship in the texts written by men of the group, though an editorial footnote in the edited version does mention that the Russians were present out on the sea, and attributes some political significance to their not making it ashore.

Onshore, the journals of the Lewis and Clark crew noted showers, some hail and thunder. The inclement weather was obviously a factor preventing the Juno from making a stop.

So onward sailed the ship with its focused leader and hearty crew. Until this group reached Saint Francisco, the only mention of birds was of a visiting woodpecker, that made a deadly mistake one day.

On March 26th, "in the afternoon a golden-winged wood-pecker, picus auratus, flew on board, seeming as if it hoped to find there a place of refuge; instead of that it found its death, since, on account of its beauty and rarity, we could not forbear sacrificing it, and preserving it as an object of natural history."

As if that was a new concept!

Settlement of Saint Francisco

Further south, the Spanish missions brought an end to the intent to sail south. The warm climate and settled conditions provided a ready haven, and a sublime wonder to explore.

There were animals to discovery and people to observe and study. They both were noted in the chronicle.

Birds were importantly and prominently featured in the context of natural and social history.

During an excursion from the ship afloat in the bay, to the mission in latter March, the text reads: "The birds were almost the only things to attract our attention; I saw several sorts unknown to me, besides eagles, cranes, curlews, ducks; there were also a few rabbits and hares."

The residents "also make themselves garments of the feathers of many different kinds of water-fowl, particularly ducks and geese, bound together fast in a sort of ropes, which ropes are then united quite close so as to make something like a feather skin. It is the same on both sides, and so warm that it would be an excellent winter garment for a much colder climate."

Skins provided garments, and the importance of bird material extended further into the home of the people.

"Among their household utensils, I observed baskets made of the bark of trees, very ingeniously woven together, and so firm and water-tight, that they hold any kind of liquid, without its oozing out in the smallest degree. They even besides, make use of them as roasters, putting into them corn or pulse, and drawing them quick back wards and forwards over a slow charcoal fire, so that every grain, like our coffee, gets thoroughly browned, without the basket being the least injured. Many of these baskets, or vessels, are ornamented with the scarlet feathers of the oriolus phoeniceus, or with the black crest feathers of the crested Californian partridge, tetraonis cristati, or with shells and beads.

"However dull and heavy, however ugly and dirty these people appear, yet they have a great fondness for sports and ornaments. The latter are chiefly made of shells and feathers."

The aristocratic observations continued to convey the people, places and things present where the Baron traversed.

"The finest ornament for the head consists of the two middle tail-feathers of the golden-winged wood-pecker, picus auratus, the shafts of which are by nature of a very bright vermilion colour. They are stripped within about an inch of the end, and then laid regularly one over the other, and bound fast together, so as to form a sort of bandeau for the head, which produces a very good effect. Among other curiosities which I procured from these people in exchange for glass-beads, rib-bands, knives, and other European objects, was one of these bandeaus, which consisted of four hundred and fifty feathers, consequently two hundred and twenty-five birds were required to make it. I could not imagine or learn how these people could have procured so large a number, since it is a bird which inhabits only very woody parts, and there is very little wood indeed in the neighbourhood of St. Francisco. Another head-dress, which is usually worn by these Indians at their dances, is made of the feathers of a vulture very common in these parts, the vultus aurea. The tail and wing-feathers are woven together in a manner that very much resembles a Turkish turban."

Shooting birds was a favorite pastime, with this endeavour apparently given particular attention when not watching people or looking upon the social scene.

"We often amused ourselves with shooting the crested partridges and the rabbits which abound upon the sand hills near the shore. One day we went, accompanied by twelve people, and conducted by thirty or forty Indians, to catch hares and rabbits by a sort of snaring, when, in three hours, without firing a shot, we had taken seventy-five, and most of them alive. We sought in vain several times for lions, tigers, and bears; of the latter there had been formerly a great abundance, but they were now become much more rare. On the northern shore of the bay the roe abounds, and the chase of it is very amusing and productive. In a number of aquatic excursions, I found most of the birds, with which I had become familiar at Sitcha, as pelicans, guillemots, ducks, particularly the anas perspicillata, and the anas nigra, sea-pies, and others. There were also seals of various sorts, and above all things, the valuable sea-otter was swimming in numbers about the bay, nearly unheeded. Some of us were almost every afternoon at the presidency, and the society was generally enlivened by dancing and music."

von Langsdorff studies were were a source of frustration. Others did not understand his endeavours and his intent to record the local fauna and flora.

"My researches in Natural History met with more obstacles in California than in any other part of our expedition. To detail all the petty circumstances which crossed me in this way would appear prolix, and running too much into minutiae. I shall only therefore mention some of the principal. Our regular habitation during our whole stay was on board the ship, and there we were all constantly employed in loading and unloading goods. Several skins of sea-dogs and birds that I had laid upon the deck to dry, were, I know not by what means, thrown overboard. The paper for drying plants disappeared one day when I was on shore, and was informed was by mistake put under a quantity of goods which had in my absence been taken on board, so that it could not be got out without entirely unloading again, and this was impossible. Several live birds which I had purchased were, as soon as my back was turned, suffered to fly away. Sometimes, when I asked for a sailor to go upon a water excursion with me, I was told that these people had more important business to attend to, and that Our expedition was not undertaken for the promotion of Natural History. One evening I brought home a number of ducks and other aquatic birds, intending to strip off the skins, and dry them, but the nest morning I found them all with their heads cut off. By these, and numberless other occurrences of a similar kind, I was at length so entirely discouraging, that I relinquished all idea of attempting farther labours in the science, and resigned myself to the wishes of the Chamberlain Von Resanoff, that I should undertake the office of interpreter, and transact all our business with the missionaries relative to the purchase of corn and other articles."

Baron Langsdorff continued his dedication of writing about the fauna present.

"Whales are very often cast on shore in these pans, particularly in the bay of Monterey. Sea-dogs and sea-otters are taken in nets, though in very small numbers. The American lion, Felis concolor, the American tiger, Felis onca, stags, roes, wolves, foxes, bears, and polecats, viverra putorius, are very common here; the latter is called by the Spaniards sorritto. The urine which this animal spurts from him to defend himself against his enemies exceeds in stench every thing that can be conceived; the missionaries told me that in the night it is exceedingly phosphoric, and if put into a glass retains the phosphoric appearance for a very long time.

"Among the feathered species, I observed the vultus aura. The feet of this bird are very different from those of any other; the claws are thin and small, and the three foremost are united by a sort of half-web, so that to judge by the feet, it seems to belong to the class of marsh-birds, but according to the bill, it should belong to birds of prey. I was told that a soup made of the flesh of this bird is extremely wholesome, and that by taking it freely, all diseases of the body have a tendency to throw themselves out upon the skin. Perhaps the flesh itself has rather a propensity to creating eruptions of the skin, as it is well known that in some persons strawberries will have that effect, though others eat them in abundance without any effect whatever. These vultures are gregarious; they are slow in flight, and feed upon carrion, which, in company with the ravens, with whom they live upon very friendly terms, they devour in great quantities.

"The oriolus phoeniceus flies about the houses here like sparrows in Europe. The oriolus icterus, alanda calandra, picus auratus, tetrix cristatus, trochilus mosquitus, and others of this species, are also very abundant. Of the colibris there are a great number in summer, but not one is to be seen in winter. It is universally said here that they remain in a torpid state all the winter, whence they have the name of saxaro resuscitado, resurrection birds. Of water and marsh-birds there are a great variety, particularly of the ardea, tringa, scolopax, pelecanus, larus, colymbus, mergus, and anas species. In winter, the number of wild geese in the boggy plain to the south-east of the bay is so great, that they are a positive nuisance; they do great injury to the young corn which stands the winter, and are so impudent, that they are scarcely to be frightened away by firing among them."

Thus some of the details of the local avifauna are known again for this region, with the particulars a teasing view of the species early in the 19th century.

The visitors left Saint Francisco on May 10th, sailing northward towards Russian Alaska, under the command of Baron Von Resanoff, whom after "much trouble and negotiation, succeeded in getting on board the Juno four thousand two hundred and ninety-four measures of corn, with a large quantity of flour, pease, beans and maize, together with a few casks of salted meat and a small provision of salt, soap, tallow, and some other articles. For all this he gave in exchange merchandise to the amount of twenty-four thousand Spanish dollars."

Sitka was the next harbor, for a brief time, before the expeditionary force continued along, heading towards their home land.

Sitka to Kodiak Island

In this voyage, after leaving New Archangel, and quite out at the sea of Bristol Bay during mid-June to mid-July, there were the following birds: "alca arctica, alca cirrhata, procellaria furcata, procellaria glacialis, procellaria aequinoctialis and diomeaea exulans. At the distance of between twenty and thirty sea-miles from the coast, were the following among several others - pelecanus violaceus, colymbus grylle, colymbus troile, larus furcus, and sterna hirundo."

After another stop at Kodiak island, the ship continued sailing westward. The Juno raised anchor on August 17th, from Oonalashka.

Westward from Oonalashka

"Having a gentle south-east wind, with a good deal of fog and rain, we proceeded slowly, and sometimes saw a considerable tract of sea strewed with feathers. This we attributed to its being the time of moulting among the vast numbers of sea-fowl that inhabit these regions.

"Colymbus troile, procellaria furcata, procellaria glacialis, procellaria nigra, procellaria grisea, with several sorts of larus, flew daily about the ship in great numbers. The sort of alca, very common in many parts of these regions, known by the vulgar name of the sea-parrot, was seldom to be seen; perhaps it rather frequents the southern coasts of the islands. On the other hand, we saw here in greater abundance than any where else a particular sort of sea-mew, called by Linnaeus the larus parasiticus, which never catches fish for itself, but watches for others of the species, and when it sees them catch one, pursues and takes it from them. We had daily opportunities of seeing this tyranny practised, and were not a little surprized at observing that the other sea-mews, far from appearing to shun their persecutors, were always in company with them.

"The wind was hitherto so slack that by the twenty-third we had scarcely made eight degrees of way. On the twenty-sixth, about noon, during a pretty brisk east wind, four wild geese, anas canadensis, came very, near our ship. I watched my opportunity, and firing at them, brought them all down at one shot, to the great joy of myself and the company at the same table; they afforded us excellent roti for several days. Such a piece of good fortune is so rare in a sea-voyage, that it occasions double pleasure when it does occur."

Thus ends the narrative for North America. The voyage continued to Kamschatka, where another important list of species was depicted.

Species Noted in North America

As Baron de Langsdorff wrote his memoirs, he did not realize their importance in conveying the birds about at the places visited during the expedition.

From the cold at the far-west islands of Alaska to the balmy climate of Monterey, his narrative regularly records a variety of species. Each note conveys a bit of valuable information for the historic ornithology of North America.

Details are given for more than fifty different species. Although the Baron wrote a note here and there, when the details are combined, the result is a profound bunch of information about birds of the times two centuries ago.

These records were compiled to convey following summation for the narrative written by the Baron:

Common Name	Oonalashka Island	Island of St. George	Island of St. Paul	Island of Kodiak	Sitcha	Cape Disappointment, New Albion	Cape Barro de Arena	Columbia Bay	Coastal Gulf of Alaska	Settlement of San Francisco	Vicinity of Buldir Island
Canada Goose	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Goose	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Tundra Swan	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Black Duck	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Mallard	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Duck	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	4	-
Green-winged Teal	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Greater Scaup	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Unidentified waterfowl	-	2	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	-	-
Harlequin Duck	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
Surf Scoter	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-
White-winged Scoter	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Black Scoter	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Long-tailed Duck	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bufflehead	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Merganser	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Common Merganser	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Red-breasted Merganser	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
California Quail	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Arctic Loon	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Horned Grebe	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Albatross	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Fulmar	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Parkinson's Petrel	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Petrel	1	-	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Sooty Shearwater	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Leach's Storm-Petrel	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Pelican	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-
Brandt's Cormorant	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Double-crested Cormorant	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Pelagic Cormorant	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Cormorant	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Heron	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Bald Eagle	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Eagle	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Sandhill Crane	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Plover	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Oystercatcher	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-
Curlew	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-
Shorebird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Gull	2	1	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-
Herring Gull	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Glaucous Gull	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Great Black-backed Gull	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Arctic Tern	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Parasitic Jaeger	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Common Murre	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Murre	1	1	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Black Guillemot	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	-
Marbled Murrelet	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	-
Least Auklet	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Auklet	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Horned Puffin	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Tufted Puffin	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Puffin	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Snowy Owl	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Saw-whet Owl	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hummingbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Belted Kingfisher	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Flicker	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	-
Steller's Jay	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Black-billed magpie	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Common Raven	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-
Lark	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Winter Wren	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Varied Thrush	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bohemian Waxwing	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Red-winged Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Bullock's Oriole	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Bird bone artifact	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bird-motif garment	1	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	3	-
Bird feather object	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-

There are more than 125 distinct entries. Mostly there is a record here, and another one there, but occasionally more than one observation of the same species was made at one locale. Records are available for about 50 different species.

Accounts of Species

It is the detail within the narrative which provides the essentials for denoting the species recorded. The following is a list of the details, including its temporal occurrence, and contextual notes. The details were derived by reading the so interesting journal, and extracting what was of interest ... and what a bunch there was!

The following list present species in a the order of modern nomenclature. There are certain uncertainties because the terms used two hundred years in the past do not necessarily match accepted modern terms.

In this list, the details provide the designated species, notes in the narrative, date of occurrence, designated site, county and state. Place names given conform with those in the source material.

• Canada Goose - four wild geese, Anas canadensis, came very near our ships; brought them all down with one shot; afforded an excellent roti for several days; in vicinity of Buldir Island - 8/26/1806 - Vicinity of Buldir Island - Alaska

• Goose - geese noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Goose - wild geese; came about us in great plenty - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Tundra Swan - swans noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• American Black Duck - found particularly the Anas nigra; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Mallard - Anas boschas; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Duck - ducks; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Duck - found ducks; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Duck - Anas species; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Duck - wild ducks; came about us in great plenty - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Duck - saw ducks - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Duck - muddy shores covered with wild ducks - 4/23/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Greater Scaup - Anas marila; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Unidentified waterfowl - many other types of marsh and water-fowl noted; come in innumberable flocks, both in spring and autumn - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Unidentified waterfowl - numberless flights of sea-birds - 7/2/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Unidentified waterfowl - innumberable flights of birds of various kinds rose along the coast; a thick living cloud spread itself around, and that the sean, as far as our horizon reached, was absolutely blackened by the animals - 7/8/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Unidentified waterfowl - vast quantities of sea-fowl - 1806 - 3/15/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Unidentified waterfowl - saw several flocks, consisting of many thousand sea-birds - 1806 - 3/18/1806 - Columbia Bay - Clatsop - Oregon

• Harlequin Duck - Anas histrionica; first appeared about the end of September - 1805 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Harlequin Duck - Anas histrionica; stayed in the Sound all the winter - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Surf Scoter - Anas perspicillata; not to be seen until the end of September; come in great abundance, and large flocks - 1805 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Surf Scoter - found particularly the Anas perspicillata; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• White-winged Scoter - Anas fusca; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Black Scoter - killed some petrels, Procellaria nigra, which were swimming in abundance in the water; afforded an excellent repast - 6/29/1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Long-tailed Duck - Anas glacialis; abounding much at Kodiak; breeds on the island - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Long-tailed Duck - Anas glacialis; not common in Norfolk Sound - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Bufflehead - Anas bucephala; appeared in Norfolk Sound early in October - 1805 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Merganser - Mergus; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Common Merganser - Mergus merganser; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• California Quail - Tetrix cristatus; often amused ourselves with shooting the crested partridges which abound upon the sand hills near the shore; very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Arctic Loon - Colymbus arcticus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Horned Grebe - Colymbus auritus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Albatross - albatrosses; among birds about - 03/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Northern Fulmar - Procellaria glacialis; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Northern Fulmar - Procellaria glacialis; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Parkinson's Petrel - Procellaria aequinoctialis; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Petrel - Procellaria, or peterels; nest here 1805 - 7/7/1805 Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Petrel - peterels; among birds about - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Procellaria nigra; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka; = white-chinned petrel, which is not known to occur in Alaska, so this would be some other common petrel, with a similar appearance - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Sooty Shearwater - Procellaria grisea; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 1806 - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Leach's Storm-Petrel - Procellaria furcata; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Leach's Storm-Petrel - Procellaria farcata [=furcata]; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Storm-Petrel - Procellaria, or peterels; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Storm-Petrel - peterels; among birds about - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Pelican - pelicans; vast number of sea-birds about the ship - 7/2/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Pelican - found pelicans; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Pelican - pelicans; among birds about - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Brandt's Cormorant - saw the Pelicanus urile - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Brandt's Cormorant - Pelecanus urile; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Double-crested Cormorant - Pelecanus graculus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Pelagic Cormorant - Pelecanus violaceus; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Cormorant - Pelecanus species; rocks a rendezvous - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Cormorant - Pelecanus; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Heron - herons noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Heron - Ardea; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bald Eagle - Falco leucocephalus; beautiful eagle with a white head and white tail; in autumn appears to migrate more to the south; single ones seen occasionally the whole year round; nest at Norfolk Sound - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Eagle - saw eagles - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Sandhill Crane - cranes noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Sandhill Crane - saw cranes - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Plover - plovers noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Plover - ducks noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• American Oystercatcher - Haematopus astralegus, oyster-catcher; not so common at at Oonalashka, and some of the other Aleutian Islands - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• American Oystercatcher - found sea-pies; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Curlew - saw curlews - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Sandpiper - Tringa; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Sandpiper - vast quantities of tringae - 3/15/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Sandpiper - muddy shores covered with sandpipers - 4/23/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Shorebird - Scolopax; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Shorebird - muddy shores covered with snipes - 1806 - 4/23/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Gull - Larus; rocks a rendezvous - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Gull - Larus; vast number of sea-birds about the ship - 7/2/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Gull - several species of Larus, or sea-mews; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Gull - Larus; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Gull - sea-mews; among birds about - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Gull - muddy shores covered with sea-mews - 4/23/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Gull - Larus, several types; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Herring Gull - Larus furcus; seen during mid-June to mid-July; = lesser-black-backed gull - c.f. herring gull - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

The scientific name conforms with the Lesser Black-backed Gull, though it is not expected to occur in the Alaska region. The record is attributed to the Herring Gull, as it is similar in appearance.

• The Lesser Black-backed Gull is not expected to occur in Alaska, thus the species denoted would be something similar, such as the designated Herring Gull.

• Glaucous Gull - Larus glaucus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Arctic Tern - Sterna hirundo, or sea-swallow; nest here; = - Sterna paradisaea - 1805 - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Arctic Tern - Sterna hirundo; seen during mid-June to mid-July; = - Sterna paradisaea - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Parasitic Jaeger - Larus parasiticus; seen in greater abundance than anywhere else; had daily opportunies of seeing its taking fish from other birds - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Common Murre - Colymbus troile; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Common Murre - Colymbus troile; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Murre - Colymbus; rocks a rendezvous - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Murre - eggs of the Colymbus or guillemot are preferred before all others, as the largest and best flavoured - 1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Murre - guillemots noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Murre - Colymbus; vast number of sea-birds about the ship - 7/2/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Murre - Colymbus, or guillemot; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Murre - Colymbus; among great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Murre - found guillemots; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Black Guillemot - Colymbus grylle; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Black Guillemot - Colymbus grille; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Marbled Murrelet - Diomedia exulans; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Marbled Murrelet - Diomedea exulans, or albatross; received one in February; Aleutians call it aglica; often seen - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Least Auklet - Alca pygmaea, or pygmy auk; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Auklet - auks noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Horned Puffin - Alca arctica, or puffin; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Horned Puffin - Alca arctica; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Tufted Puffin - Alca cirrhata, or tufted auk; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Tufted Puffin - Alca cirrhata; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Puffin - Alca; rocks a rendezvous - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Puffin - Alca, sea-parrot; seldom to be seen - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Snowy Owl - Strix nyctea; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Northern Saw-whet Owl - Strix passerina; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Hummingbird - Trochilus mosquitus; also very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Belted Kingfisher - Alcedo alcyon; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Northern Flicker - Picus auratus; also very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Northern Flicker - golden-winged woodpecker, Picus auratus, flew on board the boat - 3/26/1806 - Cape Barro de Arena - Mendocino - California

• Steller's Jay - Corvus stelleri; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Black-billed magpie - magpye; as familiar as a sparrow, perching often upon the house-tops - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Common Raven - Corvus an corax; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Common Raven - ravens; which the vultus aura live with upon friendly terms - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Lark - Alanda calandra; also very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Winter Wren - Sylvia troglodytes; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Varied Thrush - Turdus naevius; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Bohemian Waxwing - Ampelis garrulus; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Red-winged Blackbird - Oriolus phoeniceus flies about the houses like sparrows in Europe - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bullock's Oriole - Oriolus icterus; also very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• unidentified species - Procellaria nigra; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Bird bone artifact - Falco leucocephalus; wing bones, particularly the radius and ulna, used in illness as tubes for sucking up fluids - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

This is a unique commentary about the use of bird bones. Other narratives discuss the use of hollow bones, but there are none others known that indicate how bones of birds were used for medicinal purposes.

The notes on bird-motif garments provide additional details about the importance of birds in providing skins used to create garb worn by the native people.

• Bird-motif garment - garments made of the skins of birds, particularly of the sea-parrots; the alca cirrhata and alca arctica, and the sea-raven, pelecanus urile; sometimes work on them for a year before they are completed - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Bird-motif garment - principal garment a konagen; made of skins of sea-fowls, particularly the alca arctica, alca cirrhata and pelecanus urile - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Bird-motif garment - finest ornament for the head consists of the two middle tail feathers of golden-winged woodpecker, picus auratus; the shafts a bright vermilion color; they are stripped within an inch of the end, laid one over another and bound together; form a bandeau - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bird-motif garment - head-dress usually worn by Indians at their dances; made of feathers of a very common vulture, vultus aurea; tail and wing feathers woven together - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bird-motif garment - falco leucocephalus; feathers used in ornaments; on solemn occasions, and at their dances, cover their heads with the down feathers - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Bird-motif garment - women make themselves garments of feathers of different kinds of water-fowl, particularly ducks and geese; bound together; united quite close to make something like a feather skin; so warm it would be an excellent winter garment for a much colder climate - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bird feather object - many of the baskets ornamented with the scarlet feathers of the oriolus phoeniceus; or with the black crest feathers of the crested Californian partridge, Tetreonis cristati; or with shells and beads - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

There are more than 125 distinct entries considered.

Summary

Baron von Langsdorff was a fledgling naturalist as he went along on this expedition. His notes were made with the best of his knowledge, perhaps misdirected on an occasion or two, yet still authoritative.

However the information is considered, the details are there to consider, and understand. The avifauna of the northern Pacific is better understood by realizing the important observations for the ornithology of the era. Another undertaking conveys birds in descriptions of written narrative ... so useful to what was shown during those current conditions.

This information is possibly change as further interpretations may be considered and if additional information may become available. The entire realm of historic ornithology is subject to continual revision and reconsideration because of the archaic terminology, and a myriad of other factors, which at times can be quite confusing.