HAWKS, EAGLES. KITES 



of its prey. Ordinarily its flight is leisurely 

 but once in pursuit of a bird it dashes in and 

 out tlirough the densest thickets with the 

 greatest ease and swiftness. No matter 

 how its intended victim doubles and twists 

 in its efforts to escape, the sharp-shinned 

 hawk is ecjually quick to follow and rarely 

 fails to capture its quarry. 



It may easily be distinguished from the 

 sparrow hawk by its manner of flight and 

 entirely different coloration. The sparrow 

 hawk is a common sight hovering over its 

 prey in the open field, or sitting on trees and 

 bushes watching for any movement in the 

 grass that may betray a field mouse, lizard or 

 grasshopper which are its favorite foods. On 

 the other hand, the sharp-shinned hawk is 

 never seen hunting in this manner but de- 

 pends on surprising its prey by a sudden 

 dash into the midst of a flock of small birds, 

 })earing one to the ground before it can 

 escape. 



Its color is bluish gray above w^ith the 

 underparts white, heavily barred and spotted 

 with reddish l)rown. Its tail is long and 

 narrow with three or four blackish bands and 

 a white tip. 



'I'he sharp-shinned hawk builds its nest 

 indiscriminately in the old nests of crow, 

 153 



