THE BIRD BOOK 



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331. Marsh Hawk. Circus hudsonius. 



Range. — Whole of North 

 abundant in all sections. 



America, very 



(Adult and young) 

 Marsh Hawk 



Pale bluish white 



The adult of this species is very light colored, 

 and young birds of the first two years have a 

 reddish brown coloration; in both plumages 

 the species is easily identified by the white 

 patch on the rump. Tliey are, almost exclusively frequenters of fields and 

 marshes, where they can most often be seen, towards dusk, swooping in broad 

 curves near the ground, watching for field mice, which form the larger portion 

 of their diet. Their nests are made in swampy ground, often in the middle of a 

 large marsh, being placed on the ground in the centre of a hummock or clump 

 of grass; it is generally well lined with grasses and often rushes. They lay 

 from four to seven pale bluish white eggs, generally unmarked; size 1.80 x 1.40. 



332. Sharp-shinnkd Hawk. Accipiter velo.r. 



Range. — Whole of North America, wintering in the United States and south- 

 ward; breeds throughout its range, but most abundantly in northern United 

 States and northward. This is one of the smallest of the hawks and in the 

 adult plumage is a beautiful species, being bar- 

 red below with light brown, and having a bluish 

 slate back. It is a ,very spirited and daring 

 bird and is one of the most destructive to small 



birds and young chickens. Its nest is a rude i "" C"--:~ ~"~' ^ " ■^.'j ^^ 

 and sometimes very frail platform of twigs and ~~~ 



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Bluish whitf 



leaves placed against the trunk of the tree at 

 any height, but averaging, perhaps, fifteen feet. 

 The eggs are bluish white, beautifully blotched 

 and spotted with shades of brown. 



204 



Sharp-shinned Hawk 



