Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 451 



Suborder FALCON ES. Hawks, Falcons, Eagles, Kites, etc. 



Family FALCONID^. Hawks, Falcons, 

 Eagles, Kites, etc. 



About 350 species belong to this family, widely distributed 

 throughout the w^orld. As a rule they do not feed on dead animals 

 unless forced by himger to do so, but delight in the pursuit and cap- 

 ture of their prey. Their choice of food differs with various species, 

 but the majority of them kill birds, mammals and small reptiles. 

 The Bald Eagle has a partiality for fish, which he occasionally catches 

 for himself or finds dead on the shore, but a large portion of his larder 

 is supplied by the Fish Hawks or Ospreys, which are forced after 

 catching their prey to give it up to their more powerful rival. While 

 hawks may occasionally kill a few chickens and song birds, the greater 

 portion of them are a decided benefit to the agriculturist. They 

 are not gregarious, but a few species associate in flocks during the 

 migrations. As a rule the females are larger than the males. 



Subfamily BUTEONINiE. Hawks, Kites, 

 Eagles, etc. 



Genus ELANOIDES Vieill. 



151, Elanoides forficatus (Linn.). 



Swallow-tailed Kite. 



Distr.: Central and South America and southern United States; 

 casual as far north as Carolina and Minnesota; accidental in New 

 England; breeds in southern United States southward, and casually 

 as far north as Wisconsin and Illinois. 



Adult: Back, tail, and wings (except some of the tertials), bluish 

 black, glossed with purple; head, neck, rump, and under parts, pure 

 white; tail, forked and usually over 12 inches long. 



Immature birds have the head streaked with dusky and the prima- 

 ries and tail feathers narrowly tipped with white. 



Length, 20 to 25; wing, about 16 to 17; outer tail feathers, about 

 12.50 to 14; bill, .75. 



