PRAIRIE FALCON 35 



viduals nest, as in Colorado, almost up to the tops of the mountains; 

 and many of the lowland birds climb to the highest altitudes as soon as 

 the nesting season is over. 



While individuals vary, most nesting prairie falcons react as Mr. 

 Bent records: "While I was at the nest the female made several close 

 swoops at me within 10 or 15 feet. She was flying around and 'cack- 

 ling' all the time. Meanwhile, the male was flying around at a safe 

 distance." S. F. Kathbun writes that when he approached a nest 

 "the falcon flushed from the nest and gave three shrill cries, and imme- 

 diately its mate came to the scene. Meanwhile my friend was working 

 his way up the side of the crevice in the wall. The pair of falcons 

 dashed back and forth, the one that flushed diving at me repeatedly, 

 at times coining within 10 feet of my head, and both gave their cries so 

 loud I think they could be heard nearly half a mile." 



Bailey and Niedrach (1933) tell us: 



As we walk along the edge of the dog town, near the steep escarpment, a great 

 winged eagle sails out into space from a spot of shadow, where he had been resting 

 unobserved, and flies leisurely along, and then while we admire the beauty of 

 his flight we are attracted by a shrill scream of displeasure overhead, as a medium 

 sized falcon darts with the speed of an arrow at the slow moving eagle. The 

 latter's movements are no longer leisurely, however. He immediately puts on 

 all speed, and with the unwelcome falcon swooping in vicious onslaughts from 

 the rear, much as a small terrier would snap at the heels of a lion, the great bird 

 makes an undignified and hurried exit from the vicinity. 



Decker and Bowles (1930) had a still more entertaining experience: 



While examining the location [a cliff with one nest of Prairie Falcon and one 

 nest of western redtail] we found that someone had shot a bird from each pair, 

 oddly enough it being the male Red-tail and the female Falcon, their bodies 

 lying on the ground close to their respective nests. The remaining parents had 

 continued to 'carry on,' however, and the young that both nests contained 

 seemed to be in excellent condition. When we appeared upon the scene and 

 worked around close to the cliffs we started a very interesting disturbance between 

 the two birds, both of which showed the greatest solicitude. Their previous 

 unfortunate experiences with mankind had evidently taught them to keep well 

 out of gunshot range of human beings, but the Falcon was apparently so angry 

 that he had to give vent to his feelings on something, the nearest available object 

 being the poor female Red-tail. Consequently we were treated to a most mar- 

 vellous exhibition of what can be done by two trained experts in the art of flying, 

 and the unusual and graceful movements of the Hawk were as thrilling to us as 

 they were unexpected. The Falcon would mount high in air over her and then 

 drop down upon her like a meteor until so close that it seemed inevitable he 

 must tear her to pieces. Then, just as he seemed upon the point of striking her, 

 the Hawk would turn gracefully back downward and thrust her great talons 

 up at the approaching Falcon. Then there seemed no possible chance of avoiding 

 a collision that would have meant almost certain death to them both, but always 

 the Falcon would swerve in the very nick of time, missing by the merest fraction 

 of an inch. This most interesting performance kept up until we left. 



Mr. Bond (1936b) says: "At an eyrie in western Kern County a 

 female was flushed from the eggs and was joined in the air by the male. 



