78 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



fully bounds straight up to the top and alights there. This species 

 will sometimes hover, though they do not make such a practice of it 

 as the Sparrow Hawks." 



Richard M. Bond (1936a) made some interesting observations on 

 the speed in flight of some pigeon hawks that he was training for 

 falconry. He found that a trained bird, in coming to the lure, flew 

 at the rate of 29.9 miles an hour, but estimated that, in pursuit of a. 

 flying quarry, it would fly about 50 percent faster. He says, also: 

 "In comparing it with birds it was attempting to capture, it was 

 observed that the Pigeon Hawk flew faster than quail {Lophortyx 

 caltfornica) or Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta), and more slowly, 

 at least in a rising flight, than Horned Larks (Otocoris alpestris). It 

 could catch a shrike (Lanius ludovicianus gambeli) in a long course 

 free from cover; it was keener after shrikes than after any other bird. 

 It could catch, bring down and kill a dove (Streptopelia risoria), 

 or even a strong adult common pigeon if released within about 50 

 feet, but was easily outdistanced by these birds after they had at- 

 tained top speed." 



Pigeon hawks are notoriously bold, fearless, and unsuspicious; they 

 allow a close approach when perched and will fly quite near a man in 

 the open; hence they are often shot. About their nesting sites they 

 are far too solicitous for their own welfare. At every one of the three 

 nests that I have seen the birds came flying out to meet us long before 

 we reached the vicinity of the nest, crying in distress, advertising the 

 proximity of the nest, and encouraging us to hunt for it. While I 

 was examining the nests the birds were most solicitous and bold, 

 flying about the tree, perching on nearby trees, sometimes darting 

 past or down at me in swift falcon swoops, and sometimes circling 

 with a slow, hovering flight, their sharp, pointed wings vibrating 

 rapidly; and they were constantly cackling in their harsh, shrill, 

 chattering notes. 



W. J. Brown (1912) had similar experiences in Newfoundland, for 

 he writes: "I might here state that the Pigeon Hawk is probably the 

 most curious and inquisitive of the Raptores. The sectionmen on 

 the railway told me that they were always greeted by a pair of Pigeon 

 Hawks when they passed down in the hand car, although the nest 

 was a quarter of a mile off in the woods. * * * One day in June, 

 1911, we pitched our camp out on the barrens. A pair of Pigeon 

 Hawks, which had their nest on the side of a mountain one mile away, 

 observed the smoke from our fire and immediately came over our 

 heads, uttering alarm notes." 



Its behavior with other species is no less interesting. Dr. E. W. 

 Nelson (1887) in Alaska "saw one of these birds dart down and strike 

 its talons into the back of a Burgomaster Gull (Larus glaucus) as the 

 latter was flying over the sea; after holding on for a moment — the 



