EAGLES, HAWKS, AND KITES 



67 



'I"lu' Shar])-shinned Hawk, a miniature of 

 Cooper's Hawk, is fully as (icslructive to bird 

 life as its larger cousin. Althou.tjh rarely attack- 

 ing full-grown poultry, it is very ])artial to 

 chickens and often almost exterminates early 

 broods which are allowed tn run at large. No 

 birds, from the size of Doves, Robins, and 

 Flickers to the smallest Warblers and Titmice, 

 are safe from its attacks. In examinations of 

 the stomachs of this Hawk the remains of nearly 

 fifty species of birds were recognized, and the 

 list is of so much interest that it is given here: 



Arizona Quail, Mourning Dove, Downy Wood- 

 pecker. Red-shafted Flicker, Yellow-shafted 

 Flicker. Chimney Swift, Cowbird, Orchard 

 r)rii)le. Crackle. Housefinch, Coldlinch, Savaimah 

 Sparrow, Western Savannah Sparrow, White- 

 throated Sparrow, Field Sj^arrovv, Chipping 

 Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Junco, Song Sparrow, 



Fox .S])arr(nv, English Sparrow, Abert Towhee, 

 Red-eyed V'ireo, Black and Yellow W'arbler, 

 P.lack-tbroated Green Warbler, Yellow-rumped 

 W'arbler, Hay-breasted Warbler, Black-poll 

 Warbler, Tine-creeping Warbler, Oven-bird, Ma- 

 ryland Yellow-throat, Blackcap, W'estern Black- 

 cap, Canada Warbler, Mockingbird, Catbird, 

 Crissal Thrasher, Cactus Wren, Carolina 

 Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Chicadee, J<uby- 

 crowned Kinglet, Gray-checked Thrush, Hermit 

 Thrush, J-Jobin, and Bluebird. 



To show how universally this species feeds on 

 small birds, it is only necessary to say that of 

 107 stomachs containing food 103, or g6% per 

 cent., contained the remains of birds. Mammals 

 and insects seem to be taken rarely, mice and 

 grasshoppers being the ones most frequently 

 chosen. A. K. Fisiikr, in The Food 



of Ihn>.'ks and Ozcls. 



COOPER'S HAWK 

 Accipiter cooperi (Bonaparte) 



A. (>, U. Xumher ^iz See Color I'lates 4.5, 44. 46 



Other Names. — Pigeon Hawk; Chicken Hawk; 

 Quail Hawk; Big Blue Darter; Swift Hawk; Striker. 



Description. — Length: male, 18 inches; female, 20 

 inches. Spread of wings, 30 to 36 inclies. Same pro- 



portions as Sharp-shinned Hawk, but larger and with 

 tail round; five outer primaries notched on inner webs. 

 -■Xdults : Plumage exactly the same as Sharp-shinned 

 Hawk's excepting top of head usuall.v darker shade than 



ADULT MALE COOPER'S HAWK 

 ( ) nat. size 



The most destructive species of Hawk 



Vol. H— 6 



Courtesy of Am. Mus. Nal. Hist. 



