lOO MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



146 [332] Accipiter velox (Wils.). 



Sharp-siiinned Hawk. 



Common transient visitor, rare summer resident ; verj- rare in winter. March 

 10 to November 9 (December 7, January 5). 



Eggs: May 27 to June 10. 



All the Accipiters appear to be unafraid, and do not hesitate to dash at their 

 quarry in the close proximity of man. One at Ipswich flew into an apple tree 

 within twenty feet of me and did not leave until it had looked me over. I have 

 seen them on two occasions attack Red-tailed Hawks with great fury and once a 

 Marsh Hawk. 



A pair soaring and playing together high in the air gave me a beautiful exhi- 

 bition. The smaller one, the male, would dart at the larger one, the female, who 

 would shake or tip the wings to spill the air and fall down only to glide up again 

 without movement of the wings to a great height. Again they would dart down 

 with great speed, and turn and glide up again. 



Although the Sharp-shinned Hawk is capable of soaring as just described, 

 their usual and characteristic flight is a succession of flutters and sails, of wing 

 flappings and glidings. 



Their alarm cry is a sharp ki ki ki and at times they whinny like a Hairy 

 Woodpecker. The young have a squealing whistle. 



The short rounded wings and long tail are characteristics of the Accipiters. 

 The tail of the Sharp-shinned Hawk which is frequently spread in flight has a 

 straight edge which distinguishes it from the Cooper's Hawk with its rounded tail. 

 It must be remembered that the female Sharp-shinned Hawk is about as large as 

 the male Cooper's Hawk. 



147 [333] Accipiter cooperi (Bonap.). 



Cooper's Hawk. 



Permanent resident, common in summer, very rare in winter. April 22 to 

 October 28 (January, February 10). 



Eggs: May 8 to June 11. 



I have heard a loud single whistle emitted by one of these birds circling in 

 August over the dunes in small circles and occasionally advancing by flapping its 

 wings. At the nest it has a loud cackling ka ka ka. 



