THE BIEDS OF NEW JERSEY. 167 



357 Faico columbarius JJnngeus. 

 Pigeon Hawk. 



Adults. — Length, male, 10-11; female, 12-13. Wing, male, 7.50: female, 

 8.50. Above, bluish-slate, with black shaft streaks ; tail, black, tipped with 

 white and barred with gray ; wings, black, with white bars on inner webs ; 

 bases of feathers on the hind neck, white and buff ; under parts, buff, whiter 

 on breast and throat ; everywhere streaked with black. 



Young in first year. — Brown above, with tail and wing markings buff ; under 

 parts, deep buff, streaked with blackish-brown. 



A rather common transient visitant, most frequent along the coast. 

 In southern New Jersey it is a casual winter resident. 



It has heen observed as late as April 21st, and as early as September 

 14th. 



Dr. C. C. Abbott has mentioned tliis species as breeding near Tren- 

 ton, but there is no confirmation in the experience of others, nor has 

 its nest been found nearer than the mountainous parts of northern 

 New York, so far as I am aware. 



360 FaIco sparverius Linnaeus. 

 Sparrow Hawk. 



PLATE 33. 



Adults.— ILength, male, 9-10.50; female, 9.50-12. Wing, 6.60-8.10. Crown, 

 blue-gray, with rufous center ; wing feathers, black, with white bars ; coverts, 

 blue-gray, spotted with black ; back and scapulars, rufous chestnut, barred with 

 black ; rump and tail, rufous chestnut, with a broad black subterminal band 

 and gray tip ; lateral feathers, barred gray and black ; under parts, buff, be- 

 coming white on throat and abdomen, more or less spotted with black on the 

 sides and breast ; sides of face, white, with two vertical black bars. 



Adult female.- — Head like the male; upper parts, including the tail, chestnut 

 rufous, barred with black ; wings, black, with rufous bars ; under parts, white, 

 tinged with buff and streaked, except on the throat and flanks, with light brown. 



Younrf. — Similar to adults. 



Nest in a hollow tree ; eggs, four to five, cream, spotted with reddish-brown, 

 1.35 X 1.10. 



A common resident still more common during migrations. 



One of our most familiar hawks, nesting in hollow trees or old 

 Woodpeckers' nests. In summer it may be seen hovering over the 

 fields catching grasshoppers and field mice, which constitute the bulk 

 of its food. 



