SUPPLEMENT TO BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY 



99 



Marsh Hawk at Ipswich with its tell-tale bird pellets and two other instances of 

 bird-hunting by Marsh Hawks. On a number of occasions I have observed a 

 Marsh Hawk bird-hunting at Ipswich. In the latter part of June and early July, 

 in 1917, and again in 1918, I have been awakened from my bed in the "forest" 

 on my farm by a great outcry among Robins and Bronzed Crackles, and I have 

 seen a male Marsh Hawk circling over the trees, diving down among them and 

 making off pursued by angry birds. This has happened day after day not only 

 in the early morning but at other times of day. Several times I have found the 

 feathers and other remains of Crackles and Robins in the " forest." Mr. R. A. 

 Nichols, of Salem, reported at a meeting of the Essex County Ornithological Club 

 on April 28, 1919, that a Marsh Hawk had struck with its talons several of his 

 pullets weighing over a pound, but was unable to carry them off. The pullets soon 

 died of the injuries. The hawk succeeded in carrying off a small pullet weighing 

 about three-quarters of a pound. It is a pity that a few individuals should dis- 

 grace the species, for the majority are undoubtedly mouse-hunters and helpful 

 to the farmers. 



The Marsh Hawk has a great variety of cries. A large brown bird, probably 

 a female, was constantly to be seen near a pine grove in the dunes in June and 

 July, 1917. On my approach she would circle above the trees and emit a loud 

 Flicker-like call which sounded like pe'-tcr pe'-ter pe'-tcr. Another bird in Boxf ord 

 I heard call stcc-ivliit-a-ivhtt-a-zvliit. A third, a female who probably had young 

 concealed near, several times flew straight at me to within thirty yards and then 

 sheared up and around. She screamed constantly pec pee pec repeated fifteen or 

 twenty times, and swit, zvat, wat, wat; at times the notes were run together so 

 that they sounded like a whinny. 



Like all hawks this species is frequently set upon by Crows. As a rule the 

 Marsh Hawk circles upward and makes no eft'ort to retaliate when the Crows 

 endeavor to pounce from above on their victim; but, on one occasion at Ipswich, 

 a Marsh Hawk, thus annoyed, while it was peacefully quartering a meadow, 

 turned and struck at one of the Crows with its talons, but failed to hit it. 



The long pointed wings and long tail, the customary manner of flight by 

 quartering the ground, and especially the white rump make the recognition of this 

 bird easy in the field. The adult male is sometimes a beautiful gray blue, while 

 the young and females are brown. Like all hawks they carry the legs extended 

 behind under the tail in flight. When carrying prey in the talons hawks carry 

 it suspended below or at an angle behind toward the tail. They seem to tow it 

 along through the air. 



