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248. Levant Sparrow Hawk. Astur brevipes Severtzoff. 



Not mentioned by Shelley. 



Of uncommon occurrence in Lower Egypt during the winter 

 months. 



Much resembles the sparrow hawk, but can at once be 

 distinguished by the short middle toe, the claw only of which 

 extends beyond the other two, whereas in the sparrow hawk 

 the last joint of the middle toe projects beyond the tips of the 

 claws of the outer and inner toes. In its immature plumage 

 this species has a black streak down the centre of the chin and 

 throat which the sparrow hawk never has. 



249. Sparrow Hawk. Accipiter nisus (Linnaeus). 



Accipiter nisus. Shelley, p. 185. 



Abundant in suitable localities from August to March. 



Length about 15 to 18 inches, depending on the sex, males 

 being smaller than females. Upper parts slate blue, the feathers 

 of the nape and the scapulars having white bases ; below creamy 

 white streaked on the throat and barred on the breast and 

 abdomen with rufous brown ; tail barred with black. Young 

 birds are brown above, and the under parts are browner and 

 often blotched with brown on the breast. Egyptian examples 

 have longer tails and often longer wings than have examples of 

 the typical European form. 



250. Black Kite. Milvus migrans (Boddeert). 



Milvus migrans. Shelley, p. 197. 



Of rare occurrence in Egypt and often confused with the 

 Egyptian yellow-billed kite, which, in immature plumage and 

 when in poor condition, has a black instead of a yellow bill. 



Length 24 inches. Crown pale rufous white streaked with 

 black ; upper parts dark brown ; tail more rufous and barred 

 with black ; under parts rufous brown ; bill black. 



251. Egyptian Yellow-billed Kite. Milvus oegyptius Gmelin. 



Milvus CBgyptius. Shelley, p. 196. 



Abundant and resident in many parts of Egypt, though 

 its distribution, like that of the grey crow, is peculiar. Except 

 as a straggler it is unknown at Alexandria, Suez, and Port Said. 

 It is common in the Faiyiim, though a wanderer only in the 

 Wadi Natrun. A nearly allied form is resident in the Sudan. 



