104 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



PRAIRIE FALCON. 



Falco mexicanus. 



The Prairie Falcon inhabits the western United States from the 

 eastern border of the Great Plains to the Pacific, and from the northern 

 boundary southward into Mexico. It winters from Kansas, Colorado, 

 southern Idaho, and southern Washington southward, and breeds in 

 suitable locahties throughout its range. 



The food of this Falcon consists of birds, mammals, reptiles, and the 

 larger insects. Among birds it is partial to prairie hens, doves, black- 

 birds, and in fact any species whose size furnishes a tempting lure. In 

 the destruction of injurious rodents it is of considerable service. 

 Gophers, prairie dogs, rabbits, and mice are greedily devoured, and 

 often in localities where colonies of the first two animals occur it is 

 seen flying over or sitting near the 'towns' on the lookout for the ap- 

 pearance of its prey. Lizards are occasionally taken, and, among the 

 insects, the large crickets and grasshoppers which are so abundant 

 in some sections of the West are also eaten. 



The following is what Mr. Robert Ridgway says of the food of the 

 species: "This daring Falcon was a rather common species throughout 

 the Great Basin. ItwasfirstobservedontheSlstof October, 1867, atthe 

 Humboldt Marshes [Nev.], where we saw one swoop upon a flock of 

 tame j)igeons at the stage station. Late in [N'ovember, of the same year, 

 it was noticed again among the marshes along the Garson River, near 

 Genoa, where it was observed to watch and follow the Marsh Hawks 

 {Circus hudsonius), comx)elling them to give up their game, which was 

 caught by the Falcon before it reached the ground; this piracy being 

 not an occasional, but a systematic habit. In the Truckee Valley we 

 saw one snatch a young chicken from a doorj-ard, in tlie presence of 

 several spectators. The quarry of this Falcon is by no means confined 

 to animals smaller than itself, however, for the specimen in our collec- 

 tion was killed while leisurely eating a Jackass Rabbit {Lepus callotis), 

 an animal of nearly twice his weight, and which he had carried to the 

 top of a fence post by the roadside. He exhibited no alarm at the ap- 

 proach of our buggy, but continued tearing and devouring his prey. 

 We had even passed by him, without seeing him, when the quick eye of 

 Mr. Parker detected him in time for a shot." (U. S. Geol. Explor. of the 

 Fortieth Parallel, King, vol. iv, 1877, p. 577.) Dr. Cones reported finding 

 one of these birds feeding on an allied species of hare which is fully as 

 large as the above-mentioned one. 



Dr. George Bird Grinnell says of this Falcon : " It was seen daily 

 pursuing the blackbirds about the station, and at Medicine Bow one of 

 these birds had almost depopulated the only dove-cote in the town.'- 

 (Forest and Stream, vol. xii, 1879, p. 365.) 



