159 



BHARP-SHINNEl) HAWK. 

 Acclpiter velox. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Adult.— Vpiier parts uniform dark bluish-gray; top o£ head 

 somewhat darker; tail is marked with several transverse 



blackish bands; lower parts white; the breast and sides 

 lieing barred with brownish black or rufous. Iris, reddish- 

 cirange. 



Immature — Upper parts dusky; usually, with numerous 

 lighter spots, and the feathers more or less conspicuously 

 bordered with rusty; lower parts whitish, marked with brown 

 and dusky streaks. Iris, light yellow. 



A large female of this species measures about H inches in 

 length by 26 inches in extent; the even or slightly notched 

 tail measures about 8% inches; the male is smaller. 



JEra6t7o<.— North America at large. Common in Pennsylva- 

 nia, particularly in sparsely settled regions. 



The Sharii-shiuued Hawk is known in different sec- 

 tions of Pennsylvania l\y a variety of local names, the 

 most common of which are, "partridge" or "little quail 

 hawk," "pigeon hawk," and "brown hawk." Unfor- 

 tunately much of this hawk's destructive work in the 

 [)oultry yard and to game and small wild birds is 

 wrongfully attributed to the beautfful and servicable 

 Sparrow Hawk, which, on account of its size, is fro- 

 (luently mistaken by farmers, poultry-raisers and 

 s{)ortsmen for the Sharp-shinned Hawk which annual- 

 ly destroy,s a large amount of domestic fowls, quail and 

 grouse. 



This extremely daring and spirited little hawk is one 

 of the most abundant of our North American species. 

 It is found in Pennsylvania as a resident, but during 

 The spring and fall migtations— March, April, Septem- 

 ber and October--it is plentiful, being frequently met 

 with in the mountainous and heavily-wooded districts. 

 :is w.'ll as in the rnUivated and ricli agricultural re- 

 gions. Aitlioiigh ,1 native throughout the State, it is 



