﻿452 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. loo 



The two males (taken in August) show signs of molting in the wings ; 

 the females do not. The females are immature and have the breast 

 very heavily streaked with blackish; they also have the upper tail 

 coverts blackish brown like the rest of the upperparts ; the males have 

 these feathers barred with narrow transverse grayish lines. 



This beautiful falcon is primarily a bird of the open savanna, al- 

 though it was at times encountered at clearings in the deciduous 

 seasonal forest. It was not common, three birds being the maximum 

 recorded in any one day. It was recorded in every month of the year 

 and there was no apparent fluctuation in numbers. One of these 

 falcons was seen to overtake and capture a domestic pigeon at full 

 speed over the savanna, no easy feat when the relatively small differ- 

 ence in size between them is considered. 



When attacking another hawk, this falcon was heard uttering a 

 scolding note, ee-ee-ee-ee-ee. 



Local name, ''gavilan," hawk. 



FALCO COLUMBARIUS COLUMBARIUS Linnaeus 



Falco columbarius Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 90 (Amer- 

 ica = Carolina, ex Catesby). 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



1 9 , Cantaura, April 1, 1948; gonads small; iris dark brown, bill blue, with the 

 tip dark, feet and cere yellow-green; gizzard contained remains of a lizard and a 

 bird; immature specimen, showing signs of molt, new dark slate-blue feathers 

 coming in among brown ones on back. 



The pigeon hawk was recorded in April and in November. Though 

 encountered in all types of habitat, it was most often observed in the 

 deciduous seasonal forest edge, where, in April, it followed the great 

 flocks of dickcissels (Spiza americana). It was not a common hawk 

 in the study area. Perhaps half a dozen would be seen in April and 

 considerably fewer in November. 



Local name, "gavilan." 



FALCO SPARVERIUS ISABELLINUS Swainson 



Falco isabelli7ius Swainson, Animals in menageries, 1837, p. 281 (British Guiana). 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



1 c?, Cantaura, February 20, 1945; gonads not enlarged; iris dark brown, feet 

 dull orange, bill dark blue, cere bright orange; plumage fairly abraded. 



This example agrees rather well with a male from British Guiana 

 but has the gray of the top of the head and of the upper wing 

 coverts paler than in the latter example. Both have the underparts 

 immaculate. 



The sparrow hawk was abundant in the deciduous seasonal woods- 

 edge habitat and on the open savanna in the vicinity of telephone 

 poles. It was recorded throughout the year. These birds were ob" 



