182 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



MARSH HAWK (Circus hudsonius) 



The Marsh Hawk is a permanent resident near New York 

 City, but is locally uncommon or absent in summer and in 

 winter. As a transient it is common throughout, and at this 

 season occurs in all types of unforested country. Adult males 

 are comparatively scarce. They occasionally perform com- 

 plicated aerial evolutions, dropping from a height, looping 

 the loop, or turning completely over sideways. Marsh Hawks 

 can always be recognized at any distance by the long, pointed 

 wings, steady flight, and long, squarish tail. 



Long Island. Fairly common summer resident, uncommon 

 permanent resident. Migrants arrive in numbers the third week 

 in March and again in late September. 



ORIENT. Rare summer resident, more common transient ; fre- 

 quently in winter. March 1 to May 15; August 1 to December 1 . 

 MASTIC. Fairly common permanent resident. 

 LONG BEACH. Permanent resident, occasional in summer 

 and frequent in winter, common on migration, which has 

 commenced as early as August 4, 1921 (Bicknell) 

 New York State. Now extirpated as a breeding species except 

 possibly in northern Westchester County, and uncommon at all 

 times of the year near the City. 



CENTRAL PARK. Now very rare or casual during migration; 

 no record since May 15, 1906 (Hix). 



BRONX REGION. Bred in Van Cortlandt Park swamp at 

 least up to 1896 (Dwight); bred in the West Farms marshes 

 in 1909 (Griscom); now an uncommon transient; April 15, 

 1916 (L. N. Nichols); September 18, 1921 (L. N. Nichols) to 

 December 6, 1917 (L. N. Nichols). 



New Jersey. Now rare or absent near the City as a breeding 

 species, but two pairs nest on the Newark Marshes near Elizabeth- 

 port (Urner) and another on the Overpeck Marshes near Leonia 

 (Griscom). Increasing as a summer resident westward and north- 

 ward, but nowhere really common. As a transient common 

 throughout. Not infrequently wintering on the marshes near New 

 York City, but rare or absent northwestward at this season. 



ENGLEWOOD REGION. A pair breeds on the Overpeck 

 Marshes. Common transient, uncommon in winter; always 

 present from mid March to mid May and from early September 

 to December. 



