ANNOTATED LIST OF THE BIRDS 183 



SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (Accipiter velox) 

 This and the next two species can be readily distinguished 

 from our other Hawks by their short rounded wings and long 

 tails, which are never pointed. The dashing flight is usually 

 in alternate periods of flapping and sailing. When migrating 

 they usually fly at a great height, but when hunting they fly 

 below the tree-tops. Shy and wary, they are seldom seen 

 perched, and a really good study of one is exceptional. As a 

 result the identification of the several species in life is quite 

 critical, as it is with most of our Hawks. Indeed it is no 

 exaggeration to say that none of our local birds are so fre- 

 quently misidentified, on imaginary characters as well. 



Anyone who knows enough to recognize an Accipiter 

 when he sees it can hope to distinguish the Sharp-shinned 

 from the Cooper's on a fair proportion of occasions. Adults 

 of both are bluish-gray above, but the Cooper's has a black- 

 ish cap. In this plumage both species are finely barred below. 

 This will serve to eliminate the adult Pigeon Hawk, which is 

 heavily streaked below, should a tame bird be found perched, 

 when the cut of wings and tail is indeterminable. There are 

 no color differences in immature birds. When it comes to 

 size, the difference between a male Sharp-shinned and a 

 female Cooper's is so marked as to be readily noticeable. 

 Female Sharp-shins and male Cooper's cannot, however, be 

 separated safely by size in life. The Sharp-shinned often has a 

 square tail, the Cooper's a distinctly rounded one, but large 

 Sharp-shins often have a partially rounded tail. This char- 

 acter is not, therefore, the absolute one that many students 

 believe it to be. 



The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a common transient through- 

 out our area, often abundant in well-marked flights with a 

 northwest wind in the fall, these flights best marked at the 

 eastern end of Long Island and in the hills of northern New 

 Jersey. It is uncommon in winter and summer. 



Long Island. Common transient, uncommon permanent 

 resident. 



