THE AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. l 



There seems to be a great difference in the manner of lining their nests. 

 Strictly speaking, the Sparrow Hawk ordinarily makes no nest, depositing its 

 eggs on whatever rubbish may be found in the bottom of the cavity used. 

 Occasionally the eggs are laid on a few leaves or grasses, scarcely deserving 

 the name of a nest. In some localities, however, they are credited with 

 greater energy in -this respect, than is usually the case. Mr. J. W. Preston, 

 of Baxter, Iowa, writes me as follows: "The amount of dry grass and leaves 

 that this species sometimes carries into a hollow for its nest is prodigious. 

 In one case a pair selected a hole in the end of a decayed branch which they 

 rilled with the dry leaves of the post oak a foot in depth, and then enough 

 grass on this to fill a patent bucket." 



Near Camp Harney, Oregon, Sparrow Hawks are very abundant, and I 

 examined a great many of their nests, which usually were very accessible, the 

 majority being placed in natural hollows or the excavations made by Colaptes 

 ciifer or Melanerpes t<>i-</>uitnK in junipers, from 5 to 15 feet from the ground. 

 In nearly every instance the four or five eggs were laid on the few chips 

 usually found in the bottom of these burrows or on the decayed wood and 

 rubbish in the natural cavities which had accumulated therein. 



Dr. James C. Merrill, U. S. Army, found it nesting on ledges and in 

 holes of cliffs and cut banks in Montana, the birds breeding along the lower 

 streams usually laying five eggs, while .those found in the mountains gen- 

 erally laid but four. Even when persistently disturbed the Sparrow Hawk 

 will return to the same nesting site from year to year. They are diligent 

 layers, usually depositing a second set and occasionally a third should they 

 lose the first. 



Mr. C. J. Pennock states: "In the spring of 1872 three sets of five eggs 

 each, evidently from the same pair of birds, were taken at intervals of ten 

 davs each, from a partly decaying chestnut tree in southeastern Pennsylvania. 

 In the spring of 1873 the same pair of birds probably occupied the old nesting 

 site again, and on April 24 a set of five eggs was taken; on May 6, another 

 set of tour, and on May 23 the nest contained four more eggs, two of which 

 were taken. On May 29 another egg had been deposited, making fourteen 

 eggs laid by the same bird. The last varied greatly from the first eggs laid, 

 being much smaller; the greatest difference, however, is in their color, the last 

 eggs (the smallest) being but slightly marked, and one was almost white." 1 



Incubation lasts about three weeks; the young when first hatched are 

 covered with fine white down and their heads, as is the case with most 

 young birds of prey, are nearly as large as the remaining part of the body. 

 Both parents assist in incubation and are very solicitous in the care of their 

 family." No other birds are allowed to come in the vicinity of their nest 

 at such times without subjecting themselves to a vicious attack, and it makes 

 no difference if the intruder has greatly the advantage in size, as they will 

 attack a Swainson's or a Red-tailed Hawk as readily as any other bird. 



1 Bulletiu Nuttall Oruitliological Club, Vol. Ill, 1H7H, p. 41. 



