THE BIRD BOOK 



356b. PEALE'S FALCON. 



Falco peregrinus pealei. 



Range. Pacific coast from northern United 

 States north to Alaska. 



A darker form of the preceding, such as oc- 

 curs in this section with a great many other 

 birds. The nesting habits and the eggs are 

 precisely like those of the Duck Hawk. 



357. PIGEON HAWK. Falco columbarius 

 columbarius. 



Pigeon Hawk 



Brownish buff 



Range. North America, breeding chiefly north 

 of the United States except in some of the higher 

 ranges along our northern border. A small Fal- 



con, about 11 inches long, often confused with the Sharp-shinned Hawk, but 

 much darker and a more stoutly built bird. It is a daring species, often attack- 

 ing birds larger than itself; it also feeds on mice, grasshoppers, squirrels, etc. 

 They generally build a nest of sticks in trees, deep in the woods; less often in 

 natural cavities of dead trees; and sometimes on rocky ledges. Their four or 

 five eggs have a brownish buff ground color, heavily blotched with brown and 

 chestnut. Size 1.50 x 1.22 



357a. BLACK PIGEON HAWK. Falco columbarius suckleyi. 



Range. Pacific coast from northern United States north to Alaska. 



Very similar in appearance to the preceding, uM^MKftaaKSgraag^^HBIBI 

 but much darker, both above and below. Its j 

 nesting habits and eggs will not differ in any i %- 



manner from those of the Pigeon Hawk. 



357b. RICHARDSON'S PIGEON HAWK. 

 Falco columbarius richardsoni. 



Range. Interior of North America from the 

 Mississippi to the Rockies and from Mexico to 

 the Saskatchewan. 



This species is similar to the Pigeon Hawk, 

 but is paler both above and below, and the tail 

 bars are more numerous and white. Their 

 nesting habits are the same as those of the 

 preceding species, they either building in hol- 

 low trees, or making a rude nest of sticks and 

 twigs in the tops of trees. The eggs have a 

 creamy ground and are sprinkled with dots 

 and blotches of various shades of brown. Size 

 1.60 x 1.23. The egg figured is one of a beau- 

 tiful set of four in the collection of Mr. C. W. 

 Crandall. 



220 



Richardson's Pigeon Hawk 



