THE BIRD BOOK 



360. SPARROW HAWK. Falco sparverius. 



Range. North America, east of the Rocky 

 Mountains and north to Hudson Bay; winters 

 from the middle portions of the United States, 

 southward. 



This beautiful lit- 

 tle Falcon is the 

 smallest of the Am- 

 erican Hawks, being 

 only 10 inches in 

 length. They are 

 very abundant in the 

 east, nesting any- 

 where in cavities in 

 trees, either in 

 woods or open fields. 

 The eggs are gener- 

 ally deposited upon 

 the bottom of the 



cavity with no lining; they are creamy or yel- 

 lowish buff in color, sprinkled, spotted or 

 blotched in endless variety, with reddish brown. 

 Size 1.35 x 1.10. These birds are very noisy, 

 especially when the young are learning to fly, uttering a loud, tinkling, "killy, 

 killy, killy." They have a very amiable disposition, and frequently nest har- 

 moniously in the same tree with other birds, such as Flickers and Robins. 



360b. ST. LUCAS SPARROW HAWK. Falco sparverius peninsularis. 



Range. Lower California. 



This variety is smaller than the eastern, and even paler than the western 

 form. Eggs identical with eastern specimens. 



[361.] CUBAN SPARROW HAWK. Falco sparveroides. 



A darker colored West Indian form, whose habits and nesting do not vary 

 from those of the common Sparrow Hawk; casually taken in Florida. 



Buffy 



Sparrow Hawk 



Egg of Golden Eagle 

 222 



