FAMILIES FALCONID^E AND ACCIPITRID^E 



on a sudden burst of speed to seize it. Famil- 

 iar examples in the United States are the 

 Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks. 



The Buteo type comprises medium sized 

 and large species, having rather large broad 

 wings, the tail usually short and rounded and 

 a rather heavy body. They can usually soar 

 well but are not particularly active, spending 

 much of their time sitting quietly on some 

 perch, often in deep woods, watching the 

 ground for the small mammals or reptiles, 

 which, rather than birds, form the bulk of 

 their prey; most of them are not above 

 feeding on dead animals if, as often happens, 

 they can catch no living ones. The compara- 

 tively tame and easily killed species of this 

 group, generally harmless and often useful 

 creatures, are the usual victims of the hos- 

 tility which the chicken-killing habits of the 

 Accipiter group arouse. Familiar species of 

 this type in the United States are the Red- 

 tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks. 



The eagles are very large-sized species, 

 most of which conform more or less to the 

 Buteo type. 



The kites are medium-sized, light-bodied 

 species with very large wings and usually 

 quite a square tail. They have great power of 

 long-sustained flight, ranging over the coun- 

 try in an irregular manner, flying usually at a 

 moderate height and searching the ground 

 below for their prey, which they pick up with 

 a graceful swoop, but which consists mostly 

 of very small creatures only. There are no 

 familiar and common representatives in the 

 United States; the Marsh Hawk has rather 



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