16 • NEW- YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



THE AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. 



Falco sparverius. 



plate vii. fig. 16. 



(STATE COLLECTION. Male & Female.) 



American Sparrow Hawk. Wils. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 117, pi. 16, fig. 1 (female); and Vol. 4, p. 57, pi. 32, fig. 2 



(male). Nuttall, Manual, Vol. 1, p. 53. 

 LUtle Rutty-crowned Falcon. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 31, pi. 24 (male). 

 Sparrow Falcon. Add. B. of A. Vol. 1, p. 90, pi. 22 (male and female). 

 Ccrchncis sparverius. BoNAP. Geographical and Comp. List, p. 5. 

 Sparrow Hawk, F. sparverius. Giraud, Birds of Long Island, p. 16. 



Characteristics. Crown, back and tail reddish ; wings slate blue ; beneath whitish spotted 

 with black; cheeks white, with irregular black marks. Tail with a 

 white subterminal band. Female and young with the tail many-banded. 

 Length, 12 inches. 



Description. Bill much curved, with a slight indentation on the upper mandible, and 

 anterior to that a sharp tooth fitting into a corresponding cavity in the lower mandible, which 

 is truncated at the tip. Nostrils oval, with a central column. Second or third primary 

 longest. Tail rounded. Tarsus reticulate. Toes scutellate ; under each joint a rounded 

 elevation. Wings shorter than the tail. 



Color. Bill and supraorbital space bluish grey. Crown of the head orange brown. Back 

 and upper part of tail bright ferruginous. Tail with a broad black subterminal band, tipped 

 with white or yellowish white. Lateral tail-feathers white, spotted with black. 5-7 irregu- 

 lar black spots surrounding the head. Chin, throat, and all beneath white or cream-colored ; 

 the flanks and sides of the breast with arrow-head and rounded brownish spots. Under- 

 neath the wings, spotted ; the primaries barred with brown. Female, entirely reddish brown 

 above, barred with black. Tail with 10-12 black bars. Young resembles the female. 



Length, 10'0-12-0. Alar extent, 20-0-23'0. 



This common and well known little falcon has a wide geographical range. It has been 

 found from the 54th degree of south latitude, to the same degree north. It scarcely ever 

 builds a nest, but occupies those of other birds, laying 5-7 buff-colored eggs with dark 

 blotches. A few remain in this State during the whole winter. It feeds on smaller birds, 

 but chiefly on quadrupeds, reptiles and insects. It is easily tamed. Peculiar to America. 



{EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 



F. gyrfaleo. (Aw. B. of A. Vol. 1, p. 81, pL 19.) White, with arrow-head black spots; bill and 

 feet yellow. Length, 24 inches. Labrador. 



