THE BIEDS OF NEW JERSEY. 167 



357 Falco columbarius Linnaeus. 

 Pigeon Hawk. 



Adults. Length, male, 10-11; female, 12-13. Wing, male, 7.50; female, 

 8.50. Above, bluish-slate, with black shaft streaks; tail, black, tipped with 

 white and barred with gray ; wings, black, with white bars on inner webs ; 

 bases of feathers on the hind neck, white and buff ; under parts, buff, whiter 

 on breast and throat; everywhere streaked with black. 



Young in first year. Brown above, with tail and wing markings buff ; under 

 parts, deep buff, streaked with blackish-brown. 



A rather common transient visitant, most frequent along the coast. 

 In southern New Jersey it is a casual winter resident. 



It has been observed as late as April 21st, and as early as September 

 14th. 



Dr. C. C. Abbott has mentioned this species as breeding near Tren- 

 ton, but there is no confirmation in the experience of others, nor has 

 its nest been found nearer than the mountainous parts of northern 

 New York, so far as I am aware. 



360 Falco sparverius Linnaeus. 

 Sparrow Hawk. 



PLATE 33. 



Adults. Length, male, 9-10.50; female, 9.50-12. Wing, 6.60-8.10. Crown, 

 blue-gray, with rufous center ; wing feathers, black, with white bars ; coverts, 

 blue-gray, spotted with black ; back and scapulars, rufous chestnut, barred with 

 black ; rump and tail, rufous chestnut, with a broad black subterminal band 

 and gray tip ; lateral feathers, barred gray and black ; under parts, buff, be- 

 coming white on throat and abdomen, more or less spotted with black on the 

 sides and breast ; sides of face, white, with two vertical black bars. 



Adult female. Head like the male; upper parts, including the tail, chestnut 

 rufous, barred with black ; wings, black, with rufous bars ; under parts, white, 

 tinge"d with buff and streaked, except on the throat and flanks, with light brown. 



Young. Similar to adults. 



Nest in a hollow tree ; eggs, four to five, cream, spotted with reddish-brown, 

 1.35 x 1.10. 



A common resident still more common during migrations. 



One of our most familiar hawks, nesting in hollow trees or old 

 Woodpeckers 5 nests. In summer it may be seen hovering over the 

 fields catching grasshoppers and field mice, which constitute the bulk 

 of its food. 



