268 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 



Sharp-shinned Hawk : Acdpiter velox. 

 (Plate XV.) 



GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. North America ; breeds through- 

 out the United States, and winters from Massachusetts to 

 Central America. 



Unlike the Goshawk, the Sharp-shinned is one 

 of our commonest birds of prey. Fortunately it 

 is so small that it does little harm in the poultry- 

 yard except in carrying off very small chickens. 

 Doctor Fisher says that its food is made up 

 almost entirely of wild birds and young poultry ; 

 96 per cent, of the contents of the stomachs ex- 

 amined consisted alone of birds. However, as the 

 doctor says, when a pair of the Hawks find a 

 farm where young chickens are easily obtained, 

 they devote themselves to the family until there 

 is no family left, or they themselves meet with a 

 tragic death. 



The one redeeming quality of the Sharp- 

 shinned is its fondness for House Sparrows. 

 Doctor Fisher tells us that in winter it even visits 

 towns and cities for them, being not uncommon 

 in Central Park and the larger parks of Wash- 

 ington. 



Doctor Ralph finds that its numbers are not 

 decreasing as rapidly as those of other Hawks, 

 and attributes it to the retiring habits of the 

 Sharp-shinned, as well as their quick movements, 

 which make it difficult to shoot them. They do 



