KEY TO FALCONS, HAWKS, AND EAGLES 285 



tailed, and swift-flying (see Plate XI Y. p. 266, 

 Plate XV. p. 268, and Fig. 166, p. 270), the bene- 

 ficial Buteos are large, shorter-tailed, and slow- 

 flying (see Plate XVI. p. 272), and are often 

 seen soaring high in the sky. Of their number 

 the Eed- tailed hunts in open ground, the Red- 

 shouldered and Broad-winged mainly in wood- 

 land. The Broad-wing may be further discrimi- 

 nated by its smaller size. The Sparrow Hawk is 

 the small Hawk with dark face-stripes seen hov- 

 ering over the meadows (see Fig. 167, p. 277), 

 while the Marsh Hawk is the large, white-rumped 

 mouser seen beating low over the field. (See 

 Plate XVII. p. 278.) The Turkey and Black 

 Vultures are the two scavengers ; both are pri- 

 marily southern birds, and the Black Vulture is 

 rarely seen north of the Carolinas. The Kite is 

 the Hawk Swallow (see Plate XX. p. 284) ; and 

 the Fish Hawk (see Plate XVIII. p. 280) hunts 

 over rivers, lakes, and along seashores, and is 

 sometimes forced to give up its prey to the Bald 

 Eagle. (See Plate XIX. p. 282.) 



Key to Falcons, Hawks, and Eagles. 



1. Head and neck mainly white. 



2. Tail as well as head white ; under parts dark brown or 

 blackish p. 282. BALD EAGLE. 



2'. Tail not white; under parts white. 

 3. Tail forked ; head wholly white ; back glossy bluish 

 black. Southern. 



p. 283. SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. 



