BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 137 



SUBFAMILY FALCONIN-flJ. FALCONS. 



GENUS FALCO* LINN^US. 

 Falco peregrinus anatum (BONAP.). 



Duck Hawk ; Great-footed Hawk. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 85). 



Size as well as colors variable. A female before me is 20 inches long, and meas- 

 ures from tip to tip 46 inches ; tail 8. Male smaller. Above blackish-brown or 

 slaty-black, and many feathers with paler edgings ; chin, throat, fore part of neck 

 and upper breast yellowish white, and sometimes nearly immaculate, but usually 

 more or less streaked or spotted ; showy black ear patches ; frontal feathers whitish, 

 rest of under parts barred and streaked with blackish and lighter colors; young 

 birds are more brown, and lower parts are much more spotted with dark and less 

 barred. Bill bluish-black, except about base, like cere is yellowish ; legs yellow ; iris 

 brown. 



Habitat. North America at large. 



This bold and predatory hawk, the largest of the typical falcons 

 found in this region, retires, usually, during the summer time to the 

 mountainous districts, generally in the neighborhood of large streams, 

 and in the winter season (fall, winter and early spring) it is found as an 

 irregular visitor in nearly all sections of our commonwealth. The Duck 

 Hawk breeds in several localities in Pennsylvania, and in some parts of 

 the state it is reported to be quite common. The late Judge Libhart, 

 of Lancaster county, twelve or fifteen years ago observed it as a " resi- 

 dent, common on the Susquehanna." Dr. Treichler, Mr. Roddy and 

 other more recent observers, report the Duck Hawk in Lancaster county 

 as a rather rare visitor, commonly seen in winter. The following 

 gentlemen report this species as a native: Hon. Gerard C. Brown, 

 Casper Loucks and George Miller, all of York county, state that it is a 

 regular breeder oil the high cliffs about the Susquehanna. Concerning 

 the bird Mr. George Miller furnishes the following notes : " Found nest 

 of Duck Hawk April 7, 1880. It contained four eggs slightly incubated ; 

 hawk on nest when discovered, along Susquehanna river near mouth of 

 Codorus creek. Nest about one-third down from top of a high cliff on 

 shelf with overhanging rock ; nest made of rocky debris found lying 

 about. Remains of birds, such as tame pigeons, flickers, blackbirds, 

 etc., upon which the Duck Hawks had evidently been feeding, were found 



* Birds of this genus can easily be distinguished from all others of the family by the toothed beak. The 

 Sparrow Hawk, like the members of the genera Buteo and Archibuteo. merits protection, as it feeds mainly 

 on destructive insects and rodents, and also destroying many English Sparrows. The Pigeon and Duck 

 Hawks are not classed with the beneficial raptores; they seldom prey on insects or mice, but destroy 

 numerous kinds of birds. The Duck Hawk is particularly bold and predacious; he devours poultry, wild 

 ducks and many other kinds of game, birds, etc. The wings are long and pointed; the flight is vigorous 

 and rapid; bill short, stout and wide at base with a prominent tooth and notch near the end. The upper 

 mandible is strongly curved to the sharp-pointed end; nostrils circular, with prominent central tubercle; 

 tarsi stout, short and feathered only slightly in front; middle toe long; claws much curved, long and very 

 sharp. 



