HOW TO KNOW THE BIRDS 



23 



rookery — are the generally 

 chosen nesting site, and al- 

 though at other seasons of the 

 year all members of the Crow- 

 family will usually mob a 

 Hawk of any species, both 

 Kestrel and Sparrow Hawk 

 are allowed to nest near by a 

 colony of Rooks in peace. In 

 flight, all the Hawk tribe 

 appear to possess very short 

 necks, long wings, and tail. 



The Sparrow Hawk is not so 

 frequently seen as the Kestrel, 

 not merely because it is not 

 so common, but also because 

 it does not procure its food 

 by such comparatively slow 

 and conspicuous methods as 

 those adopted by the sky- 

 scraping Kestrel. Hunting 

 hedgerows and coppices, it 

 boldly and suddenly makes a 

 dash at any bird that comes 

 in its way ; nor does it hesitate 

 to attack those larger than itself. 



In all Hawks the female is 

 larger than the male, and 



MEKLIN SITTING ON NEST. 



SPARROW HAWK AND YOUNG. 



this difference is especially 

 noticeable in the Sparrow 

 Hawk, the female being 

 sometimes as much as 

 three inches longer than 

 lur nuite. The Sparrow 

 Hawk's tail is longer in 

 ])roportion to the wings 

 than is the case with the 

 Kestrel. If a close enough 

 view be obtaineti it may 

 be noticed that the ui)per 

 surface of the body is ot a 

 light chestnut colour, whilst 

 lliat of the Sparrow Hawk 

 is a dull l:)rown ; the Ineast 

 of the former is spotted 

 and that of the latter deli- 

 cately barred. 



