118 
GENERA—ACCIPITER AND AstuR. ACCIPITERS. SHORT-WINGED HAWKS. 
General Description. Hawks with short rounded wings and long tail. 
The Accipitrine Hawks are woodland birds which beat about the tree 
tops or along the edges of the woods; they do not habitually soar high in the 
open. They take their prey by surprise and quick attack rather than by 
open pursuit. Their short wings and long tail, giving rapid bursts of speed 
and quite flexible evolution, are well adapted for such manceuvres but not 
suited to sustained effort. 
Economic Status. 'These are the only common species of Canadian 
Hawks for which little good can be claimed. They are active and spirited 
and though without the great strength and endurance of the true Falcons 
do far more real damage than their larger and heavier relatives. The 
term ‘‘Chicken Hawk” popularly applied to any small Hawk receives its 
meaning from these birds. They never eat carrion but always make fresh 
kills, rarely if ever returning to partly devoured prey. Fortunately the 
two commonest species are the smaller and their capacity iv: damage is 
reduced in consequence. The one large and powerful member of the group, 
the Goshawk, is of more limited distribution and except,in occasional 
winters is rarely seen in the more settled parts of southern Cumada. 
332. Sharp-shinned Hawk. CHICKEN HAWK. FR.—L’EPERVIER BRUN. Accipiter 
velox. L,11-25. Plate XII A. 
Distribution. As a rule, size will distinguish the Sharp-shinned Hawk from all except 
the Sparrow Hawk, but its evident non-falcon characters will prevent confusion. A large 
female will measure closely to a small male Cooper’s Hawk of which it is a perfect minia- 
ture in coloration. It differs from that species in having a square instead of a rounded 
tail, when closed the outer feathers being quite as long as the inner ones instead of obviously 
shorter. The tarsus is also comparatively thinner and more slender, a difference that is 
quite perceptible on comparison of specimens. 
Field Marks. ‘The short, round wings, long tail, and flight by a series of alternating 
quick even strokes and short sails will mark this species as an Accipiter. Its tail being 
square instead of round is a guide to identification from the Cooper’s Hawk, but size is 
the most reliable difference. 
Nesting. In trees, usually conifers from 10 to 40 feet up. 
Distribution. Over nearly the whole of North America, north, probably, to the tree 
imits. It breeds in eastern Canada everywhere except in the most southern parts of the 
lower Great Lakes region. 
This is the second smallest Hawk we have. It has not the sustained 
strength or persistency of the ‘‘ Noble Falcons’’, but it is active and agile. 
It makes bold dashes at its prey, but on missing the stroke seldom follows it 
up by pursuit and almost never strikes on the wing, as the ‘“‘ Noble Falcons’’ 
do. 
Economic Status. This is the species that should have been called 
‘‘American Sparrow Hawk” instead of the little Faleon which has been 
so-named. It is a close relative, and the American representative of the 
European Sparrow Hawk which is also an Accipiter. The name would 
suit this bird excellently as the smaller sparrows and other birds are its 
favourite food. 
Of 107 stomachs examined, 6 contained poultry or game birds; 99, 
other birds; 6, mice; and 5, insects. This gives 105 harmful food contents 
against 11 good ones. The mice consisted of no more than 9 individuals, 
but the small birds numbered 115, from Kinglets to a Mourning Dove in 
size. This makes a strong case against this otherwise rather interesting 
