HAWKS, EAGLES, AND KITES 



293 



FIG. 85. Square tail of Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk. 



"Of 124 stomachs examined, 7 contained poultry, or game birds; 

 34, other birds; 57, mice; 22, other mammals; 7, reptiles; 2 frogs; 

 14, insects; 1, indeterminate matter, and 8 were empty" (Fisher). 



332. Accipiter velox (Wils.). SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. Ads. Upper- 

 parts slaty gray; primaries barred with blackish; tail nearly square, ashy 

 gray, with blackish cross-bars and a whitish tip ; throat white, streaked with 

 blackish; rest of underparts barred with white and ochraceous-bufl or pale 

 rufous. Im. Upperparts fuscous, margined 

 with rufous; primaries and tail much as in 

 the ad.; underparts white or buffy white, 

 streaked or spotted with blackish or pale 

 rufous-brown. <? L., 11'25; W., 6'60; T.,5'50; 

 B. from N., '40. 9 L., 13'50; W., 8'00; T., 

 7-00. 



Remarks. This species very closely 

 resembles Cooper's Hawk. In adult plum- 

 age the black cap characterizes that species, 

 but immature birds may be distinguished 

 only by size, and the difference in the shape 

 of the tail, which in velox is nearly square, 

 and in cooperi decidedly rounded. 



Range. N. A. Breeds nearly through- 

 out the U. S. and Canada from nw. Alaska, 

 nw. Mackenzie, s. Keewatin, cen. Que., and 



^. F. southward; winters from B. C., Colo., 



owa, n. Ohio, and Mass. s. to Panama. 



Washington, common P. R. Ossining, common P. R. Cambridge, 



ommon T. V., Apl. 3-May 11; Sept. 5-Oct. 25; rare S. R., uncommon W. 

 V. N. Ohio, not common P. R., a few winter. Glen Ellyn, not common S. 

 R., Mch. 19-Dec. 9. SE. Minn., common S. R., Mch. 28-Dec. 28. 



Nest, in trees, 15-40 feet up. Eggs, 3-6, bluish white to pale cream-buff, 



listinctly spotted, heavily blotched, or even washed with chocolate or cin- 



lamon-rufous, 1*55 x 1*20. Date, Weaverville, N. C., May 1; Northampton 



>>., Pa., May 14; Cambridge, May 20; Knox Co., Ohio, May 11; se. 



Viiim., May 8. 



The generally misapplied names "Hen Hawk" and "Chicken 

 Tawk" should be restricted to the birds of the genera Accipiter and 

 Astur for they deserve the reputation commonly attributed to the 

 arge Hawks of the genus Buteo. 



The Sharp-shinned Hawk differs decidedly in habits from the mouse- 

 T insect-eating species, which watch for their prey from a lookout 

 ,nd capture it on the ground. It is a fearless, daring, aggressive bird, 

 and flying swiftly, rather low, either in the open or through woods, 

 t makes sudden dashes at the frightened birds, which hurry to cover 

 -o escape its talons. One hears a commotion among the birds; calls of 

 alarm, and a dark form darts through the foliage in close pursuit, or, 

 missing its aim, alights in the center of some thickly leaved tree, there 

 to await in silence a fresh opportunity. I have seen it follow its prey on 

 'oot through the undergrowth. Sometimes it may be seen soaring in 

 narrow circles, when its disproportionately long tail forms a good field 

 iharacter. 



It is usually a voiceless bird except during the nesting season, when 

 i too close approach to its nest causes it to utter its peculiar notes. 



