FALCONS, CARACARAS, ETC. 305 



356. Falco peregrinus ana turn (Bonap.). DUCK HAWK. Ads. 

 Upperparts dark bluish slate-color; primaries barred with ochraceous; tail 

 indistinctly barred with blackish and tipped with white; underparts cream- 

 buff, barred and spotted with black, except on the breast. Im. Upperparts 

 fuscous, more or less margined with ochraceous or rufous ; region below the 

 eye black; ear-coverts buffy; wings as in the ad.; upper surface of the tail 

 barred with grayish, under surface barred with ochraceous-buff; uriderparts 

 cream-buff or ochraceous-buff, streaked, spotted or barred with black, d" L., 

 16-00; W., 12-25; T., 6'50; B. from N., '68. 9 L., 19'00; W., 14'00; T., 7;50. 



Range. N. and S. A. Breeds locally (except in nw. Coast Region) 

 from Norton Sound, Alaska, n. Mackenzie, Boothia Peninsula, and w. cen. 

 Greenland s. to cen. L. Calif., Ariz., sw. Tex., Kans., Mo., Ind., Pa., and 

 Conn, (in mountains to S. C.); winters from s. B. C., Colo., and N. J. (occas- 

 ionally further n.) to the West Indies and Panama; occurs also in s. S.^A. 



Washington, rare and irregular W. V. Ossining, casual. Cambridge, 

 rare T. V., casual in winter. SE. Minn., uncommon S. R., Apl. 4. 



Nest, on rocky cliffs and in the hollow limbs of tall trees. Eggs, 3-4, 

 creamy white, heavily marked with cinnamon-brown, to pale reddish brown, 

 more or less marked with shades of the same color, 2*05 x 1*68. Date, 

 Wyoming Co., Pa., Apl. 18, inc. adv.; Mt. Tom, Mass., Apl. 23. 



This species is the "Noble Peregrine" of falconry. It would be 

 difficult to imagine a bird more highly endowed with qualities which 

 make the ideal bird of prey. Its strength of wing and talon is equaled 

 by its courage. Few birds fly more swiftly than the Duck Hawk. Even 

 Teal those winged bullets can not escape it. No bird is more daring. 

 I have had Duck Hawks dart down to rob me of wounded Snipe lying 

 almost at my feet, nor did my ineffective shots prevent them from 

 returning. Duck Hawks are generally found near water, where they 

 prey largely on water birds. 



"Of 20 stomachs examined, 7 contained poultry or game birds; 9, 

 other birds; 1, mice; 2, insects; and 4 were empty" (Fisher). 



The PEREGRINE FALCON, or OLD WORLD DUCK HAWK (856. Falco 

 peregrinus peregrinus) is of casual occurrence in Greenland. 



357. Falco columbarius columbarius (Linn.). PIGEON HAWK. Ads. 

 Upperparts slaty blue, a broken buffy or rusty collar on the neck; pri- 

 maries barred with white ; tail with three or four distinct grayish white bars 

 and a white tip; underparts varying from cream-buff to deep ochraceous, 

 streaked with blackish, except on the throat. Im. Upperparts fuscous 

 or brownish fuscous, a broken buffy collar on the nape; primaries barred 

 with ochraceous ; tail with three or four incomplete buffy bars and a whitish 

 tip; underparts much as in the ad. L., IO'OO-13'OO; W., 8'00; T., 5'50; B. 

 from N., '45. 



Remarks. This little Falcon bears some resemblance to a Duck Hawk, 

 but is much smaller. 



Range. N. A. to n. S. A. Breeds from nw. Alaska and nw. Mackenzie s. 

 in the mountains to Calif, and s. Ore., and from cen. Keewatin, n. Ungava, 

 and N. F. s. to n. Mich., cen. Ont., and Maine; winters from Calif, and the 

 Gulf States (casually further n. ) s. to Venezuela. 



Washington, not uncommon T. V. Ossining, tolerably common T. V., 

 Apl. 1-May 11; Aug. 10-Oct. 15. Cambridge, common T. V., Apl. 25-May 

 5; Sept. 25-Oct. 20; occasional in winter. N. Ohio, rare P. R. Glen Ellyn, 

 regular but rare T. V., Apl. 26-May 5; Sept. 10-Oct. 16. SE. Minn., Apl. 

 13. 



Nest, in trees, in hollow limbs, or on cl'ffs. Eggs, 45 creamy white, 

 more or less heavily marked with reddish brown or chocolate, to reddish 



