174 



BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



The Pigeon Hawk appears to be a rare transient in this State, our only records 

 being October 1, 1886; April 21 and 23, 1888; April 19, 1902; September 2, 1910; 

 and October 4, 1914, all from Raleigh, a single specimen being taken on each date. 

 Cairns secured a female in Buncombe County on October 19, 1894. 



FIG. 134. PIGEON HAWK. 



158. Falco sparverius sparverius (Linn.}. SPARROW HAWK. 



Description. Male, back tawny, wings bluish and black, tail chestnut with a broad black 

 band near tip, below whitish or tawny. Female with back and wing-coverts rusty, barred with 

 black; tail tawny, with several black bars. L., 10.00; W., 7.25; T., 4.75. 



Range. North and South America. 



Range in North Carolina. Whole State, apparently resident. 



FIG. 135. SPARROW HAWK. 



The handsome little Sparrow Hawk is a common bird throughout the State and 

 occurs at all seasons, but appears to be much less in evidence during the summer 

 months. Cairns stated that in Buncombe County it bred in April and May. Pear- 

 son found a nest with four eggs May 10, 1902, at Greensboro. This was in the 

 hollow of a living oak tree, near the Greensboro Female College and within fifteen 

 feet of a railway. He also recorded a nest found at Chapel Hill in May, 1898, 

 which held three fresh eggs. C. S. Brimley on May 31, 1913, saw a pair appar- 

 ently nesting in the hollow of a dead tree at Sunburst, Haywood County. 



Although feeding occasionally on small birds, and more frequently on mice and 

 lizards, it confines itself mainly to insects, especially the easily procured grass- 

 hoppers. 



