260 The Falcon-like Birds 



This active and daring little Hawk is found throughout the whole of North Amer- 

 ica, breeding in nearly every state of the Union and north as far as the Arctic 

 Circle, and in winter is found from about parallel 40 N. southward as far as 

 Guatemala. It is one of the most destructive and pernicious of all our birds of 

 prey, since it feeds almost entirely on wild birds and young poultry, only occa- 

 sionally adding to its bill of fare a few insects, mice, or reptiles. Of 159 stomachs 

 examined by Dr. Fisher, 6 contained poultry or game birds; 99, other birds; 

 n, mice and insects; while 52 were empty. A very large percentage of the 

 destruction of poultry is to be charged to this bird and its immediate relatives, 

 for when they discover a locality whence small chickens are to be easily obtained, 

 they usually continue the depredations "until the supply gives out, or they them- 

 selves meet a tragic death." It is exceedingly swift on the wing and comes and 

 goes with such suddenness, when it visits the farmyard, that it is almost impossible 

 to shoot it. While it lives perhaps mainly on small birds, it does not hesitate 

 to attack species as large as or larger than itself, such as Wild Pigeons, Quail, 

 Mourning Doves, Purple Crackles, etc. "Its flight when in pursuit of its prey," 

 says Bendire, "is unerring and swift. No matter which way the selected victim 

 may turn and double, his untiring pursuer is equally prompt, and only rarely 

 will it miss capturing its quarry." The Sharp-shinned Hawk builds a rather 

 bulky nest in a tree, often an evergreen, or rarely may make use of a hollow in 

 a tree. The nest when outside is made of sticks of various sizes and is lined with 

 small twigs or strips of bark. The complement of eggs is usually four or five, 

 these being profusely spotted and blotched with various shades of brown. The 

 female alone appears to perform the duties of incubation. 



The Cooper's Hawk (A. cooperi] resembles the Sharp-shinned Hawk except 

 in size, being from fourteen to twenty inches long, and by the fact that the end of 

 the tail is rounded rather than straight or slightly notched. It does not range 

 quite so far north, its breeding range being, with the exception of Alaska, nearly 

 coextensive with the United States, where, however, it is widely distributed. It 

 is even more destructive to birds and poultry than the last, possibly doing more 

 harm than all other Hawks combined. It does not appear to be fond of small 

 rodents, insects, or reptiles, and apparently only takes them when other food 

 fails. Dr. Fisher found that of 133 whose stomachs were examined, 86 had been 

 feeding on poultry, game birds, or other birds, and only 17 on mammals, frogs, 

 lizards, and insects. In the remainder of those examined the stomach was 

 empty. Bendire gives the following account of the habits of this species: "The 

 flight of Cooper's Hawk is both easy and graceful, and ordinarily not especially 

 swift. He may often be seen skimming along close to the ground, in rather a 

 desultory manner, usually skirting the edges of open woods or clearings; but 

 once in sight and active pursuit of its selected prey, it darts in and out through 

 the densest thickets with amazing swiftness, where it would seem impossible for 

 it to follow successfully. It manages, however, with the assistance of its long 

 tail, which helps it very materially, to turn suddenly and double with remarkable 

 ease, even in dense undergrowth, arresting its flight instantly, and darting off, 

 perhaps at a right angle, the next second to capture its selected victim." Ordi- 



