16 
NEW-YORK FAUNA-BIRDS. 
THE AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. 
Falco sparverius. 
PLATE m FIG. 16. 
(STATE COLLECTION. Male & Female.) 
American Sparrow Hawk. Wils. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 117, pi. 16, fig. 1 (female); and Vol. 4, p. 57, pi. 32, fig. 2 
(male). Nuttall, Manual, Vol. 1, p. 59. 
Little Rusty-croicned Falcon. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 31, pi. 24 (male). 
Sparrow Falcon. Aud. B. of A. Vol. 1, p. 90, pi. 22 (male and female). 
Cerchneis sparverius . Bonap. Geographical and Comp. List, p. 5. 
Sparrow Hawk , F. sparverius. Giraud, Birds of Long Island, p. 16. 
Characteristics. Crown, back and tail reddish; wings slate blue ; beneath whitish spotted 
with black; cheeks white, with irregular black marks. Tail with a 
white subterminal band. Female and young with the tail many-banded. 
Length, 12 inches. 
Description. Bill much curved, with a slight indentation on the upper mandible, and 
anterior to that a sharp tooth fitting into a corresponding cavity in the lower mandible, which 
is truncated at the tip. Nostrils oval, with a central column. Second or third primary 
longest. Tail rounded. Tarsus reticulate. Toes scutellate; under each joint a rounded 
elevation. Wings shorter than the tail. 
Color. Bill and supraorbital space bluish grey. Crown of the head orange brown. Back 
and upper part of tail bright ferruginous. Tail with a broad black subterminal band, tipped 
with white or yellowish white. Lateral tail-feathers white, spotted with black. 5-7 irregu¬ 
lar black spots surrounding the head. Chin, throat, and all beneath white or cream-colored; 
the flanks and sides of the breast with arrow-head and rounded brownish spots. Under¬ 
neath the wings, spotted ; the primaries barred with brown. Female, entirely reddish brown 
above, barred with black. Tail with 10-12 black bars. Young resembles the female. 
Length, 10 - 0-12 - 0. Alar extent, 20'0-23‘0. 
This common and well known little falcon has a wide geographical range. It has been 
found from the 54th degree of south latitude, to the same degree north. It scarcely ever 
builds a nest, but occupies those of other birds, laying 5-7 buff-colored eggs with dark 
blotches. A few remain in this State during the whole winter. It feeds on smaller birds, 
but chiefly on quadrupeds, reptiles and insects. It is easily tamed. Peculiar to America. 
(EXTRA-LIMIT AL.) 
F. gyrfalco. (Aud. B. of A. Vol. 1, p. 81, pi. 19.) White, with arrow-head black spots; bill and 
feet yellow. Length, 24 inches. Labrador. 
