THE BIRDS OF PREY OF THE PUNJAB. 



613 



The Short-toed Eagle. Over grassy plains, scrub, and 



barren desert. Looks light grey 

 through out except for a black 

 streak on edge of wing and another 

 on chin, 



3. The Black-winged Kite. Over scrub jungle, grassy plains 



and cultivation. From below pure 

 white with black tips to wings. 



4. The Kestrel. Anj-where except in heavy jungle. 



Light browTi or reddish bro\\Ti bodj% 

 grejdsh wings, 



J. — Occasional Hoverers. 

 L The Buzzards. Ivow and again may be seen to 



stop in mid-air but not for long. 

 Half moon on wings conspicuous. 



2. The Spizaeti. Very rarely seen to hover though 



I have seen one (S. limnsetus) do so 

 for quite a considerable time. 



3. The Harriers. Frequently stops in mid-air l>ut 



never actually hovers for more tha*i 

 a second or two. 



N.B. — Most Birds of Prey will hover momentarily over a bush or tussock 

 of grass into which their quarry has " put in ", but this will be 

 directly over the spot and not as in the case of the regular, or 

 even occasional hoverers, (except Harriers), which appear to be 

 suspended in mid-air at considerable heights. 



K. — Birds which put out their Legs, as if about to settle, luhen still a considerable 

 distance from the ground. 



1. All Vultures. 



2. The Black- winged Kite. 



In the case of Vultures, it appears to be a part of the regular signal when there 

 is a carcase, as one sees them putting out their legs, as if about to settle, when 

 still 500 feet up in the air. I cannot think of any other reason for this curious 

 " trait " as no other Bird of Prey does so under similar conditions. The White- 

 backed Vulture will " drop " his legs when coming do\^Ti to settle on a tree or 

 when arriving at his nest, when still some distance from it and then it certainly 

 does not mean it as a signal, but be the reason what it may, it is a curious 

 characteristic of these birds. 



With the Black-winged Kite, the legs suddenly " drop " and the mngs are 

 thrown back at almost right angles to the body, until they almost touch each 

 other over its back, after a bout of hovering, when the bird sees an insect and 

 decides to descend for it. In this case, its progress through the air is very slow 

 until within a few feet of the ground, when the wings suddenly close into its body, 

 and the bird covers the last few feet very rapidlj"-. 



The Short-toed Eagle occasionally does the same thing, but does not always 

 " drop " its legs in the same way nor does it hold its wings so far back as the 

 preceding species. It lowers itself towards the ground with half closed wings, and 

 occasionally its legs will be gradually extended as it approaches the ground 



Reference to Illustrations. 



N.B. — It must be clearly understood, from the first, that the illustrations of 

 birds flying are merely intended to convey impressions, such as one ordinarily 

 gets of a bird as he sees it pass overhead. Not being the efforts of an artist they 



