THE MARSH HAWK. 



NE of the most widely dis- 

 tributed birds of North 

 America is the Marsh Hawk, 

 according to Wilson, breed- 

 ing- from the fur regions 

 around Hudson's Bay to Texas, and 

 from Nova Scotia to Oregon and Cal- 

 ifornia. Excepting in the Southern 

 portion of the United States, it is 

 abundant everywhere. It makes its 

 appearance in the fur countries about 

 the opening of the rivers, and leaves 

 about the beginning of November. 

 Small birds, mice, fish, worms, and 

 even snakes, constitute its food, with- 

 out much discrimination. It is very 

 expert in catching small green lizards, 

 animals that can easily evade the 

 quickest vision. 



It is very slow on the wing, flies 

 very low, and in a manner different 

 from all others of the hawk family. 

 Flying near the surface of the water, 

 just above the weeds and canes, the 

 Marsh Hawk rounds its untiring circles 

 hour after hour, darting after small 

 birds as they rise from cover. Their 

 never ending flight, graceful as it is, 

 becomes monotonous to the watcher. 

 Pressed by hunger, they attack even 

 wild ducks. 



In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and 

 Delaware, where it sweeps over the 

 low lands, sailing near the earth, in 

 search of a kind of mouse very com- 

 mon in such situations, it is chiefly 



known as the Mouse Hawk. In the 

 southern rice fields it is useful in 

 preventing to some extent the ravages 

 of the swarms of Bobolinks. It has 

 been stated that one Marsh Hawk was 

 considered by planters equal to several 

 negroes for alarming the rice birds. 

 This Hawk when feeding is readily 

 approached. 



The birds nest in low lands near the 

 sea shore, in the barrens, and on the 

 clear table-lands of the Alleghanies, 

 and once a nest was found in a high 

 covered pine barrens of Florida. 



The Marsh Hawks always keep 

 together after pairing, working jointly 

 in building the nest, in sitting upon 

 the eggs, and in feeding the young. 

 The nest is clumsily made of hay, 

 occasionally lined with feathers, pine 

 needles, and small twigs. It is built 

 on the ground, and contains from three 

 to five eggs of a bluish white color, 

 usually more or less marked with 

 purplish brown blotches. Early May 

 is their breeding time. 



It will be observed that even the 

 Hawk, rapacious as he undoubtedly is, 

 is a useful bird. Sent for the purpose 

 of keeping the small birds in bounds, 

 he performs his task well, though it 

 may seem to man harsh and tyranical. 

 The Marsh Hawk is an ornament to 

 our rural scenery, and a pleasing sight 

 as he darts silentty past in the shadows 

 of falling night. 



158 



