The American Sparrow-hawk 6g 



sites are not readily obtainable, it resorts to holes in sandstone 

 cliffs and clay banks. Occasionally a pair will nest in some 

 dark corner in a barn, and even dovecots have been known to 

 be appropriated. Several observers report their nesting in 

 Magpies' nests in the west, but this is by no means a constant 

 habit with this species. 



There seems to be a great difference in the manner of 

 lining their nests. Strictly speaking the Sparrow-hawk ordi- 

 narily makes no nest, depositing its eggs on whatever rubbish 

 may be found at the bottom of the cavity u§ed. Occasionally 

 the eggs are laid on a few leaves or grasses, scarcely deserving 

 the name of a nest. In some localities, however, they are 

 credited with bringing in a considerable amount of dry grass 

 and leaves to form the nest. 



The number of eggs laid by this species seems to vary 

 from three to seven; the latter number is rare, however, five 

 and four being the number most commonly found. They are 

 deposited at intervals of a day. Their shape varies greatly, 

 the majority ranging from a rounded ovate to an oval, and a 

 few may be called elliptical ovate. The ground color of the 

 eggs ranges from a pure clear white in a few instances to pale 

 buft or cream color in the majority, and to a bright cinnamon 

 rufous in a few others. They are spotted, blotched, marbled 

 and sprinkled with different shades of walnut brown, chestnut, 

 cinnamon rufous and ochraceous in various patterns. Fre- 

 quently these markings are confluent, predominating in some 

 specimens on either end; in others they are heaviest in the 

 center, forming a wreath. Mixed among the various tints, a 

 few eggs show handsome lavender-colored shell markings. 



Incubation lasts about three weeks. The young when first 

 hatched are covered with fine white down, and their heads, as 

 is the case with most young birds of prey, are nearly as large 



