EAGLES, HAWKS, AND VULTURES 



95 



SPARROW HAWK 



(Falco sparverius) 



The handsome sparrow hawk, most fa- 

 mihar of American falcons, has adapted 

 itself readily to the changes brought by 

 our civilization, being so evidently harm- 

 less that it has escaped much of the de- 

 struction aimed universally at its larger 

 companions. It is equally at home in the 

 diverse environments found between the 

 green pasture lands of the east and the 

 arid cactus forests of Baja California. 



The sparrow hawk feeds principally on 

 mice, large insects, lizards, and frogs. On 

 occasion it attacks birds, and may kill 

 quail, jays, or other birds as large and 

 heavy as itself. About cities it destroys 

 many English sparrows and starlings. 



Often it hovers in the air with rapidly 

 beating wings, intently watching the grass 

 below until a mouse or other prey comes 

 far enough out in the open to be caught. 



CITY LIFE SEEMS TO AGREE WITH THE 

 SPARROW HAWK 



The sparrow hawk nests in cavities, old 

 nesting holes of the flicker or other large 

 woodpeckers being favorite shelters, and 

 has come to occupy bird boxes about 

 houses. It frequently lives in cities, and 

 in Washington is found about the roofs 

 of the Smithsonian buildings. The num- 

 ber of eggs in a set ranges from three to 

 seven. They vary in ground color from 

 white to cream and cinnamon buff, spotted 

 and blotched with brown. 



The call of this hawk is a rapidly re- 

 peated killy killy killy, from which it is 

 often known as "'killy hawk." 



The eastern sparrow hawk (Falco spar- 

 verius sparverius) nests from the upper 

 Yukon, southern Quebec, and Nova Scotia 

 to northwestern California, eastern Texas, 

 and northern Alabama. 



The desert sparrow hawk {Falco s. 

 phalaena) , which is somewhat larger and 

 paler, breeds from southern New Mexico 

 and southern California south into Mex- 

 ico. 



The San Lucas sparrow hawk (Falco s. 

 peninsularis) , smaller in size, is found in 

 southern Baja California, and the little 

 sparrow hawk (Falco s. paulus), also of 

 small size but darker in color, resides in 

 Florida and the Gulf coast region. 



Allied races range through the West 

 Indies and Central and South America. 



PIGEON HAWK 



(Falco columbarius) 



The pigeon hawk derives its name from 

 its curious resemblance to a pigeon in cer- 

 tain attitudes, or in mannerisms of flight 

 that it may assume, though at other times 

 it is obviously and unmistakably a falcon. 



It is found in wooded areas or in semi- 

 open country, depending upon where its 

 search for food may take it. It is a bird 

 of swift and graceful flight and travels at 

 high speed with little apparent effort. 



Like related falcons, the pigeon hawk 

 feeds extensively on birds. Its speed of 

 flight and its strength are attested by its 

 capture of swallows and even of the chim- 

 ney swift, and its killing of meadowlarks, 

 flickers, and small doves. Mice are taken 

 occasionally and large insects more fre- 

 quently. 



When not hungry, this active little 

 hawk delights in chasing birds merely to 

 display its mastery, threatening but not 

 actually harming them. Jays and crows 

 may be the butts of this sport, or again 

 the hawk may pursue flocks of sandpipers. 

 When in search of a meal, its whole action 

 changes and it kills speedily and ruthlessly. 



The pigeon hawk builds a nest of twigs 

 and bark lined with softer materials, and 

 places it in a tree, often only a few feet 

 above the ground, on a rock ledge, or occa- 

 sionally in a hollow tree. Four or five 

 eggs constitute a set, being pale creamy 

 white, with a wash of reddish brown and 

 spots and blotches of deep brown. About 

 the nest the birds utter piercing cries and 

 chattering, scolding notes. 



The eastern pigeon hawk (Falco colum- 

 barius columbarius) nests from eastern 

 Canada to Maine and Manitoba, migrating 

 in winter to the Gulf States and northern 

 South America. 



The black pigeon hawk (Falco c. suck- 

 leyi), blackish brown in color, nests in 

 western British Columbia, wintering in the 

 coastal region south to northern Califor- 

 nia. Richardson's pigeon hawk (Falco c. 

 richardsoni) , lighter in color than the or- 

 dinary form, is found from Alberta and 

 Saskatchewan to Montana and North Da- 

 kota, wintering from Colorado to north- 

 western Mexico. 



The western pigeon hawk (Falco c. ben- 

 direi), darker than Richardson's, breeds 

 from northwestern Alaska to California, 

 in winter ranging to Mexico. 



