BIRDS OF PREY 



(354b) Falco rusticolus obso= 

 letus Gmel. 



BLACK GRYFALCON. Much 

 darker than any other variety of 

 Gyrtalcons, the general plumage 

 being blackish, with bufiy-white 

 spots above and streaks below. 



Range — Breeds in Ungava. South 

 in winter to Me. and Ont. 

 (355) Falco mexicanus Schlegel 



PRAIRIE FALCON. Plumage 

 as shown — blackish-brown abo\'e 

 and whitish below, the under parts 

 being boldly streaked with dusky; 

 a prominent blackish-brown mous- 

 tache mark, downward from the bill. 

 L., 18.00; W., 13.00; T., 8.00; Tar., 

 2.00. 



Range — Plains from Sask. and 

 B. C. south to Mexico; casual east 

 to Minn, and 111. 



water, shrilly whistling his anger, there to resume fishing 

 while the eagle settled in a dead tree to enjoy his meal. 



Usually their nests are well up in large trees, preferably 

 pines. They are very bulkily but firmly constructed of 

 large sticks and lined with twigs or grasses. The two or 

 three eggs are dull white. These eagles have much less fear 

 of man than the last species, for they often resent intrusion 

 near their nests and sometimes swoop viciously at the climber. 



GYRFALCONS are bold, fearless and destructive 

 Raptores inhabiting our Arctic coasts and southward to 

 Labrador. Only in very severe winters do some species 

 appear within the borders of the United States. Their food 

 consists chiefly of sea-birds, ducks, ptarmigan and hares. 

 Their habits are practically the same as those of the falcons 

 that have a more southerly distribution. 



PRAIRIE FALCONS are not uncommon in open country 

 from the eastern edge of the Great Plains to the Pacific coast. 

 Their ordinary flight as they course over the prairies is easy 

 and rather graceful, performed by series of quick wing-beats 



21S 



