BIRDS OF PREY 



(357b) Falco columbarius rich= 

 ardsoni Ridgway 



RICHARDSON'S MERLIN; 

 RICHARDSON'S PIGEON HAWK. 

 Much lighter in all plumages than 

 the last species. Tail crossed by si.x 

 black bands. Ad. cT — Plumage as 

 shown by the lower bird, the back 

 being a light blue-gray, on which 

 the shaft marks show prominently. 

 9 and /;;/. — As shown hy the upper 

 bird, the back grayish-brown, with 

 paler edging of the feathers. L., 

 12.00. 



Range — The interior, breeding 

 from N. Dak. to Sask. and wintering 

 south to Tex. 



(35S.1) MERLIN (False iEsalon), 

 an European species, has been once 

 taken in Greenland, and (359.1) 

 KESTREL (Falco tinnunculusl has 

 been taken once in Mass. 



Duck Hawks are one of the very few species which have 

 httle to their credit from an economical point of view. 

 Fortunately they are pretty locally distributed and generally 

 where other quarry is more easily obtained than poultry. 



PIGEON HAWKS, during summ.er, are found in the 

 United States only in the northern parts, or in mountain 

 ranges southward. The majority of them retire to the 

 northern parts of British America and Alaska. They are 

 rather shy and retiring during the l)reeding season and 

 rarely seen e.xcept in the immediate vicinity of their nests. 

 The nests are usually in trees, not more than ten or twent}' 

 feet above ground — bulky structures nearly as large as 

 crow nests; less often they are found on ledges of cliffs and 

 rarely they deposit the eggs in cavities in trees. When their 

 homes are invaded, they usually dash at the intruder with a 

 fierceness that, in spite of their small size, might lead to 

 serious consequences should they chance to strike one in 

 the face. 



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