THE ORNITHOLOGIST. 



Vol. I. JULY, 1896. No. 5. 



BREEDING HABITS OF THE SPARROW-HAWK. 

 By F. B. Whitlock. 



Me. Davenport's paper on " The Nesting Habits of the 

 Sparrow-hawk" has opened up an interesting subject for dis- 

 cussion. I wish to call attention to the writings of many of 

 our earliest ornithologists, who seem to be pretty unanimous 

 in stating that this species generally or frequently nests in the 

 deserted home of a Crow or Magpie ; for it seems to me that 

 the Sparrow-hawk has changed its habits in this respect within 

 the last generation. Although this may be partly owing to 

 the scarcity of nests of the former species at the present 

 day, the latter fact will not altogether explain the Sparrow- 

 hawk's habit of building in oaks, firs, or other forest trees at a 

 comparatively low elevation, as it now does in the Midland 

 Counties of England. I am not able to claim so extensive an 

 acquaintance with the nests of the present species as Mr. 

 Davenport is able to do, but I have met with a moderate 

 number in the counties of Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, 

 Leicestershire and Derbyshire. In the former county the 

 Carrion Crow is fairly plentiful in the district I know best, viz., 

 the Cheviots, and old nests are readily available, but still such 

 Sparrow-hawks' nests as have come under my notice have 

 been built in oaks, firs or birches, and only at a very moderate 

 height from the ground. During one visit I met a collector 

 who had known the district for many years, and he related 



