Deo. 16, 18860 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



408 



THE SPORT OF HAWKING, 

 v.— The American Merlin and Kestrel. 



THE American merlin or pigeon hawk (Falco colmn- 

 barius, Linnaeus) is found throughout the North 

 American continent and also on the northern borders of 

 South America. It closely resembles in form and habits 

 the European merlin — the lady's hawk when falconry was 

 at its brightest — but is somewhat larger, and stronger and 

 bolder than that species. The female pigeon hawk meas- 

 m-es about 13in. in lengtli, the male about llin.; the 

 female from tip to tip of her expanded wings from 26 to 

 S7in. This is a very beautiful species. The coloration 

 varies somewhat with age; in the adult male the entire 

 upper parts are of a bluish slate color, every f catlier being 

 lined longitudinally with black; forehead and throat 

 white; under parts yellowish wliite, the feathers being 

 lined longitudinally with brownish black; tail barred with 

 black and tipped with white. Younger individuals are 

 less brightly marked, the upper part being mostly dusky 

 brown in color. The merlin is a trae falcon, though a 

 little one, and, for its size, is hardly exceeded in courage, 

 power and dash by the noble peregi-ine, the type of the 

 genus and of darmg courage. It is not very rare as a 

 spring and autumn visitor in the New England States, 

 and is frequently formd in most of the Middle States. 



For food the pigeon hawk 

 mostly depends on the smaller 

 bii-ds; grackles (crow blackbirds), 

 red- winged starlings, robins and 

 wild doves and pigeons forming 

 the greater part of its bill of 

 fare. It has been known to kill 

 the active and muscular Cali- 

 fornia partridge and also the 

 still larger "willow grouse" (La- 

 gopus albus). Several of om* 

 woodpeckers, even the strong 

 and agile flicker, also frequently 

 fall victims to the insatiaole ap- 

 petite of this bold little marauder. 

 The merlin has the true falcon 

 flight, flapping rapidly like a 

 pigeon; it has perhaps more tend- 

 ency to soar than the other fal- 

 cons. The stoop of this species 

 has but little force or grandeur, 

 and is more like the stern chase 

 of the true hawks than the aiTO w- 

 like dash of the pereg-rine or 

 lauier. 



The pigeon hawk seldom 

 breeds south of the 44th parallel 

 in the Eastern States, certainly 

 never in Massachusetts or south- 

 ern New York. The nest is gen- 

 erally built in a thick foliaged 

 tree at no great height from the 

 ground. This species has also 

 been occasionally known to build 

 upon liigh cliffs. The nest is 

 composed of sticks, grass and 

 moss, and is as rougJi as the 

 domicile of the hawks in general, 

 being often hardly a nest at aU. 

 Like all the true falcons the 

 American merlin is brave and 

 reckless in the defense of its nest. 

 The European species — which 

 builds upon the ground — will 

 often feign to be injured, and 

 flutter along the ground away 

 from the nest to try and lead on 

 an intruder. The eggs number 

 from four to six. They measure 

 I'i inches in length. The ground 

 color is light reddish buif , which 

 is clouded with deep chocolate 

 and reddish brown blotches. 

 They are very rare in those most 

 useless and senseless of collect- 

 ions, "cabinets of birds' eggs," 

 and are in much demand among 

 collectors. In Europe the merlin 

 is used_ for the taking of larks, 

 blackbirds and pigeons, and is 

 remarkable for its docility and 

 tameness, and the ease with 

 which it can be trained. It is 

 certain tliat a strong female of 



the American species would take quail and the Western 

 partridge brilliantly, and a fast one would kill woodcock 

 suad snipe. Both females and tiercels would kill wood 

 doves and tame and wild pigeons most successfully. It 

 is probable that a cast or pair of powerful pigeon hawks 

 could even take grouse, and they would give grand sport 

 with bluejays. 



The taming, training and use in the field of merlins are 

 conducted on exactly the same principles as the educa- 

 tion of the peregrine and gyrfalcon, with the difference 

 that the smaller falcon is always trained to come to 

 the wrist when called as well as to the lui-e, while the 

 large falcons are frequently trained to come to the Im-e 

 only, and are hence caUed "hawks of the lure." The 

 merlin cannot be taught to "wait on" satisfactorily, and 

 is therefore always flown "out of the hood;" but Freeman 

 narrates that so tame does this little hawk become that 

 Ins birds frequently perch on his head while he tramps 

 the fields for game, and are off as soon as a bird rises. 

 If game "puts in," the trained falcon will either desert it 

 entirely or perch near where the quarrv was seen to 

 enter. Merlms must be "served" with the utmost prompt- 

 ness when disappointed in a dasJi after prey, as they 

 qmckly become discouraged, and will give up hard flights 

 at once if the quarry has been lost several times in suc- 

 cession. Whenever possible a captive bii-d of the species 

 they are pui'sumg should always be readv to be thrown 

 to the hawks when they fail to capture the wild quarry, 

 during the first few weeks they are hunted. The hood 



cons, or they rapidly get out of condition; ordinarily they 

 must be fed at least twice a day, being given only a very 

 light meal without castings the morning before they are 

 flown. Indeed this little hawk must be regularly and 

 plentifully fed if you wish it to live in captivity. 



One advantage the merlin has over the large falcons in 

 the field is that in using it no "field" is required, the fal- 

 coner and a friend or two being able to do all the "serv- 

 ing" and beating and "taking up'' on foot. 



Pigeon hawks requne plenty of fresh bii-ds and the 

 freshest of beefsteak to keep them in condition; field mice 

 and rats also make excellent occasional diet. The gen- 

 eral treatment of merlins is the same as that proper for 

 the peregrine, but the lady's hawk must be very carefully 

 protected from wet and requires the shelter of a room 

 throughout the winter in the latitude of New York. 



The smallest of the American falcons is the sparrow 

 hawk or American kestrel (Falco sparverius), the total 

 length of this species being only from 11 to 12in., the tail 

 is Im. long and the wings measm-e from 21 to 23in. across 

 from tip to tip. The following is the coloration of the 

 adult: Frontal band and throat wliite, head and neck 

 maxked mth black spots and bars, the top of the head 

 and upper parts light cinnamon, under parts light cinna- 

 mon, or almost white, marked with spots of black, tail 

 tipped with white and barred with a broad band of black. 



WOMAN'S TENDER HEART. 



Tender-Hearted Young Lady: 



THOSE POOR BIRDS OF THEIR EGGS !' 



Wicked Little Boy: "Honh! That's the old one 

 Guess she won't care," 



Oh ! TOU CRUEL, HEARTLESS LITTLE WRETCH ! TO ROB 



'AT you've got on YER BONNET. 



for the pigeon hawk must be very soft and light; the 

 birds must be thorouo hly broken to it, but it is veiy sel- 

 dom worn, the hawks becoming so tame as to even sit 

 quietly upon the wi-ist while being carried unhooded. 

 The jesses must also be of the Hghtest and softest leather, 

 and this small falcon is not able t^D carry a swivel, and 

 but one very light small beU when flown at game. 

 Marlins cannot be "sharp set" like laniers and. gyrfal- 



Many specimens are barred on the back with transverse 

 stripes of black, and the young are generally barred freely 

 with brownish-black. 



This handsome little hawk is, according to Jordan, 

 found abundantly throughout the United States. In 

 northern New England it is common and I have found it 

 not rare in all the iliddle States, and in Maryland even near 

 midsummer, it breeds along the northern borders of the 

 United States and comes southward in winter. 



The mode of flight, as well as many of the habits of the 

 sparrow hawk, closely resembles that of the European 

 kestrel. Flying irregularly, it hovers a moment over a 

 particular spot and then shoots off in another direction in 

 search of prey. Its power of flight is trifling compared 

 with the dash of the great falcons, and it has the hawk- 

 like habit of taking stand in a tree to wait for quarry. 

 Jaiys have a particular antipathy for this little falcon and 

 lose no opportunity to mob one whenever found. Wilson 

 states that in revenge the hawk often makes a meal off 

 one of his persecutors, but I think it at least doubtful if 

 this hawk can captm-e and hold the active and cunning 

 ' 'crow. " Another authority states that the sparrow hawk 

 occasionally preys upon even the thrasher (Harporhyn- 

 chus rufus), which rather more than equals it in size. I 



have certainly never seen this falcon kill any bnd larger 

 than a red-winged starling. The American, like the 

 Em-opean kestrel, is of real service to the farmer, from 

 destroying many field mice and grasshoppers which con- 

 stitute its principal food. It also feeds upon small birds, 

 lizards and small snakes, and occasionally bears off a 

 downy chick from the barnyai-d. This species is as bold 

 as any hawk that flies, and very rapid in its short pounces 

 after prey; it not infrequently happens that it dashes 

 down and snatches a coveted specimen of finch or war- 

 bler from before tlie very gun of the naturalist. On one 

 occasion one of these birds plunged after a red-headed 

 woodpecker I had just shot, and which fell within 15ft. 



of me, and would have captured it had not a charge of 

 "dust shot" knocked out a handful of his feathers and 

 forcibly reminded him of miportant business in another 

 place, which he immediately left me to attend to. 



The sparrow hawk builds no nest for itself but takes 

 possession of an old woodpecker's hole or other tu-ee hol- 

 low, or more rarely of a deserted crow's nest. The eggs 

 number from four to six, and are dark cream-colored 

 variously marked with spots of brown. They are nearly 

 spherical in shape, and measure l-,3„in. in extreme length. 

 This species breeds much later in the year than our 

 other hawks. In Maine the eggs are laid early in June. 

 The young bnds are covered Avith white down 'when first 

 hatched, through which the feathers soon appear. 



The sparrow hawk is easily tamed when taken as an 

 eyas, and has often been kept at hack as a pet; but the 

 kestrel is useless to the sportsman, not being able to take 

 any adult game bird, unless we except reed and rail birds. 

 This species is, however, a good hawk for the falconer to 

 practice on, and is easily captured by a small bow net 

 baited with a live sparrow. Even haggards soon become 

 docile in captivity, and may be kept at hack provided 

 with bewits and tmy bells. 



All falcons moult once a year and this is a most trying 

 and dangerous period to the trained bird in captivity. 

 Eyases moult much more quickly and easily than haggards, 

 and for this reason are often pre- 

 ferred to the latter. As soon as 

 a hawk fairly begins to moult 

 he must be no longer flown at 

 game, or on any accotxnt allowed 

 to become "sharp set," Feed tlie 

 bird generously twice a day if a 

 peregrine or gyrfalcon, and three 

 times daily if a lanier or pigeon 

 hawk, and aUow him to become 

 as fat as possible — which greatly 

 shortens the period of moulting. 

 If carefully watched and pro- 

 tected from wind and rain fal- 

 cons may be moulted on their 

 ordinary blocks in the open air 

 or imder their shed; a somewhat 

 better plan, however, is to leave 

 them at liberty in a well sanded 

 room, in which there are no 

 points or edges against which 

 they might injure their new and 

 tender feathers. Feed from the 

 hand and Im-e throughout the 

 moult and exercise the hawks 

 daily by compelling them to fly 

 repeatedly across the room to 

 your wrist or the lure for food. 

 The food and general care of the 

 hawk diu'ingthe period of moult- 

 ing is exactly the same as when 

 he was in full plumage and flying 

 at game. After moulting is 

 completed and the new feathers 

 fully developed and strong, the 

 falcon will have to be rebroken 

 to the hood — wliich he has half 

 forgotten, as the cap is never 

 worn during the moiilt — and will 

 require re-"entering" at quarry. 

 The lure, whistle and call of 

 com-se he has not been permitted 

 to forget, both being constantly 

 used dm-ing feeding time. The 

 trained bird must also constantly 

 see dogs and strangers, and 

 horses also whenever practicable. 

 The hawk must be re-entered at 

 game precisely as at first, and a 

 week or two after the completion 

 of the moult should be flying at 

 prey as well as ever; of course, 

 however, the reentering will be 

 a much shorter and less tedious 

 process than when the falcon 

 was fii-st trained. 



The falconers of a century or 

 two ago wrote whole columns 

 on the treatment of the diseases 

 of hawks, but it has been oiu- 

 experience that the American fal- 

 cons, if properly fed, exercised 

 and cared for, are exceeding- 

 ly healthy, and our knowl- 

 edge of hawk physic is therefore limited. Should a 

 hawk fracture its leg, carefuUy set the bone and 

 apply a neatly fitted stocking of soft flannel, and 

 then bandage with a strip of muslin which has been 

 dipped in strong starch water or rubbed on dry plaster of 

 Paris and then dipped in water just before applying. 

 The starch or plaster when dry will immobilize the limb, 

 and in three or fom weeks "^the bone Avill be united as 

 strongly as ever. Fractures of the wing bones are mostly 

 incurable in a falcon used for hunting; the wing wiU 

 alniost always be lame even if the bones can be made to 

 unite. Should such an accident occm-, the kindest treat- 

 ment is to put the poor bird out of its pain with a charge 

 of heavy shot fired at close range. 



When prolonged wet weather or other cause has pre- 

 vented tame hawks from having proper exercise their 

 excreta frequently become tough and caked, instead of 

 being moist and full; the birds are then much benefited 

 by a dose of from 2 to 4grs. of rhubarb, to be repeated if 

 necessary. It may be given wrapped up in a small piece 

 of meat. All other medicines given to falcons are at best 

 only an experiment. Plenty of small gravel stones must 

 always be stre'w^l round the flocks of falcons, which the 

 birds occasionally swallow and appear to relish. 



For parasites in the feathers (bird lice) and in the narea 

 {acaridce), tobacco water carefully used, kerosene or dilute 

 carbolic acid (ten grains of pure crystals of the acid in an 

 ounce of glycerine) are useful. Of com-se these poisonous 

 agents must be used with the greatest circumspection or 

 the hawk may be kiUed along with the vermin. Of the 

 numerous iniiammatory diseases to which European tame 

 hawks are subject we have no knowledge, and the treat- 

 ment for them recommended in works on falconry is fre- 

 quently worse than useless, and often absurd. Care, 

 careful feeding, attention to the bath, cleanliness, etc. , and 

 plenty of exercise, are the only rational methods of pre- 

 venting and curing the diseases of hawks. 



