THE BIRD BOOK 
331. Marsh Hawk. Circus hudsonius. 
Range. — Whole of North America, very 
abundant in all sections. 
Pale bluish white 
The adult of this species is very light colored, 
and young birds of the first two years have a 
reddish brown coloration; in both plumages 
the species is easily identified by the white 
patch on the rump. They are, almost exclusively frequenters of fields and 
marshes, where they can most often be seen, towards dusk, swooping in broad 
curves near the ground, watching for field mice, which form the larger portion 
of their diet. Their nests are made in swampy ground, often in the middle of a 
large marsh, being placed on the ground in the centre of a hummock or clump 
of grass; it is generally well lined with grasses and often rushes. They lay 
from four to seven pale bluish white eggs, generally unmarked; size 1.80 x 1.40. 
(Adult and young) 
Marsh Hawk 
Bluish white 
leaves placed against the trunk of the tree at 
any height, but averaging, perhaps, fifteen feet. 
The eggs are bluish white, beautifully blotched 
and spotted with shades of brown. 
332. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Accipiter velox. 
Range. — Whole of North America, wintering in the United States and south- 
ward; breeds throughout its range, but most abundantly in northern United 
States and northward. This is one of the smallest of the hawks and in the 
adult plumage is a beautiful species, being bar- 
red below with light brown, and having a bluish 
slate back. It is a very spirited and daring 
bird and is one of the most destructive to small 
birds and young chickens. Its nest is a rude 
and sometimes very frail platform of twigs and 
204 
Sharp-shinned Hawk 
