92 
THE CONDOR 
Von. XI 
"Life Histories” states that this subspecies does appropriate deserted nests of the 
magpie for a nesting site and quotes such excellent authorities as W. G. Smith, 
Dennis Gale and A. W. Anthony in support of the statement, and while he does 
not describe the nest in detail it is perfectly reasonable to assume that the details of 
the nesting site would differ very little if any from that of the two preceding 
closely allied species. 
Very similar to the Screech Owl in its habits of nidification is the Sparrow 
Hawk, and this noisy little tyrant of the woodland, while ordinarily choosing a 
hollow tree for his nesting site, not infrequently takes possession of some deserted 
magpie’s nest, where after a few very crude repairs are made, the rusty colored 
eggs are deposited. The Sparrow Hawk, unlike the preceding species, seems to 
prefer nests which are rooft over, and instances where the eggs are deposited in 
open nests are quite rare. It is of some interest to note that Sparrow Hawks nest- 
ing in this manner are much more timid than those nesting in cavities, and whereas 
it is a common occurrence to find a brooding female so fearless that it is necessary 
to remove her from her eggs in a cavity, it is seldom that one can approach within 
thirty yards of a bird brooding in a magpie’s nest without flushing it. Apparently 
the bird does not feel perfectly secure in a location which is not altogether natural 
to the inherited instincts of the species. 
Another bird, similar to the preceding tho not nearly so common, is the Sharp- 
shinned Hawk, and this bird occasionally lays its eggs in deserted nests of the mag 
pie. Davie in his "Nests and Eggs of North American Birds” mentions a nest 
found by Chas. F. Morrison at Fort Lewis, Colorado, in a "dilapidated magpie’s 
nest, the arclit roof of which had fallen in and formed a hollow, which was 
lined with a few feathers upon some dead leaves.” 
Thus far all of the birds mentioned in this connection are raptorial birds, which 
with the exception of the Sharp-shinned Hawk are practically devoid of the nest- 
building instinct; but these great nests we are considering furnish a home not only 
for this class of birds but also for some species in which the nest-building instinct 
is fully developed. Bendire mentions a nest of the Mourning Dove built on the 
broken-down top of a magpie’s nest at Fort Harney, Oregon, and during the 
spring of 1908 Mr. George Richards of Littleton, Colorado, found a beautifully 
constructed nest of the Bronzed Grackle, cosily esconced in the nest cavity of a 
practically new and well constructed magpie’s nest. 
During the spring of 1907 a magpie’s nest at Barr, Colorado, was regularly 
observed from the time the first rude platform of sticks was put in place early in 
March until a noisy and very hungry brood of eight young ones was launched 
forth into the world in early May. Within a week of the time that the young 
magpies left the nest, an industrious pair of English Sparrows began the construc- 
tion of one of their bulky nests in the interior of the magpie’s nest, and when, 
some two weeks later, it was decided, for obvious reasons, that the sparrow family 
must move we were greatly surprised to find a partially incubated egg of the Cow- 
bird, in the nest of the English Sparrow. 
Besides the species here named that are known positively to make use of 
deserted nests of the magpie, there are several species whose characteristic nesting 
habits make it entirely probable that they also occasionally make use of such nest- 
ing sites. For example the Swainson Hawk is known to make frequent use of 
deserted nests of the crow, and the Turkey Vulture has been known to utilize old 
nests of hawks and herons but the species enumerated furnish abundant proof that 
in one way at least the magpie partially atones for the many sins that Nature has 
made him heir to. 
Denver , Colorado. 
