HAWKS , OF THE CANADIAN PRAIRIE PROVINCES. 
11 
sections. The Duck Hawk or Peregrine Falcon (length 16-19 inches) 
(Plate III B) is considerably smaller and rare everywhere. It requires 
a water-washed cliff for a nesting site and this limits its summer distri- 
bution considerably. The Prairie halcon (length 15!— 19! inches) is 
similar to the Duck Hawk in habit and is likewise rare or regularly 
found only in the arid badlands. The Pigeon Hawk is much smaller 
(length U-12| inches) and breeds in trees. The Sparrow Hawk is the 
Figure 6. Toothed bill of falcons. 
Figure 7. Untoothed bill of all other hawks. 
smallest (length 10-11 inches) and most generally distributed of the 
falcons. In certain sections a lighter form of the Pigeon Hawk occurs 
which is known as Richardson’s Merlin. It is similar to the above but 
much lighter, the back of the adult being almost pearl grey and the 
brown of all plumages much bleached. 
The Pigeon Hawk is a small hawk little larger than the Sharp- 
shinned but more heavily built and with pointed instead of rounded 
wings. The juvenile is similar in coloration to that species but the 
markings below are less sharp and more blended. 1 he Pigeon Hawk can 
be told from the Sharp-shinned in all plumages by the small tooth on 
the edge of its upper mandible or bill (Figure 6) , the cutting edge of the 
upper mandible of all the hawks except the falcons being smooth and 
entire (Figure 7). The adult is dark slate blue above with tail barred 
with black and slate. Below it is white, or creamy with many dark 
stripings more or less suffused with ochre shades. 
m jfThe Pigeon Hawk hunts small birds. Its small size prevents it 
from taking poultry or grouse, except small chicks, and it can have only 
an indirect effect upon agriculture by reducing the number of weed seed 
