ACCIPITRES 
119 
A most beautiful species, but too rare in Canada to receive more than 
passing reference here. 
Economic Status . Its principal food is insects, snails, and reptiles; 
it never touches mammals or birds. 
Subfamily — Accipitriinae. The Short-winged or Bird Hawks 
General Description. Very small to large hawks with short, rounded wings, long tail 
(Figure 175 — 2, 3, 4) and untoothed bill (Figure 177, compare with 211, page 143) . Under 
surface of primaries and secondaries regularly barred to tip. T3ie five outer primaries 
emarginate (See Figures 178 and 182). 
Figure 176 
Round wing of Accipiter, upper surface. 
The Accipitrine Hawks are woodland birds that beat about the tree tops or along the 
edges of the woods; they do not habitually soar high in the open. They take their prey 
by surprise and quick attack rather than by open pursuit. Their short wings (Figure 176) 
and long tail give rapid bursts of speed and flexibility of manoeuvre, but are not suited to 
long-sustained effort. 
Economic Status. These are the only common species of Canadian 
hawks for which little good can be claimed. They are active and spirited 
and though without the great strength and endurance of the true falcons 
do far more real damage than their larger and heavier 
relatives. The term “Chicken Hawk” popularly applied 
to any small hawk receives its meaning from these 
birds. They never eat carrion, but make fresh kills, 
rarely returning to partly devoured prey. They are 
pre-eminently bird-eating hawks and seem to prefer 
feathered to furred food. Fortunately the two com- 
moner species are small and their capacity for damage 
is slight in consequence. The one large and powerful 
member of the group, the Goshawk, is of more limited 
distribution and, except in unusual winters, is less commonly seen in the 
more settled parts of southern Canada, except in the mountains where eleva- 
tion brings northern conditions within easy flight distance of agriculture. 
Figure 177 
Untoothed bill of 
Accipiter, 
