In order |to |show at a glance the difference in shape of these 
three classes of hawks in flight, I have drawn the outline of 
a freshly killed hawk from each class with wings extended. 
These outlines were then reduced to one eighth of life size, so 
that they could be used as an illustration here. The hawks 
used were Duck Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and Sharp-shinned 
Hawk. 
I. Falcons. Size is a determining factor here. In order 
from the smallest they range as follows: Sparrow Hawk, 
Pigeon Hawk, Duck Hawk and the Gyrfalcons. 
The Sparrow Hawk is our smallest hawk. Its falcon build, 
its graceful swallow-like flight and its habit of hovering make 
its recognition easy. It is so confiding that one can often 
see it at close range and distinguish the foxy brown of its 
back and the striking face markings. 
The Pigeon Hawk is a little larger, has broader shoulders 
and is dark blue above. The Duck Hawk is a much larger 
bird and the black mustachios can often be made out. 
The largest falcons, the Gyrfalcons, are very rarely seen 
in New England. The White and the Black are easily rec¬ 
ognized by their colors. 
H. The Buteos. Broad-winged Hawk, Red-shouldered 
Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and Rough-legged Hawk, the last 
named properly an Archibuteo, are named in order of size 
from the smallest to the largest. 
The Broad-winged Hawk is much the smallest, about the 
size of a Crow and usually very tame. Its sad, double 
whistling note helps in identification. 
A large Buteo soaring in the distance should be examined 
carefully with the glasses. If it is an adult Red-tailed Hawk 
the foxy-red color of the tail seen from either above or below 
will flash out from time to time as the bird wheels, and will 
proclaim its identity. This species is a little larger than the 
Red-shouldered Hawk, but the difference in size without 
actual comparison is of little value for identification. If the 
tail is not red it is either an immature Red-tailed Hawk or a 
Red-shouldered Hawk. In that bird the red shoulders canno 
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