The Bird Book Part 44

354b. BLACK GYRFALCON. _Falco rusticolus obsoletus._

Range.--Labrador; south casually, in winter, to Long Island.

A slightly darker variety. Eggs indistinguishable. Data.--Ungava coast, Labrador, May 25, 1900. Nest a heap of seaweed and feathers on sea cliff, containing three eggs.

355. PRAIRIE FALCON. _Falcon mexica.n.u.s._

Range.--United States west of the Mississippi, and from Dakota and Was.h.i.+ngton southward to Mexico.

This species abounds in suitable localities, generally placing its nests upon rocky ledges and cliffs, and sometimes trees, generally upon the banks of some stream. The nests are ma.s.ses of sticks, lined with weeds and gra.s.ses. The three or four eggs have a reddish buff ground color, and are thickly sprinkled and blotched with reddish buff brown and chestnut; size 2.05 1.60.

356a. Duck Hawk. _Falco peregrinus anatum._

Range.--Whole of North America, breeding locally, chiefly in mountainous regions, throughout its range.

This beautiful species, characterized by its black moustache, is the most graceful, fearless, and swiftest of the Falcons, striking down birds of several times its own weight, such as some of the larger Ducks.

It breeds quite abundantly on the Pacific coast and in certain localities in the Dakotas, laying its eggs on the rocky ledges. Their eggs are similar to those of the Prairie Falcon, but are darker and brighter, in fact they are the darkest, brightest marked, and most beautiful of Falcon eggs; size 2.05 1.55.

[Ill.u.s.tration 221: Reddish buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Prairie Falcon.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Duck Hawk.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Buff or reddish buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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356b. PEALE'S FALCON. _Falco peregrinus pealei._

Range.--Pacific coast from northern United States north to Alaska.

A darker form of the preceding, such as occurs in this section with a great many other birds. The nesting habits and the eggs are precisely like those of the Duck Hawk.

357. Pigeon Hawk. _Falco columbarius columbarius._

Range.--North America, breeding chiefly north of the United States except in some of the higher ranges along our northern border. A small Falcon, about 11 inches long, often confused with the Sharp-s.h.i.+nned Hawk, but much darker and a more stoutly built bird. It is a daring species, often attacking birds larger than itself; it also feeds on mice, gra.s.shoppers, squirrels, etc. They generally build a nest of sticks in trees, deep in the woods; less often in natural cavities of dead trees; and sometimes on rocky ledges. Their four or five eggs have a brownish buff ground color, heavily blotched with brown and chestnut.

Size 1.50 1.22.

357a. BLACK PIGEON HAWK. _Falco columbarius suckleyi._

Range.--Pacific coast from northern United States north to Alaska.

Very similar in appearance to the preceding, but much darker, both above and below. Its nesting habits and eggs will not differ in any manner from those of the Pigeon Hawk.

357b. RICHARDSON'S PIGEON HAWK. _Falco columbarius richardsoni._

Range.--Interior of North America from the Mississippi to the Rockies and from Mexico to the Saskatchewan.

This species is similar to the Pigeon Hawk, but is paler both above and below, and the tail bars are more numerous and white. Their nesting habits are the same as those of the preceding species, they either building in hollow trees, or making a rude nest of sticks and twigs in the tops of trees. The eggs have a creamy ground and are sprinkled with dots and blotches of various shades of brown. Size 1.60 1.23. The egg figured is one of a beautiful set of four in the collection of Mr. C. W.

Crandall.

[Ill.u.s.tration 222: Brownish buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pigeon Hawk.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Richardson's Pigeon Hawk.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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358.1 MERLIN. _Falco aesalon._

This common European species was once accidentally taken in southern Greenland. Their eggs are generally laid on the ground on cliffs or banks.

359. APLOMADO FALCON. _Falco fusco-caerulescens._

Range.--Tropical America north to Mexican boundary of the United States.

This handsome and strikingly marked Falcon is found in limited numbers within the United States, but south is common and widely distributed.

They nest at a low elevation, in bushes or small trees, making their rude nests of twigs, lined with a few gra.s.ses. They lay three, and sometimes four, eggs which have a creamy white ground color, finely dotted with cinnamon, and with heavy blotches of brown. Size 1.75 1.30.

359.1. KESTREL. _Falco tinnunculus._

Range.--Whole of Europe; accidental on the coast of Ma.s.sachusetts.

This species is very similar in size and coloration to the American Sparrow Hawk. They are much more abundant than the Sparrow Hawk is in this country and frequently nest about houses, in hollow trees, on rafters of barns, or on ledges and embankments. Their eggs are of a reddish buff color, speckled and blotched with reddish brown, they being much darker than those of the American Sparrow Hawk.

360a. Desert Sparrow Hawk. _Falco sparverius phalaena._

Range.--Western United States from British Columbia south to Mexico.

This variety is slightly larger and paler than the eastern form. There are no differences in the identification of the two varieties.

[Ill.u.s.tration 223: Buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Aplomado Falcon. Desert Sparrow Hawk.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Reddish buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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360. SPARROW HAWK. _Falco sparverius._

Range.--North America, east of the Rocky Mountains and north to Hudson Bay; winters from the middle portions of the United States, southward.