Front:
allanBrooks.
SPARROW HAWK (male and female)
Published by the National Associațion of Audubon Societies
Back:
No. 12 Sparrow Hawk
Length 10 inches
This is the smallest of all the North American
Hawks and is one of our most beautiful and use-
ful species. Those to whom a Hawk is just a
Hawk should take good heed before permitting
this splendid bird to be ruthlessly killed. Although
a true Falcon, this dainty representative of the
family is very partial to small quarry and from
its perch on the top of a dead tree, may often be
seen swooping down to catch some/gcasshopper or
other insect. It also captures price and spiders,
small reptiles and batrachians. The Sparrow Hawk
is a bird of open spaces, and foves to perch upon
telegraph poles by the roadside, or on stakes or
fences, from which vantage points at secures its
prey. "Of 320 stomachs examined 1 contained a
game bird ; 58, other birds; 89, rice: 12, other
mammals; 12, reptiles de batr@hians; 215, in-
sects; 29, spiders; and 29 were empty.” (Fisher.)
The nest is in a hole ma tree, frequently in
some abandoned Woodpecker s nest. The eggs are
four or five and show awariety of rich markings
of various shades of browst, chocolate and laven-
der. The family life of the Sparrow Hawk dur-
ing the nesting season exhibits many features of
extraordinary interest.
Classification: Order Raptores. Family Falconida.
Scientific name: Falco sparverius.
Range' Greater part of the Western Hemisphere.
No. 12 from set of 50 Winter Birds of the Northeastern United
States. Published by the National Association of Audubon So-
cieties, 1974 Broadway, New York City. Price per set, in a box,
$1.00 post paid.
