male with the upper parts greyish-black, excepting the head and hind neck barred with light greyish-blue, lower parts white, the breast and sides transversely spotted with black. Female with the upper parts darker than those of the male, the lower yellowish or reddish-white, with larger dusky spots on the breast and sides, and oblong streaks on the neck. Young blackish-brown above, the breast of the male yellowish-white, of the female pale yellowish-red, with broad longitudinal dusky streaks. In all stages, a large mystachial patch, black in adult, brown in young birds.
Male, 161/2, 30. Female, 191/2, 36.
Breeds in the northern parts, visiting the southern and western in winter as far as Texas.
Great-footed Hawk, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ix. p. 120.
Falco peregrinus, Bonap. Synops. p. 27.
Common or Wandering Falcon, Falco peregrinus, Nuttall, Man. v. i. p. 53.
Great-footed Hawk, Falco peregrinus, Aud. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 85; v. v. p. 365.
Falco peregrinus, Peregrine Falcon, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 23.
21. 3. Falco columbarius, Linn. Pigeon Falcon. – Pigeon Hawk
Plate LXXV. Young Male and Female. Plate XCII. Adult Male.
Wings from two to three inches shorter than the tail, on the middle feathers of which are five, on the lateral six broad whitish bands. Adult male with the cere greenish-yellow, the feet pale orange, the upper parts light bluish-grey, each feather with a black central line; lower parts reddish or yellowish white, the breast and sides with large oblong brown spots; tibial feathers light red, streaked with blackish-brown. Female with the cere and legs greenish-yellow, the upper parts dark greyish-brown, the lower pale red, spotted as in the male. Young with the head light reddish-brown, streaked with dusky, the upper parts brownish-grey, the feathers margined and spotted with pale red, throat white, lower parts pale red, streaked with brown. The tail-bands vary from pale red to white.
This species is so nearly allied to Falco Æsalon, that it is extremely difficult to distinguish many individuals. The number and form of the scutella differ; but the most certain distinctive character is found in the light-coloured bands of the tail, which are more numerous in the Merlin, there being seven on its middle, and nine on its lateral tail-feathers.
Male, 103/4, 27. Female, 14, 30.
From Texas northward. Breeds in the Labrador and Arctic regions. Abundant. Migratory.
Pigeon Hawk, Falco columbarius, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 107.
Falco columbarius, Bonap. Syn. p. 38.
Pigeon Hawk, Falco columbarius, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 60.
Little Corporal Hawk, Falco temerarius, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 61. Adult Male.
Falco columbarius, Pigeon Hawk, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 35.
Falco Æsalon, Merlin, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 37.
Pigeon Hawk, Falco columbarius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 466; Young, v. i. p. 381, Male; v. v. p. 368.
22. 4. Falco sparverius, Linn. Sparrow Falcon. – Sparrow Hawk
Plate CXLII. Male and Female.
Male with the upper part of the head and wing-coverts light greyish-blue, seven black spots round the head, and a light red patch on the crown; back light red, spotted with black; tail red, with a broad subterminal black band. Female with the head nearly as in the male, the back, wing-coverts, and tail, banded with light red and dusky. Young similar to the female, but with more red on the head, which is streaked with dusky.
Male, 12. Female, 12.
Generally distributed. Resident in the south. Abundant.
American Sparrow-Hawk, Falco sparverius, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 117.
Falco sparverius, Bonap. Syn. p. 27.
American sparrow-hawk, Falco sparverius, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 58.
Falco sparverius, Little Rusty-crowned Falcon, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 31.
American Sparrow-Hawk, Falco sparverius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 246; v. v. p. 370.
GENUS X. ASTUR, Cuv. HAWK
Bill short, robust; its upper outline sloping, and nearly straight at the base, then decurved; cere short, bare above; edge of upper mandible with a festoon, succeeded by a broad sinus. Nostrils elliptical. Feet of moderate length; tarsi moderate or slender, feathered at least one-third of their length, broadly scutellate before and behind; first and second toes strongest and equal, third much longer, and connected at the base by a web with the third, which is shortest; claws long, well curved, acuminate. Wings very broad, of moderate length, much rounded, fourth and fifth quills longest, first much shorter, outer four abruptly cut out on the inner web. Tail long, much exceeding the wings, rounded.
Those of more slender form, with proportionally longer tails and tarsi, are separated by many authors to form a group, to which the name of Accipiter and Nisus are given.
23. 1. Astur palumbarius, Linn. Gos Hawk
Plate CXLI. Fig. 1. Adult Male. Fig. 2. Young.
Adult male dark bluish-grey above, the tail with four broad bands of blackish-brown, the upper part of the head greyish-black; a white band, with black lines, over the eyes; lower parts white, narrowly barred with grey, and longitudinally streaked with dark brown. Young brown above, the feathers edged with reddish-white, the head and hind neck pale red, streaked with blackish-brown, the lower parts yellowish-white, with oblong longitudinal dark brown spots.
Male, 24, 47.
From Maryland, northward. From Kentucky, northward. Migratory.
Ash-coloured or Black-capped Hawk, Falco atricapillus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. v. vi. p. 80.
Falco palumbarius, Bonap. Syn. p. 28.
American Goshawk, Falco atricapillus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 85.
Accipiter (Astur) Palumbarius, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 39.
Goshawk, Falco palumbarius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 241.
24. 2. Astur Cooperi, Bonap. Cooper's Hawk
Plate CXLI. Fig. 3. Adult Male. Plate XXXVI. Young Male and Female.
Tail rounded, tarsi moderately stout. Adult male dull bluish-grey above; the tail with four broad bands of blackish-brown, and tipped with white; the upper part of the head greyish-black; lower parts transversely barred with light red and white, the throat white, longitudinally streaked. Female similar, with the bands on the breast broader. Young umber-brown above, more or less spotted with white, the tail with four blackish-brown bars; lower parts white, each feather with a longitudinal narrow, oblong, brown spot.
Male, 20, 36. Female, 22, 38.
From Louisiana northward, and all over the interior, in winter.
