_Falco sparverius sparverius. Case 1, Figs. 7, 8; Case 3, Figs. 5, 6_
The male has the tail with only one bar; the
breast unmarked; the abdomen with black spots;
while the female has the tail with several bars,
the underparts streaked with brownish. In both
sexes the bright reddish brown of the upperparts,
black markings about the head, and small size are
gold field characters. L. 10.
_Range._ Sparrow Hawks are found throughout the
greater part of the Western Hemisphere. Our
eastern race inhabits the region east of the
Rockies and is migratory at the northern limit of
its range. Southern Florida specimens are slightly
smaller and darker and are known as the Florida
Sparrow Hawk (_F. s. paulus_).
[Illustration: SPARROW HAWK HOVERING ABOVE ITS PREY.]
Washington, common W.V., rare S.R. Ossining,
rather rare P.R. Cambridge, P.R., common in
summer, rare in winter. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen
Ellyn, rather rare S.R., Mch. 10-Oct. 26.
The Sparrow Hawk is one of our commonest and most familiar Hawks. He is
a handsome little Falcon, and though his prey is chiefly humble
grasshoppers, he captures them in a sportsmanlike manner by "waiting on"
or hovering on rapidly beating wings over his game and dropping on it
with deadly aim. His call is a high, rapidly repeated _Killy-killy-killy_.
The three to seven eggs, finely marked with reddish brown, are laid in a
hollow limb or similar situation in April.