National Museum, 53; Museum Comp. Zoöl., 24; Boston Society, 8;
Philadelphia Academy, 10; Cab. of G. N. Lawrence, 5; R. Ridgway, 6.
Total, 106.
_Measurements._
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
|Sex.| Wing. | Tail. | Culmen. | Tarsus. |Middle Toe.|Specimens.|
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
| ♂ |12.90–13.85| 9.90–9.80| .60–.65|2.85–2.90| 1.20–0.00| 34 |
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
| ♀ |13.00–16.00| 8.80–10.50| .70–.75|2.85–3.25| 1.22–1.55| 32 |
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
HABITS. The Marsh Hawk is one of the most widely distributed birds of
North America, breeding from the fur regions around Hudson’s Bay to
Texas, and from Nova Scotia to Oregon and California. It is abundant
everywhere, excepting in the southeastern portion of the United States.
Sir John Richardson speaks of it as so common on the plains of the
Saskatchewan that seldom less than five or six are in sight at a time
(in latitude 55°). Mr. Townsend found it on the plains of the Columbia
River and on the prairies bordering on the Missouri. The Vincennes
Exploring Expedition obtained specimens in Oregon. Dr. Gambel and Dr.
Heermann found it abundant in California. Dr. Suckley’s party obtained
specimens in Minnesota; Captain Beckwith’s, in Utah; Captain Pope,
Lieutenant Whipple, and Dr. Henry, in New Mexico; and Lieutenant Couch,
in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Dr. Woodhouse met with it abundantly from the
Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, throughout the summer, showing
conclusively that it breeds in those different sections of country. De
la Sagra, Lembeye, and Dr. Gundlach, all give it as a bird of Cuba, but
not as breeding there.
Dall records it as very rare on the Yukon, and an occasional summer
visitor only at St. Michael’s, where an individual was killed as late
as November. Donald Gunn states that it makes its appearance in the
fur countries about the opening of the rivers, and departs about the
beginning of November. It preys upon small birds and mice, is very slow
on the wing, flies very low, and in a manner very different from all
other kinds of Hawks.
In Nova Scotia it is very abundant, and is very destructive of young
game. Mr. Downes regards it as an indiscriminating feeder upon fish,
snakes, and even worms. He took two green snakes from the stomach of one
of them.
[Illustration: _Circus hudsonius_ (male and female).]
Mr. Dresser found them abundant throughout the whole country east of
the Rio Nueces at all seasons of the year. They were more abundant in
full blue plumage than elsewhere. Near San Antonio he met with them on
the prairies, where they feed on the small green lizards which abound
there, and which they are very expert in catching. Dr. Coues mentions
them as very abundant in Arizona. Dr. Kennerly met with them on both
sides of the Rio Grande wherever there was a marsh of any extent. Flying
near the surface, just above the weeds and canes, they round their
untiring circles hour after hour, darting after small birds as they rise
from cover. Pressed by hunger, they will attack even wild Ducks. Dr.
Kennerly also observed them equally abundant in the same localities in
New Mexico. Dr. Newberry mentions finding this Hawk abundant beyond all
parallel on the plains of Upper Pitt River. He saw several hundred in a
single day’s march.
In Washington Territory both Dr. Suckley and Dr. Cooper found this Hawk
abundant throughout the open districts, and especially so in winter. Dr.
Cooper found it no less common in California, and among several hundreds
saw but two birds in the blue plumage. Near Fort Laramie he found it no
less common, but there, at least one half were in the blue plumage. From
this he infers that the older birds seek the far interior in preference
to the seaboard.
Mr. Allen mentions it as common in winter about the savannas in Florida,
and Mr. Salvin states that it is a migratory species in Guatemala. It
occurred in the Pacific Coast Region, and examples were also received
from Vera Paz.
In evidence of the nomadic character of the Marsh Hawk it may be
mentioned that specimens asserted to be of this species are in the
Leyden Museum that were received from the Philippines and from
Kamtschatka.
In Wilson’s time this Hawk was quite numerous in the marshes of New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, where it swept over the low grounds,
sailing near the earth, in search of a kind of mouse very common in
such situations, and was there very generally known as the Mouse Hawk.
It is also said to be very serviceable in the Southern rice-fields in
interrupting the devastations made by the swarms of Bobolinks. As it
sails low and swiftly over the fields, it keeps the flocks in perpetual
fluctuation, and greatly interrupts their depredations. Wilson states
that one Marsh Hawk was considered by the planters equal to several
negroes for alarming the Rice-birds. Audubon, however, controverts this
statement, and quotes Dr. Bachman to the effect that no Marsh Hawks are
seen in the rice-fields until after the Bobolinks are gone. Dr. Coues,
on the other hand, gives this Hawk as resident throughout the year in
South Carolina.
According to Audubon, the Marsh Hawk rarely pursues birds on the wing,
nor does it often carry its prey to any distance before it alights and
devours it. While engaged in feeding, it may be readily approached,
surprised, and shot. When wounded, it endeavors to make off by long
leaps; and when overtaken, it throws itself on the back and fights
furiously. In winter its notes while on the wing are sharp, and are said
to resemble the syllables _pee-pee-pee_. The love-notes are similar to
those of the _columbarius_.
Mr. Audubon has found this Hawk nesting not only in lowlands near
the sea-shore, but also in the barrens of Kentucky and on the
cleared table-lands of the Alleghanies, and once in the high covered
pine-barrens of Florida.
After having paired, the Marsh Hawks invariably keep together, and labor
conjointly in the construction of the nest, in sitting upon the eggs,
and in feeding the young. Their nests are variously constructed as to
materials, usually chiefly of hay somewhat clumsily wrought together
into the form of a nest, but never very nicely interwoven; occasionally,
in more northern localities, they are lined with feathers, in some cases
with pine-needles and small twigs.
Richardson states that all the nests of this Hawk observed by him
were built on the ground by the side of small lakes, of moss, grass,
feathers, and hair, and contained from three to five eggs, of a
bluish-white color, and unspotted. The latter measured 1.75 inches in
length, and were an inch across where widest. The position and manner of
constructing the nest correspond with my own experience, but the size of
the eggs does not. The nests have been invariably on the ground, near
water, built of dry grass, and lined with softer materials.
Mr. Audubon gives a very minute account of a nest which he found on
Galveston Island, Texas. It was about a hundred yards from a pond, on
a ridge just raised above the marsh, and was made of dry grass; the
internal diameter was eight, and the external twelve inches, with the
depth of two and a half. No feathers were found. This absence of a warm
lining in Texas really proves nothing. A warm lining may be required in
latitude 65° north, and the same necessity not found in one of 29°. A
nest observed in Concord, Mass., by Dr. H. R Storer, was on the edge of
a pond, and was warmly lined with feathers and fine grasses. Many other
instances might be named.
The eggs found in the Galveston nest were four in number, smooth,
considerably rounded or broadly elliptical, bluish-white, 1.75 inches
in length, and 1.25 in breadth. Another nest, found under a low bush
on the Alleghanies, was constructed in a similar manner, but was more
bulky; the bed being four inches above the earth, and the egg slightly
sprinkled with small marks of pale reddish-brown.
The prevalent impression that the eggs of this Hawk are generally
unspotted, so far as I am aware, is not correct. All that I have ever
seen, except the eggs above referred to from Texas, and a few others,
have been more or less marked with light-brown blotches. These markings
are not always very distinct, but, as far as my present experience goes,
they are to be found, if carefully sought. In 1856 I received from Dr.
Dixon, of Damariscotta, a nest with six eggs of a Hawk of this species.
The female had been shot as she flew from the nest. With a single
exception, all the eggs were very distinctly blotched and spotted. In
shape they were of a rather oblong-oval, rounded at both ends, the
smaller end well defined. They varied in length from 2.00 to 1.87
inches, and in breadth from 1.44 to 1.38 inches. Their ground-color was
a dirty bluish-white, which in one was nearly unspotted, the markings so
faint as to be hardly perceptible, and only upon a close inspection. In
all the others, spots and blotches of a light shade of purplish-brown
occured, in a greater or less degree, over their entire surface. In two,
the blotches were large and well marked; in the others, less strongly
traced, but quite distinct.
The nest was found in a tract of low land, covered with clumps of sedge,
on one of which it had been constructed. It is described as about the
size of a peck basket, circular, and composed entirely of small dry
sticks, “finished off or topped out with small bunches of pine boughs.”
There was very little depth to the nest, or not enough to cover the
eggs from view in taking a sight across it. “No feathers were found in
or about it. It was simply made of small dry sticks, about six inches
thick, with about one inch of pine boughs for finishing off the nest.”
The eggs were found about the 20th of May. They contained young at least
two weeks advanced, showing that the bird began to lay in the latter
part of April, and to sit upon her eggs early in the following month.
It will be thus seen that the eggs of this Hawk vary greatly in size and
shape, and in the presence or absence of marking, varying in length from
1.75 to 2.00 inches, and in breadth from 1.25 to 1.50, and in shape from
an almost globular egg to an elongated oval. Some are wholly spotless,
and others are very strongly and generally blotched with well-defined
purplish-brown.
This Hawk was found breeding in the Humboldt Valley by Mr. C. S.
M‘Carthy, on the Yellowstone by Mr. Hayden, at Fort Benton by Lieutenant
Mullan, at Fort Resolution by Mr. Kennicott, at Fort Rae and at Fort
Simpson by Mr. Ross, at La Pierre House by Lockhart, and on the Lower
Anderson by Mr. MacFarlane.