. British birds for cages and aviaries; a hanbook relating to all British birds which may be kept in confinement .. . 2 inches. Inappearance, too, they are different, the female being brownand lacking to a great extent the bloom that adds somuch to the attractiveness of the male. The nest is built in high trees, and advantage is oftentaken of the deserted abode of a Carrion Crow or aMagpie; the same place is resorted to season after season,the necessaryrepairs beingmade beforethe eggs arelaid. These arebluish-white incolour and aremuch markedwith reddish-brow^n. The young atfirst are coveredwi
. British birds for cages and aviaries; a hanbook relating to all British birds which may be kept in confinement .. . 2 inches. Inappearance, too, they are different, the female being brownand lacking to a great extent the bloom that adds somuch to the attractiveness of the male. The nest is built in high trees, and advantage is oftentaken of the deserted abode of a Carrion Crow or aMagpie; the same place is resorted to season after season,the necessaryrepairs beingmade beforethe eggs arelaid. These arebluish-white incolour and aremuch markedwith reddish-brow^n. The young atfirst are coveredwith grey down,and the youngfemales areeasily differen-tiated by their,superior size,which is almostinvariably thecase with allkinds of birdsof prey. Although suchdeadly enemiesto all smallbirds, the latter sometimes combine to chase and heckle one of them;and although at other times active enough on the wing,the Sparrow-Hawk on such occasions contents himselfwith gliding aimlessly about for a time, and then dartsswiftly away in a straight line, soon distancing his smallbut numerous and most persistent The Sparrow-Hawk. 12 BRITISH BIRDS In addition to little birds, which form its usual andfavourite diet, the Sparrow-Hawk will eat mice, beetles andgrasshoppers; and occasionally in captivity, if food runs short,they will attack, kill and devour one another, the male, insuch cases, usually succumbing to the assault of the female. This species has bred in confinement, but requires afull supply of its natural food, for which butchers meatand even the offal from the poulterers shop form noadequate substitute. It is rather a shy bird, especially when feeding, andusually retires to some secluded spot in order to devourat leisure the produce of its chase. The Stannel Hawk. See Kestrel.
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Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectcag
