Range. Tropical America north to southern Florida.
The Everglade Kite is found in marshes and about lakes and ponds hunting for its favorite food of large snails, which it extracts from their shells by means of its hooked bill. It is rarely seen north of southern Florida. The nest is placed in bushes or among reeds. The 2-3 eggs, which are heavily marked with brown, are laid in March.
MARSH HAWK
Circus hudsonius. [Case 3], Fig. 15
The immature bird and adult female are dark brown above, reddish brown below, but, in any plumage, the species may be known by the white upper tail-coverts which show clearly in flight. L., male, 19; female, 22.
Range. North America, wintering from New Jersey southward; migrates northward in March.
Washington, common W.V., July-Apl. Ossining, tolerably common S.R., Mch. 6-Oct. 30; a few winter. Cambridge, common T.V., Mch. 20-Nov. 10, one breeding record. N. Ohio, not common S.R., Mch. 5-Nov. 30. Glen Ellyn, S.R., several pairs, Apl. 4-Nov. 6. SE. Minn., common S.R., Mch. 6-Nov. 1.
The Marsh Hawk quarters low over the fields turning sharply here and there to follow the course of a meadow mouse in the grass forest below. As a rule the bird is silent but in the mating season he repeats a 'screeching' note. The nest is made on the ground in the marshes; the 4-6 white eggs are laid in May.
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
Accipiter velox. [Case 1], Figs. 11, 12; [Case 3], Figs. 7, 8
The sexes differ only in size, the female being much the larger. There is a marked difference in color between adult and immature birds, the latter being more commonly seen. L. male, 11¼; female, 13½.
Range. North America; wintering from Massachusetts southward.