This is an inhabitant of the Old World, where it enjoys a wide range. It is one of the greatest robbers of eggs and young birds, being, in countries where it is still plentiful, a great nuisance to the sportsman, as, says Colonel Irby, “slowly hunting along in front, it puts up every Snipe and Duck that lies in its course, making them unsettled and wild.”[175] The same authority furnishes the following interesting particulars about the habits of the present species:—“In Andalusia, as well as in Morocco, over all low wet ground, the Marsh Harrier is to be seen in vast numbers, particularly in winter. Great quantities remain to breed, sometimes as many as twenty nests being within three hundred yards of one another. The latter, loosely constructed with dead sedges, vary very much in size and depth, and are usually placed amidst rushes in swamps, but sometimes on the ground among brambles and low brushwood, always near water, though occasionally far from marshes. They begin to lay about the end of March, and at that time fly up a great height, playing about, and continually uttering their wailing cry. The eggs are bluish-white, and usually four or five in number; they certainly vary in size and shape, and are often much stained. Like the eggs of all the Harriers that I am acquainted with, and many others of the Accipitres, when blown and held up to the light they show a bluish tinge. I once found a nest containing only one egg nearly ready to hatch, and saw another with six eggs (three quite fresh, and the other three hard sat on). I believe that if the first set of eggs be taken they lay again in a fresh nest, as I found sets of fresh eggs as late as the 2nd of May.
MARSH HARRIER.
“Cowardly and ignoble, they are the terror of all the poultry which are in their districts, continually carrying off chickens, and, like other Harriers, are most terribly destructive to the eggs and young of all birds. On account of these propensities, I never let off a Marsh Harrier unless it spoiled sport to fire at one. Sometimes, when at Casa Vieja, and the Snipe were scarce, we used to lie up in the line of the Harriers’ flight to their roosting-places; for they always take the same course, and come evening after evening within five minutes of the same time. Upon one occasion a friend and myself killed eleven, and during the visit accounted for over twenty. I also upon every possible opportunity destroyed the nest and shot the old ones; but it was the labour of Sisyphus, for others immediately appeared. However, there was a visible diminution of their numbers at Casa Vieja. I never saw rats in their nests or crops, and believe they have not the courage to kill them; small snakes, frogs, wounded birds, eggs, and nestlings unable to fly, form the main part of their prey. I have seen the Marsh Harrier hawking over the sea about two hundred yards from the shore, where there was shallow water, but could not see what they were taking.”
THE HARRIER-HAWKS (Micrastur[176]).
These constitute a little genus of Hawks peculiar to the New World, where they form a perfect link between the Harriers and the Goshawks. In form they are stoutly-built birds like the latter, while they retain the facial ruff of the Harriers, and hence the name of Harrier-Hawk adopted for them here. Their habits are well described by a good observer, the late Colonel Greyson, of the U.S. Army, who writes of the largest species of the genus, the Harrier-Hawk (Micrastur semitorquatus):—“Among the great variety of Hawks to be met with in a single day’s excursion in the locality of Mazatlan, none are so easily recognised as this peculiar and interesting species. I have found it only in the heavy forests, or the immediate vicinity of a thickly-wooded country, where its slender form and lengthened tail attract our attention as it swiftly glides through the tangled woods with that remarkable ease which we have often noticed in the Sharp-shinned Hawk (A. fuscus). It appears to be strictly arboreal in its habits, and possessed of wonderful activity, either in springing from branch to branch without opening its wings, or rapidly darting through the intricacies of the bush with apparently but little difficulty. I have seldom seen one of these Hawks in an open country, and have never seen one flying higher than the tree tops, where they are met with. Its wings are rather short, and its flight is performed by rapidly repeated strokes, only for a short distance at a time. It preys upon various species of wood birds, which it captures by darting upon them on the ground or in the bushes; but the Chachalaca is its favourite game. This is a gallinaceous bird, or wild chicken, about the size of, or lighter than, the common hen, and is entirely arboreal, seldom running upon the ground, but is able by its peculiarly-formed feet to cling to, or spring rapidly through, the thickest branches with great agility; but this Hawk follows it with equal facility, until an opportunity offers to strike its prey, then both come to the ground together, the Hawk being the lighter bird. I witnessed a scene of this kind that took place when I was endeavouring to get a shot at a Chachalaca, as it was jumping about the very thick branches of an acacia overgrown with lianas; it appeared to be in great distress, uttering its harsh notes of alarm, and spreading its fan-shaped tail. Suddenly I saw one of these Hawks pounce upon it; when with harsh screams of terror and pain the Chachalaca dragged its captor to the ground, where they struggled for a few moments, but the unfortunate bird was soon overcome. The struggling and screams of the Chachalaca created a great commotion among the denizens of the woods; far and near were heard the harsh cries of other members of its family, and the Urraca Magpie, with streaming tail and ludicrous gesticulations, as well as the Blue-back Jay, and other birds in the neighbourhood, gathered around to witness the scene of rapine. Suddenly appeared in the midst of this clamour a larger Hawk (Buteo Harrisi, Aud.), which rushed at once upon the captor of the Chachalaca. Unable to withstand so heavy a charge, he was compelled to give up his honestly captured prey to a superior force, thus proving the old adage that ‘might is right.’ The slender but compact figure of our present subject was now seen perched upon a neighbouring bough, scrutinising, with a vicious eye, the more powerful but less active bird of prey, as he vainly attempted to bear off the lifeless form of the Chachalaca; but there was one yet mightier than he. I observed it for a few moments, then shot it, as also the Long-tailed Hawk, thus securing all three.
“They build their nest of dry twigs and moss, which is placed in a very tall tree, but below the higher branches. The only nest I have seen was inaccessible, therefore I regret that I am unable to describe the eggs.”
THE CHANTING GOSHAWKS (Melierax[177]).
These birds are met with in Africa only, and they have received the name of “Chanting” Goshawks from their song, which has been stated by the French traveller, Levaillant, to be of considerable power, for he says he has heard the male of the Cape species (Melierax canorus) sing for hours together in the twilight of morning and evening, and sometimes through the night. This, however, has been questioned by Mr. Layard, who is well known as an authority on African birds, and who observed the species in some abundance in certain parts of South Africa. According to this observer, the bird will perch on the top of a high tree, utter its “mellow piping whistle,” and fly off again. He has also heard it call when flying. Now, although the Chanting Goshawks may not have such powers of song as have been credited to them, it is certain that they really have a more varied note than is the case with other Goshawks, and the Red-faced Goshawk (Melierax gobar) is said to whistle very much and better than M. canorus. About five different species of Chanting Goshawks are known, all being from Africa: hence the genus Melierax is one of those forms characteristic of the Ethiopian region, which embraces Africa below the Sahara desert. One species only, the Many-banded Goshawk (Melierax polyzonus), a frequent bird in Abyssinia and Senegambia, is known to wander beyond the limits of the above-named region, as it occurs in Mogador, whence living specimens have been more than once sent to the Zoological Gardens.
The habits of the Chanting Goshawks are very similar to those of the ordinary Goshawks of more northern climates, the larger species feeding on Quails, Francolins, and other small game, reptiles, and locusts, while the less powerful kinds devour small birds and reptiles. The colour of the plumage is a pearly-grey in the South African Chanting Goshawk (M. canorus), the belly being white with greyish cross-lines; the rump is white; the primary quills black; tail dusky, tipped with white and crossed by broad white bars; the cere and legs are red; the iris dark brown. It measures about three feet in length. This style of colouring is found in all the species, excepting one small one, which is entirely black all over, save some white spots on the tail, and is known as the Black Goshawk (Melierax niger).