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The Hen-Harrier, The Sparrowhawk, The Kestrel and The Merlin
CHAPTER XL
The Hen-Harrier: Destructiveness to Game; Female of-Trapping-The
Sparrowhawk: Courage of; Ferocity; Nest-The Kestrel: Utility of-
The Merlin: Boldness-The Hobby-Increase of Small Birds.
In the autumn my partridges suffer much from the hen-harrier.
As soon as the corn is cut this bird appears, and hunts the whole
of the low country in the most determined and systematic manner.
The hen-harrier, either on the hillside or in the turnip-field, is
a most destructive hunter. Flying at the height of only a few
feet from the ground, he quarters the ground as regularly as an
old pointer, crossing the field in every direction ; nor does he
waste time in hunting useless ground, but tries turnip-field after
turnip-field, and rushy field after rushy field, passing quickly
over the more open ground, where he thinks his game is not so
likely to be found. The moment he sees a bird, the hawk darts
rapidly to a height of about twenty feet, hovers for a moment,
and then comes down with unerring aim on his victim, striking
dead with a single blow partridge or pheasant, grouse or blackcock, and showing a strength not to be expected from his light
figure and slender though sharp talons.
I saw on a hillside in Ross-shire a hen-harrier strike a heath
hen. I instantly drove him away, but too late, as the head of
the bird was cut as clean off by the single stroke as if done with
a knife. On another day, when passing over the hill in the
spring, I was attended by a hen-harrier for some time, who
struck down and killed two hen grouse that I had put up. Both
these birds I contrived to take from him ; but a third grouse rose,
and was killed and carried off over the brow of a hill before I
could get up to him. There is no bird more difficult to shoot
than this. Hunting always in the open country, though appearing intent on nothing but his game, the wary bird, with
an instinctive knowledge of the range of shot, will keep always
just out of reach, and frequently carry off before your very face
the partridge you have flushed, and perhaps wounded.
There is a diversity of opinion whether the hawk commonly
called the ringtail is the female of the hen-harrier. I have,
however, no doubt at all on the subject. The ringtail is nothing
more than the female or young bird. The male does not put on
his blue and white plumage till he is a year old. I have frequently
found the nest both on the mountain, where they build in a patch
of rough heather, generally by the side of a burn, and also in a
furze-bush. Though very destructive to grouse and other game,
this bird has one redeeming quality, which is, that he is a most
skilful rat-catcher. Skimming silently and rapidly through a
rickyard, he seizes on any incautious rat who may be exposed to
view ; and from the habit this hawk has of hunting very late in
the evening, many of these vermin fall to his share. Though of
so small and light a frame, the hen-harrier strikes down a mallard
without difficulty; and the marsh and swamp are his favourite
hunting-grounds. Quick enough to catch a snipe, and strong
enough to kill a mallard, nothing escapes him. Although so
courageous in pursuit of game, he is a wild, untamable bird in
captivity ; and though I have sometimes endeavoured to tame
one, I could never succeed in rendering him at all familiar. As
he disdains to eat any animal not killed by himself, he is a very
difficult bird to trap. The best chance of catching him is in
what is called a pole-trap, placed on a high post in the middle of
an open part of the country ; for this hawk has (in common with
many others) the habit of perching on upright railings and posts,
particularly as in the open plains, where he principally hunts,
there are but few trees, and he seldom perches on the ground.
His flight is leisurely and slow when searching for game; but
his dart, when he has discovered his prey, is inconceivably rapid
and certain.
There is another most destructive kind of hawk who frequently
pays us a visit-the sparrowhawk. Not content with the partridges and other ferę naturce, this bold little freebooter invades
the poultry-yard rather too frequently. The hens scream, the
ducKS quack, and rush to the cover of the plantations ; whilst the
tame pigeons dart to and fro amongst the buildings, but in vain.
The sparrowhawk darts like an arrow after one of the latter birds,
and carries it off, though the pigeon is twice or three times his
own weight. The woman who takes care of the poultry runs
out, but is too late to see anything more than a cloud of white
feathers, marking the place where the unfortunate pigeon was
struck. Its remains are, however, generally found at some little
distance; and when this is the case, the hawk is sure to be caught,
as he invariably returns to what he has left, and my b03^s bring
the robber to me in triumph before many days elapse. Sometimes
he returns the same day to finish picking the bones of the bird,
but often does not come back for two or three. In the mean time,
whatever part of the pigeon he has left is pegged to the ground,
and two or three rat-traps are set round it, into one of which he
always contrives to step. When caught, instead of seeming
frightened, he flies courageously at the hand put down to pick
him up, and fights with beak and talons to the last. Occasionally,
when standing still amongst the trees, or even when passing
the corner of the house, I have been startled by a sparrowhawk
gliding rapidly past me. Once one came so close to me, that his
wing actually brushed my arm ; the hawk being in full pursuit
of an unfortunate blackbird. On another occasion, a sparrowhawk pursued a pigeon through the drawing-room window, and
out at the other end of the house through another window, and
never slackened his pursuit, notwithstanding the clattering of the
broken glass of the two windows they passed through. But the
most extraordinary instance of impudence in this bird that I ever
met with, was one day finding a sparrowhawk deliberately standing on a very large pouter-pigeon on the drawing-room floor,
and plucking it, having entered in pursuit of the unfortunate bird
through an open window, and killed him in the room.
The sparrowhawk sometimes builds on rocks, and sometimes
in trees. Like all rapacious birds, he is most destructive during
the breeding-season. I have found a great quantity of remains
of partridges, wood-pigeons, and small birds about their nests ;
though it has puzzled me to understand how so small a bird can
convey a wood-pigeon to its young ones. There is more difference in size between the male and female sparrowhawk than
between the different sexes of any other birds of the hawk kind,
the cock bird being not nearly so large or powerful a bird as the
hen. Supposing either male or female sparrowhawk to be killed
during the time of incubation, the survivor immediately finds a
new mate, who goes on with the duties of the lost bird, whatever
stage of the business is being carried on at the time, whether
sitting on the eggs or rearing the young.
The kestrel breeds commonly with us about the banks of the
river, or in an old crow's nest. This is a very beautifully marked
hawk, and I believe does much more good than harm. Though
occasionally depriving us of some of our lesser singing birds,
this hawk feeds principally, and indeed almost wholly, on mice.
Any person who knows a kestrel-hawk by sight must have constantly observed them hovering nearly stationary in the air, above
a grass-field, watching for the exit from its hole of some unfortunate field-mouse. When feeding their young, a pair of kestrels
destroy an immense number of these mischievous little quadrupeds,
which are evidently the favourite food of these birds. Being
convinced of their great utility in this respect, I never shoot at,
or disturb a kestrel. It is impossible, however, to persuade a
gamekeeper that any bird called a hawk can be harmless ; much
less can one persuade so opinionated and conceited a personage
(as most keepers are) that a hawk can be useful; therefore the
poor kestrel generally occupies a prominent place amongst the
rows of bipeds and quadrupeds nailed on the kennel, or wherever
else those trophies of his skill are exhibited. It is a timid and
shy kind of hawk, and therefore very difficult to tame, never
having an appearance of contentment or confidence in its master
when kept in captivity.
Another beautiful little hawk is common here in the winter,
the merlin. This bird visits us about October, and leaves us in
the spring. Scarcely larger than a thrush, the courageous little
fellow glides with the rapidity of thought on blackbird or fieldfare, sometimes even on the partridges, and striking his game
on the back of the head, kills it at a single blow. The merlin is
a very bold bird, and seems afraid of nothing. I one day winged
one as he was passing over my head at a great height The
little fellow, small as he was, flung himself on his back when I
went to pick him up, and gave battle most furiously, darting out
his talons (which are as sharp and hard as needles) at everything
that approached him. We took him home, however, and I put
him into the walled garden, where he lived for more than a year.
He very soon became quite tame, and came on being called to
receive his food, which consisted of birds, mice, &c. So fearless
was he, that he flew instantly at the largest kind of sea-gull or
crow that we gave him. When hungry, and no other food was
at hand, he would attend the gardener when digging, and swallow
the large earthworms as they were turned up. To my great
regret, we found the little bird lying dead under the tree in
which he usually roosted ; and though I examined him carefully,
I could not find out the cause of his death.
Although all these small hawks which frequent this country
destroy a certain quantity of game, their principal food consists
of thrushes, blackbirds, and other small birds. In the winter,
when the greenfinches collect in large flocks on the stubble fields,
I have frequently seen the merlin or sparrowhawk suddenly glide
round the angle of some hedgerow or plantation, and taking up a
bird from the middle of the flock, carry it off almost before his
presence is observed by the rest of the greenfinches.
Sometimes two merlins hunt together, and, as it were, course
a lark, or even swallow, in the air, the two hawks assisting each
other in the most systematic manner. First one hawk chases
the unfortunate bird for a short time, while his companion hovers
quietly at hand ; in a minute or so, the latter relieves his fellow-hunter, who in his turn rests. In this way they soon tire out the
lark or swallow ; and catching the poor bird in midair, one of
the hawks flies away with him, leaving his companion to hunt
alone till his return from feeding their young brood.
The hobby, a beautiful little hawk, like a miniature peregrine
falcon, is not very common here, though I have occasionally
killed it. This kind of hawk leaves us before the winter. I have
seen its nest in a fir or larch tree; but they seem to be very rare
here. A strong courageous bird, the hobby attacks and preys
on pigeons and partridges, though so much larger than himself.
Since the introduction of English traps and keepers, all birds
of prey are gradually decreasing in this country, whilst blackbirds,
thrushes, and other singing birds increase most rapidly. In the
highland districts of Moray, where a few years back a blackbird
or thrush was rather a rare bird, owing to the skill and perseverance of gamekeepers and vermin-trappers in exterminating
their enemies, they now abound, devastating our fruit-gardens,
but amply repaying all the mischief they do by enlivening every
glade and grove with their joyous songs. This year (1846) the
thrushes and blackbirds were in full voice in January, owing to
the mildness of the winter ; and I knew of a thrush who was
sitting on eggs during the most severe storm of snow that we
have had the whole season.
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