In structure and habits this bird is a clear link between the Owls and Hawks. They select a conspicuous perch and pounce upon prey with a swift, tho noiseless, stoop. Normally a rare bird, they sometimes appear locally in great numbers. I encountered a congregation among the spruces of Sebago Lake, Maine, which were doing their utmost to exterminate the mice of that vicinity. The single bird shot had seven field mice in its stomach!
Northern North America. Winters regularly south to New England and central United States.