Hawks

Hawks are small to medium-sized diurnal birds of prey, widely distributed and varying greatly in size. The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, the sharp-shinned hawk and others. These are mainly woodland birds with long tails and high visual acuity, hunting by sudden dashes from a concealed perch. In the Americas, members of the Buteo group are also called hawks; these are called buzzards in other parts of the world. Generally buteos have broad wings and sturdy builds. They are relatively larger winged, shorter-tailed and soar more extensively in open areas than accipiters, descending or pouncing on their prey rather than making fast horizontal pursuit. All these groups are members of the Accipitridae family, which includes the hawks and buzzards as well as kites, harriers and eagles.

When I bestride him I soar, I am a hawk.

Quotes

Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations

Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 355-56.

• I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.
  • William Shakespeare, Hamlet (1600-02), Act II, scene 2, line 395. "Handsaw" is given by Malone, Collier, Dyce, Clark and Wright. Others give "hernshaw." The corruption was proverbial in Shakespeare's time.

• When I bestride him I soar, I am a hawk.
  • William Shakespeare, Henry V (c. 1599), Act III, scene 7, line 14.

• No marvel, an it like your majesty,
  My lord protector's hawks do tower so well;
  They know their master loves to be aloft
  And bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch.
  • William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part II (c. 1590-91), Act II, scene 1, line 9.

• Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch.
  • William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part I (c. 1588-90), Act II, scene 4, line 11.

• Dost thou love hawking? thou hast hawks will soar
  Above the morning lark.
  • William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew (c. 1593-94), Induction, scene 2, line 45.

• The wild hawk stood with the down on his beak
  And stared with his foot on the prey.
  • Alfred Tennyson, The Poet's Song.

• Non rete accipitri tenditur, neque miluo,
  Qui male faciunt nobis: illis qui nihil faciunt tenditur.
  • The nets not stretched to catch the hawk,
    Or kite, who do us wrong; but laid for those
    Who do us none at all.
  • Terence, Phormio, Act II, scene 2, line 16. Colman's translation.

• She rears her young on yonder tree;
  She leaves her faithful mate to mind 'em;
  Like us, for fish she sails to sea,
  And, plunging, shows us where to find 'em.
  Yo, ho, my hearts! let's seek the deep,
  Ply every oar, and cheerly wish her,
  While slow the bending net we sweep,
  God bless the fish-hawk and the fisher.
  • Alexander Wilson, The Fisherman's Hymn.