SPARROW HAWK (Falco sparverius) 



Length, about lo inches. This is one of the 

 best known and handsomest, as well as the 

 smallest, of North American hawks. 



Range : Breeds throughout the United States, 

 Canada, and northern Mexico; winters in the 

 United States and south to Guatemala. 



Habits and economic status : The sparrow 

 hawk, which is a true falcon, lives in the more 

 open country and builds its nest in hollow 

 trees. It is abundant in many parts of the 

 West, where telegraph poles afford it conve- 

 nient perching and feeding places. Its food 

 consists of insects, small mammals, birds, spi- 

 ders, and reptiles. Grasshoppers, crickets, and 

 terrestrial beetles and caterpillars make up 

 considerably more than half its subsistence, 

 while field mice, house mice, and shrews cover 

 fully 25 per cent of its annual supply. The 

 balance of the food includes birds, reptiles, 

 and spiders. Contrary to the usual habits of 

 the species, some individuals during the breed- 

 ing season capture nestling birds for food for 

 their young and create considerable havoc 

 among the songsters of the neighborhood. In 

 agricultural districts when new ground is 

 broken by the plow, they sometimes become 

 very tame, even alighting for an instant under 

 the horses in their endeavor to seize a worm or 

 insect. Out of 410 stomachs examined, 314 

 were found to contain insects; ug, small mam- 

 mals, and 70, small birds. This little falcon 

 renders good service in destroying noxious in- 

 sects and rodents and should be encouraged 

 and protected. 



RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo borealis) 



Length, about 2 feet. One of our largest 

 hawks ; adults with tail reddish brown. 



Range : Breeds in the United States, Mexico, 

 Costa Rica, Canada, and Alaska ; winters gen- 

 erally in the United States and south to Guate- 

 mala. 



Habits and economic status : The red-tailed 

 hawk, or "hen-hawk," as it is commonly called, 

 is one of the best known of all our birds of 

 prey, and is a widely distributed species of 

 great economic importance. Its habit of sit- 

 ting on some prominent limb or pole in the 

 open, or flying with measured wing beat over 

 prairies and sparselj' wooded areas on the look- 

 out for its favorite pre)-, causes it to be noticed 

 by the most indifferent observer. Although 

 not as omnivorous as the red-shouldered hawk, 

 it feeds on a variety of food, as small mam- 

 mals, snakes, frogs, insects, birds, crawfish, 

 centipedes, and even carrion. In regions 

 where rattlesnakes abound it destroys consid- 

 erable numbers of the reptiles. Although it 

 feeds to a certain extent on poultrj^ and birds. 

 it is nevertheless entitled to general protection 

 on account of the insistent warfare it wages 

 against field mice and other small rodents and 

 insects that are so destructive to young or- 

 chards, nursery stock, and farm produce. Out 

 of 530 stomachs examined, 457, or 85 per cent, 

 contained the remains of mammal pests, such 

 as field mice, pine mice, rabbits, several spe- 

 cies of ground squirrels, pocket gophers, and 

 cotton rats, and only 62 contained the remains 

 of poultry or game birds. 



Photograph by Howard 1' «"i •■■<-< 



RKD-SIIOULDKRKD II.WVK DKMOXSTKATING TIIK RKACII OF ITS LI-XS 



For experimental purposes a stuffed owl was tied in an upright position and the investi- 

 gators secreted themselves to await developments. Almost immediately there was an uproar 

 in which every bird in the vicinity took part. .\ red-shouldered hawk swooped down upon 

 the bait and gave it a vicious jab, while the others were an interested audience perched in 

 adjoining trees around the arena. The attack was repeated until the owl's feathers were 

 almost all pulled out and the excelsior stulling showed in several places. 



.SI 



