HAWTCS. EAGLES, KITES 



Coast, south to Guatemala. Common sum- 

 mer resident on the Pacific Slope, casual in 

 winter. 



The western red-tailed hawk, chicken 

 hawk, or hen hawk is the largest member of 

 the family that frequents the coast valleys on 

 the Pacific Slope. It is common from sea 

 level to high mountains and may be seen 

 slowly winging its way overhead in ever widen- 

 ing circles as it watches for its prey below. 



It has none of the dash of the smaller 

 hawks, nor does it attack birds as do the 

 sharp-shinned, the Cooper or the rare 

 goshawk, but lives mostly on small rodents 

 and snakes which it captures by quietly 

 dropping down on them unawares. The red- 

 tailed hawk will sit for hours at a time on 

 some favorite perch, usually a tall tree along a 

 stream, perhaps in the vicinity of its nest, and 

 make short excursions back and forth across 

 the valley returning to the same spot to eat its 

 captured prey. 



As it slowly circles above the tree tops it 

 displays its fan-shaped tail which is colored a 

 rich reddish bro^Ti, crossed by several narrow 

 black bands. The bird itself will look al- 

 most blackish but varies greatly in the adult 

 plumage, the females and young of the year 

 lacking the reddish tail. 

 151 



