FAMILY Buteonidcs 



The favorite nesting site of the red-tailed 

 hawk in the Northwest is in a tall cotton- 

 wood or alder tree along river bottoms, 

 though it is found in many situations from 

 the flat valley to well up in the mountains. 

 In the drier parts of California it places its 

 nest in the sycamores growing along the hill- 

 sides. Its nest is made of large sticks and 

 smaller twigs, mixed towards the center with 

 grass, moss, green leaves and other soft ma- 

 terials, and sometimes a few feathers. The 

 eggs are usually three in number, dull white, 

 boldly spotted with varying shades of reddish 

 brown. The young are slow to acquire their 

 perfect plumage, being long full grown before 

 the red appears upon the tail. 



Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter velox. 

 ^^^ 12.00 



Distribution: North America in general, 

 south to Panama. Breeds throughout its 

 range. 



The sharp-shinned hawk, or bird hawk, is 

 not common along the Pacific Coast. It 

 frequents mixed woods and open farming dis- 

 tricts where it may be seen skimming along 

 only a few feet from the gi'ound, or just over 

 the tops of bushes and low trees along the 

 edges of open woods and clearings in search 

 152 



