HAWKS AND OWLS 225 



same as that of the Sharp-shinned, except that 

 it nests somewhat farther north. Its nesting 

 habits, too, are practically the same. 



Red -shouldered Hawk. This is a large Hawk, 

 about twenty inches in length. As is the case 

 in almost all the varieties of this family, the 

 female is notably larger than the male, a fact 

 not easily accounted for. The head, back and 

 rump are dark brown, mixed with lighter shades 

 of tan. The shoulders are a handsome chestnut- 

 browTi, giving the bird its name. The black of 

 the wings is mixed with white and there are 

 white bars on the tail. The under parts are 

 rusty brown, barred with whitish. Although 

 this bird is also called a Hen Hawk, it does not 

 deserve the name, for very rarely it invades the 

 farmyard, and only when in extreme need of 

 food. They subsist, for the most part, on small 

 mammals, insects, reptiles, and rarely on small 

 birds. 



These Hawks usually build a nest of twigs, 

 leaves and moss in a tall evergreen tree, in the 

 dense forest. They are great lovers of soli- 

 tude, although often observed in the open. The 

 breeding season is April. They are frequently 

 seen sailing in graceful circles in the upper air, 

 when they utter a shrill ^'kee-you, kee-you.'*^ 

 They range throughout eastern North America 

 north to Quebec and Manitoba, and are resi- 

 dent throughout, except probably in the most 

 northern part. These birds are of great value 

 to the farmer because of the large number of 

 pests they destroy, while the injury they work 

 through the stealing of fowl is negligible. 



