274 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



as to form a broad zone or band of blackish, and the tail not rusty at all, but gray, crossed 

 by about eight narrow blackish bands. 



Male: Length 19 to 22.50 inches; wing, 1:^.50 to 16.50; tail, 8.50 to 10. Female: 

 Length 23 to"25 inches; wing, 15.25 to 17.75; tail, 9.50 to 10.50. 



139. Red-shouldered Hawk. Buteo lineatus lineatus (GmcL). (339) 



Synonyins: Red-shouldered Buzzard, Hen Hawk, Big Chicken Hawk, Winter Hawk. 

 — Falco lineatus, Gmel., 1788, Wils., 1808, And., 1831.— Buteo lineatus, .lard., 1832, Aud., 

 1839, and others. — Falco hyemalis, Gmel., 1789, Bona])., 1832. — Falco buteoides, Nutt., 

 18.32. 



Plate XX and Figure 73. 



Likely to be confounded only with the Red-tailed Hawk, and young 

 birds of the two species can hardly be separated by the novice. The 

 present species, however, always shows rusty-red shoulders (lesser wing- 

 coverts), and the adult has a nearly black tail crossed by four or five distinct, 

 narrow, pure white bars, and usually is tipped narrowly with white. The 

 Red-shouldered Hawk is also more slightly built, the feet and legs in 

 particular being more slender than those of the Red-tail. 



Distriljution. — Eastern North America to Manitoba and Nova Scotia; 

 west to Texas and the Plains; south to the Gulf States and Mexico. Breeds 

 throughout its range. 



The Red-shouldered Hawk is an abundant hawk in Michigan, frequenting 

 every part of the state and found, at least occasionally, at all seasons of 

 the year. The greater number move southward at the approach of cold 

 weather, but many remain all winter, at least in the southern half of the 

 state. In its general habits it resembles the Red-tail rather closel3s but 

 is more partial to heavily wooded regions and less often seen at a distance 

 from timber, or sitting motionless on the top of an isolated tree. This 

 difference is correlated with its feeding habits, since the Red-shouldered 

 Hawk is much more partial to the tree-loving squirrels, and more of its 

 food comes from the woods than from the fields and meadows. 



It is commonly called a Hen Hawk, and most farmers believe that it is 

 a constant menace to the poultry yard. Nevertheless this idea is absolutely 

 without foundation. Dr. A. K. Fisher says that in all his field experience 

 he has never seen one attack a fowl, nor has he found the remains of one 

 in the stomachs of those examined, except that in severe weather, when 

 the ground is covered with snow and when food is scarce, it will devour 

 dead chickens which have licen thrown out from the yard, as well as other 

 refuse found on the compost heaps or in the vicinity of slaughter-houses. 

 Out of 206 stomachs reported on by Dr. Fisher, 3 contained some remains 

 of poultry; 12, other birds; 102, mice; 40, other mammals; 20, reptiles; 

 39, batrachians; 92, insects; 16, spiders; 7, crayfish; 1, earthworms; and 3, 

 fish. It will be seen from a careful examination of Dr. Fisher's report 

 that the bird has a wide range in food and shows a decided preference for 

 snakes and frogs, as well as a fondness for mice, grasshoppers, beetles, 

 and various other insects. It does eat a few wild birds, but does not appear 

 to be particularly injurious to game, although it occasionally picks up a 

 quail. 



Like the Red-tailed Hawk it is an early nester, though probably not 

 quite so early as that bird. The late R. B. Westnedge records 21 sets of 

 eggs taken in Kalamazoo county, of which n\imber 16 sets (fresh eggs) 



