244 BULLETIN 16 7, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Food. — Mr. Burns (1911) gives the following interesting account 

 of the hunting and feeding habits of this hawk : 



The rather sedentary Broad-wing most frequently waits for its prey while 

 perched on a convenient stub or dead limb. A slight stir below and it bends 

 forward with dilating pupils, cat-like, with twitching tail, swaying body, light 

 foothold ; it springs forward with marvelous quickness, snatching up the object 

 with its talons ; If its captive is not too heavy, it carries it to one of its favorite 

 perches, there to devour it unless disturbed, when it reluctantly retires after a 

 whistled protest. Very small mammals are swallowed whole, and the larger 

 skinned and even the leg bones clean-stripped and left attached to the hide. 

 Birds are plucked of primaries, rectrices and a few breast feathers, flinging 

 them aside with a quick flirt of the bill; after tearing off and devouring the 

 head, the body is ripped open and the intestines eaten, piece by piece the limbs 

 and body follow. Large snakes, toads aud frogs are usually skinned, and 

 smaller ones torn in sections after the head has been disposed of. Crawfish 

 are eaten piecemeal, and insects, spiders, etc., usually disappear intact. I have 

 seen it fly toward its nest with a mouse dangling from a single sharp talon in 

 its throat, and a medium-sized snake grasped firmly with both feet ; yet kite- 

 like, it will sometimes securely hold an uninjured beetle, grasshopper or earth- 

 worm, in one foot bent forward to breast, and resting on the other, delicately 

 pick the tidbit to pieces. At times it is said to hunt on the wing, circling in 

 the air, upon sighting its quarry it becomes stationary for an instant and then 

 descends with considerable velocity, thrusting forward its feet with lightning- 

 like rapiditj% securely grappling its victim only when its body follows or its 

 legs bend in the rise ; unlike the Osprey which seems to have the power to 

 clutch with extended leg, its hold is secure only upon this movement. Digestion 

 is comparatively rapid and the indigestible parts, consisting of the nicely- 

 cleaned bones enveloped in the hair, feathers, etc., are regurgitated in the form 

 of pellets before fresh food is taken. 



In his long list of species Imown to be eaten he includes the north- 

 ern hare and cotton rabbit, various mice and shrews, red squirrel, 

 chipmunk, and weasel among mammals; flicker, phoebe, sparrows, 

 ovenbird, brown thrasher, and wood thrush make up the bird list; 

 the reptiles and amphibians include lizards, small snakes, frogs, and 

 toads; other items are various larvae of large moths, beetles, locusts, 

 grasshoppers, dragonflies, thousandlegs, spiders, ants, fiddler crabs, 

 crayfish, and earthworms. His summarj^ of the contents of 115 

 stomachs states that "11 contained birds; 31, mice; 17, other mam- 

 mals; 17, reptiles; 22, batrachians; 45, insects; 10, crawfish; 2, spiders; 

 1, thousand-legs; 2, earth worms; and 7 were empty." 



Dr. A. K. Fisher (1893) says of its food : 



Among mammals the smaller squirrels and wood mice are most frequently 

 taken, though field mice and shrews also are found in the stomach contents. 



During August and September a considerable portion of the food consists of 

 the larvae of certain large moths which are common at this season, * ♦ ♦ 

 and it is the exception not to find their remains in the stomachs examined. 

 Grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles are also greedily devoured. * * * 



The only act of the Broad-winged Hawk which seems injurious to agriculture 

 Is the killing of loads and small snakes ; the former of which are exclusively 



