EASTERN RED-TAILED HAWK 147 



Casual records . — The type specimen of Itarrlsi was taken by Au- 

 dubon between Bayou Sara, La., and Natchez, Miss, Th© species 

 has been subsequently reported as occurring along the coast of Loui- 

 siana and on some of the larger islands, but additional specimens 

 do not seem to have been taken. 



A specimen was caught in a steel trap near Hillsboro, Van Buren 

 County, Iowa, about 1895, and on December 24, 1917, one of a pair 

 was shot by a farmer 4 miles southwest of Harrisburg, Ohio. 



Egg dates. — California, Mexico, and Texas: 102 records, February 

 5 to June 21 ; 51 records, March 22 to May 7. 



BUTEG BOREALIS BOREALIS (Gnielin) 

 EASTERN RED-TAILED HAWK 



HABITS 



The red-tailed hawk, with its various races, is the most widely 

 distributed, most universally common, and best known of all our 

 hawks, though in certain sections some other species may be much 

 commoner. For example, in my home territory the red-shouldered 

 hawk outnumbers it nearly ten to one; and on the prairies and 

 plains of the Middle West Swainson's and ferruginous roughlegs 

 are, or were, commoner than redtails. But this fine hawk, the largest 

 and most powerful of our eastern Buteos, is no longer common over 

 much of its former range. The widespread prejudice against all 

 hawks is exterminating this useful species much faster than some 

 of the most destructive hawks that are better able to take care of 

 themselves, craftier, and swifter awing. It will be a sad day indeed 

 when we shall no longer see the great redtail sailing over the tree- 

 tops on its broad expanse of wing and ruddy tail, or soaring upward 

 in majestic circles until lost to sight in the ethereal blue, or a mere 

 speck against the clouds. 



The distribution of this and the red-shouldered hawk in south- 

 eastern Massachusetts has always interested me. During my 50 

 years of experience with them, I have learned to regard them as 

 competitive species, each intolerant of the other, antagonistic and 

 occupying entirely separate ranges. In the western half of Bristol 

 County, where the prevailing forest growth consists of hardwood 

 trees, chestnut (formerly), oaks, and maples, with only scattering 

 growths of white pine (Pinus strohus), the red-tailed hawk was until 

 recently practically unknown; this region has always been the 

 center of abundance of the red-shouldered hawk. On the other 

 hand, in the Cape Cod region, comprising the southeastern part of 

 Pl3nnouth County and all of Barnstable County, where the prevail- 

 ing forest growth is pitch pine {Pinus Hgida) and stunted oaks, 

 the redtail is the common species and the redshoulder so rare that 



