EASTERN RED-TAILED HAWK 151 



the next year they were back again in the Bhie Hidge nest. Since 

 then we have been unable to find any hawk's nests in any of the three 

 localities, though much of the old woods is still standing. 



All the nest^s found in the hardwood region were in oaks, varying 

 in elevation from 35 to 48 feet. Those in the white-pine region were 

 all in white pines and 35 to 70 feet above the ground. On Marthas 

 Vineyard we found the lowest nests in the oak groves on the western 

 part of the island; one huge nest was only 15 feet from the ground 

 and another 30 feet. In the Cape Cod region the redtails nost in the 

 largest pitch pines they can find, from 18 to 35 feet up, and occasion- 

 ally in white pines where these trees can be found. 



The nests of the red-tailed hawks will average somewhat larger 

 than those of the red-shouldered; typical nests are from 28 to 30 

 inches in outside diameter, the inner cavity being 14 or 15 inches 

 wide and 4 or 5 inches deep. The largest nest I ever measured was 

 42 inches in longest by 19 inches in shortest diameter. The nests 

 are usually quite flat and shallow ; but one that had been added to for 

 an unknown number of years measured 3 feet in height. Dr. H. C. 

 Oberholser (1896) gives the measurements of 7 Ohio nests that are 

 somewhat larger than my averages; his largest nest measured 36 

 inches in height and 48 by 30 inches in outside diameter; the inner 

 cavity was 7 inches deep. 



The nests are well made of sticks and twigs, half an inch or less in 

 thickness, and neatly lined with strips of inner bark, of cedar, grape- 

 vine or chestnut, usnea, and usually at least a few green sprigs of 

 pine, cedar, or hemlock. Some nests are profusely and beautifully 

 lined with fresh green sprigs of white pine, which are frequently 

 renewed during incubation and during the earlier stages in the 

 growth of the young. 



I have spent considerable time, with rather meagre results, at- 

 tempting to watch the nest-building activities of these hawks. They 

 "stake out their claun" late in February or early in March, a month 

 before the eggs are deposited, by marking the nest they propose to 

 use with a sprig of green pine. Nest building is a very deliberate 

 process ; the birds visit the nest at very infrequent intervals and are 

 very cautious about it. If they suspect that the nest is watched they 

 will not come near it. In order to watch thorn successfully it is 

 necessary to have a blind that offers perfect concealment; a brush 

 blind is utterly useless, as the hawks can see the slightest movement 

 in it, and will not come near the nest again until the intruder de- 

 parts. I believe that both sexes assist in nest building, though I 

 have not proved it. Old nests are sometimes repaired in the autumn. 



The nesting habits of the red-tailed hawk in other parts of its 

 range differ somewhat from the above. Major Bendire (1892) 



