few exceptions, this food is made up of mice, rats, gophers, shrews and other 

 rodents. If this food runs out, an occasional hawk learns to eat poultry or birds. 

 This, however, is the exception rather than the rule. .Ml the common land 

 hawks in Illinois except two species, and all the owls seem to prefer these 

 rodents for food. This very necessary work can not be done by cats, as some 

 people believe. If the cat is a mouser at all, she must sit down where mice and 

 rats congregate about the house or barn and there sit down, "like Micawber." and 

 wait for "something to turn up." When rodents come within reach she springs 

 upon them. But this same cat would be useless in a broad field where roflcnts 

 are scattered. To successfully rid a field of meadow mice and other rodents, etc., 

 requires the services of birds of prey which can quickly fly over the broad fields 

 and on noiseless wing steal upon the pests while they are out of their hiding 

 places. This very necessary service is performed by hawks during the day and 

 by owls in the twilight and by night. 



Only two common land-hawks in Illinois do notable injury, as a rule. Two 

 slaty grav hawks with black bars on tail and wing are noted poultr>' and bird 

 thieves. They are the little sharp-shinned hawk and his "big brother." the 

 Cooper's hawk. The latter bird is almost twice as large as the former. 



All other hawks of importance are decidedly beneficial. The sparrow hawk 

 eats large numbers of grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, and mice. He is known 

 everywhere by his quick ringing "Killy ! Killy Killy!" as he wheels about buildings 

 and parks or hovers upon beating wings above some spot in the field or meadow 

 until he locates the coveted insect or rodent upon which he so speedily descends 

 at the first opportunity. Because of his boldness, this beautiful little hawk is 

 frequently shot by those who do not understand his real value. The large marsh 

 hawk flies low over fields, meadows and lowlands, preferably near woodlands or 

 streams. When his sharp eyes detect some destructive rodent beneath him. he 

 raises his long wings vertically over his back, quickly descends and with out- 

 stretched talons seizes the coveted prize. He may also be known by the large 

 white area above the base of the tail. The red-tailed hawk and the red-shouldered 

 hawk are both large and are both unfortunately known as "hen hawks" or 

 "chicken haw-ks." Only an occasional specimen is known to destroy poultry, 

 and perhaps none of either species would do so if the poultry were kept properly 

 housed or penned up. 



Owls even have a better record than hawks. As soon as hawks are driven 

 to roost by the darkness, owls begin their nightly search for nocturnal rodents 

 and insects. These large bright-eyed birds are so quiet and so "mysterious" in 

 their habits that their wild cries or "cold hooting calls" make superstitious people 

 shudder. Unlike other birds, owls see us with both eyes at once. This gives them 

 something of a "human expression" and makes them look wise. But their large 

 eyes serve the owl most eflfectively in the darkness. By means of them he 

 locates and captures almost fabulous numbers of mice. rats, shrews, meadow mice, 

 insects, etc. 



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