70 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



It is fortunate for the American hen that the 

 Goshawk resides mostly north of the United 

 States, migratinj,'' southward only in winter when 

 its toll from the poultry yard is necessarily 

 limited because the birds are confined to their 

 houses. It is the most destructive of the Hawks 

 to game birds, the Ruffed Grouse suffering par- 

 ticularly from its depredations. 



Though swift in attack its flight is even and its 

 death is often accomplished with a rifle in the 

 hands of a fair r.hot. Like most Raptorcs, hunger 

 deprives it of caution. It will follow the hunter 

 and snatch a wounded bird almost from beneath 

 his feet, although this performance means its 

 own destruction. Unless the adult is hungry, 

 young Goshawks are more audacious than their 

 elders and because of their brownish plumage 



their deeds are frequently attributed to the harm- 

 less Red-tail. The Goshawk is the most sym- 

 metrical and clean-cut of all its family not ex- 

 cepting even the Peregrine Falcon, and often 

 ( with me at least ) is allowed to escape because of 

 its sjjlendid form and spirit. Its destructiveness 

 cannot obliterate the appreciation its prowess 

 arouses. 



The Western Goshawk (As fur atricapUlus 

 striatulits) difTers in having the markings of the 

 under parts much more numerous ; the upper 

 ])arts are darker and incline to blackish on the 

 back. This form inhabits the Arctic parts of 

 the Pacific coast and breeds from Alaska south 

 to the Sierra Nevadas of California. In winter 

 it may be found in southern California and east 

 to Colorado. R. I. Brasher. 



HARRIS'S HAWK 

 Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi (Audubon) 



A. O. U. Number 335 



Description. — Length : male, 20 inches ; female, 2.3 

 inches. Lores, nearly naked with numerous bristles ; 

 inner web of five outer quills notched. Adults: Gen- 

 eral plumage, blackish varying from dark umber-brown 

 to a distinct dusky-black shade ; the wings and tail, gen- 

 erally darker; lesser and a part of the middle wing- 

 coverts and feathers of the leg, a deep rich chestnut; 

 upper and loiver tail-coverts and base of tail, broadly 

 while; end of tail, also white for one inch or more; 

 sides of head with a few white streaks; bill, horn color; 

 cere and legs, yellow ; iris, brown. Young : Plumage, 

 more brownish, streaked on head and neck with yellow- 

 ish-brown ; back and shoulders varied with chestnut and 

 rusty-brown ; chestnut wing patch duller and much 

 broken by darker feathers; white band at base of tail 

 less sharply defined ; terminal white band on tail nar- 



rower or missing ; below, tawny-white broadly streaked 

 with dark brown and dusky ; thigh feathers barred with 

 white. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest: In a tree or bush and 

 varying greatly in size and finish ; different species of 

 cacti, Spanish bayonet or mesquites are most fre- 

 quently selected as a site; a platform constructed of 

 sticks, twigs, and weed stems and lined with grass, 

 inoss, and roots. Eggs : 2 to 4, dull white or green- 

 ish-white, plain, or lightly spotted with faint yellowish- 

 brown or lavender. 



Distribution. — Southeastern California, southern 

 •Arizona, southern New Mexico, abundant in some parts 

 of southern Te.xas, rarely reaching east to Louisiana 

 and Mississippi ; south to Cape San Lucas and Panama ; 

 accidental in Iowa. 



Harris's Hawk is tame and unsuspicious. Un- 

 less hunting it is rather slow in flight but it 

 possesses plenty of dash and swiftness when pur- 

 suing prey. In the monotonous regions of mes- 

 quite and sagebrush thickets of the southwestern 

 deserts, any form of life arouses interest, and 



the traveler follows with pleasure the free swings 

 of Harris's Hawk coursing low over the brush, 

 searching for the wood-rats or chipinunks which 

 constitute its principal food. It is not averse to 

 association with Caracaras and Vultures and 

 often joins them in their meals of carrion. 



