146 



WILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK. 



From Biological Survey. 



Fig. 47. — Sharp-shinned 

 hawk. 



Family BUTEONID^: Hawks, Eagles, etc. 



Marsh Hawk: Circus cycuneus hudsonius. — The mouse hawk, as it 

 is known locally, is easily recognized by its white rump patch as it 

 beats low over meadows, marshes, and beaver ponds, hunting for 

 small manunals. While restricted to the lower levels, it is reported 

 from Sherburne Lake, Lake St. Mary, and the 

 North Fork cf the Flathead. Several were seen 

 by us in the Belly Tviver country, at Waterton 

 Lake, the Reynolds Lakes, and along. the Koote- 

 nai Trail. 



The marsh hawk nests on the ground, and 

 when opportunity offers it is a peculiarly in- 

 teresting bird to study and photograph. 



Sharp-shinned Hawk: Accipltcr velox. — 

 The long-tailed little sharp-shinned hawk darts 

 about, picking up birds or small mammals with 

 dextrous ease, but occasionally he finds his 

 match. One morning in August, as the sun was 

 shining over the garden wall at our Granite 

 Park camp and the small birds were flying 

 around among the tall firs, Mr. Bailey saw a band of Clark crows and 

 Oregon jays come into the white-barked pines. " Suddenly," he said, 

 "the ground squirrels began to chirp in a low tone quite dilferent 

 from their usual alarm note, and a sharp- 

 shinned hawk dashed across from one tree 

 to another in pursuit of an Oregon jay of 

 his own size." Such temerity was not to go 

 unpunished, and the jay, with loud squawks, 

 l)romptly chased him back to another tree, 

 a Clark crow joining in "with harsh 

 cries and widely flapping wings." 



A few hours later, as we were crossing 

 Swiftcurrent Pass, Ave saw a sharp-shin 

 skim low over the ground and make a quick 

 dive at a ledge of rock, when a ground 

 squirrel with a sharp squeak dodged back 

 out of his reach. After the hawk had dis- 

 appeared, the half-grown ground squirrel 

 came out and loudly celebrated his escape 

 with warning whistles to his brothers. 



Cooper Hawk : Accipiter cooperi. — One of the Cooper hawks, simi- 

 larly marked but a size larger than the sharp-shinned, was seen by 

 Mr. Bailey on August 9, flying over the low peak adjoining Chief 

 Mountain. The hawk was also reported by Mr. Frank M. Stevenson, 

 from the Sherburne Lake reaion. 



From Biological Survey. 



Fig. 48.— Goshawk. 



