BIRDS. 



147 



From Biological Survey. 



Fig. 49. — Red-tailed hawk. 



Western Gosiiaavk : /istur </entil/s striatnlus. — The destructive 

 goshawk, which lives hirgely on poultry in settled regions and on 

 game birds in the mountains, may be recognized by its bluish back 

 and swift flight, which give it the name of blue darter. A hawk 

 seen from a distance, at the base of Grinnell Mountain, was appar- 

 ently a goshawk. A mounted bird from 

 Lake McDonald is in the collection of F. F. 

 Liebig, of Kalispell. One taken for the 

 eastern fonn by Mr. H. C. Bryant, of Cali- 

 fornia, was seen July 23 on the trail be- 

 tween Kejnolds Creek and Piegan Pass. 



Westijrn Red-tail: Buteo horealis 

 cahirus. — The widespread rufous fantail of 

 this hawk seen overhead, as he circles high 

 in the sky giving his high-pitched squeal, 

 identifies him anywhere. While the red- 

 tail is one of the most beneficial hawks, 

 Avaging an incessant warfare on injurious 

 mammals, such as ground squirrels and 

 mice, it is often called henhawk or chicken- 

 hawk and killed through popular prejudice, greatly to the detriment 

 of the ranchman. 



In 1885 and 1887 Dr. Grinnell found it common among the foot- 

 hills and on the plains of the St. Mary region, but only two were 

 seen b}'' us in the park during the SHimmer, one 

 on the Swiftcurrent, below^ Lake McDermott, 

 and one OAer the flats of Belly River; but on 

 April 19, 1918. Mr. Bailey saw one on the road 

 just Avest of Dutch Creek. Another was seen in 

 1913 by Mr. E. R. Warren on Bison Mountain. 

 SwAiNSOx Haaa'^k : Bwteo swalnsoni. — Mr. 

 H. C. Bryant, of California, reports having 

 seen a Swainson seAeral times " on the open 

 prairie about a mile doAvn the Swiftcurrent 

 River from INIany Glaciers," and ]Mr. E. S. 

 BrA^ant says the birds nest on Teakettle Moun- 

 tain on the southwestern edge of the park. 

 One of these prairie-frequenting haAvks Avas 

 seen by us in August on the Belly RiA^er flats. 

 As if letting the upcurrent take it, it rose higher and higher, squeal- 

 ing something like a red-tail, till it was only a black line against a 

 white cloud. 



SQtriRREL Haa\'k : Archibuteo ferrugineus. — Another prairie hawk, 

 the large scjuirrol huAvk or ferruginous rough-leg, was seen in the 



From Biological Survey. 



Fig. 50. — Swainson hawk. 



