266 
WILD WINGS 
It is well known that each pair of raptorial birds preempts 
its own private hunting-preserve, from which it tries to 
exclude all others that might create troublesome competition. 
But there are curious exceptions. Smaller hawks of other 
genera are frequently allowed to nest near by, though not 
verv close. Now and then smaller species of the same genus 
are, apparently, not deemed dangerous enough rivals to be 
driven off. I have known Broad-wings to nest in the same 
woodland tract with each of the two larger species. Never, 
though, have I found two pairs of the same species — save 
the social Ospreys — nesting near together. Perhaps marital 
jealousy has something to do with this. In some instances 
I have known two pairs of the Red-shoulder to nest not far 
apart on opposite sides of a road. Probably neither of them 
crossed the road into the other’s territory. 
It is worth noting that hawks and owls of the same size 
often share the same haunts, both for nesting and for hunt¬ 
ing. Interesting, too, is the fact that the Red-shouldered 
Hawk seems to fraternize with the Barred Owl, while the 
Great Horned Owl and the Red-tail are in the same way 
associated. 
I must confess to a feeling of partiality for the Red-shoul¬ 
dered Hawk, probably because I have for years lived on 
intimate terms with the species. In Middleboro and sur¬ 
rounding towns there were ten pairs that I used to look up 
from year to year, and a number of others with which I had 
casual acquaintance. As time went on I discovered that most 
of these hawk families had a distinct individuality. 
My prime favorites were the “ Dean Woods” pair, noisy, 
not so shy as some, building a large new nest each year near 
the old one, forty-five feet or so up some white pine. They 
always had four large eggs, distinctively blotched, so that 
I could have told them from the eggs of any other pair. The 
