04 THE WESTERN RED-TAIL. 
iw 
prowess. At times, indeed, the thirst for blood appears to dull its discretion, 
and it will return to seize a fowl even after it has been shot at; but oftener it 
marks the gunner from a distance and awaits the unguarded moment at the 
poultry-yard. After sighting game, this Hawk does not soar and hover, after 
the manner of the Prairie Falcon; rather it approaches in a horizontal direc- 
tion at a low elevation and under partial cover of vegetation, then darts 
down suddenly or makes a quick side turn, Seizing its victim deftly, and 
off again to a distant station. Having once got the lie of the land, 
a Goshawk will make requisition on a poultry-yard two or three times 
a day, and may elude capture altogether, be the owner never so incensed 
over his losses. 
“Nidification begins early, usually about the latter part of March or the 
beginning of April, long before the snow has disappeared from the mountains, 
and while the hillsides are still saturated with moisture, making it anything 
but easy work to look for their nests. These are usually built in tall trees 
and no particular preference seems to be shown in their selection. The nests 
are mostly placed close to the trunk and generally well hidden from view. 
Occasionally one is placed some distance out, or between the forks of one 
of the larger limbs, and on that account can be more readily seen. I believe 
each of these birds has its regular hunting range, from which all other species 
of Raptores are driven off. At any rate I have never found the Western 
Red-tailed or Swainson’s Hawks, the most common kinds found, breeding 
in the vicinity of a pair of Goshawks” (Bendire). 
No. 205. 
WESTERN RED-TAIL. 
A. O. U. No. 337b. Buteo borealis calurus (Cassin). 
Synonyms.—W EsTERN ReEb-TAILED HAWK. WesTeERN Rep-TAILep Buzzarp 
Buack Rep-tain. Cuicken Hawk. Hen Hawk. 
[Description of typical form, Buteo borealis—Adult: Above dark brown, 
fuscous, and grayish brown, varied by rusty or ochraceous edgings, and out- 
cropping whitish, especially about head and neck; primaries blackish-tipped, the 
first four deeply emarginate, the inner ones indistinctly banded ; tail deep rufous, 
crossed near end by a single narrow bar of blackish; lighter from below,— 
vinaceous or pearly pink; underparts white or buffy white, rufous- and brown- 
shaded on sides of neck and breast, nearly meeting in center; throat and upper 
breast with dusky, lanceolate streaks; sides with rhomboidal spots or transverse 
bars of rufous and dusky in various patterns, nearly meeting across belly ; shanks 
faintly barred with rusty; bill plumbeous; tarsus yellow, very stout; claws black. 
Immature: Similar to adult but more uniform in coloration,—tittle buffy or 
