Vol. XXII 



1905 



Forbush, Decrease of Birds in New England. 20 



extinction, 1 ; decreasing and rare, 11 ; holding their own, 1 ; 

 increasing slightly, 3. 



Birds of Prey seem to be generally decreasing along the Atlan- 

 tic seaboard. Eagles are regarded as very rare and decreasing by 

 22 observers located near the cities or in the interior. Along the 

 shore more are seen, but never in such numbers as in earlier 

 years. 



Twenty-two observers report Hawks and Owls in general as 

 decreasing. Other reports follow : — Hawks and Owls increasing, 

 2; in usual numbers, 4; Hawks disappearing or scarce, 5; 

 Hawks as usual, 2 ; Hawks as plenty as ever, 3 ; Hawks increas- 

 ing, 4 ; Owls scarce, 4. 



Screech Owls, many of which were killed by the last winter, are, 

 in most cases, reported as uncommon, and in a few localities as 

 rare or wanting this season. Saw-whet Owls, many of which were 

 picked up dead last winter, are not reported this year by any 

 observer. 



The locations of the correspondents indicate that hawks in gen- 

 eral are decreasing in the more thickly settled eastern parts of 

 Massachusetts and holding their own or even increasing locally 

 in the western part of the State. In northern New England they 

 seem generally common. The Great Horned Owl seems to be 

 growing rarer in all well-populated regions. The Red-tailed 

 Hawk is apparently disappearing from many regions, and there 

 is some evidence that the Red-shouldered Hawk is increasing and 

 slowly taking the place of the other species. 



The Pileated Woodpecker, which has been nearing extinction 

 for many years, now appears to hold its own in northern Worces- 

 ter County, Massachusetts. 



Nighthawks seem to be decreasing over large areas. Reports 

 follow: — Extinct, 2; almost extinct, 3; decreasing or rare, 18; 

 plenty, 2; as usual, 1. How much the June weather of 1903 

 may have had to do with their scarcity we can only conjecture. 

 But the Nighthawk has been gradually decreasing in much of 

 eastern Massachusetts, and in some sections of the western part 

 of the State, for many years. There is also evidence of a 

 decrease in parts of northern New England. 



Six observers report Whippoorwills as decreasing or gone. 



