KITES, HAWKS, AND EAGLES: Family Accipitriidae [191] 



parts of eastern Oregon. It is most abundant in October, November, 

 March, and April, but it is a particularly common winter resident of 

 Harney Valley and of the irrigated areas along the Snake and Columbia 

 Rivers. Our earliest record is September 2.4 (Harney County); and our 

 latest, May 9 (Lake County). West of the Cascades it is a rare straggler, 

 being known from two specimens only, one taken at Seaside, October 13, 

 19x5 (Jewett i92_6a), and the second, at Netarts Bay, October 2.5, 192.5 

 (Walker 192.6). 



While in the State as a migrant, as well as during the winter months, 

 this hawk's favorite haunts are the irrigated meadows where an abund- 

 ance of mice are normally available. These birds also show a marked 

 tendency to congregate in areas where jack rabbits are numerous, among 

 which are the sagebrush district of northern Morrow and Umatilla Coun- 

 ties and the rolling sage-covered hills of northern Malheur and Harney 

 Valleys. The hawks habitually sit on available telephone poles or fence 

 posts and are so tame and unsuspicious that they are easily approached 

 and many are killed by farmer boys or hunters after other game. In the 

 meadows, they are found on similar perches or on the haystacks, from 

 which vantage point they watch for some luckless rodent to come into 

 view. 



Until about 1930, this was an exceedingly common winter resident in 

 the eastern part of the State. Since that date there has been a great 

 decrease in numbers. Coincident with this decrease has been an organized 

 antihawk campaign by sportsmen in British Columbia, in which thou- 

 sands of these harmless rodent-eating hawks have been slaughtered. 

 Although no connection between these two events has been or can be 

 demonstrated, they come suspiciously close together. 



Ferruginous Rough-leg: 



Buteo regalis (Gray) 



DESCRIPTION. "Adults, normal phase: Under parts white, sometimes slightly streaked 

 with brown; upper parts and flanks reddish brown; tail white, more or less stained with 

 reddish brown, and sometimes marked with a subterminal band. Adults, melanistic 

 phase: tail normal; upper parts chocolate brown, marked with rusty; under parts 

 rusty and chocolate. Young: upper parts grayish brown, feathers edged with rusty 

 or yellowish brown; flanks white, more or less spotted with dusky; tail whitish for 

 basal third, the rest brownish gray, usually with several more or less distinct dark 

 bands. Ma/e: length zi.5o, wing 15.90-17.00, tail 9.50-10.50. Female: length 2.4, 

 wing 17.00-18.80, tail 10.50-11.00." (Bailey) Nest: Bulky mass of sticks, lined 

 with dry vegetation, bark, and feathers (Plate 2.9, A). Eggs: z to 5, creamy or 

 greenish white, irregularly marked with brown and lavender. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from southern Alberta and Manitoba south to north- 

 eastern California, Utah, southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Kansas. Winters 

 from Montana and Oregon to Lower California and northern Mexico. In Oregon: 

 Regular summer resident and breeding species in eastern Oregon. Much less common 

 in winter. 



