Bald Eagle BIRDS OF PREY. 



Nest and Eggs : Like the Red-tail's ; eggs somewhat smaller. Nest 



often used for several seasons. 

 Range : Eastern North America, west to Texas and the Plains, south 



to the Gulf coast and Mexico. 



The common Hawk, that we see so frequently in winter, 

 sitting motionless on a bare tree-top or stump, in the 

 vicinity of inundated meadows, or where there are unfrozen 

 springs, for it is particularly fond of frogs, etc. At a dis- 

 tance it resembles the last species, but at short range its red 

 shoulders identify it. The Red-shouldered Hawk is a dig- 

 nified bird having an Owl-like flight, and when at rest the 

 pose of an Eagle. It is not easily disturbed, and will sit 

 half an hour at a time in one spot, giving you a fine oppor- 

 tunity of observing it with a field-glass or marine telescope, 

 which will bring it so close that every feather is distinct. 



In "Upland and Meadow" Dr. Abbott draws a very 

 interesting picture of this species as well as of other 

 Hawks, and says that their soaring and screaming over the 

 winter meadows is one of the few bits of primitive wild- 

 ness left to us. This species is a hardy and valuable bird ; 

 at least sixty-five per cent of its food consists of injurious 

 rodents and the remaining thirty-five per cent is made 

 up of insects, reptiles, etc., with a very small proportion of 

 bird food. 



Bald Eagle : Haliaetus leucocephalus. 



White-headed Sea, Eagle. 



PLATE 58. 



Length : 3 feet. Female larger. 



Male and Female : Neck, head feathers, and tail pure white in adults, 

 brown in young ; beak yellow and abruptly hooked ; plumage 

 dark brown ; legs feathered only half-way down ; feet yellow. 



Season : An uncommon resident, coming more like a visitor. 



Breeds : Through range. 



Nest : A bulky platform of stalks and litter, some 6 feet across and 

 3 feet deep ; either in large trees or on rocky ledges. 



Eggs : 2, white ; 2 to 3 inches in length. 



Range : North America at large ; south to Mexico. 



