96 THE RAPTORIAL BIRDS OF IOWA 



Those hawks which visit the poultry yard too frequently may be 

 shot if necessary, but it is doubtful even then, in view of the fact that 

 chicken is only a part of the bird's diet, whether the farmer is gainer 

 thereby. We are not inclined to exterminate the male population in 

 knickerbockers because of an uncontrolled appetite for apples, grapes 

 or melons at certain seasons of the year. 



Mr. Frank Pellett of Atlantic had under observation a pair of 

 Red-tailed Hawks that had selected a nesting site near a farmyard. 

 He "shadowed" this family of Red-tails from March to June, 1910, 

 and found that "apparently the pocket gopher was brought in more 

 often than any other single item of food." He says, "If this family 

 of hawks is a fair example, I think it safe to estimate the number of 

 pocket gophers caught by a family of Red-tailed Hawks during a 

 summer at one hundred." "Aside from pocket gophers the food con- 

 sisted of prairie grey squirrels, striped ground squirels, rats and field 

 mice." "During the entire time that the birds were under observa- 

 tion, they were only observed to have two small chickens about the 

 size of a quail." 



"As an example of the bill of fare, they were seen to have three 

 pocket gophers, a prairie grey squirrel and two field mice in one day." 



Some observers believe that young and therefore less skillful birds 

 are more likely to attack poultry because of the ease with which such 

 prey may be secured. 



B. H. Warren records 173 stomachs examined of which 128 con- 

 tained principally field mice and other small quadrupeds. Fourteen 

 had fed on chrckens, and three on snakes. He says, "I have repeat- 

 edly found three or four mice in the viscera of one bird." And he- 

 reports that as many as seven were found in a single specimen. 



N. S. Goss says, "In habits it is rather sluggish, feeding chiefly 

 upon rabbits, mice and moles, which it occasionally swoops down 

 upon from the air, but generally from a perch, where it patiently 

 watches for its prey. It now and then drops upon a duck, Bob White, 

 or stray fowl from the yard, but it is not quick enough to catch the 

 smaller birds, and never gives chase after a bird on the wing. It has 

 not the courage or dash to venture within the dooryard, unless in a 

 secluded place. 



"I know the farmer looks upon them as an enemy, but after a care- 

 ful study of their habits, and an examination of many of their stom- 

 achs, I have reached the conclusion that they are far more beneficial 

 than injurious, in fact, one of his best friends." "They also delight 

 to sail in the air, . . . and during the insect season, while thus sail- 



