THE BROAD-WINGED HAWK 125 



Cory, C. B., Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin, p. 465, 1909. 



Bruner, L., Wolcott, R. H., Swenk, M. H., A Preliminary Review of the 



Birds of Nebraska, p. 51, 1909. 

 A. 0. U. Check List, 1910, p. 159. 



Chapman, F. M., Birds of Eastern North America, p. 298, 1912. 

 Bunker, C. D., The Birds of Kansas, p. 147, 1913. 



12. BUTEO PLATYPTERUS (Vieillot). 343. 

 Broad-winged Hawk. 



Field Characters. A medium- sized brownish hawk with conspic- 

 uously banded tail. A rather unwary hawk, found either in woods or 

 meadows. 



Description. Above, brownish, darker on the back. Tail dark, 

 with about four light bands. Below, heavily barred with brownish 

 or rusty buff. Throat streaked with black ; belly whitish. 



Immature : Back dusky ; under parts with dusky spots and streaks 

 on a white or buffy background. Tail with several more or less dis- 

 tinct bands. 



Measurements. Length, 15 to 18 inches; wing, 10 to 11 inches; 

 tail, 7 to 8 inches. 



Range. From eastern British America to the Gulf, wintering 

 from middle United States southward. 



The Broad- winged Hawk fills a somewhat unique position among 

 the diurnal birds of prey in that it seems to be partial in its diet to the 

 larvae of certain moths, etc., which do not appeal to the taste of other 

 raptorial birds. 



It has as little dash as any of our birds of prey, and is less suspi- 

 cious than other hawks. It is to be seen perched in trees in rather 

 dense second-growth timber, hopping about on sandy ground in pur- 

 suit of grasshoppers, or circling high in the air after the manner of 

 other buzzard hawks. During migration it is more common than at 

 other seasons of the year. 



On September 22, 1911, Professor J. H. Scott, Mr. S. N. Harris 

 and the writer witnessed a flight of Broad-winged Hawks near Cedar 

 Rapids, which must have numbered between two and three thousand 

 individuals of this species, besides a few Cooper's, Marsh, Red-tailed, 

 and one Harlan's Hawk which we identified. These birds were so 

 numerous at times, and so closely assembled as to suggest a swarm 

 of gnats. The stomach of a Broad-wing shot at the time contained 



