Buteos: Swainson's hawks were observed several times in the 

 study area (Figure 17), and nesting was suspected. Rough- 

 legged hawks were common on the study area during winter. 

 Two migrating adult bald eagles were sighted by landowners. 



Red-tailed hawks were the most common buteo on the study area. 

 Five active nests were located in 1979 and three active 

 nests were located in 1930 (Figure 18). Several other 

 inactive nests were found. One nest was located on a cliff, 

 two were in deciduous trees and six were in ponderosa pine 

 trees (Table 22) . 



Golden eagles were seen regularly on the study area. Seven 

 nests were located (Figure 19), two in ponderosa pine trees 

 and five on cliffs (Table 22). A pair of eagles initiated 

 nesting in nest number 12 (Figure 19), but abandoned the nest 

 in mid-May. The landowner in the area indicated that this 

 nest was used about every other year. An adult and two 

 juvenile eagles were observed several kilometers northeast 

 of this nest in late summer 1979, indicating the possibility 

 of an undetected nest either in or near the study area. 

 Another landowner stated that he often saw eagles in the area 

 just west of nests 14, 15, and 16 during 1979, but rarely saw 

 them during 1980. These nests were not found until 1980, so 

 their status in 1979 remains unclear. 



Harriers : Marsh hawks were common and probably nested in the 

 study area. They were usually observed hunting over grasslands 

 and hay meadows. 



Falcons : Kestrels were the most common raptor in the study area, 

 They nested mainly in old woodpecker holes in dead pine snags 

 and large Cottonwood trees. 



Two prairie falcon aeries were located on cliffs in the study 

 area (Figure 20). One was active in 1979 and the other was 

 active in 1980. A third aerie was known to be located on or 

 near the study area as shown in figure 20. Highly defensive 

 adults were seen in the area several times in 1930, but the 

 nest hole was not located. Suitable nest potholes for prairie 

 falcons were present on several other cliffs in the study area. 

 Prairie falcons used hay meadows along Otter Creek and Three- 

 mile Creek for hunting. 



Owls : Great-horned owls were common in the study area and 

 two nests were found. Four long-eared owls were observed for 

 several days in mid-August 1979 (Figure 17). One pair of 

 burrowing owls was seen on a prairie dog town on 1 May 1980 

 (Figure 17). The prairie dog town had been poisoned two weeks 

 previous to the sighting and was poisoned again in mid-May 

 with strychnine oats. 



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