Widmann — A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 97 



by Mr. Chas. K. Worthen. Two were seen at that time flying 

 up the river. 



*339. BuTEO LiNEATus (Gmel.). Red-shouldered Hawk. 



Falco lineatus. Falco hyemalis. Buteo hyemalis. Circus hyemalis. Astur 

 hyemalis. Falco buteoides. Red-shouldered Buzzard. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern North America, north to southern prov- 

 inces of Canada, west to the Plains; south to Mexico. Breeds 

 throughout its range. Winters sometimes in Ontario and the 

 Northern States, but in the Mississippi Valley chiefly south of 

 latitude 39°, returning very early to its breeding places in the 

 North. 



As a summer resident the Red-shoulder far outnumbers its 

 cousin, the Red-tail, with which it shares the honor of being 

 called Hen or Chicken Hawk, in all wooded parts of Missouri. 

 It is particularly common on the flood plains of the large rivers 

 and in the swampy southeast, where in spring and summer its 

 call is one of the most common sounds. As a denizen of the 

 lowland it follows the river valleys, both north and south, in 

 the prairie as well as throughout the Ozark region, but thanks 

 to the relentless persecution and lack of nesting sites as a conse- 

 quence of the removal of all trees, even those fringing the water- 

 courses, some parts of the state are already without this great 

 benefactor of the agriculturist. It has been found that 65% of 

 its food consists of mice and other injurious rodents; less than 

 2% of poultry, and the rest of frogs, crawfish, snakes and in- 

 sects. Though some may be found in every month of the year, 

 the majority leave the state in November and December and do 

 not return until late in February and early March, to the more 

 northern part usually not before the middle of that month. 

 North-bound transients do not tarry with us as long as the 

 south-bound in the fall from September to November, mostly 

 inexperienced birds of the year, many of which fall to the ever- 

 ready gun of the duck and snipe hunter. 



342. Buteo swainsoni Bonap. Swainson's Hawk. 



FaicobiUeo. Buteo vulgaris. Buteo inontanu^ Nutta.]!. Buteo bairdii Quv). 



Geog. Dist. — From Argentina to arctic regions; in North 

 America from the Pacific coast east to Manitoba, western Minne- 

 sota, Nebraska and middle Kansas; in migration eastward to 

 Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. 



