RAPTORES. 91 



Upon him are his death knell. We can only hope that he 

 will not take down with him the manv hawks which are dis- 

 tinctly beneficial, thus depriving us of Nature's balancers for 

 the injurious rodents and larger insects. 



126. (334.) ACCIPITER ATRICAPILLUS (Wils.). 170. 

 American Goshawk. 



Synonyms: Astur atricapillus, Falco palumbarius, A. p. var. 

 atricapillus. 

 Goshawk, Blue Hen Hawk^ Chicken Hawk. 

 Kirtland, Ohio Geol. Surv., 1838, 161, 178. 



The Goshawk is so much like the Cooper Hawk that it 

 is not known by more than a few of the more experienced 

 Ohio ornithologists. It is larger, with a relatively shorter 

 tail, and the general color is bluish-slate, so much so that the 

 bird is often called the "Blue Hawk." It is much more 

 northern in its distribution, reaching Ohio only in winter, 

 and then occurring over the entire state in small numbers. 

 It seems likely that some of the northern winter records for 

 the Cooper Hawk may really be for this species. The 

 records of its occurrence in the state are too few to make any 

 statement of the time when it may be expected to reach the 

 state from the north reliable. It seems likely that it arrives 

 with the first cold and snow. 



In food habits this species resembles the Sharp-shinned 

 and Cooper Hawks, but its larger size necessitates larger 

 quarry. It lives principally upon birds, the grouse forms 

 contributing the most to its bill of fare. It can easily make 

 off with an ordinary sized chicken, which it is very willing to 

 come into the barn-yard for. It is so bold a hunter that the 

 presence of man seems to make no difference whatever. 

 Many instances have been recorded when it has picked up 

 a chicken from the ground at the feet of persons who were 

 feeding the flock. The Ptarmigan and Ruffed Grouse are 

 favorite tidbits in its summer home. In summing up the 

 evidence Dr. Fisher says : "Little can be said in favor of 

 this Hawk, as the destruction of a few injurious rodents is 

 a very meager offset for the great number of game birds 



