Keyes, The low an Raptores. 3 



(6)—Acoipiter cooperii. COOPER'S HAWK. 



Cooper's Hawk is a common summ^er resident in Iowa and in appearance 

 (being, however, larger) and in disposition is much Uke the preceding species. 

 From its far greater numbers, it is even more destructive. This hawk is the 

 worst enemy of the smaller birds generally, and probably does more than all 

 the other hawks combined to reduce the size of the farmers' flock of poultry. 

 It does not appear to destroy reptiles, rodents or insects to any great extent. 



{7)—Buteo borealis. RED- TAILED HAWK. 



This is probably the most common hawk in Iowa and is resident here 

 throughout the year. It is commonly called the "Hen Hawk" though this is 

 a misnomer, for the bird very seldom visits the poultry yard. It only receives 

 a great deal of blame which should attach to the preceding species. Its food 

 consists for the most part of gophers, ground squirrels, moles, meadow mice, 

 shrews, rabbits, frogs, toads, crawfish, snakes, lizards and various kinds of 

 insects. The remains of small rodents may always be found in this bird's nest 

 containing young. The Red- tailed Hawk deserves protection rather than 

 having a price set upon its head as has been the case in some states. 



{8)—Buteo horealis kriderii. KRIDER'S HAWK. 



Tms species is only a geographical variety of Buteo boreaUs, a lighter 

 colored race, which is rare in Iowa. Its habits, disposition, and food, so far 

 as known, are identical with the red-tailed species. 



{9)— Buteo horealis calurus. WESTERN RED-TAIL. 



This species is also a geographical variety of Buteo boreahs, and is a 

 dusky or darker colored bird, which is casual to Iowa. Its habits, food and 

 disposition are essentially the same as those of the Red-tailed Hawk. Where 

 prairie dogs, grass-hoppers, and rattlesnakes are found, it is known to make 

 them a part of its fare. 



{10)— Buteo horealis harla,ni. HARLAN'S HAWK. 



Harlan's Hawk, another variety of Buteo borealis, is the darkest colored 

 of this species and only casually reaches Iowa from the South Mississippi 

 region. It is not a well known bird, but it seems to differ from the Red- tailed 

 Hawk only in color and in a somewhat more shy disposition. 



ai)— Buteo lineatus. RED- SHOULDERED HAWK. 



The Red-shouldered Hawk is a common species in Iowa though seldom 

 seen from its habit of keeping itself well out of view in the timber along 

 bottom lands. Its food is of the most humble kind, and is such as will show 

 beyond doubt that the bird is an economic benefit. Dr. C. Hart Merriam, of 

 the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy, U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, examined 102 stomachs of the Red-shouldered Hawk during 1887, 

 and found the contents to be as follows : 1 contained poultry ; 5, other birds ; 

 61, mice ; 30, other mammals ; 15, reptiles or batrachians ; 40, insects ; 7, 



