BIRDS OF PREY 193 



RED-SHOULDERED HAWK 



The Red-shouldered Hawk, often miscalled Chicken 

 Hawk or Hen Hawk, is probably the commonest raptor 

 in the eastern United States. The note is different from 

 that of our other hawks, being the one the blue jay enjoys 

 mimicking so well, thereby having a little fun at the expense 

 of the other birds. It is larger than any other common 

 hawk except the red-tail. The red-shouldered hawk is 

 partly migratory, arriving in the Middle States and Great 

 Lakes region late in March. Its range is eastern North 

 America, north to Nova Scotia and Manitoba; resident 

 almost throughout the range. The principal food consists 

 of small rodents, snakes, sometimes a bird, but seldom a 

 chicken, so it is decidedly a benefit to the farmer, because of 

 its destruction of mice and ground squirrels. 



The birds are partial to a given locality, returning year 

 after year to the same piece of woods, and laying a second 

 or third set of eggs if robbed of the previous set. Like 

 most hawks, the plumage of the two sexes does not differ, 

 but the female is slightly larger than the male. 



The nest, a bulky affair, usually placed in the crotch of 

 a large tree along river bottoms or isolated groves, is con- 

 structed of twigs, sticks, and chunks of sod, lined with 

 bark and leaves. The two to five eggs, usualty three or 

 four, exhibit great variation in color and style of marking. 



"Of the 220 stomachs examined, 3 contained poultry; 

 12, other birds; 102, mice; 40, other mammals; 20, rep- 

 tiles; 39, batrachians; 92, insects, 16, spiders." (Fisher.) 



