SPARROW HAWK (Falco sparverius) 
Length, about 10 inches. This is one of the 
best known and handsomest, as well as the 
smallest, of North American hawks. 
Range: Breeds throughout the United States, 
Canada, and northern Mexico; winters in the 
United States and south to Guatemala. 
Habits and economic status: The sparrow 
hawk, which is a true falcon, lives in the more 
open country and builds its nest in hollow 
trees. It is abundant in many parts of the 
West, where telegraph poles afford it conve- 
nient perching and feeding places. Its food 
consists of insects, small mammals, birds, spi- 
ders, and reptiles. Grasshoppers, crickets, and 
terrestrial beetles and caterpillars make up 
considerably more than half its subsistence, 
while field mice, house mice, and shrews cover 
fully 25 per cent of its annual supply. The 
balance of the food includes birds, reptiles, 
and spiders. Contrary to the usual habits of 
the species, some individuals during the breed- 
ing season capture nestling birds for food for 
their young and create considerable havoc 
among the songsters of the neighborhood.. In 
agricultural districts when new ground is 
broken by the plow, they sometimes become 
very tame, even alighting for an instant under 
the horses in their endeavor to seize a worm or 
insect. Out of 410 stomachs examined, 314 
were found to contain insects; 129, small mam- 
mals, and 70, small birds. This little falcon 
renders good service in destroying noxious in- 
sects and rodents and should be encouraged 
and protected. 
RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo borealis) 
Length, about 2 feet. One of our largest 
hawks; adults with tail reddish brown. 
Range: Breeds in the United States, Mexico, 
Costa Rica, Canada, and Alaska; winters gen- 
erally in the United States and south to Guate- 
mala. 
Habits and economic status: The red-tailed 
hawk, or “hen-hawk,” as it is commonly called, 
is one of the best known of all our birds of 
prey, and is a widely distributed species of 
great economic importance. Its habit of sit- 
ting on some prominent limb or pole in the 
open, or flying with measured wing beat over 
prairies and sparsely wooded areas on the look- 
out for its favorite prey, causes it to be noticed 
by the most indifferent observer, Although 
not as omnivorous as the red-shouldered hawk, 
it feeds on a variety of food, as small mam- 
mals, snakes, frogs, insects, birds, crawfish, 
centipedes, and even carrion. In regions 
where rattlesnakes abound it destroys consid- 
erable numbers of the reptiles. Although it 
feeds to a certain extent on poultry and birds, 
it is nevertheless entitled to general protection 
on account of the insistent warfare it wages 
against field mice and other small rodents and 
insects that are so destructive to young or- 
chards, nursery stock, and farm produce. Out 
of 530 stomachs examined, 457, or 85 per cent, 
contained the remains of mammal pests, such 
as field mice, pine mice, rabbits, several spe- 
cies of ground squirrels, pocket gophers, and 
cotton rats, and only 62 contained the remains 
of poultry or game birds. 
Photograph by Howard H. Cleaves 
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK DEMONSTRATING THE REACH OF ITS LEGS 
For experimental purposes a stuffed owl was tied in an upright position and the investi- 
gators secreted themselves to await developments. Almost immediately there was an uproar 
in which every bird in the vicinity took part. A red-shouldered hawk swooped down upon 
the bait and gave it a vicious jab, while the others were an interested audience perched in 
adjoining trees around the arena. | The attack was repeated until the owl’s feathers were 
almost all pulled out and the excelsior stuffing showed in several places. 
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