EAGLES, HAWKS, AND VULTURES 



79 



BROAD-WINGED HAWK 



(Buteo platypterus) 



The broad-wing, smaller than the red- 

 shoulder and red-tail, lives in woodlands, 

 where it is seen only by those conversant 

 with its habits, as it perches usually under 

 cover of the leaves. In soaring it fre- 

 quently rises until it is nearly out of sight. 

 Swampy woodlands and broken country 

 covered with forests are favorite haunts 

 of this species, and as the trees are cleared 

 it decreases in abundance. 



It is entirely inoffensive in its habits. 

 Except in migration, comparatively few 

 are shot, as most depart for the South be- 

 fore the season for fall hunting. 



The food is mainly mice and other small 

 mammals, frogs, reptiles, and insects. It 

 eats small fish occasionally, but seldom 

 takes birds. Large caterpillars are a reg- 

 ular item in its diet. It is partial to grass- 

 hoppers, crickets, and large beetles, and 

 has been known to eat centipedes. It 

 must be considered beneficial and worthy 

 of every protection. 



The nests of the broad-wing are con- 

 structed of twigs, placed in a large tree, 

 often at a considerable elevation. Green 

 leaves are often found in the nest, and 

 some birds add fresh leaves to the nest 

 lining nearly every day. The eggs range 

 in number from two to five, with two or 

 three as the usual number. They are dull 

 grayish white, or occasionally greenish, 

 spotted more or less extensively with dif- 

 ferent shades of brown and lavender. 



Occasionally these birds will dash at an 

 intruder. I remember distinctly, as a 

 small boy, the start that one of these hawks 

 gave me by swooping at my head as I sat 

 on a limb beside its nest, high above the 

 ground, admiring the eggs and the nest 

 construction. The ordinary call is a shrill, 

 double-noted whistle high in pitch, which 

 is accompanied by chattering, scolding 

 notes. 



The birds vary considerably in color and 

 markings and occasional individuals are 

 found that are entirely black. 



The broad- winged hawk nests from cen- 

 tral Alberta, New Brunswick, and Nova 

 Scotia south to the Gulf coast and central 

 Texas. It migrates south to northwestern 

 South America, wintering mainly from 

 southern Florida and southern Mexico 

 southward. Allied races are found in the 

 islands of the Lesser Antilles. 



SWAINSON'S HAWK 



(Buteo sivainsoni) 



Swainson's hawk lives in regions where 

 tree growth is scant. Though strong in 

 flight and delighting in soaring, it spends 

 hours resting on some open perch where 

 it may watch the country. Except when 

 it has been unduly persecuted, it is tame 

 and unsuspicious, allowing close approach 

 without taking alarm. 



The food of this hawk is varied and in- 

 cludes more insects than usual in a bird of 

 its size. It feeds extensively on grass- 

 hoppers in late summer and fall, and also 

 eats mice, rats, lizards, snakes, frogs, and 

 rabbits. Though on rare occasions it may 

 attack poultry, it is considered one of the 

 most valuable hawks in the West in its 

 relation to agriculture. 



Swainson's hawk nests in trees or on 

 cliffs, where its bulky home, composed of 

 sticks, is often visible at a distance. The 

 eggs, varying from two to four, are green- 

 ish white or yellowish white, spotted with 

 brown and lavender, occasionally being 

 without markings. 



HAWK AND SONG BIRD NEST IN SAME TREE 



In the regions of scanty tree growth in- 

 habited by these hawks, it is a regular oc- 

 currence to find an isolated tree with nests 

 of several species of birds clustered in it. 

 Western kingbirds and Bullock's orioles 

 often nest within a few feet of the large 

 structure made by Swainson's hawk, and 

 all live in harmony. Indeed, the home of a 

 kingbird has been found located among the 

 coarse sticks in the base of the hawk's nest. 



In migration, both north and south, 

 these hawks often gather in straggling 

 bands, from 500 to 2,000 birds having been 

 noted in such groups. 



This hawk, like some of its relatives, 

 has distinct light and dark color phases, 

 these being illustrated in the flying birds of 

 the opposite plate. Swainson's hawk has 

 three of the outer primaries with the inner 

 webs cut out or indented near the tip, and 

 the red-tail has four. This difference will 

 always serve to distinguish these birds in 

 the hand. 



This species breeds from British Co- 

 lumbia, Great Slave Lake, and Manitoba 

 south to northern Mexico, and is found in 

 winter in South America. Stragglers have 

 been taken at many points in the Eastern 

 States. 



