BIRDS. 



147 



From Biological Survey. 



Fig. 49. — Red-tailed hawk. 



Western Goshawk : Astur gcnt'dis Htrintulus. — The destructive 

 goshawk, which lives largely on poultry in settled regions and on 

 game Ijirds in the inountains, may be recognized by its bluish bade 

 and swift flight, which give it the name of blue darter. A hawk 

 seen from a distance, at the base of (irinnell Mountain, was appar- 

 ently a goshawk. A mounted bird from 

 Lake McDonald is in the collection of F. F. 

 Liebig, of Kalispell. One taken for the 

 eastern forna by Mr. H. C. Bryant, of Cali- 

 fornia, was seen July 23 on the trail be- 

 tween Reynolds Creek and Piegan Pass. 



Westken Red -tail: Buteo horealis 

 calunis. — The widespread rufous fantail of 

 this hawk seen overhead, as he circles high 

 in the sky giving his high-pitched squeal, 

 identifies him anyAvhere. While the red- 

 tail is one of the most beneficial hawks, 

 waging an incessant warfare on injurious 

 mammals, such as ground squirrels and 

 mice, it is often called henhawk or chicken- 

 hawk and killed through popular prejudice, greatly to the detriment 

 of the ranchman. 



In 1885 and 1887 Dr. Grinnell found it connnon among the foot- 

 hills and on the plains of the St. Mary region, but only two were 

 seen by us in the park during the summer, one 

 on the Swiftcurrent, below Lake McDermott, 

 and one over the flats of Belly River; but on 

 April 19, 1918, Mr. Bailey saw one on the road 

 just west of Dutch Creek. Another was seen in 

 1913 by Mr. E. R. Warren on Bison Mountain. 

 SwAiNSON Hawk: Bwteo swainsoni. — Mr. 

 TI. C. Bryant, of California, reports having 

 seen a Swainson several times " on the open 

 prairie about a mile down the Swiftcuri'ent 

 River from Many Glaciers," and Mr. E. ,S. 

 Bryant saj'S the birds nest on Teakettle Moun- 

 tain on the southwestern edge of the park. 

 One of these prairie-frequenting hawks was 

 seen by us in August on the Belly River flats. 

 As if letting the upcurrent take it, it rose higher and higher, squeal- 

 ing something like a red-tail, till it was only a black line against a 

 white cloud. 



Squirrel Hawk: Archihuteo ferrugineus. — Another prairie hawk, 

 the large squirrel hawk or ferruginous rough-leg, was seen in the 



From Biological Survey. 



Fig. 50. — Swainson hawk. 



